"Your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing." - 2 Thessalonians 1:3b

Sunday, July 14, 2013

The Fall of Nations - Ezekiel 25-30

And I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon and put my sword in his hand, but I will break the arms of Pharaoh, and he will groan before him like a man mortally wounded. I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, but the arms of Pharaoh shall fall. Then they shall know that I am the LORD, when I put my sword into the hand of the king of Babylon and he stretches it out against the land of Egypt. And I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations and disperse them throughout the countries. Then they will know that I am the LORD."
-Ezekiel 30:24-26

In these chapters God spoke to Ezekiel to prophesy concerning all the nations that rejoiced at the fall of the children of Israel. He spoke about the malice and anger these nations displayed against His chosen people. God made no bones about what would happen to these people - He would bring about the end of their countries. Today if you look upon a globe to find the country of Ammon, Edom, Philistia, or Tyre you would see they no longer exist. There may be remnants of names in the region, but God executed His perfect judgment to bring about their destruction. Why would God do such a thing? He wanted to make His glorious name known to these people who hated Him and His people. God told them even how He would do it - through Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon.

These chapters may seem like obsolete relics to us today - chapters of history that seem to make no significance outside of being in God's Word. However, they show anyone who looks back in time that never at any time has God's Word fallen short. Even in judgment God shows us His perfect character. He protects His people, leads them in ways we would never imagine, and gives comfort in times of suffering. He lifts up and casts down, not for arbitrary punishment, but so that all may know that He is God and there is no other.

"...God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. I Peter 5:5-7

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