S) "18 'To which among the trees of Eden are you thus equal in glory and greatness? Yet you will be brought down with the trees of Eden to the earth beneath; you will lie in the midst of the uncircumcised, with those who were slain by the sword. So is Pharaoh and all his hordes!' declares the Lord GOD."
Ezekiel 31:18 (NASB)
*because there are already entries for each of these chapters, I also read Ezekiel 31
*because there are already entries for each of these chapters, I also read Ezekiel 31
O) This chapter is a prophecy against Egypt, but it is primarily done with an illustration of Assyria as a flourishing, giant tree. This is certainly not the only place that an empire was compared to a tree, and in fact, there are mentions in this very chapter, in this very verse, about other trees. Now, it's already a prophecy with great symbolism, so if we're taking "trees" as a symbol of something else (e.g., Assyria), then we also have to understand that Eden, and the other trees in it, are also symbolic. Who those other trees represent, or what exactly is meant by Eden, is not necessarily understood, in order to understand the warning to Egypt. The point of this chapter, is that the kingdom of Assyria was massive, and powerful, and flourishing, and successful. There was nothing happening in the empire or at the time, to predict that it would fall so soon or so suddenly, yet that's exactly what happened. So, the point being made in this warning, is that Egypt could only sort of compare to Assyria. Egypt, as a tree or an empire, was inferior to Assyria in glory and power. If Assyria was judged by the Lord GOD, and nothing about them could resist Him, then Egypt also had no hope within themselves, to save themselves from the righteous wrath to come.
A) Probably every mother in the world says some version of, "There will always be a kid ___ than you." Whether that's smarter, or bigger, or faster, stronger, or prettier. It's meant as a reminder to stay humble. I know I heard that same warning when I was younger, but it did little to curb my pride. Perhaps the much better, more thorough warning should have been something like, "There will always be kids smarter than you, whose intelligence and charm could not keep them out of trouble." That is to say, I didn't necessarily believe I needed to be the smartest, just smart enough. Specifically, smart enough to get away with the lifestyle I wanted with minimal effort. Even now, as I pursue humility before God, this warning for Egypt strikes a cord in my heart. I need to remember that there have been plenty of men who were smarter, more resourceful, more able, better looking, etc., who were still impotent when it came to God's judgment and discipline. Even if I was the most clever man to ever live, I will never fool God. No, I need to heed this warning, and remember that my tree is small, but even if it was the largest, God still holds the axe (Matthew 3:10).
P) Father, I am humbled before Your righteous judgment. You are infinitely more powerful than me, and rightly so. You are God and I am not. There is nothing anyone could do to escape judgment, and I am no exception. But, I see Your amazing grace, Lord. I see that You have offered me life. You have offered me forgiveness and mercy. In Your grace, You have given the Holy Spirit, to make my tree flourish and bear fruit. That is what I want to do, Lord, and I want to do it for You. Like when Jesus came upon the fig tree that had no fruit, although it was in season, I know that there will come a day when I stand before You, when my season has come. I pray that You find all of the fruit You are looking for on that day, Lord. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.
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