Ezekiel Is Israel's Watchman

 

Ezekiel 33:1-9

 

January 19, 2024

 

Ezekiel Is Israel's Watchman

The word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, speak to your people and say to them, If I bring the sword upon a land, and the people of the land take a man from among them and make him their watchman, and if he sees the sword coming upon the land and blows the trumpet and warns the people, then if anyone who hears the sound of the trumpet does not take warning, and the sword comes and takes him away, his blood shall be upon his own head.  He heard the sound of the trumpet and did not take warning; his blood shall be upon himself. But if he had taken warning, he would have saved his life.  But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet, so that the people are not warned, and the sword comes and takes any one of them, that person is taken away in his iniquity, but his blood I will require at the watchman's hand.

“So, you, son of man, I have made a watchman for the house of Israel. Whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you shall give them warning from me.  If I say to the wicked, O wicked one, you shall surely die, and you do not speak to warn the wicked to turn from his way, that wicked person shall die in his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand.  But if you warn the wicked to turn from his way, and he does not turn from his way, that person shall die in his iniquity, but you will have delivered your soul.

 

Grace verses Law, Ezekiel was called to be the watchman over the house of Israel.  You can read God’s requirement for a watchman. A watchman had great responsibility, souls hung in the balance over his doing the will of the Father.  

 

As a follower of Christ, are we called to be watchmen, what is God’s calling on those of us who have Christ's Spirit living in us?  Have we not been instructed to “Go and Tell, all that God’ has done for us?  Shall we explore the Scriptures, and see what God has called us who are in Christ, and He in us, are to do?  “And he did not permit him but said to him, “Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” (Mark 5:19)  How about Mark 15:16, And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.  

Often I seek better understanding from those with insight into the Scriptures, and “Got Questions” is a good source, this is from them.

Ezekiel has shown all Christians that we are to be obedient to God’s call on our lives. God told Ezekiel to groan with a broken heart and bitter grief for the coming judgment, and, through his dramatic book, Ezekiel tells us the same thing. Judgment is coming! It will surely take place, declares the Sovereign Lord. We, like Ezekiel, can warn others, and we can also share with them the good news of salvation in Jesus Christ.

 

From the Back Porch,

 

Bob Rice

 

 

A lamentation About Egypt

 

Ezekiel 32:16-32

 

January 18, 2024

 

This is a lamentation that shall be chanted; the daughters of the nations shall chant it; over Egypt, and over all her multitude, shall they chant it, declares the Lord God.”

In the twelfth year, in the twelfth month, on the fifteenth day of the month, the word of the Lord came to me:  “Son of man, wail over the multitude of Egypt, and send them down, her and the daughters of majestic nations, to the world below, to those who have gone down to the pit:

Whom do you surpass in beauty? Go down and be laid to rest with the uncircumcised.’ They shall fall amid those who are slain by the sword. Egypt is delivered to the sword; drag her away, and all her multitudes. The mighty chiefs shall speak of them, with their helpers, out of the midst of Sheol: ‘They have come down, they lie still, the uncircumcised, slain by the sword.’

“Assyria is there, and all her company, its graves all around it, all of them slain, fallen by the sword, whose graves are set in the uttermost parts of the pit; and her company is all around her grave, all of them slain, fallen by the sword, who spread terror in the land of the living.

“Elam is there, and all her multitude around her grave; all of them slain, fallen by the sword, who went down uncircumcised into the world below, who spread their terror in the land of the living; and they bear their shame with those who go down to the pit. They have made her a bed among the slain with all her multitude, her graves all around it, all of them uncircumcised, slain by the sword; for terror of them was spread in the land of the living, and they bear their shame with those who go down to the pit; they are placed among the slain.

“Meshech-Tubal is there, and all her multitude, her graves all around it, all of them uncircumcised, slain by the sword; for they spread their terror in the land of the living.  And they do not lie with the mighty, the fallen from among the uncircumcised, who went down to Sheol with their weapons of war, whose swords were laid under their heads, and whose iniquities are upon their bones; for the terror of the mighty men was in the land of the living. But as for you, you shall be broken and lie among the uncircumcised, with those who are slain by the sword.

“Edom is there, her kings and all her princes, who for all their might are laid with those who are killed by the sword; they lie with the uncircumcised, with those who go down to the pit.

“The princes of the north are there, all of them, and all the Sidonians, who have gone down in shame with the slain, for all the terror that they caused by their might; they lie uncircumcised with those who are slain by the sword and bear their shame with those who go down to the pit.

“When Pharaoh sees them, he will be comforted for all his multitude, Pharaoh and all his army, slain by the sword, declares the Lord God.  For I spread terror in the land of the living; and he shall be laid to rest among the uncircumcised, with those who are slain by the sword, Pharaoh and all his multitude, declares the Lord God.”

The Pharaoh and the people of Egypt are not that different from you and me, they were living for themselves, and they had gods whom they trusted in, much like many of us.  Little gods, that have no authority or power when it comes to the reality that God is the same today as yesterday.

