Eze 26:1 | KingComments | STEP | After the LORD has pronounced His judgments on the enemies east and south of Israel, He now turns to the north. There lies Tyre, in present-day Lebanon. The prophecy about Tyre is divided into three chapters. Each chapter shows a particular feature of the megalomania and pride of Tyre. The judgment deals with: 1. her joy at the breaking of Jerusalem (Ezekiel 26); 2. her haughtiness and self-indulgence (Ezekiel 27); 3. her wisdom and insight (Ezekiel 28). We may wonder why Tyre is getting so much attention. The reason is that Tyre bears a great resemblance to the great Babylon, the great spiritual power ( ; ). Tyre refers to that great power. Following on from Babylon is Rome, also a trading city. Rome is the great successor to Tyre. Behind the king of Tyre we see the person of satan himself (Ezekiel 28). We also see that person with the restored Roman Empire. With Tyre, prophetically, we are dealing with the great power of satan in the end time, both religiously and politically and economically. The prophecy about Tyre is dated ( ). This eleventh year is the year Jerusalem is taken by the Chaldeans, the year of the destruction of Jerusalem ( ). About that destruction Tyre rejoices greatly ( ). She calls Jerusalem “the gateway of the peoples”. Jerusalem is a formidable trade competitor of Tyre, for Jerusalem controls the overland trade routes from Egypt and Arabia to Tyre. Now that this obstacle has been removed, Tyre can make even greater profits. Tyre boasts that control of the trade routes that Jerusalem possessed has now passed to her. Tyre sees the full benefits coming her way. She will become full of all riches because Jerusalem has fallen. Here we see that love of money, which is a root of all evil ( ), destroys the good relations of old ( ). Love of money here even causes joy at the severance and destruction of a former friend. A behavior like that of Tyre is hated by the LORD ( ). Because Tyre is so full of selfishness and greed for money, the LORD will judge the city ( ). In four prophecies, four extremely detailed and accurate predictions follow. Each of these prophecies begins with the words “thus says the lord GOD” ( ). With the threatening words “behold, I am against you, O Tyre”, God predicts that He will bring up many nations against Tyre, as the sea brings up its waves. He compares the bringing up of these nations to a flood or a tsunami: the bringing up the waves of the sea. As God controls the waves of the sea, so He controls the nations. Those nations come this time not with peaceful intentions, to trade with Tyre, but to destroy her ( ). The protection of Tyre will be broken down and turned to dust. The proud mercantile city, built on a rock in the midst of the sea, teeming with people and boasting of its treasures, will become a barren rock where no one can live. The only thing the rock in the midst of the sea can still serve for is to dry nets there ( ). So it will happen, for the LORD has spoken it. The wealth that has been piled up there will be taken as spoil by the nations. Those who live on the mainland, the daughters who feast on the commercial prosperity obtained, will be killed with the sword ( ). Thus they will know that He is the LORD. In the second prophecy, the LORD tells who He is sending as enemies upon Tyre: the troops of Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon ( ). This king with so much power that God calls him “the king of kings” ( ), is nothing but an instrument in His hand, one who can do nothing but carry out His will. This king will move against Tyre from the north with a huge fighting force. The first thing he will do is “slay your daughters on the mainland with the sword”. By the “daughters” is meant the cities and towns on the mainland that are near Tyre and dependent on her ( ). Then he will besiege Tyre with heavy artillery. After that siege, he will break through the defenses by force and tear down the watchtowers ( ). The multitude of horses he has will raise so much dust that Tyre will be covered by it ( ). When Nebuchadnezzar storms into the gate of the city with thundering violence, the thumping of the horses’ hooves and chariots will make the walls tremble. The city will fall like an open city into the hands of the king of Babylon and his armies. When they are in the city, the streets will be broken up by the horses ( ). No passable road will remain. The inhabitants will be killed and every strength where people have entrenched themselves will come crashing down to the earth. The accumulated wealth will be made a spoil and all the merchandise will be plundered ( ). Nothing of their treasures will remain for them. The walls they have built around their homes to protect their precious villas from burglars will be destroyed. Then their coveted abodes, of which they are so proud, will be razed to the ground. The debris will be dumped in the sea. That is the end of all their luxury. This will also be the end of their songs, which they sing out (cf. ) and in which they praise how wonderfully they have prospered ( ). The harps with which they accompany their singing are silent, forever. God has put an end to their bellowing. So the LORD will make Tyre a bare rock, where there is nothing left and no one lives ( ). The only thing left to do is to lay nets to dry. Never again will anything of Tyre rise up. Because the LORD has said so, it will be so.

