Verse of the Week: V18 “To whom art thou thus like in glory and in greatness among the trees of Eden? Yet shalt thou be brought down with the trees of Eden unto the nether parts of the earth: thou shalt lie in the midst of the uncircumcised with them that be slain by the sword. This is Pharaoh and all his multitude, saith the Lord GOD.”
1. The Greatness Of Egypt (V1-9)
V2 “Son of man, speak unto Pharaoh king of Egypt, and to his multitude; Whom art thou like in thy greatness?”
During the time of prophet Ezekiel, the greatest nation of the world was Egypt and the greatest leader was Pharaoh, the King of Egypt. The great Egypt and the great Pharaoh stood tall among all the nations of the world in terms of their wisdom, wealth, power, military and economic might.
V5 “Therefore his height was exalted above all the trees of the field, and his boughs were multiplied, and his branches became long because of the multitude of waters, when he shot forth.”
2. The Pride Of Egypt (V10-11)
V10 “Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thou hast lifted up thyself in height, and he hath shot up his top among the thick boughs, and his heart is lifted up in his height;”
Pharaoh was not satisfied just to be the greatest king of the world; he wanted to be like god, his creator and maker. His pride and ego could only be satisfied if all the people of the world worshipped him as their god and paid him tribute, honour and respect. This was why God subsequently sent the mighty Babylonians to attack, defeat, destroy and humble the Egyptians, and since then, Egypt has never been the greatest nation of the world.
V11 “I have therefore delivered him into the hand of the mighty one of the heathen; he shall surely deal with him: I have driven him out for his wickedness.”
3. The Fall Of Egypt (V12-18)
V18 “To whom art thou thus like in glory and in greatness among the trees of Eden? Yet shalt thou be brought down with the trees of Eden unto the nether parts of the earth: thou shalt lie in the midst of the uncircumcised with them that be slain by the sword. This is Pharaoh and all his multitude, saith the Lord GOD.”
All including the greatest nation and the greatest leader who commits evil and wickedness and refuse to acknowledge and believe in the true and great God shall be judged and condemned to hell. God is not a respecter of nation or person.
Prayer of the Week:
Dearest God, please humble me to know that You are the only true and great God.
Posted by: Pastor Dave Sim AT 10:50 am
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Verse of the Week: V6 “Thus saith the LORD; They also that uphold Egypt shall fall; and the pride of her power shall come down: from the tower of Syene shall they fall in it by the sword, saith the Lord GOD.”
1. Egypt Became Powerful (V1-5)
V4 “For the sword shall come upon Egypt, and great pain shall be in Ethiopia, when the slain shall fall in Egypt, and they shall take away her multitude, and her foundations shall be broken down.”
At that time, Egypt was a superpower and Pharaoh king of Egypt was the most powerful leader of the world. All countries in the world would pay tribute to Egypt and Pharaoh to gain their friendship, trust and support in order for them to live in peace and harmony.
V5 “Ethiopia, and Libya, and Lydia, and all the mingled people, and Chub, and the men of the land that is in league, shall fall with them by the sword.”
2. Egypt Became Weak (V6-19)
V6 “Thus saith the LORD; They also that uphold Egypt shall fall; and the pride of her power shall come down: from the tower of Syene shall they fall in it by the sword, saith the Lord GOD.”
God will never allow the people and the nations of this world to be proud and arrogant. In the history of mankind, every superpower and every super leader was humbled by God. Egypt, the superpower and Pharaoh king of Egypt, the super leader, were humbled when God sent the Babylonians to attack and defeat them because of the pride of their power.
V10 “Thus saith the Lord GOD; I will also make the multitude of Egypt to cease by the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon.”
3. Egypt Became Nothing (V20-26)
V22 “Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against Pharaoh king of Egypt, and will break his arms, the strong, and that which was broken; and I will cause the sword to fall out of his hand.”
