How does Ezekiel 29:10 connect with God's sovereignty over nations in Daniel 4:17? Text at a Glance • Ezekiel 29:10 — “Therefore I am against you and against your streams, and I will make the land of Egypt a desolation and ruin, from Migdol to Syene, as far as the border of Cush.” • Daniel 4:17 — “This matter is by the decree of the watchers, the decision by the word of the holy ones, so that the living may know that the Most High rules over the kingdom of men, gives it to whom He wishes, and sets over it the lowliest of men.” Historical Snapshot • Ezekiel delivers God’s verdict on Egypt (c. 587 BC). Egypt’s pride and false security in the Nile will be shattered; even its farthest border (“Migdol to Syene”) lies under God’s jurisdiction. • Daniel recounts Nebuchadnezzar’s dream (c. 570 BC) declaring that Babylon’s throne changes hands only by divine decree. Common Thread: God Commands Borders and Thrones • Same Sovereign Voice – Ezekiel shows God drawing Egypt’s borders (“from Migdol to Syene”) into His courtroom. – Daniel shows God drawing global thrones into that same courtroom. • Scope of Authority – Physical geography (rivers, cities, deserts) in Ezekiel. – Political geography (kingdoms, rulers, successions) in Daniel. – Both passages widen our view: there is no “neutral territory.” • Humbling the Proud – Egypt boasted, “The Nile is mine; I made it” (Ezekiel 29:3). – Nebuchadnezzar boasted, “Is this not Babylon I have built… by my mighty power?” (Daniel 4:30). – Each is reminded that dominion is God-given and can be revoked. • Means and Agents – God wields drought and invasion against Egypt (Ezekiel 29:11-12). – God turns a king into a grazing beast to prove His point in Babylon (Daniel 4:32-33). – Different tools, same objective: “the living may know” (Daniel 4:17). • Consistency with Wider Scripture – Proverbs 21:1: “The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD.” – Acts 17:26: God “appointed… the boundaries of their habitation.” – Romans 13:1: “There is no authority except from God.” Lessons for Today • Nations still rise and fall at His word; economies, armies, and borders remain instruments in His hand. • Personal pride and national pride alike provoke His loving discipline; humility aligns us with His will. • Confidence is never in rivers, walls, or ballots, but in the Lord who “gives it to whom He wishes.” |
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