Ezekiel 32:14 Study Bible: Then will I make their waters clear, and cause their rivers to run like oil,' says the Lord GOD.

◄ Ezekiel 32:14 ►

Then I will let her waters settle and will make her rivers flow like oil,' declares the Lord GOD.

Then I will let her waters settle
This phrase suggests a period of calm and restoration following turmoil. In the context of Ezekiel 32, God is speaking about the judgment on Egypt, a nation known for its mighty Nile River. The settling of waters symbolizes the cessation of chaos and the establishment of peace. Biblically, water often represents life and chaos, as seen in Genesis 1:2 where the Spirit of God hovers over the waters. The settling of waters can also be seen as a metaphor for God's control over creation, similar to Jesus calming the storm in Mark 4:39.

and will make her rivers flow like oil,
The imagery of rivers flowing like oil indicates abundance and prosperity. Oil in the Bible is often associated with anointing, blessing, and the presence of the Holy Spirit, as seen in Psalm 23:5 and 1 Samuel 16:13. This transformation from turbulent waters to smooth, oil-like rivers suggests a divine intervention that brings about a new order. Historically, Egypt's economy and agriculture depended heavily on the Nile, so this imagery would resonate deeply with the original audience, indicating a future hope of restoration and divine favor.

declares the Lord GOD.
This phrase emphasizes the authority and sovereignty of God in executing His plans. The use of "declares the Lord GOD" underscores the certainty and divine origin of the prophecy. Throughout the book of Ezekiel, this formula is used to affirm that the messages are not from the prophet himself but from God. It reflects the biblical theme of God's ultimate control over nations and history, as seen in Isaiah 46:10, where God declares the end from the beginning. This assurance of God's word being fulfilled is a central tenet of biblical prophecy.

Persons / Places / Events

1. Ezekiel
A prophet during the Babylonian exile, Ezekiel is known for his vivid visions and symbolic acts. He delivers God's messages of judgment and restoration to the Israelites.

2. Egypt
In this chapter, Egypt is the subject of God's judgment. The nation is often symbolic of worldly power and opposition to God's people.

3. The Lord GOD
The sovereign ruler who declares judgment and restoration. His authority and power are central to the message of Ezekiel.

4. Rivers
Symbolic of life and sustenance, rivers in this context represent the prosperity and peace that God can restore.

5. Oil
In biblical symbolism, oil often represents abundance, blessing, and the Holy Spirit. Here, it signifies the transformation from turmoil to peace.

Teaching Points

God's Sovereignty in Judgment and Restoration
God has the power to judge nations and individuals, but He also offers restoration and peace. This dual role emphasizes His sovereignty and mercy.

Symbolism of Water and Oil
Water and oil in this passage symbolize cleansing, peace, and abundance. Believers can trust in God's ability to transform chaos into calm.

Hope in God's Promises
Even in judgment, God provides hope for restoration. This encourages believers to remain faithful, knowing that God’s promises are sure.

Spiritual Renewal
Just as God promises to make waters clear, He offers spiritual renewal to those who seek Him. This involves repentance and a return to His ways.

Living in Peace
The imagery of rivers flowing like oil invites believers to live in the peace and abundance that comes from a relationship with God.

Bible Study Questions

1. How does the imagery of water and oil in Ezekiel 32:14 enhance our understanding of God's promises of peace and restoration?

2. In what ways can we see God's sovereignty in both judgment and restoration in our own lives?

3. How do the symbols of water and oil in this passage connect to the work of the Holy Spirit in the New Testament?

4. What practical steps can we take to experience the spiritual renewal that God offers, as symbolized by the clear waters?

5. How can we apply the message of hope and restoration in Ezekiel 32:14 to current global or personal situations?

Connections to Other Scriptures

Psalm 23
The imagery of still waters and anointing with oil connects to God's provision and peace.

Isaiah 44
Speaks of God pouring out His Spirit like water, symbolizing renewal and blessing.

Revelation 22
Describes the river of life, symbolizing eternal peace and restoration in God's presence.

Sermons

The Downfall of One Involves the Downfall of Many	J.D. Davies	Ezekiel 32:11-16
The Unvisited River; Or, Life At a Low Level	W. Clarkson	Ezekiel 32:13, 14

People

Elam, Ezekiel, Meshech, Pharaoh, Sidonians, Tubal

Places

Assyria, Babylon, Edom, Egypt, Elam, Meshech-Tubal, Tigris-Euphrates Region

Topics

Affirmation, Cause, Clear, Declares, Deep, Flow, Flowing, Oil, Rivers, Run, Says, Settle, Sink, Sovereign, Streams, Waters

Dictionary of Bible Themes

Ezekiel 32:2-16

5899 lament

Library

How the Preacher, when He Has Accomplished all Aright, Should Return to Himself, Lest Either his Life or his Preaching Lift Him Up.
But since often, when preaching is abundantly poured forth in fitting ways, the mind of the speaker is elevated in itself by a hidden delight in self-display, great care is needed that he may gnaw himself with the laceration of fear, lest he who recalls the diseases of others to health by remedies should himself swell through neglect of his own health; lest in helping others he desert himself, lest in lifting up others he fall. For to some the greatness of their virtue has often been the occasion …
Leo the Great—Writings of Leo the Great

The Second Coming of Christ.
^A Matt. XXIV. 29-51; ^B Mark XIII. 24-37; ^C Luke XXI. 25-36. ^b 24 But in those days, ^a immediately after the { ^b that} ^a tribulation of those days. [Since the coming of Christ did not follow close upon the destruction of Jerusalem, the word "immediately" used by Matthew is somewhat puzzling. There are, however, three ways in which it may be explained: 1. That Jesus reckons the time after his own divine, and not after our human, fashion. Viewing the word in this light, the passage at II. Pet. …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

Epistle cxxii. To Rechared, King of the visigoths .
To Rechared, King of the Visigoths [82] . Gregory to Rechared, &c. I cannot express in words, most excellent son, how much I am delighted with thy work and thy life. For on hearing of the power of a new miracle in our days, to wit that the whole nation of the Goths has through thy Excellency been brought over from the error of Arian heresy to the firmness of a right faith, one is disposed to exclaim with the prophet, This is the change wrought by the right hand of the Most High (Ps. lxxvi. 11 [83] …
Saint Gregory the Great—the Epistles of Saint Gregory the Great

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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