 

Do you recall the words of Jesus; in John’s gospel 10:10, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”  Jesus, the Son of God, the Son who loves His Father, who loves you and me, said not my will but yours, and took your place of punishment, as a lamb without blemish.  The pure and holy meeting the requirements of the full payment of sin, and gave you the right to choose, to receive the gift of redemption or reject it. 

Do you recall these words of Jesus speaking to Thomas His disciples; “And you know the way to where I am going.”  Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?”  Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

The last word is “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”

Let me end this paper with this insight, The thief Jesus is warning you about is real, he is a liar and deceiver.  He came to destroy all that is good and holy, and his desire is for you to put faith and worship in anything but the Lord Jesus Christ.  Many are doing so, putting themselves in the place of God, but God tells us: “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”   (Matthew 6:33).  What are these things; love, joy, peace, hope, and life in the full?  Not, fear, not hate, but all the things listed above.   And let me end with these words from our Redeemer, Jesus Christ, found in John 16:33, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world, you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

 

No one is without excuse; Romans 1:20, ^“For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So, they are without excuse.”

 

From the Back Porch,

 

Bob Rice

A Lament over Pharaoh and Egypt

 

 

Ezekiel 32:1-15

 

January 17, 2024

 

A Lament over Pharaoh and Egypt

 In the twelfth year, in the twelfth month, on the first day of the month, the word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, raise a lamentation over Pharaoh king of Egypt and say to him: “You consider yourself a lion of the nations, but you are like a dragon in the seas; you burst forth in your rivers, trouble the waters with your feet, and foul their rivers. Thus says the Lord God:  I will throw my net over you with a host of many peoples, and they will haul you up in my dragnet.  And I will cast you on the ground; on the open field I will fling you, and will cause all the birds of the heavens to settle on you, and I will gorge the beasts of the whole earth with you.  I will strew your flesh upon the mountains and fill the valleys with your carcass.  I will drench the land even to the mountains with your flowing blood, and the ravines will be full of you.  When I blot you out, I will cover the heavens and make their stars dark; I will cover the sun with a cloud, and the moon shall not give its light.  All the bright lights of heaven will I make dark over you, and put darkness on your land, declares the Lord God.

“I will trouble the hearts of many peoples, when I bring your destruction among the nations, into the countries that you have not known.  I will make many peoples appalled at you, and the hair of their kings shall bristle with horror because of you when I brandish my sword before them. They shall tremble every moment, every one for his own life, on the day of your downfall.

“For thus says the Lord God: The sword of the king of Babylon shall come upon you. I will cause your multitude to fall by the swords of mighty ones, all of them most ruthless of nations. “They shall bring to ruin the pride of Egypt, and all its multitude shall perish.  I will destroy all its beasts from beside many waters, and no foot of man shall trouble them anymore, nor shall the hoofs of beasts trouble them.  I will make their waters clear, and cause their rivers to run like oil,
declares the Lord God. When I make the land of Egypt desolate, and when the land is desolate of all that fills it, when I strike down all who dwell in it, then they will know that I am the Lord.

The dragnet and the many people God is referring to is the Babylonian army that would come against Egypt and its people.  And can you imagine this great nation being destroyed, it brought fear on all other nations and people but the people of Babylon.  

 

Let us bring this into our timeline, if a nation came against the USA and destroyed us and killed our leaders and people the world would be in fear.  Are we that much different than the people of Egypt?  I thank not, they believed they were too powerful and too great a military for such a thing to happen, and so do we.

 

One problem, they did not put God in the equation and were trusting in themselves and not God, how is that different from the United States of America?

 

From the Back Porch, 

 

Bob Rice 

 

Pharaoh to Be Slain

 

 

Ezekiel 31:1-18

 

November 15, 2023

 

Pharaoh to Be Slain

In the eleventh year, in the third month, on the first day of the month, the word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, say to Pharaoh king of Egypt and to his multitude: “Whom are you like in your greatness?  Behold, Assyria was a cedar in Lebanon, with beautiful branches and forest shade and of towering height, its top among the clouds. The waters nourished it; the deep made it grow tall, making its rivers flow around the place of its planting, sending forth its streams to all the trees of the field.  So, it towered high above all the trees of the field; its boughs grew large and its branches long from abundant water in its shoots.  All the birds of the heavens made their nests in its boughs; under its branches all the beasts of the field gave birth to their young, and under its shadow lived all great nations. It was beautiful in its greatness, in the length of its branches; for its roots went down to abundant waters.  The cedars in the garden of God could not rival it, nor the fir trees equal its boughs; neither were the plane trees like its branches; no tree in the garden of God was its equal in beauty.  I made it beautiful in the mass of its branches, and all the trees of Eden envied it, that were in the garden of God.

“Therefore, thus says the Lord God: Because it towered high and set its top among the clouds, and its heart was proud of its height, I will give it into the hand of a mighty one of the nations. He shall surely deal with it as its wickedness deserves. I have cast it out.  Foreigners, the most ruthless of nations, have cut it down and left it. On the mountains and in all the valleys its branches have fallen, and its boughs have been broken in all the ravines of the land, and all the peoples of the earth have gone away from its shadow and left it. On its fallen trunk dwell all the birds of the heavens, and on its branches are all the beasts of the field.  All this is in order that no trees by the waters may grow to towering height or set their tops among the clouds, and that no trees that drink water may reach up to them in height. For they’re all given over to death, to the world below, among the children of man, with those who go down to the pit.