The Babylonians attacked and scattered the Egyptians throughout the world. Indeed, no nation or no man can claim to be a superpower or a super leader as God shall humble them. Throughout history, God humbled all great empires such as the Hebrew, the Egyptian, the Babylonian, the Persian, the Greek, the Roman as well as the British empire.
V26 “And I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations, and disperse them among the countries; and they shall know that I am the LORD.”
Prayer of the Week:
Dearest God, please humble me to know that I am nothing without You.
Posted by: Pastor Davy Sim AT 10:20 am
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Verse of the Week: V21 “In that day will I cause the horn of the house of Israel to bud forth, and I will give thee the opening of the mouth in the midst of them; and they shall know that I am the LORD.”
1. God Against Egypt (V1-7)
V2 “Son of man, set thy face against Pharaoh king of Egypt, and prophesy against him, and against all Egypt:”
God was against Pharaoh King of Egypt and the Egyptians because they were the great power of the world and became proud and arrogant. They refused to acknowledge and believe that the true God of Israel had richly blessed them. Instead, time and again, they persecuted and punished the people of Israel and caused them to sin against God.
V3 “Speak, and say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, Pharaoh king of Egypt, the great dragon that lieth in the midst of his rivers, which hath said, My river is mine own, and I have made it for myself.”
2. God Attacked Egypt (V8-20)
V8 “Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will bring a sword upon thee, and cut off man and beast out of thee.”
God allowed the Babylonians to attack and defeat the proud Egyptians and robbed them of their wealth and riches as wages for the King of Babylon and his mighty army.
V19 “Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will give the land of Egypt unto Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon; and he shall take her multitude, and take her spoil, and take her prey; and it shall be the wages for his army.”
3. God Assured Israel (V21)
V21 “In that day will I cause the horn of the house of Israel to bud forth, and I will give thee the opening of the mouth in the midst of them; and they shall know that I am the LORD.”
The Almighty God assured the people of Israel that He would be for them, and would make them the light of the world, if they would humble themselves, pray, seek His face and turn from their wicked ways. Indeed, if God be for us, who can be against us?
2 Chronicles 7:14
“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”
Prayer of the Week:
Dearest God, please humble me so that You are for me and not against me.
Posted by: Pator Dave Sim AT 10:35 am
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Verse of the Week: V2 “Son of man, say unto the prince of Tyrus, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thine heart is lifted up, and thou hast said, I am a God, I sit in the seat of God, in the midst of the seas; yet thou art a man, and not God, though thou set thine heart as the heart of God:”
1. The Pride (V1-6)
V2 “Son of man, say unto the prince of Tyrus, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thine heart is lifted up, and thou hast said, I am a God, I sit in the seat of God, in the midst of the seas; yet thou art a man, and not God, though thou set thine heart as the heart of God:”
What pride that Tyrus would claim that he was God when he was just a creature of God! God created Tyrus with perfect beauty and wisdom, and blessed him with riches and fame, yet instead of being grateful to God, he became proud and desired to be God.
V4 “With thy wisdom and with thine understanding thou hast gotten thee riches, and hast gotten gold and silver into thy treasures:”
2. The Punishment (V7-19)
V14 “Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire.”
The anointed cherub, Lucifer, fell from grace because of pride and became the Devil or Satan. The anointed cherub like Tyrus was created with perfect beauty and wisdom, yet like Tyrus, he too fell from grace because of pride. God punished the people of Tyrus as well as the anointed cherub as no man or angel can claim to be God, except God Himself.
V17 “Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee.”
3. The People (V20-26)
V25 “Thus saith the Lord GOD; When I shall have gathered the house of Israel from the people among whom they are scattered, and shall be sanctified in them in the sight of the heathen, then shall they dwell in their land that I have given to my servant Jacob.”
Indeed, God punishes the proud and blesses the humble. God promises to bless and sanctify His people including the nation of Israel if they humble themselves and seek His face and turn from their sins of pride and rebellion.
Prayer of the Week:
Dearest God, I need You as You are my God and I am just Your creation.
