God Humbles the Proud

31:1 In the eleventh year, in the third month, on the first day of the month, the word of the Lord came to me: 31:2 “Son of man, say to Pharaoh king of Egypt and his hordes: “‘Who are you like in your greatness? 31:3 Consider Assyria, a cedar in Lebanon, with beautiful branches, like a forest giving shade, and extremely tall; its top reached into the clouds. 31:4 The water made it grow; underground springs made it grow tall. Rivers flowed all around the place it was planted, while smaller channels watered all the trees of the field. 31:5 Therefore it grew taller than all the trees of the field; its boughs grew large and its branches grew long, because of the plentiful water in its shoots. 31:6 All the birds of the sky nested in its boughs; under its branches all the beasts of the field gave birth, in its shade all the great nations lived. 31:7 It was beautiful in its loftiness, in the length of its branches; for its roots went down deep to plentiful waters. 31:8 The cedars in the garden of God could not eclipse it, nor could the fir trees match its boughs; the plane trees were as nothing compared to its branches; no tree in the garden of God could rival its beauty. 31:9 I made it beautiful with its many branches; all the trees of Eden, in the garden of God, envied it. 31:10 “‘Therefore this is what the sovereign Lord says: Because it was tall in stature, and its top reached into the clouds, and it was proud of its height, 31:11 I gave it over to the leader of the nations. He has judged it thoroughly, as its sinfulness deserves. I have thrown it out. 31:12 Foreigners from the most terrifying nations have cut it down and left it to lie there on the mountains. In all the valleys its branches have fallen, and its boughs lie broken in the ravines of the land. All the peoples of the land have departed from its shade and left it. 31:13 On its ruins all the birds of the sky will live, and all the wild animals will walk on its branches. 31:14 For this reason no watered trees will grow so tall; their tops will not reach into the clouds, nor will the well-watered ones grow that high. For all of them have been appointed to die in the lower parts of the earth; they will be among mere mortals, with those who descend to the pit. 31:15 “‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: On the day it went down to Sheol I caused observers to lament. I covered it with the deep and held back its rivers; its plentiful water was restrained. I clothed Lebanon in black for it, and all the trees of the field wilted because of it. 31:16 I made the nations shake at the sound of its fall, when I threw it down to Sheol, along with those who descend to the pit. Then all the trees of Eden, the choicest and the best of Lebanon, all that were well-watered, were comforted in the earth below. 31:17 Those who lived in its shade, its allies among the nations, also went down with it to Sheol, to those killed by the sword. 31:18 Which of the trees of Eden was like you in majesty and loftiness? You will be brought down with the trees of Eden to the lower parts of the earth; you will lie among the uncircumcised, with those killed by the sword! This is what will happen to Pharaoh and all his hordes, declares the sovereign Lord.’”

Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NET) are from the NET Bible®, copyright ©1996, 2019 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. All rights reserved.

God warns Pharaoh through the fall of Assyria. Assyria looked strong and beautiful, like a great cedar tree. But because of its pride, God brought it down. Egypt will face the same judgment if it trusts in its own greatness.

This passage uses a cedar tree to picture Assyria's former power. The tree grew tall, gave shade, and seemed unshakable. But its strength came from God, and when it became proud, God handed it over to judgment.

The point is clear for Pharaoh and Egypt. Earthly power can look impressive, but it cannot stand against the Lord. God raises up nations, and God can bring them down. The fall of Assyria is a warning that Egypt's greatness will not save it.

• God is sovereign over the rise and fall of nations.
• Pride leads to judgment.
• Human power is temporary and cannot protect against God's word.
• What God allows to flourish, he can also bring down.
• Egypt is warned not to trust in its own greatness.

• Warning: do not be proud.
• Warning: do not trust worldly power as if it were permanent.
• Warning: nations and rulers are answerable to God.
• Command: hear God's warning and take it seriously.

This chapter fits the Bible's repeated pattern: God humbles the proud and brings down arrogant kingdoms. It shows that no empire is ultimate. The Lord rules over history, and his judgment is certain.

Do not place your confidence in money, strength, status, or political power. These things can fail quickly. The safer path is humility before God and obedience to his word.

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