Ezekiel 29

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TALKS FOR GROWING CHRISTIANS

God’s Judgment against Egypt

For review, list the 7 foreign nations that surrounded Israel upon which God pronounced judgment. The last one of the 7, Egypt, is covered here in chapter 29.
The prophecy of judgment upon Egypt is a series of ____ prophetic oracles, beginning here in chapter 29 and continuing through chapter ____. What is the phrase that identifies the beginning of all of the oracles? What are the dates given in this chapter for the 1st and 2nd oracles?
What was the name of the pharaoh who ruled Egypt at the time of this 1st oracle, from 588-569 BC? What was the sinful characteristic of this king that we also saw as a characteristic of the king of Tyre?
What was a more specific reason why God was to bring judgment against Egypt (vs 6,7)?
Who took the Egyptians into captivity? How long were they in captivity? After their captivity, did the nation of Egypt ever return to its former power and worldly power?

The 7 surrounding nations were Ammon, Moab and Edom to the east; Philistia to the west; the city-state of Tyre to the north; and here, Egypt to the south.
Seven (7) prophetic oracles contain the prophecies of judgment against Egypt, beginning here in chapter 29 and continuing through chapter 32. The phrase that identifies the beginning of each oracle is, “The word of the Lord came to me, saying . . .” The dates given in verses 1 and 17 respectively are January, 586 BC, the month during which the siege of Jerusalem was taking place and 7 months before the fall of Jerusalem; and March-April, 571 BC, after the 1-year siege of Tyre by the Babylonians.
Hophra was the name of the Egyptian pharaoh who ruled from 588-569 BC. Hophra was, like the king of Tyre, guilty of great worldly pride.
A more specific reason for God pronouncing judgment upon Egypt, was their lack of support for Israel when Judah had looked to them for help against the Babylonians. Jeremiah 37 gives more detail regarding Egypt’s half-hearted effort to help Jerusalem.
Egypt was taken into captivity by Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonians. They were held there for 40 years when the Persians released them to return to their country. However, Egypt never regained the power and worldly glory that she had once had, even to this present day.

Consider the interesting Biblical truth that even when God uses foreign armies to do His work, as He did here with the Babylonians against the Egyptians, He does not take advantage of them unfairly. God rewarded Babylon with the material spoils of Egypt. Discuss instances in modern history when nations who have conquered evil nations have been rewarded with the spoils.

Throughout the study of the book of Ezekiel, we have seen instance after instance where God’s prophecies have been fulfilled, even down to the last detail. Has this powerful evidence of God’s absolute sovereignty given strength and confidence to your faith and testimony? Have people with whom you have shared your faith been convinced that God was not only sovereign in ancient days, but is in sovereign control of all things in the world today?

“‘Surely I will give the land of Egypt to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon; he shall take away her wealth, carry off her spoil, and remove her pillage; and that will be the wages for his army. I have given him the land of Egypt for his labor, because they worked for Me,’ says the Lord God.” Ezekiel 29: 19,20