QT 8/22/2023 Ezek 29:6-9, Seeking his will, not confirming my will

Ezekiel 29:6–9 (ESV) —

6 Then all the inhabitants of Egypt shall know that I am the Lord.

“Because you have been a staff of reed to the house of Israel, 7 when they grasped you with the hand, you broke and tore all their shoulders; and when they leaned on you, you broke and made all their loins to shake. 8 Therefore thus says the Lord God: Behold, I will bring a sword upon you, and will cut off from you man and beast, 9 and the land of Egypt shall be a desolation and a waste. Then they will know that I am the Lord.

“Because you said, ‘The Nile is mine, and I made it,’

 

NOTE: On more than one occasion, Israel trusted in Egypt for help. And on many more occasions, Egypt was a major enemy against Israel. In one battle, Egypt failed to show up, thereby leaving Israel alone to face Babylon. Later Egypt supported Tyre and helped to move much of its wealth before it surrendered to Babylon. But Egypt fell to Babylon in 568-567BC. Forty years after that fall, the Persians allowed Egypt to return to their land, but Egypt, a super nation during ancient times never regained its glory. Today, it is a minor player in world affairs, long surpassed by other much larger nations.

 

Certainly Egypt was a poor ally, and much more an enemy than a friend, even when they had a common enemy such as Babylon. But Israel was wrong to trust in Egypt rather than to trust in God. I'm not sure why the godly king Josiah allied with Egypt to defeat Babylon. I'm sure there was godly advice against it. But he allowed his heart to be swayed by what he wanted to believe rather than what he was told. Although, that goes both ways. We can trust in something and then doubt, even when it is God's will. We truly need to bring our major decisions to God and ask him for his direction.

 

PONDER:

1. What am I believing because I want to believe it rather than it is God's will?

 

PRAYER: Father, protect me from confirmation bias, looking at events that support my decisions rather than truly seeking your will. I want to do your will, not what I want your will to be for my life. Keep my opens to your leading.