Ezekiel 29:7Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Thus, I speak against Pharaoh, who represents the might that Egypt trusted, yet turned in pride against its Creator, claiming authority over the earth while engaging in idolatry. He relied on the flooding of the Nile, disregarding the needed rains from heaven, and arrogantly insisted that it was his might that created the river. I will not send an angel to punish you, O proud serpent lying in the midst of your waters; I will myself carry out your judgment. Your proclamation that "my river is the Nile" is but a pretense, for I will put a bridle upon your mouth and bind your allies, described as the fish, to you so that when you are pulled from the river, all your companions will fall with you.

Your pride will bring you low, and you shall be cast upon the plain you once claimed to dominate; your body will lie unburied, consumed by the beasts and birds of the air. They will witness My judgment upon you and know that I am the Lord. You deceived my people, leading them away from trusting in their true Creator. You were like a brittle reed that could not provide true support, resulting in destruction for those who leaned upon you, for your empty promises left them wounded instead of safe.

This language conveys more than just a critique of the Pharaoh; it serves as a metaphor for the very powers that oppose God's people. Pharaoh is a figure of division, steering the oppressed away from reliance on God. Thus, he is identified as a great serpent, linking to the adversary referenced in Job’s writings, and affirmed in the Psalms where it is declared, “You have crushed the head of the serpent.”

While the Scriptures refer to smaller adversaries, this dragon represents the ultimate force of evil, reigning over the many rivers that symbolize heresies that lead astray, soaking the deceived with corrupt doctrines that do not stem from divine revelation. For the rivers compared to those of the Lord signify life and salvation. In contrast, the rivers of the enemy are polluted and stagnant, leading the unsuspecting away from the truth.

The punishment of this dragon is encapsulated in the act of placing a bridle upon it, akin to the figure of Job, where it’s said, “You will drag the dragon out with a hook.” When God commands His Church, empowered by His Word, the dragon’s deceitful whispers are silenced. The unclean doctrines that aspired to lead others astray, bound to their fate with this adversary, will be cast away into the desert, lacking in support and companionship.

The dragon is drawn from his place of rest, and the judgment against him brings clarity to the nature of his deceptions and the futility of trusting in his promises. When he falls, all who have depended on him will also be brought down, swept away in a purging that reveals God’s sovereignty to all.

His empty promises, akin to a broken reed, leave the people vulnerable, since true strength lies in the Lord's rod, which brings comfort and consolation. The rod that resonates with divine comfort contrasts starkly with the pharaoh's deceit, which encourages reliance on weakness rather than on God’s everlasting power.

The boast of the Pharaoh as a broken staff reveals the futility of his promise of security to the people of Israel. Those who relied on him found their strength decimated; their dependence led to weakness instead of maintenance of their faith. Thus, in contrast to those who cling to God’s word and are fortified, those relying on the dragon face demise, as only reliance on God can provide true strength and sustenance.

Similarly, Sennacherib referenced the assistance from Egypt in Isaiah, stating, "Thou shalt trust in this broken rod of reeds of Egypt: but if any man strip himself of it, it shall enter into his hand: so is the king of Egypt, and all that trust in him" (Isaiah 36:6). Here as well, it is noted, "They that have spoken unto thee with their hand, thou art crushed, and every hand hast thou splashed upon them," indicating that they have become a source of mockery for their foes, as you, like a broken reed, have been subdued and humiliated.

Likewise, Jeremiah, acknowledging that the Lord sometimes allows us to be tested by demons and grants the enemy access to our innermost thoughts and concealed treasures, says: ‘Humble me, O Lord, in the day of His wrath, send into my ears “fire and bring it down”,’ referring to the depths of the body. The interpreter Simmachus articulates this as punishment: “spread a net to my feet, turn me back, give me to destruction, and all day long I am sick” (Lamentations 1:12-13). Consequently, the ascetic must endure numerous trials from the spiteful, unchaste spirits, facing affliction, darkness, treachery, and passing through fire and water, navigating storms and shadows before ultimately entering into joy, the refreshing air of liberation, and basking in the light of beatitude.