EZEKIEL LESSON 33
We will begin this lesson in Ezekiel 31:1 "And it came to pass in
the eleventh year, in the third [month], in the first [day] of the
month, [that] the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,"
We see this is about two months after the last dated prophecy in
chapter 30.
Ezekiel 31:2 "Son of man, speak unto Pharaoh king of Egypt, and
to his multitude; Whom art thou like in thy greatness?"
This prophecy is sent not only to Pharaoh, but to his people, as
well. Their pride is going to be dealt with here.
Ezekiel 31:3 "Behold, the Assyrian [was] a cedar in Lebanon with
fair branches, and with a shadowing shroud, and of an high stature;
and his top was among the thick boughs."
Assyria is spoken of as a cedar of Lebanon. The cedar is spoken
of as a powerful, magnificent tree. This could be calling Assyria a
big powerful empire. This was a very tall tree. The Cedar of Lebannon
was a beautiful full tree. The history of the Assyrian empire had been
one of greatness. The Assyrian empire had risen very high, but like
all others, will not be able to stand against the judgement of God.
Ezekiel 31:4 "The waters made him great, the deep set him up on
high with her rivers running round about his plants, and sent out her
little rivers unto all the trees of the field."
For a tree to grow big and strong, it must be fed with water
regularly. This was the case here. The cedar tree grew close to the
river bank. The other trees, away from the large body of water, grew,
but not as large as this tree with abundant water.
Ezekiel 31:5 "Therefore his height was exalted above all the
trees of the field, and his boughs were multiplied, and his branches
became long because of the multitude of waters, when he shot forth."
This is speaking of Assyria rising above the little nations
around her. This is all speaking of worldly strength.
Ezekiel 31:6 "All the fowls of heaven made their nests in his
boughs, and under his branches did all the beasts of the field bring
forth their young, and under his shadow dwelt all great nations."
In the sight of the world, Assyria was a very great nation. All
of the countries around her wanted her protection. It was God who had
allowed Assyria to become a great nation for His purposes. The tree
will dry up and die, if the source of growth is cut off. God {water}
is the source of its growth. God had made it great. Assyria was a
great nation, that many could benefit from. She must stay humble, and
realize her strength comes from God.
Ezekiel 31:7 "Thus was he fair in his greatness, in the length of
his branches: for his root was by great waters."
The deeper the root of the tree goes, the stronger the tree is.
The root will go deep and seek water. That is what is intended here.
The root feeds the tree, and makes it grow tall and strong. The soul
of man needs nourishment, like this tree. The water symbolizes the
Word of God. It is the Word of God that makes us strong.
Ezekiel 31:8 "The cedars in the garden of God could not hide him:
the fir trees were not like his boughs, and the chestnut trees were
not like his branches; nor any tree in the garden of God was like unto
him in his beauty."
Jesus is the Tree of Life in the garden of Eden. The Tree of Life
was in the center of the garden. The lesser trees were out in the
garden. Adam and Eve could have come to the center of the garden, and
eaten of the Tree which brought life eternal. They were like many
church goers today, who just nibble around the edge of Christianity,
and never go to the Tree of Life. Adam and Eve never partook of life
eternal. They preferred worldly gifts, rather than Life, which God
gives. The sad thing is, they partook of the tree which appealed to
their eyes. The tree of the knowledge of good and evil appealed to the
flesh of man.
Ezekiel 31:9 "I have made him fair by the multitude of his
branches: so that all the trees of Eden, that [were] in the garden of
God, envied him."
The tree, which was so beautiful to the eye, was the tree of
knowledge of good and evil. Eve looked, and lusted, and then partook
of this beautiful tree, and gave of its fruit to Adam. They fell, just
as this beautiful tree {Assyria} falls. Beauty to the eye does not
bring happiness, or peace. Generally speaking, this type beauty causes
lust in the man.
Ezekiel 31:10 "Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thou
hast lifted up thyself in height, and he hath shot up his top among
the thick boughs, and his heart is lifted up in his height;"
They felt that they had lifted themselves up by their own
achievements. They had forgotten where there root was. They forgot
their strength came from God. "His heart lifted up" speaks of pride.
Ezekiel 31:11 "I have therefore delivered him into the hand of
the mighty one of the heathen; he shall surely deal with him: I have
driven him out for his wickedness."
Just as Adam and Eve were driven out of the garden of Eden, it is
Nebuchadnezzar who attacks Assyria. It is truly a judgement of God
upon them. They fall to Babylon. They had been great, but their fall
came suddenly.
