Ezekiel wrote this prophecy against Egypt’s Pharaoh less than a year after his words against the ruler in chapter 29. He reflected on Egypt’s status before the Lord’s judgment to come and compared it to Assyria, also a major kingdom. This chapter is a contrast between being exalted and lifted up, and being brought low, even to death.
Ezekiel used half a dozen nouns, verbs, and adjectives to describe Egypt and Assyria’s greatness, strength, majesty, honor, splendor, and wealth.
In the second half of the chapter, he described their downfall with many more specific words.
Read Ezekiel 31:1-7.
- Pharaoh was great, as was Assyria, compared to a majestic tree in Lebanon.
- Ezekiel described a peaceful, restful scene with towering trees protecting all beneath them.
- The branches were so thick they darkened the forest with shade and shadows.
- Springs and streams refreshed the forest with life-giving water.
- This nourishment enabled the cedar to become greater than all the others trees in the field.
- The great cedar sheltered birds and animals and nations.
- This mighty cedar was beautiful in splendor.
- The abundant water enabled it to grow deep roots establishing it.
How did God compare Pharaoh to Assyria?
What stands out to you about this opening scene?
Why do you think God contrasted exaltation with being brought low?
Read Ezekiel 31:8-9.
- In these two verses, God spoke to Ezekiel (and Pharaoh) through allegory.
- He compared Assyria to the garden of Eden, which was considered a symbol for flourishing beauty.1
- The trees mentioned were symbols of luxury.
- No other tree rivaled Assyria’s majesty and beauty.
- The Lord caused Assyria to be so majestic and strong, it was as if all the trees of Eden envied it.
What might have been God’s purpose in using this allegory about the garden of Eden?
The following section contrasts Assyria and Egypt’s majesty with their demise.
Read Ezekiel 31:10-14.
- Assyria was proud, towering above all else.
- The Hebrew implies their pride stemmed from the heart.2 Therefore the Lord handed Assyria over to him who rules the nations. As Paul wrote,
“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Ephesians 6:12).
- He would deal with Assyria according to its unrighteous wickedness.
- God cast this great cedar aside, and ruthless foreign nations cut it*
- Its strength fell broken into pieces before all the lands.
- The nations it sheltered fled, forsaking Assyria and leaving it alone.
- Now the birds and animals rested on overturned ruins of the fallen nation.3
- God decreed no other nations near sustaining waters should rise as proud and mighty.
- He reminded the nations all are mortal and destined for death and eventual destruction.
What is significant about the reference to “him who rules the nations”? Why?
Read Ezekiel 31:15-18
- Then God listed his actions against Assyria as a warning for Pharaoh, king of Egypt.
- He brought Assyria down to the grave, a place for the wicked and uncircumcised.4
- God held back the “rivers of a fallen nation, indicating its destruction.”5
- The Lord covered Lebanon and its cedars with dark gloom and mourning.
- He restrained the abundant waters, and nations withered away in the wake of Assyria’s destruction.
- Nations trembled at the sound of the mighty cedar falling.
- Other choice trees rejoiced “at Assyria’s destruction.6
- But they too ultimately fell and descended to the place of the dead.
- Lest Egypt remain proud and arrogant in its strength and majesty, God warned Pharaoh.
- He would also bring down Egypt, with those slain by the sword.
- All this … declared the Lord—know for certain this will happen.
What do you think it means that God held back the abundant waters?
How do we see this in action today: nations rejoice at a nation’s destruction and then they too fall?
How do we know that when God declared something, it would certainly happen?
*The word translated “cut down” in verse 12 also means “make a covenant.” Let’s explore a rabbit trail …
God’s covenant with Abraham wasn’t the first covenant between God and man. But in this covenant, God introduced the concept of circumcision, to “cut away,” to illustrate the concept of being set apart for God. (Genesis 17:7, 10) 
The Lord always intended circumcision to be only a picture of a much greater work in his people, and this includes Gentiles. As Paul wrote,
“Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too, since there is only one God, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith” (Romans 3:29-30).
Paul clarified this in his letter to believers in Colossae,
“In him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not performed by human hands. Your whole self ruled by the flesh was put off when you were circumcised by Christ” (Colossians 2:11).
“The Lord your God will circumcise your hearts and the hearts of your descendants, so that you may love him with all your heart and with all your soul, and live” (Deuteronomy 30:6, Jeremiah 4:4). Sound familiar? The only way we can follow Jesus and love God with all our heart, soul, and mind (Matthew 22:37) is to set ourselves apart for and to God.
Looking ahead to Ezekiel 36, God told Ezekiel about a new covenant to come. When God would enter into a new covenant relationship with his people, he would give them a new heart and a new spirit. He would cut out their hardened hearts of stone. (Ezekiel 36:26). Paul encouraged believers to participate in cutting away our old self “and take off your old self” of unrighteousness“ (Colossians 3:5, 8-9).
What is your response to the rabbit trail?
How would you describe the relationship between spiritual circumcision and the new covenant between God and his people?
- Warren Baker, D.R.E., Eugene Carpenter, Ph.D. The Complete Word Study Dictionary: Old Testament. (Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 2003), 809
- Bible Hub. Hebrew Interlinear Bible. https://biblehub.com/interlinear/ezekiel/31-10.htm
- Baker, 650
- Ibid., 1084
- Ibid., 630
- Ibid., 564