Then all the inhabitants of Egypt shall know that I am the Lord. “Because you have been a staff of reed to the house of Israel, when they grasped you with the hand, you broke and tore all their shoulders; and when they leaned on you, you broke and made all their loins to shake. Therefore thus says the Lord God: Behold, I will bring a sword upon you, and will cut off from you man and beast, and the land of Egypt shall be a desolation and a waste. Then they will know that I am the Lord. “Because you said, ‘The Nile is mine, and I made it,’ therefore, behold, I am against you and against your streams, and I will make the land of Egypt an utter waste and desolation, from Migdol to Syene, as far as the border of Cush. No foot of man shall pass through it, and no foot of beast shall pass through it; it shall be uninhabited forty years. And I will make the land of Egypt a desolation in the midst of desolated countries, and her cities shall be a desolation forty years among cities that are laid waste. I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations, and disperse them through the countries. “For thus says the Lord God: At the end of forty years I will gather the Egyptians from the peoples among whom they were scattered, and I will restore the fortunes of Egypt and bring them back to the land of Pathros, the land of their origin, and there they shall be a lowly kingdom. It shall be the most lowly of the kingdoms, and never again exalt itself above the nations. And I will make them so small that they will never again rule over the nations. And it shall never again be the reliance of the house of Israel, recalling their iniquity, when they turn to them for aid. Then they will know that I am the Lord God.” ( )When interpreting Scripture, it is important to consider the style used by each writer. Ezekiel wrote poetically and in figurative and symbolic language. This helps me understand this prophetic passage describing future events that have no record of ever happening. What if he is seeing Egypt as the old life of bondage and describing what will happen to that in the will of God?
Egypt ruled the people of God in a harsh way and that slavery was not the life He intended for them. However, being set free to worship their Creator was not always their response. The people set free often went back to that bondage through self-rule rather than obedience. Instead of destroying them, His plan is to destroy that realm and allow them to live in prosperity in this world with Egypt and all it represents. In Christ, that old life is a lowly force that no longer held them in bondage.
I might be stretching the image yet it is true. One day, when I see Jesus face-to-face I will be like Him — no longer trying to rule my own life or even be tempted to do that. The bondage of sin is defeated at the cross, and the result of God dealing with it means being set free from its power.
Jesus, while research does not back up this interpretation of the prophet’s words, experience does. Just thinking about all You have done and all that You are doing in my life produces a sense of lightness and joy. I do not live in that place of bondage to sin any longer because You made living there so small that its power to rule me is receding and losing its appeal. Thank You for all that You do to give me an abundant life.
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