What can we learn about God's justice from Ezekiel 32:23? Setting the Scene Ezekiel 32 records God’s lament over Egypt and its proud ruler, Pharaoh. In vivid funeral imagery, the prophet shows how great powers that terrorize others ultimately face divine reckoning. Verse in Focus “Her graves are set in the depths of the Pit, and her assembly lies around her burial place, all of them slain, fallen by the sword—those who spread terror in the land of the living.” (Ezekiel 32:23) Key Observations • “Graves … in the depths of the Pit” – God consigns the violent to Sheol, symbolizing complete, irreversible judgment. • “All of them slain, fallen by the sword” – The punishment mirrors their crime; they lived by the sword and died by it (compare Matthew 26:52). • “Those who spread terror” – The Lord singles out their cruelty toward others as the primary reason for judgment. Truths About God’s Justice • Certain and personal – God identifies each evildoer (“her assembly”) and assigns each a grave. Justice is never vague with Him (Psalm 9:7-8). • Perfectly proportional – The sword that once inflicted terror now becomes the instrument of retribution (Galatians 6:7; Revelation 13:10). • Impartial toward nations and leaders – Mighty Egypt meets the same fate as lesser peoples mentioned earlier in the chapter (Acts 10:34). Rank or reputation cannot shield anyone from the Judge of all the earth. • Protective of the oppressed – By confronting “those who spread terror,” God defends the innocent they victimized (Psalm 72:4; Proverbs 22:22-23). • Ultimate and final – Burial “in the depths” pictures a justice that no earthly appeal can overturn (Hebrews 9:27). Living It Out • Take comfort: God sees every injustice and will right every wrong in His time (Romans 12:19). • Walk humbly: Power, popularity, or success never exempt a person or nation from God’s moral standards (Micah 6:8). • Reject violence and oppression in any form, knowing the Lord opposes those who sow terror (Nahum 1:3). • Share the gospel urgently: Divine justice is real, but so is God’s offer of mercy through Christ for all who repent (John 3:36). |
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