“Thus says the Lord God: On the day the cedar went down to Sheol I caused mourning; I closed the deep over it, and restrained its rivers, and many waters were stopped. I clothed Lebanon in gloom for it, and all the trees of the field fainted because of it.  I made the nations quake at the sound of its fall, when I cast it down to Sheol with those who go down to the pit. And all the trees of Eden, the choice and best of Lebanon, all that drink water, were comforted in the world below.  They also went down to Sheol with it, to those who are slain by the sword; yes, those who were its arm, who lived under its shadow among the nations.

“Whom are you thus like in glory and in greatness among the trees of Eden? You shall be brought down with the trees of Eden to the world below. You shall lie among the uncircumcised, with those who are slain by the sword.

“This is Pharaoh and all his multitude, declares the Lord God.”

The title is; Pharaoh to Be Slain, and yet God is telling Ezekiel about a great tree, and most of us wonder why?  We also must understand this had great meaning to the people of Ezekiel time, and it was about what was going to happen to Egypt and Pharaoh.  I ran across this Commentary by Paul Macisker.

“This chapter portrays the fall of the Assyrian empire, and uses it as a warning of what will one day happen to Egypt. Assyria is metaphorically portrayed as a magnificent cedar tree that ended up being cut down by foreign nations, and thrown down to the pit of Sheol. Ezekiel received this revelation in 587 BC, just 18 years after Assyria and Egypt had been defeated at the Battle of Carchemish. This continues Ezekiel's previous oracles against Egypt, as recorded in chapters 29 and 30.

The Assyrian capital, Nineveh, fell to an alliance of Babylonians, Medes and Scythians in 612 BC. The city of Harran fell in 609 BC, and the Assyrians retreated to their last remaining stronghold at Carchemish. Egypt was a vassal state of the Assyrian empire and marched to defend Assyria. Pharaoh Necho II was delayed for some time by King Josiah of Judah, who ended up being killed at the battle of Megiddo in about 609 BC. The Assyrian and Egyptian armies were decisively defeated by Nebuchadnezzar and his allies at the Battle of Carchemish in 605 BC. This marked the end of the Assyrian empire, the end of Egypt's intervention in the Near East, and the establishment of the Babylonian Empire. So, in 587 BC when Ezekiel received this revelation, the fall of Assyria was a recent and painful memory for Egypt.

Egypt was conquered by Nebuchadnezzar in 568 BC, although the extent of his conquest is not clear, as only minimal historical records of it survive. It was again conquered by the Persian king Cambyses in 525 BC. Neither conquest seems to have completely fulfilled the prophecies of Ezekiel 29 to 30 and Jeremiah 42 to 44. However, in the end times, Egypt is one of the countries that will fall to the Antichrist according to Daniel 11:42. So it is likely that this chapter in Ezekiel has an end-time fulfilment, and not just an historic one.

In verse 18, Ezekiel warns that Egypt will end up being thrown down into the pit, just like Assyria. In chapter 28.”

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

I

Who am I

 

Who am I 

 

As I explored my Identity, I had to begin with who I was, and why I am the person I am today.  I was a liar, a thief, a person of little value to the community.  Something changed all of that, it happened long before I was born, and I am not unique, no, not extraordinary, it has happened to millions of people since that one event took place.

 

Often, as I look into the mirror of my true identity, I understand how blessed I am, for who I am today is a gift that cost me nothing, I could not acquire it, it was not for sale, and it could not be earned, and I did not earn or deserve the gift.

 

It was a gift designed in heaven before the foundation of the world came into being.  God saw before creation, and the Creator saw me long before I was.  As I said, I’m not unique, but this is my story, and it must be told.

 

Before I was, God the Father saw me and loved me, and His Son, His only Son was asked to come to earth and die on the cross and shed His blood to cover my sins that were many.  On that day in history, Jesus Christ not only conquered sin but death and the grave!  In three days, the Godman arose in victory, and the gift was mine for the taking.  At the age of 27 in a hotel room in Victoria, Texas, I bowed my knee to a Holy God and asked for His forgiveness for wanting to be in control of my life.  That night around 10:30 p.m. I received my new identity.

 

I am free from the control of sin, it has no hold on me, no authority over my choices.  Am I sinless, no, but it is a choice, and each time I choose to sin I break fellowship with my Father, but I never break our relationship.  I’ve been sealed, I’ve been adopted into the family of God, I am His and He is mine. 

 

As I stated, I’m not exceptional, just forgiven, and it is a grace gift that has eternal value.  My friend Bill worked up a list of Scriptures, this is just one of many, Gal. 4:7, “So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.”

 

What does that verse mean to me?

 

                                    WOW!  I’m family!