Posted by: Pastor Davy Sim AT 05:15 pm
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Verse of the Week: V3 “And say unto Tyrus, O thou that art situate at the entry of the sea, which art a merchant of the people for many isles, Thus saith the Lord GOD; O Tyrus, thou hast said, I am of perfect beauty.”
1. Perfect Tyrus (V1-11)
V3 “And say unto Tyrus, O thou that art situate at the entry of the sea, which art a merchant of the people for many isles, Thus saith the Lord GOD; O Tyrus, thou hast said, I am of perfect beauty.”
Tyrus was perfectly situation at the entry of the sea where all ships had to pass through it before going to other cities and countries. Cities and nations praised Tyrus for her perfect beauty as it was the centre of all trade and commerce in the region as well as in the world.
V11 “The men of Arvad with thine army were upon thy walls round about, and the Gammadims were in thy towers: thy hanged their shields upon thy walls round about; they have made thy beauty perfect.”
2. Prosperous Tyrus (V12-25)
V12 “Tarshish was thy merchant by reason of the multitude of all kind of riches; with silver, iron, tin, and lead, they traded in thy fairs.”
Tyrus became one of the most prosperous cities in the world as people from all over the world came to trade and do business with her as well as with the rest of the world.
V25 “The ships of Tarshish did sing of thee in thy market: and thou wast replenished, and made very glorious in the midst of the seas.”
3. Proud Tyrus (V26-36)
V26 “Thy rowers have brought thee into great waters: the east wind hath broken thee in the midst of the seas.”
Though Tyrus was the perfect and prosperous city, it soon became proud and God sent the east wind or a great storm to destroy the entire city. Many times God allow crises in our lives to humble us so that we know that He is behind our success and achievement.
V36 “The merchants among the people shall hiss at thee; thou shalt be a terror, and never shalt be any more.”
James 4:6
“But He giveth more grace. Wherefore He saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.”
Prayer of the Week:
Dearest God, please humble me and give me grace to live for You.
Posted by: Pastor Davy Sim AT 02:15 pm
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Verse of the Week: V21 “I will make thee a terror, and thou shalt be no more: though thou be sought for, yet shalt thou never be found again, saith the Lord GOD.”
1. Tyrus Against Jerusalem (V1-6)
V2 “Son of man, because that Tyrus hath said against Jerusalem, Aha, she is broken that was the gates of the people: she is turned unto me: I shall be replenished, now she is laid waste:”
God severely punished the people of Tyrus for mocking the people of Jerusalem or the people of God who had grievously sinned against God. However, God’s judgment was also upon the people of Tyrus who had also grievously sinned against God.
V3 “Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Tyrus, and will cause many nations to come up against thee, as the sea causeth his waves to come up.”
2. Babylon Against Tyrus (V7-14)
V7 “For thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will bring upon Tyrus Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, a king of kings, from the north, with horses, and with chariots, and with horse men, and companies, and much people.”
The love of money was one of the grievous sins of the people of Tyrus. Their lives were centered on accumulating wealth, possessions and building large houses instead of worshipping the true God. Subsequently, God sent the powerful Babylonians to completely destroy them, their beautiful houses and robbed their possessions.
V12 “And they shall make a spoil of thy riches, and make a prey of thy merchandise: and they shall break down thy walls, and destroy thy pleasant houses: and they shall lay thy stones and thy timber and thy dust in the midst of the water.”
3. God Against Sins (V15-21)
V21 “I will make thee a terror, and thou shalt be no more: though thou be sought for, yet shalt thou never be found again, saith the Lord GOD.”
God destroyed the people of Jerusalem, the people of Tyrus and the Babylonians because all had sinned against Him. When we disobey God, we shall reap His judgment and punishment, however, when we obey God, we shall be under His shadow and protection.
Psalms 91:1
“He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.”
Prayer of the Week:
Dearest God, please help me to dwell and abide under Your shadow and protection.
