In last month's study we investigated chapters 29 and 30 of Ezekiel. These chapters contain an oracle that was spoken in the tenth year of Jehoiachin's captivity, with a shorter one spoken later but incorporated in the body of this general prediction. The message contained in chapter 31 was delivered in the eleventh year and the two contained in chapter 32 were received in the twelfth year of this same era. These four chapters (29-32) constitute the longest oracles concerning any nation other than Israel to be found in the entire Book of God. The reader should study Isaiah, chapter 19, and Jeremiah, chapter 46, in connection with this oracle found in Ezekiel.
 

In verses 1-9 we have an oracle concerning the Assyrian national tree. In this paragraph the Lord spoke to the prophet and told him to deliver a message to Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and his multitude, and to ask them: "Whom art thou like in thy greatness?" Without waiting for an answer, the Lord called Pharaoh's attention to the fact that the Assyrian was a cedar in Lebanon with fair branches, with a forest like shade, and of high stature. Its top was among the thick boughs. Of course, the prophet, in thus speaking of the great Assyrian Empire, was comparing it to a massive cedar tree of Lebanon. It was situated upon the Tigris with its capital, Nineveh, located immediately upon that river. Like a tree that is on the bank of a stream, and that has plenty of moisture, Nineveh and the Assyrian Empire were most favorably located and could and did grow into one of the most powerful kingdoms of antiquity. In such a massive political tree the birds of the heavens could lodge and make their nests. All other trees in the garden of God are represented as looking with envious eyes upon this great Assyrian monarch of the forest.

The Lord's comparing the nation to this mighty towering, strong cedar was His representation of the attitude of, not only the sovereign of Assyria, but also of the people constituting the Empire. Pride always goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall. This statement is the expression of an unchangeable law that is operative always and in every place. The Lord therefore pronounced judgment upon this great Assyrian tree, stating that it had been delivered into the hands of the mighty one of the nations who had dealt with it. The reason especially for this judgment was wickedness. The tree is represented as having fallen to the ground and the branches as having been broken off. Upon this prostrate tree the birds, of the heavens and the beasts of the field are represented as coming and lodging. The Lord brought this summary judgment upon Assyria in order to teach the other nations not to exalt themselves too much lest a similar fate should overtake them.

In verses 15-17 the Lord spoke to Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and pointed out to him that the judgment which came upon Assyria was sent because of the wickedness of this nation. Historically, Nineveh succumbed to the titanic strokes of judgment dealt her by her adversaries. This occurred in the year 612 B.C. of the accepted chronology. This oracle spoken in the eleventh year of Jehoiachin was in reality the tenth year of Zedekiah, the last King of Judah. Judah fell in the year 586 B.C. Thus this oracle was spoken in 587 B.C. The Lord in it now called Pharaoh's attention to the fact that, when the Assyrian tree was thrown to the ground, its leader and the men of the nation made their descent into Sheol. There of course was great mourning at the catastrophe which had befallen this mighty empire. In a most graphic and pictorial manner the Lord represented Himself as having caused deep mourning to be observed at the downfall of Assyria: "I covered the deep for him, and I restrained the rivers thereof; and the great waters were stayed; and I caused Lebanon to mourn for him, and all the trees of the field fainted for him."

Just as a heavy tree, when it falls to the ground, causes the earth to shake in the immediate vicinity, thus God represents the fall of Nineveh as causing great consternation and terror to the nations, round about.

When Assyria went down, all of the leaders of the nation descended into Sheol. Prior to the death of Christ all people upon death went to Sheol. The righteous, or rather those who trust God, were put in one apartment, whereas those who did not trust God and did not know Him in a personal manner were sent to another apartment. These two places were separated by an impassable gulf as we learn in Luke, chapter 16. Since the death of Christ, however, the saved upon death go immediately into the presence of God, whereas the lost will still descend into Sheol and will remain there until the end of the Millennial Age, at which time they will be brought forth before the great white throne judgment and will be sent to their eternal destiny of woe.

Having thus pictured the greatness of the Assyrian Empire that had only recently succumbed to the attacks of the enemy, the Lord warned Pharaoh and Egypt to consider their fate as a message to them to turn from their haughtiness and pride unto the true and the living God. Hence, after having described the downfall of Assyria, the prophet declared pointedly: "This is Pharaoh and all his multitude" (Ezekiel 31:18). Though he had spoken of Assyria under the term of this fallen cedar tree, it is clear from the context and from the quotation just given that the Lord meant by this language that Egypt would suffer the same fate as Assyria had.

The descent of the great heads of the Assyrian Empire and of the Egyptian Kingdom down into Sheol and their becoming weak and impotent like all the rest of the dead reminds one of the prophecy of Isaiah, chapter 14, which foretells the descent of the last emperor of the world, the Antichrist, whom the Lord Jesus will slay by the brightness of His coming and His radiant glory. The reader should turn to this passage and study Isaiah 14:3-27.
 

