Topical Bible: Egypt: As a Power Was: Pompous

◄ Egypt: As a Power Was: Pompous ►

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Topical Encyclopedia

Egypt, one of the most prominent nations in biblical history, is frequently depicted as a powerful and influential kingdom. Its significance is underscored by its interactions with the Israelites and its role in the broader narrative of the Bible. The portrayal of Egypt as a pompous power is evident in various scriptural accounts, highlighting its grandeur, arrogance, and eventual downfall.

Historical Context and Influence

Egypt's prominence in the ancient world is well-documented, with its advanced civilization, monumental architecture, and military prowess. The Bible often references Egypt's wealth and influence, which were sources of pride and arrogance. This is evident in the account of the Exodus, where Pharaoh's heart is hardened against the Israelites, reflecting a sense of superiority and defiance against God's commands (Exodus 7:13).

Egypt's Pomp and Arrogance

The prophets frequently spoke against Egypt's pride. In Isaiah 19:11-13 , the prophet Isaiah criticizes the wisdom of Egypt's leaders, calling them foolish and misguided. This passage underscores the nation's self-assuredness and the futility of its wisdom when contrasted with divine wisdom. Similarly, Ezekiel 29:3 portrays Pharaoh as a boastful figure, likening him to a great monster in the Nile, claiming ownership of the river: "This is what the Lord GOD says: ‘I am against you, Pharaoh king of Egypt, the great monster lying in the midst of his rivers, who has said, “My Nile is my own; I made it for myself.”’"

Divine Judgment and Consequences

The Bible records God's judgment against Egypt as a response to its arrogance and oppression. In Exodus, the plagues serve as a divine demonstration of power over Egypt's gods and Pharaoh's obstinacy. The culmination of these events is the dramatic crossing of the Red Sea, where the Egyptian army is destroyed (Exodus 14:28). This act of deliverance for the Israelites is a testament to God's supremacy over Egypt's might.

Jeremiah 46:17 further illustrates Egypt's downfall: "There they will cry out, ‘Pharaoh king of Egypt was all noise; he has let the appointed time pass him by.’" This verse captures the emptiness of Egypt's boasts and the inevitability of divine retribution.

Symbolism and Legacy

In biblical literature, Egypt often symbolizes worldly power and pride. Its interactions with Israel serve as a cautionary tale about the dangers of relying on human strength and wisdom rather than trusting in God. The prophets frequently warned Israel against forming alliances with Egypt, emphasizing the futility of seeking security in a nation characterized by arrogance and eventual ruin (Isaiah 31:1).

Throughout the Bible, Egypt's account is a reminder of the transient nature of earthly power and the ultimate authority of God. Its depiction as a pompous power serves as a powerful narrative of pride, judgment, and the enduring sovereignty of the divine.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Ezekiel 32:12
By the swords of the mighty will I cause your multitude to fall, the terrible of the nations, all of them: and they shall spoil the pomp of Egypt, and all the multitude thereof shall be destroyed.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Israel in Egypt
... which are kept upright only by the sovereign power of God ... might well have borne a
servitude in Egypt, to have ... ride through the streets of heaven in pompous array ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 3 1857/israel in egypt.htm

The First Chaldaean Empire and the Hyksos in Egypt
... rivalled Babylon in magnificence and power: Egypt could boast ... in the balance of power
being kept ... sceptres, alabaster vases, and pompous inscriptions, scarcely ...
/.../chapter ithe first chaldaean empire.htm

The End of the War
... Other memorials of victories have borne the pompous titles of ... let us forget whence
they drew their power; and let ... We read that on a pyramid in Egypt the name ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture f/the end of the war.htm

Titus when the Jews were not at all Mollified by his Leaving Off ...
... how the ten plagues of Egypt followed one upon another? ... up when they were under your
power [18] since ... you show your transgressions after a pompous manner, and ...
/.../chapter 9 titus when the.htm

Divine Destruction and Protection
... Joseph in the dungeon, Israel in Egypt, Hannah in ... seats of their pomp and their places
of power. ... haughty persecutor, and there, again, the pompous priest and ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 62 1916/divine destruction and protection.htm

Choosing the Tens
... his purple-wearing visitor, the spoiler, the pompous wolf, departed ... have our fill
of the glories of Egypt and be ... He will prove Himself at last by His power. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/miller/the yoke/chapter i choosing the tens.htm

Concerning Florus the Procurator, who Necessitated the Jews to ...
... his crimes to every body, made a pompous ostentation of ... hath befallen the Jews, as
well in Egypt as in ... without [considerable] errors, as also the power of our ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 11 concerning florus the.htm

The Day of Pentecost.
... God having delivered his people from Egypt, led them ... law from Sinai should be superseded;
the pompous ritual of ... more difficult to attain the power of speaking ...
/.../dick/lectures on the acts of the apostles/lecture ii the day of.htm

The Uproar in Ephesus.
... false and impious, confessed the mighty power of the ... which they had probably learned
in Egypt, when he ... and saints, and in maintaining a pompous ritual, many of ...
/.../dick/lectures on the acts of the apostles/lecture xxiii the uproar in.htm

The Sin of Unbelief
... But unbelief is the sin which keeps the power of the ... Now, here is corn in this land
of Egypt; but there ... I rejoice at it; I behold his pompous appearance, and I ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 1 1855/the sin of unbelief.htm