Title: Prophecy against Egypt/Jeremiah 46
Prophecy against Egypt
Jeremiah 46
1. The fall of Egypt by Babylon (1-12)
① Proclaiming prophecies to the nations and paradoxically expressing Egypt’s military power (1-4)
② The miserable state of Egypt due to the defeat of the war (5-12)
This paragraph is the first part of the judgment prophecies concerning the Gentiles (chapters 46-51) and records the prophecies against Egypt. Among the prophecies about the Gentiles, the reason why the prophecy about Egypt first appears is as follows. First, it is for a logical connection with chapters 42-45, which states the actions of the Jews in Egypt and God's warnings. Second, the direct connection with Judah's disregard of God's covenant and rejection of the prophets' judgment message. One of the reasons is because of their strong dependence on Egypt.
In a mocking tone, God called the Egyptian army and told them to prepare shields and advance to fight the Babylonians. The cavalry rode horses in harness, and the infantry units were equipped with spears and weapons, and equipped with all the junbil to fight. But the fight did not go as Egypt intended. Babylon's swift attack frightened the Egyptians, and the frightened soldiers hurriedly fled. The waves of the Egyptian army, of seemingly horses and coaches, were like the meanderings of a mighty river. But even though Egypt had a mighty army, the battle belonged to God. God made Egypt to be defeated.
God will deal with any nation, no matter how strong, according to His will.
2. The defeat of Egypt and the restoration of Israel (13-28)
① Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon’s invasion of Egypt and the rout of Egypt (13-19)
② Complete destruction of Egypt and restoration of Israel (20-28)
Jeremiah tells why the mighty men of Egypt fell, and said that he could not stand any longer because God had knocked them down. The mercenary soldiers stumbled upon each other and decided to return home. They thought that leaving Egypt was the only way to escape the oppressor's sword. Pharaoh Hobra promised that he could subdue the Babylonian army, but the defeated soldiers no longer believed the king's voice. Babylon, Ibe, was exalted as proudly as Gabor and Mount Carmel, and the Egyptians had to prepare goods for their exile. Because Nebuchadnezzar's attack had reduced Egypt to a desolation without inhabitants. God is the sole ruler of history.
Jeremiah compared Egypt to a beautiful cow. But he said that a small fly from Babylon would bite them. It also compares the mercenaries of the Egyptian soldiers to fat cows ready to be slaughtered. They said that when the day of calamity came, they would turn and flee. And Egypt was likened to a serpent running away to escape a woodcutter's axe, and Babylon's army was described as too many insects to count. Through the above parables, it is showing that God will inevitably face shame because God gave Egypt to the people of the north.
However, God grants grace even in the midst of severe judgment. God decreed that all people, including the gods and kings of Egypt, would be destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar. However, God did not promise to destroy Egypt forever, but also promised that in time it would become inhabited as it was in the past. This means that the exiled Egyptians will come back. Likewise, Israel will recover from captivity in the future and receive God's blessing. God is merciful even in desperate circumstances.