Ezekiel and the Nations

Ezekiel and the Nations

Ezekiel Chapters 25-32

The Nations

After the dramatic events of the death of Ezekiel’s wife, the narrative turns from prophecy regarding the fate of the nation of Judah to that of the surrounding nations. The prophecy recorded in Chapter 25 concerns the nations of Ammon, Moab, Edom, and Philistia. Each of these nations is denounced for their treatment of Judah. In the case of the latter three nations, the exact nature of the charges is not clear, but for Ammon we are told (in verse 3 and again in verse 6) that the nation took pleasure in the downfall of Judah.

No matter what our station in life, weather we are comfortable at ease or poor and oppressed, it just seems a natural emotion to take pleasure in seeing someone else get what we think they deserve. To our way of thinking, it does not seem right to be condemned for something we only think or feel about someone who was in the wrong, in any case. But this is not God’s way of thinking. We have been commanded to “Do unto others…” We must only feel compassion, but actively show compassion.

Tyre

Chapter 26 begins an extended lament on the fall of the nation of Tyre which continues through several of the following chapters. In this first chapter of the lament, we are given an immediate sense of the sinful attitude of the nation of Tyre. In verses 1-3 we are told that Tyre looked upon the fall of Judah as their opportunity to gain power. In addition to the failure of compassion of which the other nations were accused, the nation of Tyre made its plans, either without considering the will of the Lord, or assuming that the Lord would be on their side. What the people of Tyre certainly did not do was seek to be on the side of the Lord, and so they found themselves working against the Lord.

Also in this chapter we begin to see why the prophecy against Tyre, a foreign city and an enemy of Judah, was presented as a lament. In verses 17 and 18 we are told that Tyre was a great power, and though some were afraid of that power, many were afraid of the vacuum that would be created when that power fell.

The greater part of Chapter 27 gives tribute to the beauty, power, and riches of the nation of Tyre. We are told (in verse 3) that the nation was well aware of its admirable qualities. Though there is no condemnation in this chapter for such utter patriotism, it is easy to see that the words are about Tyre and Tyre alone, and in Chapter 28 we read (in verse 2) the accusation of ultimate idolatry: the people had set themselves up as gods, believing either that they had no need for God, or that they exclusively knew and acted on the will of God.

In the second half of this chapter, verses 11-19, we have a very interesting account. The Lord begins by telling the people of Tyre that they were once perfect in the Garden of Eden. Almost exclusively, genealogy from Garden of Eden is used in the Bible to show the legitimacy of the Israelites as the chosen ones of God. Here God says to Tyre, an enemy of Israel, that they also had lineage from the garden, that they also are children of God, and that they were separated from God, not by God choosing one nation over another, but by the consequence of their own actions.

Egypt

The prophecy against Tyre is followed by another extended prophecy, this time directed towards Egypt. This prophecy is also presented as a lament, as Egypt was a great nation, as well. The prophecy begins in Chapter 29, where we read in verse 3 that, like the ruler of Tyre, Pharaoh had set himself as a god. Pharaoh was so far gone on the idea as to claim that he had made the Nile for his own purposes. This, of course, was mere play-acting, and Pharaoh would soon find out the true nature of things. Chapter 30, verses 20-26 contains the prophecy of how Pharaoh will lose his illusions about being a god. The reference to arms in this passage is symbolic of strength, and the passage indicates that Egypt will be dealt a significant military blow and, before it can recover, will be finished by another terrible blow.

Though we have been reading a lament for Egypt for some time, it is in Chapter 31 that we get a sense of why we should morn over the passing of such a corrupt nation, as the very Sovereign Lord declares Egypt to have beauty and majesty without compare. (We should note that the text names Assyria, when the context is clearly Egypt. The reason is not clear, but it may be that a comparison of Egypt to Assyria is intended.) Though we would never question the morality of the Sovereign Lord, that same Lord is not willing to dismiss an entire nation as simply “evil”. In these verses we are reminded that even a corrupt nation is a home to many, as the tree was home to the birds, beasts, and even all the great nations. Further, though the Lord has in many places decried Egypt as corrupt and idolatrous, here he says “I made it beautiful, with abundant branches.” This is the great tragedy of Egypt’s idolatry. The towering tree was made by God and should have been a force for good, but the nation of Egypt said “We made this ourselves, for our own purposes.”

Who Is Listening?

Chapter 32 contains the conclusion for the Egyptian lament and the section of prophecy for the nations, as in verses 17-32 we find a review of all the nations beyond the grave in Sheol. It is reasonable for us to wonder at this point about the intended audience of this prophecy. While it might have been possible for those who remained in Judah to hear Ezekiel’s prophecy regarding their actions and their fate, it is unlikely that Ezekiel had access to all the nations mentioned in these chapters. In any case, Ezekiel was delivering his message to those around him, just as he delivers it to us, even if it was a message regarding some other set of people far away and, for us, long gone.

How then, are we to react to the judgments of the Lord against nations long gone? One theme among these stories is that we must react with compassion to those around us, even those whom we believe deserve the judgment of the Lord, because:

1. At the hear of even the worst situation, there are people like you and me,
2. The Lord, who is the ultimate authority on good and evil, does not view people as wholly good or evil, and
3. We are all children of God – and all sinners.