Ezekiel 29

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In the tenth year, in the tenth month, in the twelfth day of the month, the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 

Son of man, set thy face against Pharaoh king of Egypt, and prophesy against him, and against all Egypt: 

God speaks to Egypt, a country in Africa.  As I study the Word of God, I did not focus on the location of Egypt.  But today, I stop to check out where Egypt was located.  It is defined to be in northern Africa and a small part of southern Asia.  I read articles that the Egyptians are offended if they say they are from Africa.  I said...say what???? Who, What, Where, and How can we take God's Word and tamper with its location and have the audacity to think we are anywhere close to Jesus' return to take anyone who has a problem with the truth.  I am not saying this because I am black; I am extremely offended that I am from Africa and keep being left out of our overlook because of my heritage.  Many black people say that the Word of God was written by a white man.  That is a lie.  God created man and man's location, period.  I pray that God rebukes everyone who has not spoken the truth about Egypt and its behavior.  This chapter is not applauding Egypt but identifies the truth of what happened in Egypt.

God told Ezekiel to speak to the leader and all the people of Egypt and tell them I am speaking a word against you.

Speak, and say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, Pharaoh king of Egypt, the great dragon that lieth in the midst of his rivers, which hath said, My river is mine own, and I have made it for myself. 

Egypt said the river is mine.  Egypt said I made it for me!

But I will put hooks in thy jaws, and I will cause the fish of thy rivers to stick unto thy scales, and I will bring thee up out of the midst of thy rivers, and all the fish of thy rivers shall stick unto thy scales. 

In my mind, I can picture this.  A sea creature with fins and fish stuck in between the scales.  God takes Egypt and everything in it by taking a hook and pulling it out of the water to let Egypt know...you said what?

And I will leave thee thrown into the wilderness, thee and all the fish of thy rivers: thou shalt fall upon the open fields; thou shalt not be brought together, nor gathered: I have given thee for meat to the beasts of the field and to the fowls of the heaven. 

Anything that lives in water cannot survive on land.  God takes what Egypt said was his, drags him away from the water, and places him on the land.  What do you think the outcome is right now? God said you will be food for the beast and birds of the air.

And all the inhabitants of Egypt shall know that I am the LORD,!

Now you know who controls both water and land and everything in it!

When they took hold of thee by thy hand, thou didst break, and rend all their shoulder: and when they leaned upon thee, thou brakest, and madest all their loins to be at a stand. 

When other countries wanted support for you, you had no strength to aid.

Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will bring a sword upon thee, and cut off man and beast out of thee. 

Egypt, your day of doom has arrived.

And the land of Egypt shall be desolate and waste; and they shall know that I am the LORD: because he hath said, The river is mine, and I have made it. 

God declares what is His and will take rightful ownership and did.

Behold, therefore I am against thee, and against thy rivers, and I will make the land of Egypt utterly waste and desolate, from the tower of Syene even unto the border of Ethiopia. 

God speaks of the details of where He will send destruction to Egypt.

No foot of man shall pass through it, nor foot of beast shall pass through it, neither shall it be inhabited forty years. 

God removed life from Egypt for 40 years.

And I will make the land of Egypt desolate in the midst of the countries that are desolate, and her cities among the cities that are laid waste shall be desolate forty years: and I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations, and will disperse them through the countries. 

Egypt and other countries where the judgment of God has been seen will be emptied for 40 years, and God said that He would scatter them among nations and divide them among countries.  

Yet thus saith the Lord GOD; At the end of forty years will I gather the Egyptians from the people whither they were scattered: 

After the 40-year mark, God will gather Egypt from where they were scattered.

And I will bring again the captivity of Egypt, and will cause them to return into the land of Pathros, into the land of their habitation; and they shall be there a base kingdom. 

God specifies where He will bring those of Egypt who survived during the 40 year judgment.

It shall be the basest of the kingdoms; neither shall it exalt itself any more above the nations: for I will diminish them, that they shall no more rule over the nations. 

Egypt will be brought back as a nation, but it will be the base of all nations.

And it shall be no more the confidence of the house of Israel, which bringeth their iniquity to remembrance, when they shall look after them: but they shall know that I am the Lord GOD. 

Israel will not see Egypt as it did before.  No longer will God's people see the strength of Egypt.

And it came to pass in the seven and twentieth year, in the first month, in the first day of the month, the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 

17 years later, God spoke to Ezekiel.

Son of man, Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon caused his army to serve a great service against Tyrus: every head was made bald, and every shoulder was peeled: yet had he no wages, nor his army, for Tyrus, for the service that he had served against it: 

God remembers Nebuchadnezzar and said he was not paid for carrying out His plan.

Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will give the land of Egypt unto Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon; and he shall take her multitude, and take her spoil, and take her prey; and it shall be the wages for his army. 

God gave Egypt to Nebuchadnezzar and wages for fighting against Tyre.

I have given him the land of Egypt for his labour wherewith he served against it, because they wrought for me, saith the Lord GOD. 

God gave Nebuchadnezzar Egypt.

In that day will I cause the horn of the house of Israel to bud forth, and I will give thee the opening of the mouth in the midst of them; and they shall know that I am the LORD.

Ezekiel, during the time of this prophesy being fulfilled, people will know that I spoke through you, and Israel will see better days coming for them.