Which other scriptures warn against trusting in human strength over God’s provision? Setting the Scene: Ezekiel 17:9 “Will it thrive? Will it not be uprooted and stripped of its leaves so that its fresh sprouts wither? It will not take a strong arm or many people to pull it up by the roots.” Israel’s king had looked to Egypt for military muscle instead of honoring his covenant with Babylon or, more importantly, his covenant-keeping God. The Lord’s verdict is clear: any alliance that sidelines Him is doomed to be “uprooted.” The Core Theme Scripture repeats one principle from cover to cover: human strength, strategy, or alliances cannot replace trusting the Lord. Below are key passages that echo Ezekiel’s warning. Echoes in the Psalms • Psalm 20:7 — “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.” • Psalm 118:8-9 — “It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in man. It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in princes.” • Psalm 146:3-5 — “Put not your trust in princes, in mortal man, who cannot save… Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob.” Wisdom Literature Speaks • Proverbs 3:5-6 — “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” • Proverbs 21:31 — “The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but victory rests with the LORD.” Prophetic Warnings • Isaiah 30:1-3 — “Woe to the rebellious children… who set out to go down to Egypt without consulting Me… Therefore the strength of Pharaoh will become your shame.” • Isaiah 31:1 — “Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, who rely on horses… but do not look to the Holy One of Israel.” • Jeremiah 17:5-7 — “Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength… Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD.” • Hosea 10:13 — “You have plowed wickedness, you have reaped iniquity; you have eaten the fruit of lies, because you trusted in your own way.” • Zechariah 4:6 — “‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the LORD of Hosts.” Historical Snapshots • 2 Chronicles 16:7-9 — The prophet Hanani rebukes King Asa for hiring Syria: “Because you relied on the king of Aram and not on the LORD your God, the army of the king of Aram has escaped your hand.” • 2 Chronicles 32:7-8 — Hezekiah encourages Judah against Assyria: “With him is an arm of flesh, but with us is the LORD our God to help us and to fight our battles.” • 1 Samuel 17:45 — David to Goliath: “You come against me with sword, spear, and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD of Hosts.” New Testament Reinforcement • John 15:5 — “Apart from Me you can do nothing.” • 2 Corinthians 1:9 — “We felt we had received the sentence of death, but this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.” • Hebrews 13:6 — “So we say with confidence: ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?’” Living the Lesson Every era has its “Egypt” to lean on—technology, wealth, political clout, personal charisma. Ezekiel 17:9 reminds us these roots are shallow. Lasting security springs only from wholehearted reliance on the Lord who uproots the proud and establishes those who trust in Him. |
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