The Pulpit Commentary — Ezekiel — Volume 2 — Section 133

III. THE WORLDLY KING is A DANGEROUS ALLY. "They have been a etnft' of reed to the house of Israel." As a mau maimed or invalided rests his weight, when walking, upon some mechanical support, and suffers grievous injury if his support breaks, so was it when Israel foolishly leant upon Egypt for support. The prospect of succour was specious and plausible. Egypt promised friendly aid, but when the hour of trial came the support collapsed, and both Israel and Egypt were injured. It is perilous to trust in any godless power. ,ve are often decoyed into a fatal ambush by appearances, Friendship, if not a real advantage, is a bane. It is an injury to us personally, if the one on whom we trusted fails; it is a hundredfold more injurious to an empire. 'fest your allies before you trust them. IV. THE WORLDLY KING IS EASILY VULNERARLE. Carnal security is weakness incarnate. It is a rampart of cobwebs. The King of Egypt trusted wholly in his river with its seven branches ; yet nothing was easier than for God to dry up the sources of that stream, and leave the crocodile on the dry land, with dead fish stickin"' to his scales. This is a graphic picture of defeat, a sudden collapse of brag. The rive~ having failed, the prophecy would speedily be verified, "I have given thee for meat t,o the beasts of the field and to the fowls of the heaven." Achilles was said to have been vulnerable only in the heel, but every world-power is vulnerable in a thousand points. God's favour is the only known shield that is impregnable. V. THE DEFEAT OF THE WORLD-POWER WILL BE THE ESTABLISHMENT OF GoD'B KINGDOM. "All the inhabitants of Egypt shall know that I am the Lord." This is a difficult lesson for men to learn, and the task is long. Yet God is not impatient. He calmly waits his time. Slowly, yet surely, the foundations of his empire are being laid. The idols of Egypt have been completely overthrown, and gradually God is being acknowledged. "He must reign." It is a grand necessity.-D. Vers. 8-16.-God's frown, a chill of death. Men have very erroneous ideas of God when they think lightly of making him their foe. They have a vague idea that he is as impotent as one of their idols. Did they but know the magnitude of his power, and his complete supremacy over human affairs, they would feel that his frown was blackest death. The fruits of God's hostility are- I. DISASTROUS w.All. "I will bring a sword upon thee." It would not be true to say that God takes part in every war. In many cases both combatants are to blame, and God cannot take sides with either. But, in every case in which one of the combatants is impelled to fight for an unrighteous cause, clearly God will aid the other side. Not always then. For although a combatant may have a. righteous cause to defend, he may defend it in a vindictive spirit and with unhallowed weapons. It is well to note that God does fight with his trusty servants against evil-doers. He does employ the sword of men in hie cause; and when he is behind tile sword, "it will cut off man and beast." IL WIDESPREAD DESOLATION. "The land of Egypt shall be desolate and waste." Nothing is easier with God than to make waste the land of Egypt. He has but to diminish the water-supply of the Nile, and the territory becomes a desert. To him it must be a grievous pain to make the fair face of nature desolate. He who delights in beauty, and caused the "sons of God to sing for joy" when earth was first robed in leafy vesture, must be pained when the verdure of forests and cornfields is blasted, Yet his desire for human good, and for the development of righteousness in the earth, is stronger far. This gives him a deeper joy; and, in order to promote moral loveliness, it is sometimes worth while to sacrifice the fair face of nature. IIL EQUITABLE REPRISALS. u Because he hath said, The river is mine, . . . there- fore I am against thy rivers." This is language which men everywhere can under- stand. This is argument which leaves deep impression in the human breast. If men <lespise and treat with contempt God's messages sent in the form of human speech, God will speak to them in language they will not contemn. 'l'he strict equity of God's dealings has often been written in largest capitals. The prohibited thing has become a scourge. The quails lusted after became disease in the intestines. 'l'he Nile, worshipped as a god, was changed into blood. God is never in haste to vindicate his rights, because at any moment he can cast a bombshell of alarin in hi11 enemies' cnmp. lf men must needs trifle, let them trifle with Satan-never with God. oa, XXIX, 1-21.] TIIE BOOK OF TIIE PROPIIET EZEKIEL. 137