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Egypt Shall Fall to Babylon

 

Ezekiel 30:20-26

 

January 14, 2023

 

Egypt Shall Fall to Babylon

In the eleventh year, in the first month, on the seventh day of the month, the word of the Lord came to me:  “Son of man, I have broken the arm of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and behold, it has not been bound up, to heal it by binding it with a bandage, so that it may become strong to wield the sword. Therefore, thus says the Lord God: Behold, I am against Pharaoh king of Egypt and will break his arms, both the strong arm and the one that was broken, and I will make the sword fall from his hand. I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations and disperse them through the countries.  And I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon and put my sword in his hand, but I will break the arms of Pharaoh, and he will groan before him like a man mortally wounded.  I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, but the arms of Pharaoh shall fall. Then they shall know that I am the Lord when I put my sword into the hand of the king of Babylon and he stretches it out against the land of Egypt.  And I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations and disperse them throughout the countries. Then they will know that I am the Lord.”

 

Have you noticed the precision of our God as He tells Ezekiel what He is about to do and how He is going to do it?  God uses the description of a broken arm to show that He has weakened Pharaoh king of Egypt. But Pharaoh, like many who believe they and their faith in wealth and power can save them, or bet on the wrong god.  And so God makes Pharaoh weaker but allows the king of Babylon to grow stronger. 

 

That is the overview but it is not the theme, The theme is that God wants you and me and everyone to know He is the Lord. The Roman Empire was like the USA in a few ways it built roads and brought structure to areas that needed, it the Greeks brought language and Education to the world, but both became very evil, and none of them have returned to the glory and power they once enjoyed and it will happen to nations and people who do not receive are know that God is the Lord.

 

From the Back Porch,

 

Bob Rice 

“I will destroy the idols "

 

Ezekiel 30:13-19

 

January 13, 2024

 

“Thus says the Lord God: “I will destroy the idols and put an end to the images in Memphis; there shall no longer be a prince from the land of Egypt; so, I will put fear in the land of Egypt. I will make    Pathros a desolation and will set fire to Zoan and will execute judgments on Thebes.  And I will pour out my wrath on Pelusium, the stronghold of Egypt, and cut off the multitude of Thebes.  And I will set fire to Egypt; Pelusium shall be in great agony; Thebes shall be breached, and Memphis shall face enemies by day. The young men of On and of Pi-beseth shall fall by the sword, and the women shall go into captivity.  At Tehaphnehes the day shall be dark, when I break there the yoke bars of Egypt, and her proud might shall come to an end in her; she shall be covered by a cloud, and her daughters shall go into captivity. Thus, I will execute judgments on Egypt.
Then they will know that I am the Lord.”

 

As one studies Scripture, it is wise to look up words, such as Memphis, so that is what I have done.  “Memphis was an idolatrous city, the site of many heathen temples and practices. Because of the many evils committed by Memphis, God cursed it, bringing Divine judgment on the city and its people. It was destroyed and eventually abandoned.”

 

When it comes to these cities in Egypt, we also see God’s judgment, Pathros, Zoan, and Thebes.  “Pelusium, the city at the easternmost mouth of the Nile (modern Tell el-Farama) which formed the natural entry to Egypt from the north-east, on the route upriver to *Memphis. It was near this strategic entry-point that *Cambyses defeated the Egyptians in 525 BC.” 

 

What does it take to make a people listen to God, and to acknowledge Him as God?  What about a nation like the great nation of Egypt, which was brought low by her idol worship?  And you who go by the name of Christian, who are your idols?  And you are quick to say we have no idols imagines we worship, but God has spoken on what an idol, is anything you put before Him.  

Does your nation, those you love have to have God say, “Now they will know that I am God”?  My mind always goes back to Jonah's hate for the sinful people of Nineveh and not wanting to share God's message with them, in fear they would repent, and they did when they heard it.

If you are a follower of Christ, you have been called to be His ambassador to your nation, tell them about God’s love for them, and call them to repent.  I believe we are in the last days, and that put me in good fellowship with Paul, Peter, and John, and the disciples of Jesus.

The question, for each of us, is what will we do with Jesus?  He came to give your life in the full, and those idols only come to bring you pride, arrogance, and fear, they cannot give you hope, real joy, or peace, but Jesus can.  Maybe you need to encounter Jesus for the first time by faith in His written word, Romans 10:9-10, “because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.  For with the heart, one believes and is justified, and with the mouth, one confesses and is saved.”

I encountered Jesus in a hotel room in Victoria, Texas, 55 years ago, it took a week before my mouth confessed, what God had done for me.  My wife said you are different, what happened to you, and I shared what God had done for me.  I had lived for 27 years getting my needs met outside of Christ, and it has taken a long time to learn how to be His follower.  Your flesh what to be in charge, but you must learn how to allow the Spirit of Christ that lives in you to be.  He is the Master, and you and I who are in Christ, and He in us are the servants, is it not time to serve Him, and receive His blessing?  Speak out to those you come in contact with about how God has brought you peace, and life in the full.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

 

A Lament for Egypt

 

Ezekiel 30:1-12

 

January 9, 2024

 

A Lament for Egypt

The word of the Lord came to me:  “Son of man, prophesy, and say, Thus says the Lord God: “Wail, ‘Alas for the day!’ For the day is near, the day of the Lord is near; it will be a day of clouds, a time of doom for the nations.  A sword shall come upon Egypt, and anguish shall be in Cush, when the slain fall in Egypt, and her wealth is carried away, and her foundations are torn down.