The oracles contained in chapter 32 were spoken in the twelfth year of Jehoiachin's captivity. The first one, found in verses 1-16, is spoken of as a lamentation which the prophet was to take up against Pharaoh, king of Egypt. In this funeral dirge the prophet speaks of Pharaoh's having been compared to a young lion of the nations, but now he thinks of him as a great monster in the sea which is taken in the net, and which is brought up out of his waters. When either Ezekiel or any of the other prophets compared Egypt to a lion, is not here revealed. However, we may be certain that he was compared to such. In this passage, however, he is thought of as a great monster in the rivers, possibly a great hippopotamus. The net is thrown over him by the nations and he is caught. He is thus brought up out of his waters and is pulled out upon the dry land. Then he becomes food for the birds of the heavens and for the beasts of the earth. The fulfillment of this figurative language doubtless occurred when Pharaoh was caused to leave his country and go into another land on a military campaign. Then he was beaten and his shattered army was cast forth into the desert. Naturally, when the bodies of men or beasts are lying on the open field, the birds of the heavens and the beasts of the earth come and devour the same. Pharaoh-Necho had, in the fourth year of Jehoiachin, gone up out of his land to Carchemish on the Euphrates where he had suffered a disastrous defeat; but this event was past history when Ezekiel uttered his prophecy. This prediction evidently refers to some event which proved a disastrous blow to Egypt after the fall of Judah. The history of Egypt at this time is rather meager, and our conception of the times is very faulty and limited.

At the fall of Egypt in fulfillment of this prophecy the Lord declared that He would cause great mourning: "And when I shall extinguish thee, I will cover the heavens, and make the stars thereof dark; I will cover the sun with a cloud, and the moon shall not give its light. All the bright lights of heaven will I make dark over thee, and set darkness upon thy land, saith the Lord Jehovah. I will also vex the hearts of many peoples, when I shall bring thy destruction among the nations, into the countries which thou hast not known. Yea I will make many people amazed at thee, and their kings shall be horribly afraid for thee, when I shall brandish my sword before them; and they shall tremble at every moment, every man, for his own life, in the day of thy fall" (vss. 7-10). It is altogether possible that this language may be figurative and may be similar to that which is found in 31:15,16. At the same time it is altogether possible, and I say probable, that this is yet to be fulfilled in the future. Egypt is still the basest kingdom of all the nations—as God said (29:15). Egypt may come to the front some time in the future, but of course she will never become what she was in the past. If this prophecy has not been fulfilled, it will yet be fulfilled in the Tribulation. This period, called the Tribulation, or the Time of Jacob's Trouble, will be a day when there will be supernatural events seen throughout the material universe. Prior to the bursting forth of the Tribulation there will be signs in the heavens above and upon the earth beneath; there will be a black-out of the sun; the moon will become as blood; and there will be vapor and pillars of smoke and the like in the heavens and upon the earth (Joel 2:28-32). Zephaniah tells us that, in that day, there will be clouds and thick darkness. John in Revelation informs us that these supernatural signs will occur before the Tribulation and at different intervals during it. Our Lord in Matthew 24:29-31 announced that these very signs that precede the Tribulation will follow it immediately, at which time He himself will return from heaven in glory and great power. In view of these various prophecies it is altogether possible that the prediction in Ezekiel, chapter 32, will find its complete and literal fulfillment in the time of the Tribulation.

In verses 11-16 the Lord speaks of using the sword of Babylon against Egypt. To what does this refer? We know from history and also from prophecy that Babylon under Nebuchadnezzar went against Egypt and conquered it. It is altogether possible therefore that this block of Scripture may have had its fulfillment in the subjugation of Egypt by Babylon. At the same time this may yet find its full and complete fulfillment in the end of the age when Babylon becomes a world power, as she is destined to be according to prophecies found in Isaiah, chapters 13 and 14; Jeremiah, chapters 50 and 51; and Revelation, chapter 18.

In verses 17-32 we have a glimpse into Sheol which, as we have already seen, is in the center of the earth. As a person looks through the lens of this prophecy down into the nether parts of the earth, he sees that weird place as a mighty graveyard. One portion of it is given to Assyria and her hosts; at the same time another, to Elam and its hosts. From other verses we see that there will be those of Meshech and Tubal (possibly Russia, Moscow, and Tobolsk) in another place. Likewise the Edomites will be in their particular spot. Thus it is with Pharaoh and his hosts. Of course, all nations who have ever lived, and who have gone out of this world unprepared to meet God, are down there now and will continue to be until the close of the great Millennial Age.

We see the expression, "... all of them uncircumcised, slain by the sword. ..." Circumcision in the true sense of the term was the seal of faith in God and of acceptance with Him. The uncircumcised in the language of this passage are the lost. It is a fearful thing to pass through this life without having been reconciled to God. May God help everyone reading this message to turn to Him in simple faith and accept the salvation offered by the Lord Jesus Christ.