Posted by: Pastor Davy Sim AT 04:03 pm
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Verse of the Week: V11 “And I will execute judgments upon Moab; and they shall know that I am the LORD.”
1. The Ammonites Were Judged (V1-7)
V3 “And say unto the Ammonites, Hear the word of the Lord GOD; Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thou saidst, Aha, against my sanctuary, when it was profaned; and against the land of Israel, when it was desolate; and against the house of Judah, when they went into captivity;”
The Ammonites laughed at the people of Israel or God’s chosen people as God judged and destroyed them for their disobedience and rebellion. However, the Ammonites were also not spared as they too were punished by God for their disobedience and rebellion.
2. The Moabites Were Judged (V8-11)
V11 “And I will execute judgments upon Moab; and they shall know that I am the LORD.”
The Moabites disobeyed and rebelled against God and they were also judged and destroyed by the Almighty God.
3. The Edomites Were Judged (12-14)
V14 “And I will lay my vengeance upon Edom by the hand of my people Israel: and they shall do in Edom according to mine anger and according to my fury; and they shall know my vengeance, saith the Lord GOD.”
The Edomites disobeyed and rebelled against God and they too were judged and completely destroyed by the Almighty God.
4. The Philistines Were Judged (15-17)
V15 “Thus saith the Lord GOD; because the Philistines have dealt by revenge, and have taken vengeance with a despiteful heart, to destroy it for the old hatred;”
The Philistines were the old enemies of Israel and it was no surprise that God severely judged and punished them for their wicked and evil hearts. No one, not even God’s chosen people or Christians, who disobey and rebel against the Almighty God, can ever escape His anger and judgment. Indeed, it is a fearful thing to fall into God’s judgment.
Hebrews 10:30-31
“For we know Him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto Me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge His people. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”
Prayer of the Week:
Dearest God, please help me to trust and obey You and escape Your fiery judgment.
Posted by: Pastor Davy Sim AT 03:20 pm
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Verse of the Week: V24 “Thus Ezekiel is unto you a sign: according to all that he hath done shall ye do: and when this cometh, ye shall know that I am the Lord GOD.”
1. The People Disobeyed God
V2 “Son of man, write thee the name of the day, even of this same day: the king of Babylon set himself against Jerusalem this same day.”
God sent the Babylonians to punish the people of Jerusalem because of their disobedience. In fact, Prophet Ezekiel described the city of Jerusalem as a boiling pot filled with scum or sins and was good for nothing. It was a sad day for the people of Jerusalem because they were God’s chosen people yet they disobeyed their God.
V6 “Wherefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Woe to the bloody city, to the pot whose scum is therein, and whose scum is not gone out of it! Bring it out piece by piece; let no lot fall upon it.”
2. The Prophet Obeyed God
V16 “Son of man, behold, I take away from thee the desire of thine eyes with a stroke: yet neither shalt thou mourn nor weep, neither shall thy tears run down.”
When God told Ezekiel to tell the people of Jerusalem in the morning that He would suddenly take the desire of his eyes and that he should not mourn, little did he realized that the desire of his eyes was his beloved wife. In fact, God took away his wife suddenly in the evening, and Ezekiel obeyed God and did not mourn though it was not easy for him.
V18 “So I spake unto the people in the morning: and at even my wife died; and I did in the morning as I was commanded.”
3. The Priests Disobeyed God
V21 “Speak unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will profane my sanctuary, the excellency of your strength, the desire of your eyes, and that which your soul pitieth; and your sons and your daughters whom ye have left shall fall by the sword.”
The people of Jerusalem thought that they could hide their sins in the sanctuary of God or behind the priests, yet God immediately destroyed the sanctuary and the priests as they were unholy before God. Nothing, not even the Church or the Bible, and no one, not even the Pastor, can save you from the judgment of God if you are unholy before the holy God.
V24 “Thus Ezekiel is unto you a sign: according to all that he hath done shall ye do: and when this cometh, ye shall know that I am the Lord GOD.”
Prayer of the Week
Dearest God, please help me to obey You in everything including crises in my life.