Cush, and Put, and Lud, and all Arabia, and Libya, and the people of the land that is in league, shall fall with them by the sword.  “Thus says the Lord: Those who support Egypt shall fall, and her proud might shall come down; from Migdol to Syene they shall fall within her by the sword, declares the Lord God.  And they shall be desolated in the midst of desolated countries, and their cities shall be in the midst of cities that are laid waste. Then they will know that I am the Lord when I have set fire to Egypt, and all her helpers are broken. “On that day messengers shall go out from me in ships to terrify the unsuspecting people of Cush, and anguish shall come upon them on the day of Egypt's doom; for, behold, it comes!  “Thus says the Lord God: “I will put an end to the wealth of Egypt, by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon.  He and his people with him, the most ruthless of nations, shall be brought in to destroy the land, and they shall draw their swords against Egypt and fill the land with the slain.  And I will dry up the Nile and will sell the land into the hand of evildoers; I will bring desolation upon the land and everything in it, by the hand of foreigners; I am the Lord; I have spoken.

 

I have a strong feeling many of my readers in the USA will not be, in agreement, with this writer.  God often uses men who are not the most socially expectable, just not nice people, and they come across as bullies, rude, and even say things that a leader should not say.  President Trump is such a man, and so was Nebuchadnezzar, whom God used to bring judgment on Israel, Judah, Tyre, and Egypt and the nations that were aligned with them.

 

As we study the Scripture, we must be open to this one truth, God’s ways are not our ways, His thoughts are much higher than ours.  God often used men and even women whom we would not have used to both bless and bring judgment. 

 

The danger is that often we are aliening against God’s will and purpose when we allow our desires to be against God’s purpose and, will.

 

In the case of our ex-president, I voted for him and will do so again, and yet I do not care for his social skills, but I do believe he loves our Nation and puts it above the one-world people who want open borders and be like Europe.  May I remind you that people came from Europe for freedom of religion, to not be under a king, and to live as a free people?  To have laws that cover all people and not just the lower class, and that was what our government was founded on, we are in danger of losing that because we have no understanding of history or the ways of God. 

 

I’m not sure most of us would want to hang out with either King Nebuchadnezzar or Cyrus, but both were used by God to bring both freedom and judgment.

 

From the Back Porch,

 

Bob Rice

 

 

 

God is the only one that restores

 

Ezekiel 29:14-21

 

January 7, 2024

 

 

And I will restore the fortunes of Egypt and bring them back to the land of Pathros, the land of their origin, and there they shall be a lowly kingdom.  It shall be the most lowly of the kingdoms, and never again exalt itself above the nations. And I will make them so small that they will never again rule over the nations.  And it shall never again be the reliance of the house of Israel, recalling their iniquity, when they turn to them for aid. Then they will know that I am the Lord God.”

In the twenty-seventh year, in the first month, on the first day of the month, the word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon made his army labor hard against Tyre. Every head was made bald, and every shoulder was rubbed bare, yet neither he nor his army got anything from Tyre to pay for the labor that he had performed against her.  Therefore, thus says the Lord God: Behold, I will give the land of Egypt to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon; and he shall carry off its wealth and despoil it and plunder it; and it shall be the wages for his army.  I have given him the land of Egypt as his payment for which he labored because they worked for me, declares the Lord God.

“On that day I will cause a horn to spring up for the house of Israel, and I will open your lips among them. Then they will know that I am the Lord.”

 

God’s judgment against Egypt was to bring them back but never to the glory they once had.  Once more we see the Lord wanting Israel and I believe Egypt to understand, that He only was the Lord.

 

One must remember that God's ways are not our ways, and His thoughts are higher than ours.  So when He tells us that King Nebuchadnezzar worked for Him against Tyre and Egypt was his payment.  And once more it was so Israel would know that God was the Lord.

 

I wonder what it will take for the people of the United States of America to wake up to an understanding that Jesus Christ is the Lord.  Will we have to become like an Egypt?

 

From the Back Porch,

 

Bob Rice

Prophecy Against Egypt

 

Ezekiel 29:1-13

 

January 6, 2024

 

Prophecy Against Egypt

In the tenth year, in the tenth month, on the twelfth day of the month, the word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, set your face against Pharaoh king of Egypt, and prophesy against him and against all Egypt; speak, and say, Thus says the Lord God:

“Behold, I am against you, Pharaoh king of Egypt, the great dragon that lies in the midst of his streams, that says, ‘My Nile is my own; I made it for myself.’  I will put hooks in your jaws, and make the fish of your streams stick to your scales, and I will draw you up out of the midst of your streams,
with all the fish of your streams that stick to your scales.  And I will cast you out into the wilderness, you and all the fish of your streams; you shall fall on the open field, and not be brought together or gathered.  To the beasts of the earth and to the birds of the heavens I give you as food. Then all the inhabitants of Egypt shall know that I am the Lord.  “Because you have been a staff of reed to the house of Israel when they grasped you with the hand, you broke and tore all their shoulders; and when they leaned on you, you broke and made all their loins to shake.  Therefore thus says the Lord God: Behold, I will bring a sword upon you, and will cut off from you man and beast, and the land of Egypt shall be a desolation and a waste. Then they will know that I am the Lord.

