A great monster and a flimpsy staff - Ezekiel 29

 

Ezekiel's message for Egypt is also one of rebuke (no surprises there). Just like his peers, Pharaoh had allowed his success to go to his head and he claimed the Nile River for himself and Egypt. His arrogance and unwillingness to give God any glory, displeased Yahweh and so Pharaoh is referred to as a 'great monster.' This image of the monster reminds me a little of a crocodile and one can imagine the beast swimming under the murky water looking for prey.

"...you great monster, lurking in the streams of the Nile.
For you have said, ‘The Nile River is mine;
    I made it for myself."(v.3)

However, the next vision that Ezekiel shares (Ezekiel 29), also concerning Egypt, is totally different to one of the monster. It is of a staff (think of a walking stick) made of reeds.


All the people of Egypt will know that I am the Lord,
    for to Israel you were just a staff made of reeds.
⁷ When Israel leaned on you,
    you splintered and broke
    and stabbed her in the armpit.
When she put her weight on you,
    you collapsed, and her legs gave way.

I am challenged by these words as it shows me that I need to wary of leaning to heavily on others, and not so much on God. God can bear the brunt of all my troubles, concerns, failures, sins and fears. When we lean on Him, God will not break and collapse.

Lent Reflection: In giving up something during Lent we remind ourselves that we don't need to depend on these things. God is sufficient for our every need. 


Living in Grace
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