The Bible Recap – Day 248: Ezekiel 28-30 (Year 7)
Host: Tara-Leigh Cobble
Date: September 5, 2025
Main Theme:
A close, accessible overview of Ezekiel chapters 28-30, focusing on God’s judgment against nations filled with pride (specifically Tyre and Egypt), the spiritual implications of pride, and God’s role as the ultimate giver and restorer.
Summary Overview
Tara-Leigh Cobble unpacks Ezekiel’s continuing prophecies against Israel’s enemy nations—Tyre, Sidon, and Egypt. She highlights how God addresses the destructive nature of pride in these powers, explores interpretive debates about the King of Tyre passage (including references to Satan and Eden), and ties the admonitions to contemporary attitudes about gratitude and self-worth. The episode concludes with a call for listeners to invite friends to join The Bible Recap as it transitions to the New Testament.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
The Problem of Pride Among the Nations
- Recurring theme: God opposes pride rooted in gifts, skills, or resources He Himself has given (00:21).
- Tyre is specifically rebuked for pride in its beauty, wisdom, and wealth.
- Egypt boasts in its power and its Pharaoh sees himself as divine (01:14).
- Pride leads people and nations to claim credit that belongs to God, fostering a culture of entitlement and arrogance.
- Notable commentary: “People who take credit for their own strengths…steal the credit that belongs to the giver of those gifts.” (00:25)
Tyre: Prophecies to Its Leaders
- Ezekiel 28 opens with a prophecy to the “leader/prince” of Tyre (01:40).
- Ambiguity about whether “leader” and “king” are the same person.
- The leader’s hubris escalates to claiming to be a god, which Tara-Leigh marks as the “tipping point for Yahweh.” (02:05)
- “Yahweh promises that the very things Tyre and its leader put confidence in will be attacked and destroyed.” (02:14)
The King of Tyre: Metaphor or More?
- Verses 11–19: Rich theological debate about the King of Tyre as a metaphor for perfection, possibly representing a cherub or even Satan (02:30).
- Option A: Hyperbolic, metaphorical language about the historical king.
- Option B: King compared to an Edenic cherub (Genesis 3:24).
- Option C: Dual prophecy—King of Tyre as well as Satan, some suggest possible possession.
- Tara-Leigh’s advice: “Try reading…with a lens for option A and once for option B/C.” (03:10)
- She recommends exploration, but notes: “…this is not a foundational or fundamental doctrine.” (03:32)
Sidon’s Condemnation (Ezekiel 28:20–26)
- Short prophecy against Sidon, a neighbor of Tyre, for contempt towards Israel.
- God’s consistent promise: “to bring Israel back to their land, to possess it, and to bring judgment on all their neighbors who hate them.” (03:45)
Egypt: The Water Dragon Metaphor
- Pharaoh likened to a “water dragon,” possibly referencing Leviathan (Job 41, Psalm 104, Isaiah 27).
- Pharaoh acts as if he created the Nile, elevating himself to god-status (04:00).
- God promises to extract Pharaoh, symbolizing the end of his power and that “all the other fish”—likely Egyptians—will be caught up as well (04:13).
- Egypt’s false help to Israel is cited (“just ended up torturing them instead”).
- After punishment via Nebuchadnezzar, God promises eventual restoration for Egypt, underscoring fulfillment and consistency in His prophecies (04:30).
Divine Justice and Provision
- Babylon’s siege of Tyre was lengthy and destructive, but yielded no spoils (04:55).
- God promises Babylon compensation via victory over Egypt: “You’re doing my work and I’m going to provide for you.” (05:10)
Lament for Egypt (Ezekiel 30)
- Further prophecy about Egypt’s downfall and the ruin of its allies.
- “God says he will break Pharaoh’s arms, but he will strengthen King Nebby’s arms.” (05:28)
- Message: God alone grants and removes strength.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
On pride and self-worth (00:31):
“I think that might be one reason why the self-esteem movement has backfired on us. Telling everyone how awesome they are…fosters entitlement and arrogance, and before we know it, we’ve built a world of insufferable humans.”
—Tara-Leigh Cobble -
On God’s opposition to pride (05:50):
“God opposes pride because it’s built on a lie. We are not gods. He is. And though we may be powerful, we aren’t powerful on our own. Our strength is from Him.”
—Tara-Leigh Cobble -
The ultimate source of gratitude (06:27):
“Gratitude is much more fulfilling and accurate when it rolls up to the Creator and giver of those things. God should be the final target our gratitude and praise aims for.”
—Tara-Leigh Cobble -
A playful application (07:00):
“So the next time you see Chris Pratt, don’t gawk at his biceps. We just learned that God is the giver of strength. So congratulate him on the DNA God gave him.”
—Tara-Leigh Cobble -
The “God shot” takeaway (06:00):
“Giving praise to God helps eradicate the pride He hates so much, and it fixes our eyes on our Father, the giver of all good gifts. And He’s where the joy is.”
—Tara-Leigh Cobble
Timestamps for Important Segments
- 00:00–00:40 — Recap of previous episode and central theme: God’s opposition to national pride
- 00:41–02:30 — Tyre and pride; contrasting gifts from God and misuse of them
- 02:31–03:32 — The King of Tyre: interpretive options (historical, cherub, Satanic duality)
- 03:45–04:00 — Sidon’s judgment and God’s restoration promises for Israel
- 04:01–04:45 — Egypt as water dragon; Leviathan imagery; false help to Israel
- 04:56–05:27 — Babylon’s siege of Tyre and God’s promise of payment through Egypt
- 05:28–05:40 — Lament for Egypt and neighboring nations; divine redistribution of strength
- 05:41–06:00 — The “God shot”: God’s hatred of pride and the nature of true wisdom/strength
- 06:01–07:17 — Focusing gratitude on God; modern application
- 07:18–End — Inviting friends to join TBR for the New Testament (skip for summary purposes)
Language & Tone
- Conversational and approachable—Tara-Leigh uses everyday examples (e.g., Chris Pratt’s biceps, insufferable humans) to drive home Old Testament themes.
- Encouraging listeners to explore, question, and use additional resources for deeper understanding.
- Humble about interpretive uncertainties (“it’s okay for us to land in different spots…not a foundational or fundamental doctrine”).
In Summary
The episode centers on God’s response to pride as revealed in the judgments He delivers against Tyre, Sidon, and Egypt. Pride, especially when it distorts gifts from God, invites judgment and humiliation—yet God remains consistent, fair, and ultimately restorative. Tara-Leigh urges listeners to direct their gratitude vertically—to God as the true source of all good—and to recognize that humility before Him is both fitting and freeing.