Ezekiel 30:20
In the eleventh year, on the seventh day of the first month, the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
In the eleventh year
This phrase refers to the eleventh year of King Jehoiachin's captivity, which is around 587 BC. This period is significant as it is close to the fall of Jerusalem to the Babylonians, marking a time of great turmoil and judgment for the nation of Israel. The eleventh year is a reminder of the precision and historical accuracy of biblical prophecy.

on the seventh day of the first month
The first month in the Hebrew calendar is Nisan, which corresponds to March-April in the Gregorian calendar. The seventh day of Nisan would have been a time of preparation for the Passover, a festival commemorating Israel's deliverance from Egypt. This timing underscores the theme of deliverance and judgment that runs throughout Ezekiel's prophecies.

the word of the LORD came to me, saying
This phrase emphasizes the divine origin of Ezekiel's message. The "word of the LORD" is a common expression in prophetic literature, indicating that the message is not of human origin but is a direct revelation from God. This underscores the authority and reliability of the prophecy. The phrase also highlights the role of Ezekiel as a prophet, a mediator between God and His people, tasked with delivering messages of warning, judgment, and hope.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Ezekiel
A prophet of God, Ezekiel was called to deliver messages of judgment and hope to the Israelites during their Babylonian exile.

2. The LORD
The covenant name of God, Yahweh, who communicates His will and judgments through His prophets.

3. Egypt
Although not mentioned directly in this verse, the context of Ezekiel 30 is a prophecy against Egypt, a nation that had been a significant power and often a source of false hope for Israel.

4. Babylonian Exile
The historical backdrop of Ezekiel's prophecies, where the Israelites were taken captive by Babylon, serving as a period of judgment and reflection for the nation.

5. The Eleventh Year
This refers to the eleventh year of King Jehoiachin's exile, providing a historical timestamp for the prophecy.
Teaching Points
God's Sovereignty Over Nations
God is in control of all nations and their destinies. His judgments are just and serve His divine purposes.

The Role of Prophets
Prophets are God's messengers, delivering His word to guide, warn, and instruct His people. We should heed the messages of Scripture as God's word to us today.

Historical Context Matters
Understanding the historical and cultural context of biblical passages enriches our comprehension and application of Scripture.

Judgment and Hope
God's messages of judgment are often accompanied by hope and restoration. We should seek God's redemptive purposes even in times of discipline.

Faithfulness in Exile
Like the Israelites in Babylon, we are called to remain faithful to God even when we find ourselves in challenging or foreign circumstances.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does understanding the historical context of Ezekiel's prophecies enhance our interpretation of this passage?

2. In what ways does the prophecy against Egypt in Ezekiel 30 relate to God's sovereignty over nations today?

3. How can we apply the role of prophets in the Bible to our understanding of spiritual leadership and guidance in the church today?

4. What lessons can we learn from the Israelites' experience in exile that apply to our own spiritual journeys?

5. How do the themes of judgment and hope in Ezekiel 30 encourage us to trust in God's ultimate plan for redemption?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Jeremiah 46
This chapter also contains prophecies against Egypt, highlighting the consistent message of judgment against nations that opposed God's people.

Isaiah 19
Offers a prophecy concerning Egypt, showing the broader biblical account of God's sovereignty over all nations.

Exodus 12
The first month mentioned in Ezekiel 30:20 is significant in Israel's history, as it is the month of the Passover, symbolizing deliverance and judgment.
One Strengthened and Another WeakenedJ.R. Thomson Ezekiel 30:20-24
The Broken ArmJ.D. Davies Ezekiel 30:20-26
People
Cherethites, Cushites, Egyptians, Ethiopians, Ezekiel, Lud, Lydia, Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadrezzar, Pharaoh, Phut
Places
Arabia, Babylon, Cush, Egypt, Libya, Lud, Memphis, Migdol, Nile River, On, Pathros, Pelusium, Pi-beseth, Put, Syene, Tehaphnehes, Thebes, Zoan
Topics
Eleventh, Month, Pass, Saying, Seventh
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Ezekiel 30:18

     4696   yoke
     4805   clouds
     4812   darkness, God's judgment
     4930   end

Library
Sargon of Assyria (722-705 B. C. )
SARGON AS A WARRIOR AND AS A BUILDER. The origin of Sargon II.: the revolt of Babylon, Merodach-baladan and Elam--The kingdom of Elam from the time of the first Babylonian empire; the conquest's of Shutruh-nalkunta I.; the princes of Malamir--The first encounter of Assyria and Elam, the battle of Durilu (721 B.C.)--Revolt of Syria, Iaubidi of Hamath and Hannon of Gaza--Bocchoris and the XXIVth Egyptian dynasty; the first encounter of Assyria with Egypt, the battle of Raphia (720 B.C.). Urartu
G. Maspero—History Of Egypt, Chaldaea, Syria, Babylonia, and Assyria, V 7

Scriptures Showing the Sin and Danger of Joining with Wicked and Ungodly Men.
Scriptures Showing The Sin And Danger Of Joining With Wicked And Ungodly Men. When the Lord is punishing such a people against whom he hath a controversy, and a notable controversy, every one that is found shall be thrust through: and every one joined with them shall fall, Isa. xiii. 15. They partake in their judgment, not only because in a common calamity all shares, (as in Ezek. xxi. 3.) but chiefly because joined with and partakers with these whom God is pursuing; even as the strangers that join
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

Ezekiel
To a modern taste, Ezekiel does not appeal anything like so powerfully as Isaiah or Jeremiah. He has neither the majesty of the one nor the tenderness and passion of the other. There is much in him that is fantastic, and much that is ritualistic. His imaginations border sometimes on the grotesque and sometimes on the mechanical. Yet he is a historical figure of the first importance; it was very largely from him that Judaism received the ecclesiastical impulse by which for centuries it was powerfully
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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