How does understanding Ezekiel 28:24 strengthen our faith in God's deliverance? Opening the Passage “No longer will the house of Israel have a pricking brier or a painful thorn from all their neighbors who scorned them. Then they will know that I am the Lord GOD.” – Ezekiel 28:24 What Was Happening in Ezekiel’s Day • Israel’s surrounding nations—Tyre, Sidon, Ammon, Moab, Edom, Philistia, and Egypt—mocked, opposed, and injured God’s people. • God announced judgment on each of these neighbors (Ezekiel 25–32), promising to pull every “brier” and “thorn” out of Israel’s side. • The verse’s literal promise is twofold: the hostile nations would be subdued, and Israel would come to fresh, unmistakable knowledge of the Lord. Promises Wrapped in One Sentence 1. Removal of every “pricking brier” • God does not promise partial relief; He pledges total elimination of tormentors. 2. Protection from “all the neighbors who scorned them” • The scope is comprehensive—no enemy is too big, no mocker too loud. 3. Revelation of His name and character • “Then they will know that I am the Lord GOD.” Deliverance is designed to magnify Him. How This Fuels Confidence in God’s Deliverance • Surety of Fulfillment – Past performance predicts future faithfulness. If He silenced ancient foes, He will silence today’s. (Joshua 23:14; Hebrews 10:23) • Absolute Sovereignty – Only a God who controls every nation can promise the extinction of every thorn. (Proverbs 21:1) • Personal Attention – He saw each prick and planned each removal; none of our pains escape His notice. (Psalm 56:8) • Covenant Faithfulness – He keeps covenant love to Israel; the same steadfast love holds every believer in Christ. (Romans 11:29; 2 Timothy 2:13) • Deliverance with Purpose – Freedom is not an end in itself; it ushers us into deeper knowledge of Him. (John 17:3) Echoes of the Promise Throughout Scripture • “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and see the salvation of the LORD, which He will accomplish for you today.” – Exodus 14:13 • “The righteous cry out, and the LORD delivers them from all their troubles.” – Psalm 34:17 • “No weapon formed against you shall prosper.” – Isaiah 54:17 • “The Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one.” – 2 Thessalonians 3:3 • “If God is for us, who can be against us?” – Romans 8:31 Living Out the Assurance • Recall specific “thorns” God has already removed; let past reliefs feed present faith. • Replace fear-filled predictions with God’s declared outcome: “No longer will there be…a painful thorn.” • Speak His deliverance aloud when confronted by opposition, using the very words of Ezekiel 28:24. • Celebrate deliverance as revelation; when rescue comes, intentionally acknowledge, “Now I know that He is the Lord.” Conclusion: A Thornless Horizon Ezekiel 28:24 paints a future where every enemy is disarmed and God’s people stand in unhindered relationship with Him. Grasping this verse grounds us in the certainty that the same Lord who uproots ancient thorns will, without fail, deliver us from every adversary today—and we will know Him more deeply because of it. |
    |