Ezekiel 31 … Consider Him, Unequaled in Greatness and Glory

Originally posted: 8/02/2021

“Son of man, say to Pharaoh king of Egypt and to his hordes, ‘Whom are you like in your greatness?… ¹⁸ To which among the trees of Eden are you thus equal in glory and greatness? Yet you will be brought down with the trees of Eden to the earth beneath…’” (31:2, 18).

It is almost laughable really, when anyone believes they are the untouchable one. And the Lord calls His prophet to proclaim the fate of just such a one. Pharaoh king of Egypt, with his great army, touted as an invincible force in his time. But then God reminds him of another who at one time thought exactly the same thing: Assyria.

And the analogy is laid out of great trees, the great cedars of Lebanon, the most infamous and desirable for their beauty, strength and perfection. And this cedar grew taller and more beautiful than all the other trees, respected and sought after for her bounteous wealth by all the surrounding nations.

But as we considered yesterday, He Will Prostrate the Pride of Power, no matter how untouchable, no matter how great and glorious someone believes he is.

Therefore thus says the Lord God, “Because it is high in stature and has set its top among the clouds, and its heart is haughty in its loftiness,¹¹ therefore I will give it into the hand of a despot of the nations; he will thoroughly deal with it. According to its wickedness I have driven it away,” (2:10-11).

And as it had happened to Assyria, God’s prophet would proclaim that no matter how Pharaoh may have out-rivaled other men, God would prove in His judgment that the king and all his armies could never withstand Him, Unequaled in Greatness and Glory.

Consider Him, Unequaled in Greatness and Glory

“Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, indeed everything that is in the heavens and the earth; Yours is the dominion, O Lord, and You exalt Yourself as head over all,” (1 Chronicles 29:11).

He Is Unequaled in His Greatness:

• He Is Unequaled in the Greatness of His excellence.
  • “And in the greatness of Your excellence You overthrow those who rise up against You; You send forth Your burning anger, and it consumes them as chaff,” (Exodus 15:7).

• He Is Unequaled in the Greatness of His covenant and lovingkindness.
  • I said, “I beseech You, O Lord God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who preserves the covenant and lovingkindness for those who love Him and keep His commandments,” (Nehemiah 1:5).

• He Is Unequaled in His Greatness above all gods.
  • For great is the Lord and greatly to be praised;
    He is to be feared above all gods, (Psalm 96:4).

• He Is Unequaled in the Greatness of His Name.
  • There is none like You, O Lord;
    You are great, and great is Your name in might, (Jeremiah 10:6).

• He Is Unequaled in the Greatness of His counsel and mighty deeds.
  • “…O great and mighty God. The Lord of hosts is His name; ¹⁹ great in counsel and mighty in deed, whose eyes are open to all the ways of the sons of men, giving to everyone according to his ways and according to the fruit of his deeds,” (Jeremiah 32:18-19).

• He Is Unequaled in the Greatness of His holiness.
  • Cry aloud and shout for joy, O inhabitant of Zion,
    For great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel, (Isaiah 12:6).

• He Is Unequaled in the Greatness of His creation.
  • Lift up your eyes on high
    And see who has created these stars,
    The One who leads forth their host by number,
    He calls them all by name;
    Because of the greatness of His might and the strength of His power,
    Not one of them is missing, (Isaiah 40:26).

• He Is Unequaled in the Greatness of His power toward us who believe.
  • and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might ²⁰which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, (Ephesians 1:19-20).

He Is Unequaled in His Glory:

• He Is Unequaled in His Glory that is like a consuming fire.
  • And to the eyes of the sons of Israel the appearance of the glory of the Lord was like a consuming fire on the mountain top, (Exodus 24:17).

• He Is Unequaled in His Glory that is above all.
  • The Lord is high above all nations;
    His glory is above the heavens, (Psalm 113:4).

• He Is Unequaled in His Glory that will never be shared.
  • “I am the Lord, that is My name;
    I will not give My glory to another,
    Nor My praise to graven images,” (Isaiah 42:8).

• He Is Unequaled in His Glory that is our rear guard.
  • “Then your light will break out like the dawn,
    And your recovery will speedily spring forth;
    And your righteousness will go before you;
    The glory of the Lord will be your rear guard,” (Isaiah 58:8).

• He Is Unequaled in His Glory that rises with light over the darkness.
  • “Arise, shine; for your light has come,
    And the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.
    ² “For behold, darkness will cover the earth
    And deep darkness the peoples;
    But the Lord will rise upon you
    And His glory will appear upon you,” (Isaiah 60:1-2).

• He Is Unequaled in His Glory that will fill the earth.
  • “For the earth will be filled
    With the knowledge of the glory of the Lord,
    As the waters cover the sea,” (Habakkuk 2:14).

• He Is Unequaled in His Glory that is revealed in His Son.
  • God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, ² in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world. ³ And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, (Hebrews 1:1-3).

• He Is Unequaled in His Glory that will illumine the nations by the lamp of the Lamb for all of eternity.
  • I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. ²³ And the city has no need of the sun or of the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God has illumined it, and its lamp is the Lamb. ²⁴ The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it, (Revelation 21:22-24).

How do we respond to Him, Unequaled in Greatness and Glory?

Two responses immediately come to mind. Two responses that will guide our life as we humbly seek to please, serve, and live for Him, Unequaled in Greatness and Glory.

Let us bow before His Unequaled Greatness.

“But the Lord, who brought you up from the land of Egypt with great power and with an outstretched arm, Him you shall fear, and to Him you shall bow yourselves down, and to Him you shall sacrifice,” (2 Kings 17:36).

Let us do everything for His Unequaled Glory.

Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God, (1 Corinthians 10:31).

For how can we not bow before Him, how can we not spend our life to glorify Him? Oh, that we would daily come in humility to offer our thanksgiving and praise to Him, Unequaled in Greatness and Glory.

“Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, indeed everything that is in the heavens and the earth; Yours is the dominion, O Lord, and You exalt Yourself as head over all. ¹² Both riches and honor come from You, and You rule over all, and in Your hand is power and might; and it lies in Your hand to make great and to strengthen everyone. ¹³ Now therefore, our God, we thank You, and praise Your glorious name,” (1 Chronicles 29:11-13).

Let’s Grow Together!