 

“Because you said, ‘The Nile is mine, and I made it, therefore, 

behold, I am against you and against your streams, and I will make the land of Egypt an utter waste and desolation, from Migdol to Syene, as far as the border of Cush.  No foot of man shall pass through it, and no foot of beast shall pass through it; it shall be uninhabited forty years.  And I will make the land of Egypt a desolation in the midst of desolated countries, and her cities shall be a desolation forty years among cities that are laid waste. I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations, and disperse them through the countries.

 

We should consider how detailed our God is, In the tenth year, in the tenth month, on the twelfth day of the month, the word of the Lord came to me.  Ezekiel is evident in the exact time he heard from the Lord and the prophecy that would take place.  

 

Why is God upset with Pharaoh, first he was like the devil in that he was a liar.  And second, he was taking credit for what God had created.  One should be very careful in taking credit for what God has done, each of us would be wise to give God the credit for anything that he has allowed us to do.

 

We have much prophesy in the Scriptures that is yet to come, and also, we have prophesy that has been fulfilled, and yet we have not at this time discovered that truth.  It is important to understand that Jesus said you are children of your father the devil, who has no understanding of Truth.  We have many of them we call skeptics, but they are not seeking truth, they are looking to disprove the Scriptures.  As Jesus stated, they are sons and daughters of the evil one, they are unbelievers.

 

From the Back Porch,

 

Bob Rice

 

Israel Gathered in Security

 

Ezekiel 28:25-26

 

January 5, 2024

 

Israel Gathered in Security

“Thus says the Lord God: When I gather the house of Israel from the peoples among whom they are scattered and manifest my holiness in them in the sight of the nations, then they shall dwell in their own land that I gave to my servant Jacob.  And they shall dwell securely in it, and they shall build houses and plant vineyards. They shall dwell securely when I execute judgments upon all their neighbors who have treated them with contempt. Then they will know that I am the Lord their God.”

 

God used Cyrus as a tool to do this, he also has done this other times, and in 1948 God restored Israel as a nation.  But it took many years before we had a President who moved our Embassy to Jerusalem.  On, December 6, 2017, President Trump formally recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and stated that the American embassy would be moved from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

Today we once more see Israel in a war with evil people who want to destroy the Jewish people.  We see foolish college students wanting the nation destroyed, and we see the foolishness of the country that has allowed the migration from the Middle Eastern nations to poison their thinking against Israel.

This we do know that God has spoken and a time is soon coming when Israel's Messiah will return and set up His kingdom in Jerusalem.  And all of Israel's enemies will live in peace with them.  

Let us end this paper with a promise God made to Abram before God Changed his name to Abraham.  "I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse, and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.  (Genesis 12:2-3)  And our God is a promise, Keeper.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Prophecy Against Sidon

 

Ezekiel 28:20-24

 

January 4, 2024

 

Prophecy Against Sidon

The word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, set your face toward Sidon, and prophesy against her and say, Thus says the Lord God: “Behold, I am against you, O Sidon, and I will manifest my glory in your midst.  And they shall know that I am the Lord when I execute judgments in her and manifest my holiness in her; for I will send pestilence into her, and blood into her streets; and the slain shall fall in her midst, by the sword that is against her on every side.  Then they will know that I am the Lord.  “And for the house of Israel, there shall be no more a brier to prick or a thorn to hurt them among all their neighbors who have treated them with contempt. Then they will know that I am the Lord God.

 

The theme of God's message to Ezekiel has not changed for us, yes, we are under grace, but God’s message has not changed, His desire is for us to know, that He is the Lord.  How long will God put up with any people who live as if they are gods, and have no fear of the living God?  Have no understanding of His love for them, or the great gift He gave in giving His only Son to buy them out of sin.

 

In the book of John, we are told this; “He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him.  But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,  who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.”  (John 1:11-13)

 

Everything rests on what you have done with Jesus.  Only you and God know the answer to that question.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

A Lament over the King of Tyre

 

Ezekiel 28:11-19

 

January 3, 2024

 

A Lament over the King of Tyre

Moreover, the word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, raise a lamentation over the king of Tyre, and say to him, Thus says the Lord God: “You were the signet of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone was your covering, sardius, topaz, and diamond, beryl, onyx, and jasper, sapphire, emerald, and carbuncle; and crafted in gold were your settings and your engravings. On the day that you were created, they were prepared. You were an anointed guardian cherub.  I placed you; you were on the holy mountain of God; in the midst of the stones of fire, you walked. You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created, till unrighteousness was found in you.  In the abundance of your trade, you were filled with violence in your midst, and you sinned; so I cast you as a profane thing from the mountain of God, and I destroyed you, O guardian cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire. Your heart was proud because of your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor.
I cast you to the ground; I exposed you before kings, to feast their eyes on you.  By the multitude of your iniquities, in the unrighteousness of your trade, you profaned your sanctuaries;
so I brought fire out from your midst; it consumed you, and I turned you to ashes on the earth in the sight of all who saw you.  All who know you among the peoples are appalled at you; you have come to a dreadful end and shall be no more forever.”

