Tues.’s Devo - Egypt’s End

Read: Ezekiel 31:1-32:32; Hebrews 12:14-29; Psalm 113:1-114:8; Proverbs 27:18-20 On the first day of the third month of the 11th year of King Jehoiachin’s captivity, God gave Ezekiel a message for the Pharaoh of Egypt and all his horde. He likened Egypt’s kingdom to a great cedar tree in the midst of the earth. Egypt had become the greatest kingdom on the earth and towered over all the other kingdoms. Egypt was full of wealth and wickedness which made her arrogant and proud. God was ready to destroy her because of her evil. She would be brought down to the pit with all the other evil nations. Seven months later to the day, God spoke again to the Pharaoh of Egypt. Egypt saw herself as a lion, but God saw her as a sea monster stirring up mud with her feet. God would catch her in his net and haul her out of the water and leave her stranded on the land to die. She would be eaten by the wild animals. People all over the earth would hear of her downfall and be amazed and shudder in fear for their lives. God would use the sword of the king of Babylon to do this. He would shatter Egypt’s pride and destroy its hordes. Fifteen days later, Ezekiel received another word from God about Egypt. They would be sent to the world below to lie in company of the many other evil people who lived in the pit. The ones in the pit will mockingly welcome’s Egypt and their allies when they come. Elam was also going to end up in the pit to share the shame of those who had died before them. Meshech and Tubal would also join them in the pit. Edom is in the pit with its kings and princes also with the Sidonians and the princes of the north. In Hebrews we are told to work at living at peace with everyone and live a holy life. He speaks to two mountains: Mt. Sinai and Mt. Zion. The people of the Old Testament came to Mt. Sinai and saw the flaming fire and hear the loud trumpet false which scared them. Mt. Zion is the mountain of the New Testament and it is our destination. It is the city of God and the heavenly Jerusalem where countless thousands of angels are meeting in a joyful gathering. Only those whose names are written in heaven will come there. Jesus mediated a new covenant with us and God and sprinkled his blood for us which speaks of forgiveness not vengeance. We are being offered an unshakable kingdom if we obey the terms of the covenant. Lord, thank you for leaving the best for last. Help us to enter into your gates with thanksgiving and into your courts with praise.