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Read Ezekiel 25:1–32:32

6. “All the people of Egypt will know that I am the Lord, for to Israel you were just a staff made of reeds.
7. When Israel leaned on you, you splintered and broke and stabbed her in the armpit. When she put her weight on you, you gave way, and her back was thrown out of joint.
8. Therefore, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will bring an army against you, O Egypt, and destroy both people and animals.
9. The land of Egypt will become a desolate wasteland, and the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord. Because you said, ‘The Nile River is mine; I made it,’
10. I am now the enemy of both you and your river. I will make the land of Egypt a totally desolate wasteland, from Migdol to Aswan, as far south as the border of Ethiopia.
11. For forty years not a soul will pass that way, neither people nor animals. It will be completely uninhabited.” Ezekiel 29:6-11

Bob is proud. He has built his business from the ground up. He has worked long hours, pushed through lean times, hired many employees, and let a few go. Now he’s selling what he so skillfully built, and the proceeds will set him up for an early retirement. He has what you might call “bragging rights.”

In this set of prophecies, we learn a negative lesson on pride as demonstrated by Egypt. They’ve got a jewel in the Nile, and they know it. But along with this source of pride comes a caution.

You will find other cautions here—especially judgments against Ammon, Moab, Edom, Philistia, Tyre, and Egypt (all nations that bordered Israel). These show that everybody has to answer to God, even those who don’t acknowledge him.

The Egyptian people took great pride in the Nile River. This unstoppable source of fresh water cut through the desert and turned barren land into fertile soil, making life in Egypt possible. It was a reliable source of all the food they could ever need. All they had to do was work the land year after year, and it would yield abundant amounts of grain and vegetables. Rather than thanking God for this great provision, however, the Egyptians proudly boasted, “The Nile River is mine; I made it” (Ezekiel 29:9).

God’s provisions come to us in many forms: a home, a job, a church, a business, a family, a reputation. Each gives us opportunity to say, “Thank you, Lord.” Each also tempts us to boast, especially if we have invested a great deal of time and energy in the good we enjoy.