 

Pride, the Scriptures have a lot to say on that subject.  Proverbs 11:2 “When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.” Proverbs 16:5 “The LORD detests all the proud of heart. Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished.” Proverbs 16:18 “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.”

 

This is much greater than a lament of the King of Tyre, it is the source of how pride always put self before God.  We like the king of Tyre or the devil, believe our accomplishments, our beauty, and our clever minds are a product of self.

 

Yes, this is about the King of Tyre, but he was not an anointed guardian cherub.  The King of Tyre was not a signet of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone was your covering, sardius, topaz, and diamond, beryl, onyx, and jasper, sapphire, emerald, and carbuncle; and crafted in gold were your settings and your engravings.  But Lucifer was, and like the King of Tyre, they allow pride to be their downfall.

 

As a follower of Jesus Christ, are we exempt from pride?  If you believe that you are, it is time to do some serious evaluation, of your life.  You and I live in a world full of pride, of fear, and self.  It is so easy to become prideful; that you do not have the problems others have, and it is always because you do not do such foolish things as they do.  Did you get that, you are smarter and more resourceful, you, yes you and I can take credit for our accomplishment.  Is that prideful, unless you give the glory to God for the Wisdom, that He has bestrode on each of us to bless others, and help them, looking to our Lord, who is the source of all wisdom, Truth, and understanding? 

 

From the Back Porch,

 

Bob Rice

Prophecy Against the Prince of Tyre

 

Ezekiel 28:1-10

 

January 2, 2023

  

Prophecy Against the Prince of Tyre

The word of the Lord came to me:  “Son of man, say to the prince of Tyre, Thus says the Lord God:  “Because your heart is proud, and you have said, ‘I am a god, I sit in the seat of the gods, in the heart of the seas,’ yet you are but a man, and no god, though you make your heart like the heart of a god- you are indeed wiser than Daniel; no secret is hidden from you;  by your wisdom and your understanding you have made wealth for yourself, and have gathered gold and silver into your treasuries; by your great wisdom in your trade you have increased your wealth, and your heart has become proud in your wealth-therefore thus says the Lord God: Because you make your heart like the heart of a god, therefore, behold, I will bring foreigners upon you, the most ruthless of the nations; and they shall draw their swords against the beauty of your wisdom and defile your splendor.
They shall thrust you down into the pit, and you shall die the death of the slain in the heart of the seas.  Will you still say, ‘I am a god,’ in the presence of those who kill you, though you are but a man, and no god, in the hands of those who slay you?  You shall die the death of the uncircumcised by the hand of foreigners; for I have spoken, declares the Lord God.”

As we begin this paper, I am reminded of a quote from Buell H. Kazee, in his book “Faith is the Victory.”  “God creates man in His image, and man creates God in his image.  It depends on who is doing the creating as to what kind of being we have in either case.  Man left to himself, will always have a god; and that god will always be like himself.”

The prince of Tyre had done the creating and believed he was a god, his wealth and ability to acquire great wealth had made him proud.  He believed he was untouchable, but God showed him He was not a god but a man.

That bring up a thought in my small mind, the danger of putting trust in the blessing of God.  If you have been given a great mind to solve problems, or if you were blessed with the skill to make wealth, have you become proud, believing it was your skills and not the blessing of God?  There is great danger in doing so, you may need to examine yourself to see if you are in the faith.

 

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

 

 

 

All the Nations depended on Tyre

 

Ezekiel 27:12-25

 

December 31, 2023

 

“Tarshish did business with you because of your great wealth of every kind; silver, iron, tin, and lead they exchanged for your wares.  Javan, Tubal, and Meshech traded with you; they exchanged human beings and vessels of bronze for your merchandise. From Beth-togarmah they exchanged horses, war horses, and mules for your wares.  The men of Dedan traded with you. Many coastlands were your own special markets; they brought you in payment ivory tusks and ebony.  Syria did business with you because of your abundant goods; they exchanged for your wares emeralds, purple, embroidered work, fine linen, coral, and ruby. Judah and the land of Israel traded with you; they exchanged for your merchandise wheat of Minnith, meal, honey, oil, and Balm.  Damascus did business with you for your abundant goods, because of your great wealth of every kind; wine of Helbon and wool of Sahar and casks of wine^[ from Uzal they exchanged for your wares; wrought iron, cassia, and calamus were bartered for your merchandise. Dedan traded with you in saddlecloths for riding.  Arabia and all the princes of Kedar were your favored dealers in lambs, rams, and goats; in these, they did business with you. The traders of Sheba and Raamah traded with you; they exchanged for your wares the best of all kinds of spices and all precious stones and gold.  Haran, Canneh, Eden, traders of Sheba, Asshur, and Chilmad traded with you.  In your market, these traded with you in choice garments, in clothes of blue and embroidered work, and in carpets of colored material, bound with cords and made secure.  The ships of Tarshish traveled for you with your merchandise. So you were filled and heavily laden in the heart of the seas.

