Ezekiel 31:1-9: a reflection

1In the eleventh year, in the third month, in the first day of the month, the LORD’s word came to me, saying, 2“Son of man, tell Pharaoh king of Egypt and his multitude: ‘Whom are you like in your greatness? 3Behold, the Assyrian was a cedar in Lebanon with beautiful branches, and with a forest-like shade, of high stature; and its top was among the thick boughs. 4The waters nourished it. The deep made it to grow. Its rivers ran all around its plantation. It sent out its channels to all the trees of the field. 5Therefore its stature was exalted above all the trees of the field; and its boughs were multiplied. Its branches became long by reason of many waters, when it spread them out. 6All the birds of the sky made their nests in its boughs. Under its branches, all the animals of the field gave birth to their young. All great nations lived under its shadow. 7Thus it was beautiful in its greatness, in the length of its branches; for its root was by many waters. 8The cedars in the garden of God could not hide it. The cypress trees were not like its branches. The pine trees were not like its branches; nor was any tree in the garden of God like it in its beauty. 9I made it beautiful by the multitude of its branches, so that all the trees of Eden, that were in the garden of God, envied it.’

God tells Pharaoh to consider a towering cedar, a picture of Assyria in its former glory. It was beautiful, the tallest of the trees, its top among the clouds, its branches sheltering the birds and beasts, the nations living in its shade. No tree in the garden of God could rival it; the trees of Eden themselves envied its beauty. It was magnificent, unrivaled, the envy of all. And yet, as the rest of the chapter goes on to show, it was about to be cut down.

Notice the one detail that turns the whole picture: I made it beautiful, God says, with its many branches. The cedar's greatness was not self-made; God gave it. Its height, its beauty, its shade over the nations, all of it was a gift from God. But the cedar, as the chapter unfolds, grew proud of its height, as if its greatness were its own achievement, and that pride set it up to fall. It took credit for what God had given.

There is a caution here for anyone who has been given much, gifts, success, influence, standing. The temptation of greatness is to forget where it came from, to take our height as our own achievement and grow proud of it. But whatever greatness we have, God gave it, as he gave the cedar its beauty. The gifts are real, and they are not grounds for pride; they are grounds for gratitude and humility. When you are tempted to look at your own height and take the credit, remember the cedar: I made it beautiful. Hold your gifts humbly, as gifts, and give the glory to the God who gave them.

Lord, the towering cedar's beauty and height were your gift, yet it grew proud as if its greatness were its own, and it fell. When I am given gifts, success, or standing, keep me from taking the credit and growing proud of my own height. Remind me that whatever greatness I have, you gave it. Help me hold my gifts humbly, with gratitude rather than pride, and give the glory to you.