Sun.’s Devo - Weakness into Strength

Read: Ezekiel 29:1-30:26; Hebrews 11:32-12:13; Psalm 112:1-10; Proverbs 27:17 During the tenth year of King Jehoiachin’s captivity God have a message to Ezekiel about Egypt. The pharaoh of Egypt was Hophra which means “to cover evil.” His reign began prosperously. According to my commentary he took Gaza (Jer 47:1) and Zidon and made himself master of Phoenicia and Palestine, recovering much that was lost to Egypt by the victory of Nebuchadnezzar at Carchemish (2Ki 24:7; Jer 46:2), He was so proudly secure because of his successes for twenty-five years, that he said that not even a god could deprive him of his kingdom. This explains his boast that the Nile was his own river that he made for himself (vs. 3). God said that He would put hooks in his jaws and bring up him and all his followers. Pharaoh-hophra, was dethroned and strangled, and Amasis substituted as king, by Nebuchadnezzar. Egypt would be made desolate for forty years and its people scattered among the nations. At the end of the forty years they would be gathered together and be a depressed lowly nation. The kingdom of Babylon was being used by God to execute his justice and judgment. They fought against Tyre for years and could never penetrate its walls so God gave him Egypt for a reward for their efforts against Tyre. With the spoils they took from Egypt the Babylonians would be able to pay their army. The downfall of Egypt would be the sign of the uprising of Israel. In Chapter 30 “the time of the heathen” was the beginning of a world-wide judgment on all the heathen enemies of God. God would destroy the idols and images out of Noph (Memphis), the capital of Upper Egypt who was known for its stupendous buildings. The Babylonians took Sin or Pelusium by placing dogs and cats before their army. The Egyptians couldn’t shoot their arrows at the army because they held sacred the dogs and cats. They slew Apis, the sacred ox, and burnt other idols of Egypt. The city of Sin, known as the key of Egypt was at the northeast end of Egypt and No or Thebes at the opposite end. God was saying that he would afflict Egypt from one end to the other. During the eleventh year of Jehoiakim’s captivity God gave Ezekiel another word. Both of Pharoah’s arms would be broken depriving him of the resources of making war. The end was that they would know that God is the Lord. Hebrews begins with the victorious judges, David and Samuel. They turned their weaknesses into strengths. They won their battles and saw miracles. Others didn’t see their victory on earth. They lived for eternity where their victory waited for them. They were persecuted, oppressed and mistreated. They earned a good reputation in heaven. We are all connected in this plan of God’s. What we do is passed on to the next generation and what we are is a product of our past generations. Those who died before us are our cloud of witnesses that cheer us on to finish our race so that the next generation would take the baton and finish their race with success. This race is full of shame and hostility but we are encouraged to endure till the end. Jesus went before us and showed us how to do this. Lord, thank you for Jesus our example of how to walk this life on earth and the Holy Spirit who walks with us and guides us along the way. We are never alone. Thank you that You turn our weaknesses into strengths.