355. Pharaoh’s Funeral Dirge

In our time the media is permeated with news about scare tactics and psychological warfare, but this is nothing new. In Ezekiel 32 Pharaoh and his entire noisy multitude had taken up lamentations because his chieftains had caused widespread terror in the land of the living.

“The strong among the mighty shall speak to him out of the midst of hell with those who help him: ‘They have gone down; they lie with the uncircumcised, slain by the sword.’

“Assyria is there, and all her company, with their graves all around her, all of them slain, fallen by the sword! Her graves are set in the recesses of the Pit, and her company is all around her grave, all of them slain, fallen by the sword, who caused terror in the land of the living.

“There is Elam and all her multitude, all around her grave, all of them slain, fallen by the sword, who have gone down uncircumcised to the lower parts of the earth, who caused their terror in the land of the living; now they bear their shame with those that go down to the Pit.

“They have set her bed in the midst of the slain, with all her multitude, with her graves all around it, all of them uncircumcised, slain by the sword; though their terror was caused in the land of the living, yet they bear their shame with those who go down to the Pit; it was put in the midst of the slain.” Verses 21-25.

Meshech, Tubal, and all of their multitudes had the same fate. Verses 26-28. “‘There is Edom, her kings and all her princes, who despite their might are laid beside those slain by the sword . . . and with those who go down to the Pit.

“‘There are the princes of the north, all of them, and all the Sidonians, who have gone with the slain in shame at the terror which they caused by their might. . . .

“‘Pharaoh will see them and be comforted over all his multitude, Pharaoh and all his army, slain by the sword,’ says the Lord God.

“‘For I have caused My terror in the land of the living; and he shall be placed in the midst of the uncircumcised with those slain by the sword, Pharaoh and all his multitude,’ says the Lord God.” Verses 29-31.

This is the judgment over everyone who spreads terror in the land of the living. This is written as an example for us. These are the psychological manipulations that torture and torment people. The greater power threatens the lesser, and people tremble.

“Learn from Me,” says Jesus, “for I am gentle and lowly in heart.” Jesus spread peace wherever He was. “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.” Matt. 5:5. But those who threaten and spread terror around them in the land of the living will be among the uncircumcised, noisy multitude in their graves. Those who fight for a mere handbreadth of soil will go down to Hades, but the meek will inherit the very earth the ungodly are struggling so intensely to possess. God truly turns things upside down.

“He has shown strength with His arm; He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He has put down the mighty from their thrones, and exalted the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich He has sent away empty.” Luke 1:51-53. Jesus’ mother Mary kept these things and pondered them in her heart.

When everything comes into its rightful order, God’s Word will remain standing: “The wise men are ashamed, they are dismayed and taken. Behold, they have rejected the word of the Lord; so what wisdom do they have?” Jer. 8:9.

If only people would read a little more in the Bible and believe in God’s Word, then these forms of psychological warfare would simply dissipate of their own accord.

“Therefore since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.” Heb. 12:28.

Lust for power, domination, greed, and fame are all admired, while wisdom sits in a lowly place. Therefore God must break down all folly, even to the depths of Hades, and all those who behave in this way will reap a harvest of shame instead of glory. Despite their might those who reject wisdom will have their funeral dirge with Pharaoh and all of his noisy multitudes, because they spread fear and terror in the land of the living.