Ezekiel 30:13-19: a reflection

13“‘The Lord GOD says: “I will also destroy the idols, and I will cause the images to cease from Memphis. There will be no more a prince from the land of Egypt. I will put a fear in the land of Egypt. 14I will make Pathros desolate, and will set a fire in Zoan, and will execute judgments on No. 15I will pour my wrath on Sin, the stronghold of Egypt. I will cut off the multitude of No. 16I will set a fire in Egypt Sin will be in great anguish. No will be broken up. Memphis will have adversaries in the daytime. 17The young men of Aven and of Pibeseth will fall by the sword. They will go into captivity. 18At Tehaphnehes also the day will withdraw itself, when I break the yokes of Egypt there. The pride of her power will cease in her. As for her, a cloud will cover her, and her daughters will go into captivity. 19Thus I will execute judgments on Egypt. Then they will know that I am the LORD.”’”

As God pronounces judgment on Egypt, he names a purpose behind it that reaches beyond Egypt: I will destroy the idols, he says, and the images will cease; and at the end, then they will know that I am the LORD. The idols in which Egypt trusted, that seemed so solid and secure, would be shown to be nothing; and through their fall, the true God would be known. The idols could not save Egypt or stand before the living God; they would cease, and God would make himself known as the LORD, the only true God, above every idol. This exposes the emptiness of idols: they cannot deliver, cannot stand, are shown to be nothing before the God who alone is true. And God's purpose in acting is that he be known as the LORD, the true God, whom no idol can rival. Idols are empty; God alone is the true God, and he makes himself known.

Notice the two things God's word here declares: the emptiness of idols, and his purpose to be known as the true God. The idols of Egypt, in which people trusted, would be destroyed, shown to be nothing; they could not save, could not stand before the living God. And God's purpose in acting was that people would know that he is the LORD, the one true God, above every idol. Idols promise much but are empty; they cannot deliver those who trust them, and are exposed as nothing before God. And God, in exposing them, makes himself known as the true God, whom no idol can rival. This directs us away from every idol, everything we might trust in place of God, to God himself, the only true God. What we are tempted to trust instead of God is empty; he alone is the true God, and he will be known as such. To know God as the LORD is to see the emptiness of every idol beside him.

That is worth taking to heart, for idols are empty, and God alone is the true God, who makes himself known. We can trust in idols, in the things we set up in place of God, whatever we look to for security or meaning apart from him; but such idols are empty, unable to save or stand, as Egypt's idols were shown to be nothing. God alone is the true God, and he makes himself known as the LORD, above every idol. There is folly in trusting what is empty, and wisdom in knowing the one true God. Do not trust in idols, the empty things you might set up in place of God; know God alone as the true God, above every idol, as he made himself known when Egypt's idols fell. Turn from every empty idol to God alone, the one true God, who makes himself known as the LORD above all idols, as he declared he would destroy Egypt's images so that they would know that he is the LORD; for the idols we are tempted to trust in place of God are empty, unable to save or stand before him, and God alone is the true God, whom no idol can rival, so that wisdom is to turn from the empty idols to him and know him as the LORD.

Lord, as you pronounce judgment on Egypt, you name a purpose behind it that reaches beyond Egypt: I will destroy the idols, you say, and the images will cease; and at the end, then they will know that I am the LORD. The idols in which Egypt trusted, that seemed so solid, would be shown to be nothing; and through their fall, you, the true God, would be known. The idols could not save Egypt or stand before you; they would cease, and you would make yourself known as the LORD, the only true God, above every idol. This exposes the emptiness of idols. Show me the two things your word here declares: the emptiness of idols, and your purpose to be known as the true God. The idols of Egypt, in which people trusted, would be destroyed, shown to be nothing; they could not save, could not stand before you. And your purpose in acting was that people would know that you are the LORD, the one true God, above every idol. Idols promise much but are empty; they cannot deliver those who trust them. And you, in exposing them, make yourself known as the true God. This directs me away from every idol, everything I might trust in place of you, to you yourself. Take that to my heart, for idols are empty, and you alone are the true God, who makes yourself known. I can trust in idols, in the things I set up in place of you, whatever I look to for security or meaning apart from you; but such idols are empty, unable to save or stand, as Egypt's idols were shown to be nothing. You alone are the true God. Keep me from trusting in idols, the empty things I might set up in place of you; help me turn from every empty idol to you alone, Lord, the one true God, who makes yourself known as the LORD above all idols.