The Egyptian empire was one the most ambitious empires of the ancient world. The monuments of the self-aggrandizement of her leaders stand foremost amongst the wonders of the world to this day. In many ways, Egypt’s fate was like that of the mythological Icarus. According to the Greek writer Ovid’s story, Icarus’ father fashioned wings of wax so that his son could fly. But his father warned him not to fly too close to the sun lest his wings should melt and he be dashed to the ground. Once Icarus began to fly, however, he was overcome by the experience and sought to go higher and higher. But as he went higher his waxen wings began to melt, and before long he plummeted to his doom. The myth of Icarus has become a truism regarding the dangers of human ambition. Here in Ezekiel 31 and 32 Egypt’s ambitions are held out as a warning to all who would aspire to greatness as she did. As I have said, human ambition is a trap. Those who seek to soar higher and higher with their selfish ambitions will end up like Icarus. Ambition disempowers us ultimately. It drives us to places where we end up destroying ourselves. I encourage you again to reflect on your ambitions being very honest with yourself. If your hopes are not in God’s plan for your life then it is best that they be dashed, for false hopes lead to a wasted life.
Reflect again on your ambitions and submit them to God.
Read Ezekiel 31 and 32