Posted by: Pastor Davy Sim AT 02:55 pm
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Verse of the Week: V35 “Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thou hast forgotten me, and cast me behind thy back, therefore bear thou also thy lewdness and thy whoredoms.”
1. Israel Forgot God (V1-10)
V4 “And the names of them were Aholah the elder, and Aholibah her sister: and they were mine, and they bare sons and daughters. Thus were their names; Samaria is Aholah, and Jerusalem Aholibah.”
Aholah, the people of Israel in Samaria, had forgotten and despised their true and living God who had delivered them from idolatry and slavery in Egypt. Instead of worshipping their God, they worshipped the gods of the Assyrians, their enemies as well as neighbours.
V5 “And Aholah played the harlot when she was mine; and she doted on her lovers, on the Assyrians her neighbours,”
2. Judah Forgot God (V11-34)
V11 “And when her sister Aholibah saw this, she was more corrupt in her inordinate love than she, and in her whoredoms more than her sister in her whoredoms.”
Not only Aholah, the people of Israel, had forgotten and despised God, even her younger sister Aholibah, the people of Judah in Jerusalem, had also forgotten their God. In fact, Aholibah committed immorality and wickedness far worse than Aholah. Instead of being an example of the world, the two sisters became the stumbling block of the world.
V30 “I will do these things unto thee, because thou hast gone a whoring after the heathen, and because thou art polluted with their idols.”
3. All Have Forgotten God (V35-49)
V35 “Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thou hast forgotten me, and cast me behind thy back, therefore bear thou also thy lewdness and thy whoredoms.”
Not only the people of God had forgotten and despised their God, all the people of the world had also forgotten and despised God. No wonder the Almighty God had to severely judge the world for their immorality and wickedness. In spite of the doom and gloom, there was a ray of light and hope as the loving God had prepared His only begotten Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, the Messiah, to come and die for the sins of the whole world.
V49 “And they shall recompense your lewdness upon you, and ye shall bear the sins of your idols: and ye shall know that I am the Lord GOD.”
Prayer of the Week
Dearest God, please help me to remember You as my great God and loving Savior all the days of my life.
Posted by: Pastor Davy Sim AT 04:19 pm
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Verse of the Week: V30 “And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none.”
1. The People (V1-22)
V2 “Now, thou son of man, wilt thou judge, wilt thou judge the bloody city? Yea, thou shalt shew her all her abominations.”
Prophet Ezekiel warned the people of Israel to repent of their grievous sins including murder and to live a holy life before a holy God. However, the people refused to repent and continued to make and worshipped idols and openly rebelled against God.
V3 “Then say thou, Thus saith the Lord GOD, The city sheddeth blood in the midst of it, that her time may come, and maketh idols against herself to defile herself.”
2. The Leaders (V23-29)
V26 “Her priests have violated my law, and have profaned mine holy things: they have put no difference between the holy and profane, neither have thy shewed difference between the unclean and the clean, and have hid their eyes from my sabbaths, and I am profaned among them.”
Not only the people of Israel sinned against God, even the priests, the princes and the prophets of Israel, who were supposedly to be examples of holiness, also sinned against God. It was a shame for both the leaders and the people to commit sins including murder as they sought for fame and fortune instead of trusting and obeying God.
V27 “Her princes in the midst thereof are like wolves ravening the prey, to shed blood, and to destroy souls, to get dishonest gain.”
3. The Man (V30-31)
V30 “And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none.”
God was looking for a man in Israel who could stand in the gap of holiness but He found none except for prophet Ezekiel. As a result, God severely judged the people of Israel because of their constant rebellion and wickedness.
V31 “Therefore have I poured out mine indignation upon them; I have consumed them with the fire of my wrath: their own way have I recompensed upon their heads, saith the Lord GOD.”
Prayer of the Week
Dearest God, please help me to be the man who stands in the gap of holiness.
Posted by: Pastor Davy Sim AT 05:22 pm
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