For the day is near, even the day of the LORDis near, a cloudy day; it shall be the time of the heathen.
The verse announces that the day of the Lord is near as a cloudy day appointed for judgment upon the nations, falling here especially upon Egypt. In its first setting Egypt was contending with Babylon for supremacy, and the near day was fulfilled when Nebuchadnezzar invaded and devastated Egypt and brought it under foreign rule. That bringing low abased Egypt for its pride, destroying its idols, drying its rivers and desolating its cities, so that from one of the greatest kingdoms on earth it fell to become the basest of kingdoms and never rose again. The cloudy day is a day of darkness and gloom and thick darkness, a day of wrath and destruction and not an age of mercy or renewed probation. As a warning that the Lord's day of judgment is near, it teaches utter destruction upon the unrighteous inhabitants of the earth with no nations escaping, connected with the judgments that occur at Christ's coming.
Context and Fulfillment
Ezekiel 30:3 belongs to the series of prophecies against Egypt, set within Ezekiel's prophecies against the kingdoms on all sides of Israel. Those prophecies were given during twenty-two years of pleading for Israel to turn to God, to show how God deals with those kingdoms and brings down their pride. Egypt in them is the former oppressor of God's people and the symbol of black infidelity, standing alongside Tyre as one of the two great nations judged. The prophecy foretells the certain fate to come upon Pharaoh and his host, standing among prophecies against other nations including Ammon, Moab and Tyre.
Its historical setting was Egypt struggling with Babylon for supremacy, with the approaching day placed within the judgment declared against Egypt. It belongs to the prophecy of Egypt's coming defeat by Babylon, predicting that Nebuchadnezzar would invade and devastate Egypt. That invasion would bring Egypt under foreign rule and end its former power.
The near day it announces means God bringing Egypt low and abasing it for its pride so that it never rises again among the nations. That abasement came through war that destroyed its idols and desolated its cities and land, leaving Egypt fallen from former wealth and glory. The chapter's predictions included dried-up rivers and abolished idols, with Egypt becoming the basest of kingdoms. Egypt had been one of the greatest kingdoms and once the greatest empire on earth, and these predictions about its fall were literally fulfilled, with their fulfillment evident today.
The prophecy about Egypt was also applied to England taking complete control of Egypt, with Turkey's sovereignty over Egypt passing away.
The Day of the Lord
The day of the Lord is near and cloudy, the appointed time of judgment upon the heathen, that is, the nations. It is near as a cloudy day marking a time of judgment upon the nations, and in the surrounding prophetic outline this day is a day of wrath and destruction, not an age of mercy or renewed probation. The approaching day of the Lord is thus a day of judgment that includes the heathen, and its scope is not limited to Israel.
By placing Egypt's coming judgment within the day of the Lord, the approaching day is shown to be a day of judgment on the nations falling in this chapter especially on Egypt. Egypt was then struggling with Babylon for supremacy when the approaching day of the Lord was declared against it. The chapter's warnings against Egypt included destruction of its idols and desolation of its cities and land, with dried-up rivers and abolished idols, and these punishments came through war, leaving Egypt fallen from former wealth and glory to become the basest of kingdoms. These predictions of Egypt's downfall were literally fulfilled.
The cloudy day is a day of darkness and of gloominess and of thick darkness. It is a day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men and of reward to the people of God. As a day of wrath and destruction it brings no renewed probation.
As a warning that the Lord's day of judgment is near, it teaches utter destruction on the unrighteous inhabitants of the earth, with no nations escaping. The same warning brings destruction on a guilty world, connected with the judgments that occur at Christ's coming. God will justly destroy sinners when His judgments fall.
The verse announces that the day of the Lord is near as a cloudy day appointed for judgment upon the nations, falling here especially upon Egypt. In its first setting Egypt was contending with Babylon for supremacy, and the near day was fulfilled when Nebuchadnezzar invaded and devastated Egypt and brought it under foreign rule. That bringing low abased Egypt for its pride, destroying its idols, drying its rivers and desolating its cities, so that from one of the greatest kingdoms on earth it fell to become the basest of kingdoms and never rose again. The cloudy day is a day of darkness and gloom and thick darkness, a day of wrath and destruction and not an age of mercy or renewed probation. As a warning that the Lord's day of judgment is near, it teaches utter destruction upon the unrighteous inhabitants of the earth with no nations escaping, connected with the judgments that occur at Christ's coming.
Context and Fulfillment
Ezekiel 30:3 belongs to the series of prophecies against Egypt, set within Ezekiel's prophecies against the kingdoms on all sides of Israel. Those prophecies were given during twenty-two years of pleading for Israel to turn to God, to show how God deals with those kingdoms and brings down their pride. Egypt in them is the former oppressor of God's people and the symbol of black infidelity, standing alongside Tyre as one of the two great nations judged. The prophecy foretells the certain fate to come upon Pharaoh and his host, standing among prophecies against other nations including Ammon, Moab and Tyre.
Its historical setting was Egypt struggling with Babylon for supremacy, with the approaching day placed within the judgment declared against Egypt. It belongs to the prophecy of Egypt's coming defeat by Babylon, predicting that Nebuchadnezzar would invade and devastate Egypt. That invasion would bring Egypt under foreign rule and end its former power.
The near day it announces means God bringing Egypt low and abasing it for its pride so that it never rises again among the nations. That abasement came through war that destroyed its idols and desolated its cities and land, leaving Egypt fallen from former wealth and glory. The chapter's predictions included dried-up rivers and abolished idols, with Egypt becoming the basest of kingdoms. Egypt had been one of the greatest kingdoms and once the greatest empire on earth, and these predictions about its fall were literally fulfilled, with their fulfillment evident today.
The prophecy about Egypt was also applied to England taking complete control of Egypt, with Turkey's sovereignty over Egypt passing away.
The Day of the Lord
The day of the Lord is near and cloudy, the appointed time of judgment upon the heathen, that is, the nations. It is near as a cloudy day marking a time of judgment upon the nations, and in the surrounding prophetic outline this day is a day of wrath and destruction, not an age of mercy or renewed probation. The approaching day of the Lord is thus a day of judgment that includes the heathen, and its scope is not limited to Israel.
By placing Egypt's coming judgment within the day of the Lord, the approaching day is shown to be a day of judgment on the nations falling in this chapter especially on Egypt. Egypt was then struggling with Babylon for supremacy when the approaching day of the Lord was declared against it. The chapter's warnings against Egypt included destruction of its idols and desolation of its cities and land, with dried-up rivers and abolished idols, and these punishments came through war, leaving Egypt fallen from former wealth and glory to become the basest of kingdoms. These predictions of Egypt's downfall were literally fulfilled.
The cloudy day is a day of darkness and of gloominess and of thick darkness. It is a day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men and of reward to the people of God. As a day of wrath and destruction it brings no renewed probation.
As a warning that the Lord's day of judgment is near, it teaches utter destruction on the unrighteous inhabitants of the earth, with no nations escaping. The same warning brings destruction on a guilty world, connected with the judgments that occur at Christ's coming. God will justly destroy sinners when His judgments fall.