Egypt was such an important figure to Israel and Judah throughout their history that its downfall couldn’t help but have a huge impact on them. Although Tyre wasn’t as important to them personally, it was such an important figure on the world scene that its downfall was also important. That is why God’s message to His people included so much about Tyre and Egypt.
If God was interested in what went on then at the national level, He is concerned about world events today as well. Note for what He punished nations then: for their attitudes and actions against His people, for their brutality, for their pride. Do you see nations demonstrating the same today? If their actions arouse fear in you, take comfort that God is still in control. One of the points He is making in foretelling the destruction and lamenting the nations is that just as His astonishing actions then, unbelievable until they were actually accomplished, have demonstrated His power to judge, He continues to possess the power – and use it – to judge nations. As I have stated before, the obscurity of these nations to us makes their destruction seem of little importance. That very obscurity should strengthen the impact of this message to us, that these then-powerful nations have been so reduced or eliminated by God’s judgment that their one-time influence and power are unknown to us. Ezekiel’s readers would have been amazed to see Egypt’s and Tyre’s places in the world today. Hopefully this reminder allows us to rest in faith in Him when world events feel threatening to us.
Admittedly, God’s people suffered judgment along with the nations. The goal was always for their refinement and ultimate restoration. If we must suffer as His Old Testament people did, we can trust God to work the same in us, if we let Him. How much better refinement and relationship with God is, than continuing comfortably in the course that leads to the day we face Jesus and hear, “Depart from me; I never knew you.” Can we choose to trust God enough to say, “Even so, Lord, refine if refining is needed”?