EZEKIEL LESSON 31


     We will begin this lesson in Ezekiel 29:1 "In the tenth year, in
the tenth [month], in the twelfth [day] of the month, the word of the
LORD came unto me, saying,"

     This prophecy is dated a year earlier than the prophecy against
Tyrus.

     Ezekiel 29:2 "Son of man, set thy face against Pharaoh king of
Egypt, and prophesy against him, and against all Egypt:"

     This prophecy is directed against Egypt. It is addressed to the
Pharaoh, as well as the country.

     Ezekiel 29:3 "Speak, and say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I
[am] against thee, Pharaoh king of Egypt, the great dragon that lieth
in the midst of his rivers, which hath said, My river [is] mine own,
and I have made [it] for myself."

     The prophet of God is not limited to one nation, or to one time.
God sends messages to the whole world by His prophets. Egypt
symbolizes the world and the evils of the world. If nothing else, this
message to Egypt from the prophet of God, shows the necessity for
ministers to go to the unsaved world with the message of God. Egypt
had been a great world power. They had not served the one True God,
however. The dragon is symbolically speaking of Satan. Pharaoh, also,
symbolized Satan.

     Ezekiel 29:4 "But I will put hooks in thy jaws, and I will cause
the fish of thy rivers to stick unto thy scales, and I will bring thee
up out of the midst of thy rivers, and all the fish of thy rivers
shall stick unto thy scales."

     The crocodile was caught in this manner. Perhaps, the dragon and
the crocodile were the same. The crocodile and the fish sticking
together could be speaking of the lesser nations that made alliance
with Egypt. We read in the book of Jeremiah of this very same thing.
When God punishes Judah, then He begins to punish the countries like
Egypt, that had been in alliance with Judah. Egypt and these lesser
nations had all sinned the same sin, and would be punished the same,
as well. No country, regardless of how large and powerful, can avoid
the judgement of Almighty God.

     Ezekiel 29:5 "And I will leave thee [thrown] into the wilderness,
thee and all the fish of thy rivers: thou shalt fall upon the open
fields; thou shalt not be brought together, nor gathered: I have given
thee for meat to the beasts of the field and to the fowls of the
heaven."

     This speaks of those who die in the field, and will not even be
buried. Their bodies will be left to the vultures, and to the beast of
the field.

     Ezekiel 29:6 "And all the inhabitants of Egypt shall know that I
[am] the LORD, because they have been a staff of reed to the house of
Israel."

     The Nile River had been worshipped by the Egyptians. These reeds
grew along the Nile. The reeds are showing that Israel came to them
for protection, rather than going to God.

     Ezekiel 29:7 "When they took hold of thee by thy hand, thou didst
break, and rend all their shoulder: and when they leaned upon thee,
thou brakest, and madest all their loins to be at a stand."

     Israel had reached out to Egypt for help, when they were attacked
by Babylon. Egypt had not been able to help them. They had failed to
help Israel, when the battle became strong. They had run home away
from the trouble. Egypt is blamed, here, for reaching out to Israel in
alliance, and then, not helping them. Egypt did not hold up for
Israel, they broke.

     Ezekiel 29:8  "Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will
bring a sword upon thee, and cut off man and beast out of thee."

     Their fear of Babylon had caused them not to help Israel. They
should have feared God more. Now, they have been judged of God for not
keeping the covenant they had made with Israel, and they are
destroyed.

     Ezekiel 29:9 "And the land of Egypt shall be desolate and waste;
and they shall know that I [am] the LORD: because he hath said, The
river [is] mine, and I have made [it]."

     There will be no doubt, that this judgement is from God. Their
pride of possession is one of their sins. They do not even believe the
river belongs to God. They believe it belongs to them.

     Ezekiel 29:10 "Behold, therefore I [am] against thee, and against
thy rivers, and I will make the land of Egypt utterly waste [and]
desolate, from the tower of Syene even unto the border of Ethiopia."

     This has never really happened in recorded history, and is,
possibly, speaking of a coming destruction. It almost sounds like the
destruction from an atomic war.

     Ezekiel 29:11 "No foot of man shall pass through it, nor foot of
beast shall pass through it, neither shall it be inhabited forty
years."

     Forty, throughout the Bible, has been a time of testing. This is,
perhaps, a time when the land will be uninhabitable. Some types of
bombs leave the land in just this state. We know that God sent Judah
into captivity for 70 years. It would be nothing for a 40 year period,
before the land of Egypt would be restored.

     Ezekiel 29:12 "And I will make the land of Egypt desolate in the
midst of the countries [that are] desolate, and her cities among the
cities [that are] laid waste shall be desolate forty years: and I will
scatter the Egyptians among the nations, and will disperse them
through the countries."

     It seems, this desolation will be so great, that those of Egypt
who want to live, will take refuge in other countries. It appears,
this is like the Israelites being dispersed in other countries, and
then brought home.

