“When I make Egypt desolate and strip the land of everything in it, when I strike down all who live there, then they will know that I am the LORD’”
– Ezekiel 32:15
Hi James and Ellen,
Why do you think that there is so much world attention focused today on the countries of Egypt, Syria, Iran, Iraq and Israel? The total land area of the country of Egypt – which is 1,000,450 square miles, the land area of the country of Syria – which is 185,180 square miles, the land area of the country of Iran – which is 1,648,000 square miles and the land area of the country of Iraq – which is 437,072 square miles, is not even a third of the land area that makes up the United States – which is 9,826,630 square miles. The land area of the country of Israel – which is 20,770 square miles, makes the country of Israel about the size of the state of New Jersey. Why do you think that the country of Israel – which is not much more than a dot on planet Earth, is continually garnering hatred from other nations, countries and people groups? Why do you think that the United States took on the lead role for advocating for the country of Israel? Do you believe that the country of Israel is planet Earth’s keyhole to the door that leads into hope’s room? Do you believe that the country of Israel is planet Earth’s centerpiece at the table of competing nations, countries and people groups? Ezekiel received a lament on March 3, 585 B.C. – or if the Septuagint or the Syriac is used – on March 13, 586 B.C., from God – as God the Father, through God – as God the Spirit, about His decision to prompt the king of the country of Babylonia – who was Nebuchadnezzar, to have his Babylonian army breach the walls of city of Jerusalem and to take some of His specially chosen guys, gals and kids who were living in the city of Jerusalem as exiles to the country of Babylonia. Do you think that what God had Nebuchadnezzar and his Babylonian army do 2,597 years ago – which was not only against the Israelite people group guys and gals who were living in the land of Judah and in the city of Jerusalem, but also against guys, gals and kids who were living in the countries of Egypt, Syria – which was 2,597 years ago known as Assyria, and Iran – which was 2,597 years ago known as Elam, has a bearing on what is taking place today in the same region of planet Earth? God also prompted Nebuchadnezzar at this time to have his Babylonian army do a number on the county of Lebanon – which included the city of Sidon, and the country of Turkey – which was 2,597 years ago a land area that was called Asia Minor.
Your grandpaa believes that when God prompted Nebuchadnezzar to have his Babylonian army take on the goal of leading the country of Babylonia to become the one world power, there had to have been gut wrenching consternation being felt by every guy and gals who was living anyplace other than in the country of Babylonia. As one of God’s prophet spokesmen, Ezekiel had the unenviable task of explaining to country leaders – such as to an Egyptian Pharaoh, why God was about to release Nebuchadnezzar and his Babylonian army on him and his country. How would you react if you were told that because you have been like a ‘lion among the nations’ and that because you have been like a ‘monster in the seas’ that a ‘net’ was going to be thrown over you and that you were going to be hauled up in the ‘net’? What would your feelings be if you were then told that you were going to be hurled on an open field so that the ‘birds of the air’ could settle on you and that the ‘beasts of the earth’ could gorge themselves on you? What would you want to do with the guy who had just got done telling you that your ‘flesh’ will be spread out on mountains, your ‘remains’ will fill valleys and your ‘blood’ will drench the land? Where would you go if you really believed that what a guy has just told you about your life is about to be ‘snuffed out’ along with the lives of every other guy, gal and kid who is living in your country? Verse 15 is the reason why Ezekiel received this lament from God – as God the Father, – through God – as God the Spirit, to pass on to an Egyptian Pharaoh, “When I make Egypt desolate and strip the land of everything in it, when I strike down all who live there, then they will know that I am the LORD’”.
Ezekiel’s second lament intrigues your grandpaa. Per what the Septuagint suggests, God – as God the Father, through God – as God the Spirit, gave Ezekiel this lament on April 27, 586 B.C. to pass on to an Egyptian Pharaoh. This lament has hordes of Egyptian guys, gals and kids consigned to planet Earth’s depths where they will find once mighty nations, countries and people groups such as the Assyrian people groups army (from part of today’s Syria), the country of Elam’s guys, gals and kids (today’s Iran), the guys, gals and kids from the nations of Meshech and Tubal (two countries that were formerly a part of Asia Minor and today’s Turkey), the country of Edom’s guys, gals and kids (part of today’s Jordon), and the Sidonian guys, gals and kids (a city in today’s Lebanon). All these guys, gals and kids – per Ezekiel in this lament will end up in planet Earth’s depth – which your grandpaa believes can also be a reference to hell or graves – because of Nebuchadnezzar’s army’s swords. When the United States evaded the country of Iraq in 2003 – because of the country of Iraq’s continuing, threatening posturing, the country of Iraq’s neighboring countries – the countries of Iran, Syria, Turkey and Egypt, took a spectator approach of ‘sitting on their hands’ by not making a fuss over the United States’ entering the country of Iraq. Do you think that these countries still harbor a case against the country of Iraq for what the country of Babylonia did to them about 2,600 years ago?
Ezekiel 32 (1153)