11th April 2025

11th April 2025


Pray (ACts)


Read (Ezekiel 32)


Message (Alan Burke)


Did you know that Northern Ireland has an Egyptian Style pyramid? A couple of years ago when the wains were working though the Egyptians in School I told them I would take them to see a pyramid, that we would go on a mystery tour when I was off in the summer and take them. Of course what they were expecting was the grander of the Egyptian pyramids and they didn’t believe me that there was a pyramid in Northern Ireland but nestled deep in Garvagh Forest (Garvagh is near Coleraine) they got to see the giant 18ft by 21ft pyramid. Ok it’s a far cry from the Egyptian pyramids but the Garvagh pyramid built in the early 1800s by Lord Garvagh took inspiration for the pyramid after a grand tour of Egypt and intended it to be where his body would be entombed. That didn’t happen though. I use to be fascinated by the Pyramid’s of Egypt, the thing is what they are a testimony too is that the once great nation that was Egypt has fallen. 


It was by the hand of the Lord against it and here in this first prophecy in chapter 32 the Lord compares Pharaoh king of Egypt as a lion among the nations, as a master in the seas. The later is imagery that has already been used by the Lord in speaking against Pharaoh. Both are images of power, of strength, of might. The first is one that pharaoh would have used of himself, likewise of the second which evokes imagery of a crocodile in the water. While two animals are given the imagery is focused on the monster of the sea, thrashing about, churning the water, muddying the streams. While both are images that were used by the pharaohs of Egypt, both the lion and monster in the sea though could be hunted and killed. The imagery is striking, the Lord would suff him out, covering the heaves and darkening the skies, he would be extinguished just like the stars in the sky (7-8). In the end Egypt would be desolate, striped of everything, life would cease to exist, all of this was so that they would know that the Lord is God. 


In the next prophecy in v17-32 we are told how Egypt would join the uncircumcised in the pit, those who are outside the covenant of the Lord. They would join those who have gone there before, Assyria there with her army, those who had fallen before, Elam, Meshech-Tubal, Edom as well but they would act as the welcoming party to the Egyptians. This prophecy portrays the nations gathered together in the pit because of the divine judgment of the Lord God. All will give accountability to the Lord, the great and the good. 


The picture that is given to us in these verses is not to be taken literally to portray the afterlife but it does portray the certainty of the afterlife. For Egypt who are greeted there by the nations, Egypt’s future will be among the dead, but the dead are not dead in that they cease to exist, the dead are alive but it could not be called life it is life in the shadows, a place of punishment prepared for the Lord for all who have not loved him, who have not repented of their sin. For all those who call upon the name of the Lord they will be saved, for it is by faith that we are righteous before the Lord God through what Jesus has done for us. All in all what sums up the prophetic judgements that came upon the nations from the beginning of chapter 25 until now is that the Lord is sovereign over it all. If you get a chance head to Garvagh and see the pyramid but know that each of the Pyramids in Egypt testify to how he is sovereign over the nations and also our very lives. 


Pray (acTS)


Sing


WSC
Q55. What is forbidden in the third commandment?
A. The third commandment forbiddeth all profaning or abusing of anything whereby God maketh himself known.
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