Egypt Cut Down Like a Great Tree
November 14, 2019
Commentary
The Lord challenged Pharaoh and his armies to learn a lesson from history. Assyria, the mightiest empire in the Near East from 745-626 B.C., had once been like a mighty cedar of Lebanon. It was well nourished and grew tall. Birds lodged in its branches, and animals sought shelter under its shade. Not even the trees of the garden of Eden could rival its majesty and beauty. However, because of its pride, God delivered it over to a ruthless nation (the Babylonians) who chopped it down. No other trees would ever grow so tall. Pharaoh also was like a great tree, but, like Assyria, he and his armies would come crashing to the earth.
At the apex of her power Assyria dominated the Middle East, towering like a cedar higher than all the trees of the field (vv. 1-9). Thus situated, Assyria grew like a cedar nourished by waters. Birds in the cedar’s branches and animals under its shade (vv. 6, 12, 17) speak of Assyria, like a tall tree, overshadowing and protecting all her neighbors. This “tree” was unmatched by any of God’s other “trees.” She was the perfect example to show Egypt the effects of God’s judgment.
Assyria fell because of her pride (vv. 10-14). God judged the nation because, like a cedar, it towered on high, lifting its top above the thick foliage, and because it was proud of its height. Having mentioned death (v. 14), Ezekiel expanded and applied that fact by focusing on the reaction of other nations to Assyria’s fall (vv. 15-18). While the nations were alarmed, those that had already been destroyed were comforted in the earth below (in the grave). The lesser nations, their allies who had lived in Assyria’s shade (vv. 6, 12) and were now in the grave, could comfort themselves that even Assyria had descended to where they were. Egypt, who was similar to Assyria, would suffer the same fate. She too would be brought down with the trees of Eden to the earth below.
Application
Just like Assyria, Egypt took pride in its strength and beauty and crashed like a mighty tree. I know that apart from God’s provision and grace the same thing can happen in my life.
Ezekiel 31:1– 18 (NET)
1 In the eleventh year, in the third month, on the first day of the month, the Lord’s message came to me: 2 “Son of man, say to Pharaoh king of Egypt and his hordes: “‘Who are you like in your greatness?
3 Consider Assyria, a cedar in Lebanon, with beautiful branches, like a forest giving shade, and extremely tall; its top reached into the clouds.
4 The water made it grow; underground springs made it grow tall. Rivers flowed all around the place it was planted, while smaller channels watered all the trees of the field.
5 Therefore it grew taller than all the trees of the field; its boughs grew large and its branches grew long, because of the plentiful water in its shoots.
6 All the birds of the sky nested in its boughs; under its branches all the beasts of the field gave birth; in its shade all the great nations lived.
7 It was beautiful in its loftiness, in the length of its branches; for its roots went down deep to plentiful waters.
8 The cedars in the garden of God could not eclipse it, nor could the fir trees match its boughs; the plane trees were as nothing compared to its branches; no tree in the garden of God could rival its beauty.
9 I made it beautiful with its many branches; all the trees of Eden, in the garden of God, envied it.
10 “‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Because it was tall in stature, and its top reached into the clouds, and it was proud of its height, 11 I gave it over to the leader of the nations. He has judged it thoroughly, as its sinfulness deserves. I have thrown it out. 12 Foreigners from the most terrifying nations have cut it down and left it to lie there on the mountains. In all the valleys its branches have fallen, and its boughs lie broken in the ravines of the land. All the peoples of the land have departed from its shade and left it. 13 On its ruins all the birds of the sky will live, and all the wild animals will walk on its branches. 14 For this reason no watered trees will grow so tall; their tops will not reach into the clouds, nor will the well-watered ones grow that high. For all of them have been appointed to die in the lower parts of the earth; they will be among mere mortals, with those who descend to the Pit.
15 “‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: On the day it went down to Sheol I caused observers to lament. I covered it with the deep and held back its rivers; its plentiful water was restrained. I clothed Lebanon in black for it, and all the trees of the field wilted because of it. 16 I made the nations shake at the sound of its fall, when I threw it down to Sheol, along with those who descend to the Pit. Then all the trees of Eden, the choicest and the best of Lebanon, all that were well-watered, were comforted in the earth below. 17 Those who lived in its shade, its allies among the nations, also went down with it to Sheol, to those killed by the sword. 18 Which of the trees of Eden was like you in majesty and loftiness? You will be brought down with the trees of Eden to the lower parts of the earth; you will lie among the uncircumcised, with those killed by the sword! This is what will happen to Pharaoh and all his hordes, declares the Sovereign Lord.’”