Ezekiel 31:12 "And strangers, the terrible of the nations, have
cut him off, and have left him: upon the mountains and in all the
valleys his branches are fallen, and his boughs are broken by all the
rivers of the land; and all the people of the earth are gone down from
his shadow, and have left him."
The people of the earth {branches} no more looked to Assyria.
This had been a vast empire that controlled many nations. Now, they
are fallen. They do not control anyone.
Ezekiel 31:13 "Upon his ruin shall all the fowls of the heaven
remain, and all the beasts of the field shall be upon his branches:"
The ruin is so great, there will no longer be an Assyrian empire.
The wild animals hover over the dead bodies.
Ezekiel 31:14 "To the end that none of all the trees by the
waters exalt themselves for their height, neither shoot up their top
among the thick boughs, neither their trees stand up in their height,
all that drink water: for they are all delivered unto death, to the
nether parts of the earth, in the midst of the children of men, with
them that go down to the pit."
Assyria, and all of her allies, are brought down to death. "Pit"
is Sheol, or Hades. Not only have their bodies died, but they have
lost their soul to hell, as well.
Ezekiel 31:15 "Thus saith the Lord GOD; In the day when he went
down to the grave I caused a mourning: I covered the deep for him, and
I restrained the floods thereof, and the great waters were stayed: and
I caused Lebanon to mourn for him, and all the trees of the field
fainted for him."
Lebanon became black from the devastation. There must have been
terrible fires to cause this blackness. Mourning, in this instance,
speaks of that blackness. It appeared, that all the rivers dried up,
and the trees withered and died.
Ezekiel 31:16 "I made the nations to shake at the sound of his
fall, when I cast him down to hell with them that descend into the
pit: and all the trees of Eden, the choice and best of Lebanon, all
that drink water, shall be comforted in the nether parts of the
earth."
We see from the fact that they were cast into hell, that they had
committed sin. Nineveh, its capital, was a massive city. To see all of
Assyria fall to such a fate, would bring thoughts of pity from the
hardest heart. The last of this verse, seems to indicate that those
already in hell, were somewhat comforted by knowing they were not the
only ones to fall. What comfort this could possibly be, I cannot tell.
Ezekiel 31:17 "They also went down into hell with him unto [them
that be] slain with the sword; and [they that were] his arm, [that]
dwelt under his shadow in the midst of the heathen."
Not only did Assyria fall to this terrible fate, but all of its
allies, as well. This is the fate of all who put their trust in the
world and the power it has. Those who do not live for the LORD, can
expect the same fate as these Assyrians and their allies.
Ezekiel 31:18 "To whom art thou thus like in glory and in
greatness among the trees of Eden? yet shalt thou be brought down with
the trees of Eden unto the nether parts of the earth: thou shalt lie
in the midst of the uncircumcised with [them that be] slain by the
sword. This [is] Pharaoh and all his multitude, saith the Lord GOD."
This speaks of the fall of Lucifer {Satan}. Ezekiel was a good
Hebrew, and he connected the fact that someone was uncircumcised, with
them being lost, and winding up in hell. This is saying, that not only
Pharaoh and all of physical Egypt would be in hell with these
Assyrians and their allies, but all who are worldly. Revelation 20:14
"And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the
second death." Revelation 20:15 "And whosoever was not found written
in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire."
Ezekiel 33 Questions
1. When was this prophecy given?
2. Who is it addressed to?
3. Who was spoken of as a cedar of Lebanon?
4. What is this calling Assyria?
5. What makes a tree grow big and strong?
6. What is verse 5 saying about Assyria?
7. Who made Assyria great?
8. The deeper the root grows on the tree, the ______ the tree is?
9. It is the ________ of ____ that makes us strong.
10. __________ is the Tree of Life.
11. Where was the Tree of Life located in the garden of Eden?
12. Why did Adam and Eve partake of the tree of knowledge?
13. What similarity is between Adam and Eve, and Assyria?
14. "His heart lifted up" speaks of _________.
15. Who was the mighty one of the heathen?
16. How did their fall come?
17. Who do the branches, in verse 12, represent?
18. What happens to the Assyrian army?
19. What does "pit" mean?
20. Not only have their bodies died, but they _______ _______ _____.
21. Lebanon became black from the _____________.
22. What happened to the rivers and trees?
23. Who pitied them, when they fell?
24. What comforted those already in hell?
25. Who fell to this terrible fate?
26. Verse 18 speaks of the fall of whom?
27. Quote Revelation chapter 20 verse 15.
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