The Egyptian Oracles (Ezekiel 29-32)

The book of Ezekiel contains seven oracles against Egypt -- more than any other country. Why would Ezekiel, a Judean prophet in Babylon, be bothered with a country 1,600 miles away?

Egypt in Ezekiel's time was a superpower in slow decline. At the height of power her sphere of influence had extended the whole way up to eastern Mediterranean, embracing Palestine and what is now Lebanon and western Syria. When the Babylonians replaced the Assyrians as the dominant force in Middle-Eastern military politics, Egypt allied herself with the Assyrians in order to stop the advance of the Babylonians. The result was a complex power-struggle, and the smaller states in the region -- Jerusalem/Judah -- had to choose their friends carefully. The chronology of Egypt and Babylon;s interactions up to Ezekiel's oracles are:

• 605 BC - Babylonians defeat the Egyptian forces at Carchemish (Jer 46:2) and then press south.

• 601 BC - Babylonian and Egyptian forces clash again with heavy losses on both sides.

• 597 BC - Nebuchadnezzar subdues Jerusalem. Egypt stays neutral. Zedekiah is placed on the throne as vassal king by Nebuchadnezzar.

• 589 BC - Judah under Zedekiah is in open rebellion against the Babylonians.

• 588 (Jan) - The Babylonians advance to besiege Jerusalem.

• 588 BC - The siege is lifted temporarily as the Babylonians redirect their efforts against the Egyptian relief forces (Zedekiah had asked the Egyptians for help). However the Egyptians are soon repulsed, and the Babylonians return to besiege the city.

• 587 (Jul) - Jerusalem'[s walls are breached. The city and temple are burnt. The state of Judah comes to an end. The country is in ruins.

The Egyptian oracles in Ezekiel are unusual in that all but one of them are dated. Nearly half of the 13 dates given in the book are found in the Egyptian section. When arranged in chronological order, the oracles date are as follows:

• 587 (Jan) 29:1-16.
• 587 (Apr) 30:20-26.
• 587 (Jan) 31:1-18.
• 586/585 32:17-32.
• 585 (Mar) 32:1-16.
• 571 (Apr) 29:17-21.
• The oracle in 30:1-19 is undated but its content is similar to the others.

Like Tyre, Egypt had much national pride. If Tyre was "new money," then Egypt was "old money." Her pride lay in that which she had inherited and seemingly would keep for ever. She was a vast country with considerable resources (especially the Nile). she had a marvelous imperial history, a sizable army and widespread political influence throughout the Middle East. Yet her confidence in her glorious past was misplaced. Her fate was to be humbled. Likewise, in this age, we should not let memories of past national glories (actual or otherwise) distort our perception of a nation's true needs. It is easy to feel confident that problems and disasters which occur to others can never happen to us. This kind of complacency is never realistic.

1. Egypt: decline and fall (29:1-16).
2. Nebuchadnezzar's reward (29:17-21).
3. A dark day for Egypt (30:1-19).
4. Pharaoh's broken arms (30:20-26).
5. The lesson of the felled cedar for Egypt (31:1-18).
6. Lament for Pharaoh (32:1-16).
7. Egypt's descent to the domain of death (32:17-32).

Ezekiel 33

1. The scope of accountability (33:1-20).
2. Ezekiel regains his speech (33:21-22).
3. Ezekiel's illegal possessions (33:23-33).

Prophecies of Restoration (Ezekiel 34-48)

The prophecies of Ezekiel 34-48 have an entirely different theme from the earlier ones. The oracles of Ezekiel 1-33 consist primarily of warnings of disaster that would befall the people of Israel or their neighbors. But the emphasis in Ezekiel 34-48 is on restoration and hope. Jerusalem and the temple had been destroyed. The people had been driven into exile. But yet there is hope.