Ezekiel chapter 31

vs 1

Wurd.

vs 2

You know as soon as God starts comparing you to something awesome, something is wrong.

vs 3

Ahh, Assyria, the empire that rose, took the northern kingdom of Israel, and then floundered at the gates of Jerusalem. Not exactly what you want to be compared to. But I guess Egypt gets the comparison for good reason, considering the last few chapters.

vs 4

It's a lovely picture of a strong tree.

vs 5

And also a lovely picture of a spreading nation, becoming a mighty empire.

vs 6

Interesting - I've heard lots of arguments about the 'birds of the air' nesting in the tree that grew in one of Jesus' parables. Here's the same word picture, and it's used to describe, I assume, nations. Novel.

vs 7

It was well nourished.

vs 8

Again we see a comparison to the garden of God. Is this talking about Israel? Probably not, I mean there were heaps of places bigger than Israel. I just think he's saying it was a really big and lovely tree.

vs 9

See, since God made it beautiful, it doesn't matter if it's more beautiful than his other trees. Because this is his tree too.

vs 10

Aww, it was sounding so nice, but I fear something is going to happen to this Assyria tree.

vs 11

That would be Babylon. Babylon really did overtime for God, it seems - Assyria, Jerusalem, Egypt, Tyre, Sidon, Moab, Edom - the list goes on!

vs 12

And indeed Babylon did cut Assyria down, and apparently just left it to rot.

vs 13

Apparently although nations didn't shade under its boughs anymore, some still sort of perched on its fallen form. Perhaps using its land?

vs 14

God let Assyria rise to a height so great that God felt the need to chop it down, and to make a point to all other nations - if you try to elevate yourself above God, he will have you cut down, and not even used for firewood.

vs 15

I suppose it was still a huge nation, or empire, and so worthy of a sort of mourning. God did things to let people know that it had passed, and that he had acted here.

vs 16

It's an interesting idea, that God took the large tree, cut it down, and used the boom of its fall to make sure people were paying attention. God goes to rather epic lengths to make a point, it seems.

vs 17

There are plenty of other nations that had gone before Assyria, and more yet will come - like Egypt, I think is the point.

vs 18

Bigness doesn't protect you from God, even as a nation. America, Russia, China, India - all these places are huge, mightily powerful, but God is bigger. It doesn't matter how big, or rich, or powerful you are, God can bring you low, break you to bits, thrust you into death. I'd love to think there is something in that for all of us, but most of us aren't really such big players. Perhaps if we ever feel we are, even just big fish in little ponds, we can remember this.