If you wanted to trade for the best of goods and materials, you went to Tyre.  All of these nations depended on Tyre, to trade for all kinds of goods.  But all they were doing was making Tyre rich and becoming dependent on it.  Both David and Solomon had a good relationship with the King of Tyre.  

 

God blessed Tyre to be a blessing to His chosen people, as He has the USA, and yes, they both grew in power and wealth, and became proud arrogant, and evil, believing they were the source of their success.

 

God brought His wrath on them; they are no longer a nation that the other nations look to.  Will the USA follow that same path?

 

From the Back Porch,

 

Bob Rice

A Lament for Tyre

 

Ezekiel 27:1-11

 

December 30, 2023

 

A Lament for Tyre

The word of the Lord came to me:  “Now you, son of man, raise a lamentation over Tyre, and say to Tyre, who dwells at the entrances to the sea, merchant of the peoples to many coastlands, thus says the Lord God:

“O Tyre, you have said, ‘I am perfect in beauty.’  Your borders are in the heart of the seas; your builders made perfect your beauty.  They made all your planks of fir trees from Senir; they took a cedar from Lebanon to make a mast for you.  Of oaks of Bashan, they made your oars; they made your deck of pine from the coasts of Cyprus, inlaid with ivory.  Of fine embroidered linen from Egypt was your sail, serving as your banner; blue and purple from the coasts of  Elishah, was your awning. The inhabitants of Sidon and Arvad were your rowers; your skilled men, O Tyre, were in you; they were your pilots. The elders of Gebal and her skilled men were in you, caulking your seams; all the ships of the sea with their mariners were in you
to barter for your wares.

“Persia and Lud and Put were in your army as your men of war. They hung the shield and helmet in you; they gave you splendor. Men of Arvad and Helech were on your walls all around, and men of Gamad were in your towers. They hung their shields on your walls all around; they made perfect your beauty.

 

We see Tyre depicted as a beautiful ship, on the coastline, she was the pride of a merchant fleet of ships.  She was a very prosperous and very proud city, on the Mediterranean Sea.  Tyre was so prosperous that she would go to great expenses to see that all her ships and buildings were of the best materials and it was all about looks.

 

She only used the best, in all areas of workmanship and construction materials.  In that her fleet of ships did business in all ports, she had the best of everything.   When you have that kind of resources you not only believe you are in charge and you become proud and arrogant.  The nations she did business with were impressed to say the least, at her beauty, she was what all people wanted to be like.

 

Tyre was a strong nation with a strong military and the best of everything, but God.  The Phoenician people had little need of God, they had become gods in their pride, and as my dad often said we learn nothing from history or we would not keep repeating it.

 

I see our nation is a lot t like Tyre, we have been so blessed by God following in the footprint of Tyre.  Arrogant, sinful, full of self, with wealth, and very prideful.

 

From the Back Porch,

 

Bob Rice

The word of the Lord came to me:  “Now you, son of man, raise a lamentation over Tyre, and say to Tyre, who dwells at the entrances to the sea, merchant of the peoples to many coastlands, thus says the Lord God:

“O Tyre, you have said, ‘I am perfect in beauty.’  Your borders are in the heart of the seas; your builders made perfect your beauty.  They made all your planks of fir trees from Senir; they took a cedar from Lebanon to make a mast for you.  Of oaks of Bashan, they made your oars; they made your deck of pine from the coasts of Cyprus, inlaid with ivory.  Of fine embroidered linen from Egypt was your sail, serving as your banner; blue and purple from the coasts of  Elishah, was your awning. The inhabitants of Sidon and Arvad were your rowers; your skilled men, O Tyre, were in you; they were your pilots. The elders of Gebal and her skilled men were in you, caulking your seams; all the ships of the sea with their mariners were in you
to barter for your wares.

“Persia and Lud and Put were in your army as your men of war. They hung the shield and helmet in you; they gave you splendor. Men of Arvad and Helech were on your walls all around, and men of Gamad were in your towers. They hung their shields on your walls all around; they made perfect your beauty.

 

We see Tyre depicted as a beautiful ship, on the coastline, she was the pride of a merchant fleet of ships.  She was a very prosperous and very proud city, on the Mediterranean Sea.  Tyre was so prosperous that she would go to great expenses to see that all her ships and buildings were of the best materials and it was all about looks.

 

She only used the best, in all areas of workmanship and construction materials.  In that her fleet of ships did business in all ports, she had the best of everything.   When you have that kind of resources you not only believe you are in charge and you become proud and arrogant.  The nations she did business with were impressed to say the least, at her beauty, she was what all people wanted to be like.

 

Tyre was a strong nation with a strong military and the best of everything, but God.  The Phoenician people had little need of God, they had become gods in their pride, and as my dad often said we learn nothing from history or we would not keep repeating it.

 

I see our nation is a lot t like Tyre, we have been so blessed by God following in the footprint of Tyre.  Arrogant, sinful, full of self, with wealth, and very prideful.

 

From the Back Porch,

 

Bob Rice