How we cite our quotes:
Quote #7
"With an anointed cherub as guardian I placed you; you were on the holy mountain of God; you walked among the stones of fire. You were blameless in your ways from the day that you were created, until iniquity was found in you. In the abundance of your trade you were filled with violence, and you sinned; so I cast you as a profane thing from the mountain of God, and the guardian cherub drove you out from among the stones of fire." (NRSV 28:14-16)
Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee. By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire. (KJV 28:14-16)
This story is in case we need any more proof that the power of the rulers can be fleeting and taken away whenever God feels like it. One sure way to lose your power as a ruler is to get too confident about it.
Quote #8
…[A]nd the land of Egypt shall be a desolation and a waste. Then they shall know that I am the Lord. Because you said, 'The Nile is mine, and I made it,' therefore, I am against you, and against your channels, and I will make the land of Egypt an utter waste and desolation, from Migdol to Syene, as far as the border of Ethiopia. No human foot shall pass through it, and no animal foot shall pass through it; it shall be uninhabited forty years. (NRSV 29:9-11)
And the land of Egypt shall be desolate and waste; and they shall know that I am the Lord: because he hath said, The river is mine, and I have made it. Behold, therefore I am against thee, and against thy rivers, and I will make the land of Egypt utterly waste and desolate, from the tower of Syene even unto the border of Ethiopia. No foot of man shall pass through it, nor foot of beast shall pass through it, neither shall it be inhabited forty years. (KJV 29:9-11)
Pharaoh finds out the hard way not to think of himself as all that. This is getting predictable: as soon as you're too stuck on your own power and fabulousness, the party's over. And You-Know-Who is the bouncer.
Quote #9
Be ready and keep ready, you and all the companies that are assembled around you, and hold yourselves in reserve for them. After many days you shall be mustered; in the latter years you shall go against a land restored from war, a land where people were gathered from many nations on the mountains of Israel, which had long lain waste; its people were brought out from the nations and now are living in safety, all of them. You shall advance, coming on like a storm; you shall be like a cloud covering the land, you and all your troops, and many peoples with you. (NRSV 38:7-9)
Be thou prepared, and prepare for thyself, thou, and all thy company that are assembled unto thee, and be thou a guard unto them. After many days thou shalt be visited: in the latter years thou shalt come into the land that is brought back from the sword, and is gathered out of many people, against the mountains of Israel, which have been always waste: but it is brought forth out of the nations, and they shall dwell safely all of them. Thou shalt ascend and come like a storm, thou shalt be like a cloud to cover the land, thou, and all thy bands, and many people with thee. (KJV 38:7-9)
God tells Gog to go out and attack Israel. Of course, Gog's going to be defeated, and the good guys will finally win and rule. Gog only has the illusion of power. In reality, God calls the shots and the outcome is already determined. God really plays Gog here, appealing to Gog's sense of his own power.