What is the meaning of Ezekiel 29:6? Then all the people of Egypt will know that I am the LORD • God’s announced judgment on Egypt has a purpose beyond punishment: revelation of His identity. • Throughout Scripture, the Lord makes Himself unmistakably known through acts of power and justice (Exodus 7:5; 14:4; Ezekiel 25:17; 30:19). • This knowledge is not merely intellectual; it compels acknowledgment of His supreme authority, exposing Egypt’s idols (Isaiah 19:1, 21). • The phrase “will know” underscores certainty—God’s plan will succeed, whether nations choose to bow willingly or are forced to by circumstances (Philippians 2:10-11). For you were only a staff of reeds • A “staff” should support weight, but a reed splinters and pierces the hand that leans on it—vivid imagery of Egypt’s unreliability. • Israel had turned to Egypt for military aid against Babylon, only to be abandoned (2 Kings 18:21; Isaiah 36:6). • God exposes every false refuge; anything less than Him proves fragile (Psalm 146:3-5; Jeremiah 17:5-6). • The picture warns believers today against trusting political alliances, wealth, or human ingenuity instead of the Lord (Proverbs 3:5-6). To the house of Israel • Egypt’s failure directly harmed God’s covenant people, compounding Egypt’s guilt. • Israel’s leaders repeatedly sought Egyptian help despite prophetic warnings (Isaiah 30:1-3; 31:1-3; Hosea 7:11). • The Lord disciplines His people for misplaced trust, yet still defends them by judging those who exploit their vulnerability (Zechariah 2:8-9). • By revealing Egypt’s weakness, God steers Israel back to exclusive reliance on Him (Deuteronomy 32:36-39). summary Ezekiel 29:6 teaches that God will humble Egypt so “all the people of Egypt will know that I am the LORD,” exposing Egypt as a flimsy “staff of reeds” on which Israel foolishly leaned. The verse underscores God’s sovereign commitment to reveal Himself, the futility of trusting human strength, and His determination to draw His people back to wholehearted dependence on Him. |
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