“For I have caused my terror in the land of the living: and he shall be laid in the midst of the uncircumcised with them that are slain with the sword, even Pharaoh and all his multitude, saith the Lord GOD” (Ezekiel 32:32).
TEXT — Ezekiel 32:17-32
Message
In its days, ancient Egypt, under the rule of the Pharaohs, was a world power. Its vast military might conquered many nations. It was called “a young lion of the nations” and a “whale in the seas” (Ezekiel 33:2). However, supreme power that is not subject to the supreme God will always be misused to the displeasure of the Almighty. The righteous God, therefore, decided to exercise His sovereignty over the earth by caging Egypt in His net and bringing it to book.
This passage lists the nations which also suffered the fate of Egypt, all categorised as “uncircumcised” (verse 19,21,24-30,32). Physical circumcision was a symbol of the removal of the extra flesh, which spiritually depicted sin that must be taken away for sinners to please God. In our dispensation, circumcision of the heart is the second work of grace, after genuine salvation, that enables one to please God. Without heart purity, we cannot walk with and work for a holy God.
Many people despise the call to salvation and God’s demand for the removal of the inherent sin in human beings. Instead, they rely on their good works, outward appearance, military power, high intellect, physical strength, or material possessions. However, as loving as God is, He is a righteous Judge, a consuming fire.
From the divine judgment against Egypt, we should learn that God does not respect any personality, position, popularity or possessions when judging in time and eternity. Eternity is real, and in our passage, there is constant reference to people going down into “the pit.”
The way of escape is the way that Jesus Christ paved with His blood as the atonement for the sins of mankind.
Listed among “500 most powerful people on the planet” by the Foreign Policy magazine in 2013, Pastor (Dr.) William F. Kumuyi is the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Christian Life Ministry (DCLM) headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria. DCLM started in 1973 as a 15-member Bible study group right in Kumuyi’s apartment at University of Lagos where he was a lecturer. His revolutionary Bible teaching on personal holiness and commitment to evangelism soon gained so much traction and resulted in a widespread revival.