     Ezekiel 29:13  "Yet thus saith the Lord GOD; At the end of forty
years will I gather the Egyptians from the people whither they were
scattered:"

     This is, also, speaking of God saving them, while they are
dispersed, and then, He brings them home. We must remember, that Egypt
symbolizes the world. This could be a physical dispersement, or it
could be speaking of a time, when they will come alive to the Lord.

     Ezekiel 29:14 "And I will bring again the captivity of Egypt, and
will cause them to return [into] the land of Pathros, into the land of
their habitation; and they shall be there a base kingdom."

     This Pathros was an area, where many Jews had settled. The fact
that they are a "base kingdom" just means, they will not be the
powerful nation they had been in the days of the Pharaohs.

     Ezekiel 29:15 "It shall be the basest of the kingdoms; neither
shall it exalt itself any more above the nations: for I will diminish
them, that they shall no more rule over the nations."

     We see from this, that their stature as a powerful nation will be
no more. They will be as the smaller nations around them. They will
not be feared by their neighbors, as they had been in the past.

     Ezekiel 29:16 "And it shall be no more the confidence of the
house of Israel, which bringeth [their] iniquity to remembrance, when
they shall look after them: but they shall know that I [am] the Lord
GOD."

     This is just saying, that Israel will not look to them for
protection anymore. They will hardly be able to protect themselves.
The Israelites will remember the anger God felt toward them, because
they had put their faith in Egypt. Israel will put their faith in God,
not in Egypt.

     Ezekiel 29:17  "And it came to pass in the seven and twentieth
year, in the first [month], in the first [day] of the month, the word
of the LORD came unto me, saying,"

     This is 17 years after this prophecy began.

     Ezekiel 29:18 "Son of man, Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon caused
his army to serve a great service against Tyrus: every head [was] made
bald, and every shoulder [was] peeled: yet had he no wages, nor his
army, for Tyrus, for the service that he had served against it:"

     It appears, it had taken 13 years to overcome Tyre, or Tyrus. The
expense of this campaign was so great, that Nebuchadnezzar did not
profit from the destruction of Tyrus. He came against them under
orders from God.

     Ezekiel 29:19 "Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will
give the land of Egypt unto Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon; and he
shall take her multitude, and take her spoil, and take her prey; and
it shall be the wages for his army."

     We do know that Nebuchadnezzar came against Egypt in a limited
campaign, and did spoil them. This was not a long war, so he benefited
financially from it.

     Ezekiel 29:20 "I have given him the land of Egypt [for] his
labour wherewith he served against it, because they wrought for me,
saith the Lord GOD."

     Nebuchadnezzar's army attacked Tyrus and Egypt, but it was really
a judgement of God against them. The king of Babylon did not even know
he was carrying out the will of God. God uses whomever He wills to
carry out His wishes. Even Satan, himself, is subject to the wishes of
God.

     Ezekiel 29:21  "In that day will I cause the horn of the house of
Israel to bud forth, and I will give thee the opening of the mouth in
the midst of them; and they shall know that I [am] the LORD."

     The "horn" symbolizes strength. They had been humbled, but now,
they will be strong again. The opening of the mouth was, perhaps,
speaking of Ezekiel speaking to his people again.



















                         Ezekiel 31 Questions


1.  When is this prophecy dated?
2.  Who is this prophecy addressed to?
3.  What is Pharaoh called in verse 3?
4.  A prophet speaks to _________ nations.
5.  Egypt symbolizes what?
6.  If nothing else, the message in this lesson tells of what
    necessity to the ministers today?
7.  The dragon is symbolically speaking of __________.
8.  The ____________ was caught by putting hooks in his jaws.
9.  What are the fish and the crocodile sticking together symbolizing?
10. What is verse 5 speaking of?
11. What had Egypt been to the house of Israel?
12. The ________ ________ had been worshipped by Egypt.
13. Who had Israel gone to for help, rather than to God?
14. What happened to Egypt, when Babylon attacked Israel?
15. What is Egypt judged of God for?
16. What was one great sin of Egypt, mentioned in verse 9?
17. In verse 10, what happens to Egypt?
18. How long will this land be uninhabitable?
19. What does the number 40 show us?
20. How long had God sent Judah into captivity?
21. What will happen to the Egyptians for this forty years?
22. What happens at the end of the 40 years?
23. What 2 ways could you look at the disagreement?
24. What part of Egypt will they return to?
25. What does base kingdom mean?
26. They will never be the __________ of Israel again.
27. Where will Israel put their faith now?
28. Verse 17 is speaking of _______ years after the beginning of this
    prophecy.
29. In verse 18, what happened in Tyrus.
30. How many years was Tyrus under attack?
31. Why did Nebuchadnezzar not profit from Tyre?
32. Did he ever come against Egypt?
33. What does the "horn" symbolize?