No Oppression Please
Text: EZEKIEL 32:1-16
“Son of man, take up a lamentation for Pharaoh king of Egypt, and say unto him, Thou art like a young lion of the nations, and thou art as a whale in the seas: and thou camest forth with thy rivers, and troubledst the waters with thy feet, and fouledst their rivers. Thus saith the Lord God; I will therefore spread out my net over thee with a company of many people; and they shall bring thee up in my net” (Ezekiel 32:2,3).
Lions are one of the largest members of the cat family. The lion is a magnificent animal that is portrayed as a symbol of power, courage and nobility. The throaty roar of a lion can be heard more than 8 kilometers (5 miles) away. Lions are powerful hunters. Their great strength and terrifying roars have earned them the title, king of beasts.
The king of Egypt was represented under the figure of an animal of prey, such as a lion or crocodile due to his strength and fierceness, for cruelty and tyranny, which he exercised against many nations. Israel also was kept in Egyptian bondage for more than four hundred years, when Pharaoh mightily oppressed them. The prophet Ezekiel predicted the fall of the king of Egypt, thus ending a reign of wickedness and oppression. The figure is then changed; and the greatness of his fall (described by the darkening of the sun, moon, and stars) strikes terror into all the surrounding nations. The prophet adds that the overthrow of the then reigning Egyptian dynasty was to be effected by the instrumentality of the king of Babylon, who should leave Egypt so desolate, that its waters, should run as pure and smooth as oil, without the foot of man or the hoof of a beast to disturb them.
One fact about the reign of tyranny is that they do not last. Rulers who take it upon themselves to oppress their subjects have never been in the good books of God. Oppressive and tyrannical regimes from Egypt and Babylon in Bible days and other tyrants of contemporary times have, one way or the other, faced the wrath of God.
Serve the Lord with humbleness of mind and spirit and desist from all acts of oppression and wickedness.
Thought for today: Today’s victor can be tomorrow’s victim.