April 29, 587 B.C.

On this date Ezekiel, having received a message from the Lord, declares that Babylon will destroy Egypt; that Egypt's idols will be smashed and destroyed; and that her people will be carried off into captivity. The year before this Pharoah Hophra had come to Zedekiah's aid when Babylon besieged Jerusalem. He had been soundly defeated and went back to Egypt licking his wounds. After the fall of Jerusalem in 586 BC, Nebuchadnezzar would invade Egypt and destroy her. So prophesied. So done. Egypt would never again be a prominent world power, to this day.

The point here, the faith lesson, is that God will do what he says he will do. Men are often stupid enough to mock God's promises because they have not all been fulfilled since the day they were made. This is a foolish position indeed. God doesn't feel the need to chain himself to man's expectations; this would be something akin to a lion responding to an ant; it is beyond the bounds of possibility. God holds his own council, but he accomplishes all he has promised. And by all, I mean all.

The Purpose of Ezra

Thinking about Ezra 1.1, this morning. Ezra is quite clear about what his purpose is in the book that bears his name. He is not setting out to just recount historical events surrounding the return of the exiles from Babylon to Jerusalem, as if, were he not to do so, they would be lost to history. He is writing about God moving, about God fulfilling his promise. Cyrus moved that the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled. This is the key point in the book of Ezra (it seems to me), against which we must set every event. Ezra's purpose is to describe how God fulfilled the prophecy that he had made through Jeremiah. Consequently, this is not a historical book per se, it is a book of promise fulfillment.

I Am Against You

Four words that, when spoken by the Lord of hosts, I hope I never hear! This is what the Lord says to Nineveh and the nation of Assyria in Nahum 2.13. This prophecy was probably given around 640 BC and by 590 BC, Babylon had conquered Assyria and Israel. So prophesied. So done.

When the Lord of hosts says I am against you, whether you are a nation or an individual, you are going down. He is sovereign. Nations are not; neither are individuals.

The Dangers of Man's Logic

In Jeremiah 43.2 this morning. The remnant who had been left in the land promised Jeremiah that whatever God spoke through him, they would do. “Then they said to Jeremiah, “May the LORD be a true and faithful witness against us if we do not act according to all the word with which the LORD your God sends you to us.” (Jer 42:5 ESV) Jeremiah comes back in 10 days and tells them to remain in the land of promise. Jeremiah 43.2 is their response. "Jeremiah, you are lying!"

Why this response? Human logic and reason. There were two great powers in the world at the time. Babylon and Egypt. If Babylon was your enemy, then Egypt was your friend. For protection from Babylon, you go down and live in Egypt. They took everyone and moved into Egypt. In 568 BC, Babylon conquered Egypt, just as Jeremiah prophesied.

This is the danger of Man's logic and reason, and the necessity of faith. Sometimes the proper thing to do is not to rely on your reason, especially when there is a conflict between what seems smart, and what God calls you to do.