‏ Ezekiel 26:1

Introduction

After the LORD has pronounced His judgments on the enemies east and south of Israel, He now turns to the north. There lies Tyre, in present-day Lebanon. The prophecy about Tyre is divided into three chapters. Each chapter shows a particular feature of the megalomania and pride of Tyre. The judgment deals with:

1. her joy at the breaking of Jerusalem (Ezekiel 26);

2. her haughtiness and self-indulgence (Ezekiel 27);

3. her wisdom and insight (Ezekiel 28).

We may wonder why Tyre is getting so much attention. The reason is that Tyre bears a great resemblance to the great Babylon, the great spiritual power (Eze 27:1-36; Rev 17:1-18 ; Rev 18:1-24). Tyre refers to that great power. Following on from Babylon is Rome, also a trading city. Rome is the great successor to Tyre. Behind the king of Tyre we see the person of satan himself (Ezekiel 28). We also see that person with the restored Roman Empire. With Tyre, prophetically, we are dealing with the great power of satan in the end time, both religiously and politically and economically.

Judgment on Tyre

The prophecy about Tyre is dated (Eze 26:1). This eleventh year is the year Jerusalem is taken by the Chaldeans, the year of the destruction of Jerusalem (2Kgs 25:2-3). About that destruction Tyre rejoices greatly (Eze 26:2). She calls Jerusalem “the gateway of the peoples”. Jerusalem is a formidable trade competitor of Tyre, for Jerusalem controls the overland trade routes from Egypt and Arabia to Tyre.

Now that this obstacle has been removed, Tyre can make even greater profits. Tyre boasts that control of the trade routes that Jerusalem possessed has now passed to her. Tyre sees the full benefits coming her way. She will become full of all riches because Jerusalem has fallen. Here we see that love of money, which is a root of all evil (1Tim 6:10a), destroys the good relations of old (1Kgs 5:1). Love of money here even causes joy at the severance and destruction of a former friend.

A behavior like that of Tyre is hated by the LORD (Pro 17:5b). Because Tyre is so full of selfishness and greed for money, the LORD will judge the city (Eze 26:3). In four prophecies, four extremely detailed and accurate predictions follow. Each of these prophecies begins with the words “thus says the lord GOD” (Eze 26:3-6 ; 7-14 ; 15-18 ; 19-21).

With the threatening words “behold, I am against you, O Tyre”, God predicts that He will bring up many nations against Tyre, as the sea brings up its waves. He compares the bringing up of these nations to a flood or a tsunami: the bringing up the waves of the sea. As God controls the waves of the sea, so He controls the nations. Those nations come this time not with peaceful intentions, to trade with Tyre, but to destroy her (Eze 26:4). The protection of Tyre will be broken down and turned to dust. The proud mercantile city, built on a rock in the midst of the sea, teeming with people and boasting of its treasures, will become a barren rock where no one can live.

The only thing the rock in the midst of the sea can still serve for is to dry nets there (Eze 26:5). So it will happen, for the LORD has spoken it. The wealth that has been piled up there will be taken as spoil by the nations. Those who live on the mainland, the daughters who feast on the commercial prosperity obtained, will be killed with the sword (Eze 26:6). Thus they will know that He is the LORD.

In the second prophecy, the LORD tells who He is sending as enemies upon Tyre: the troops of Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon (Eze 26:7). This king with so much power that God calls him “the king of kings” (Dan 2:37), is nothing but an instrument in His hand, one who can do nothing but carry out His will. This king will move against Tyre from the north with a huge fighting force. The first thing he will do is “slay your daughters on the mainland with the sword”. By the “daughters” is meant the cities and towns on the mainland that are near Tyre and dependent on her (Eze 26:8). Then he will besiege Tyre with heavy artillery. After that siege, he will break through the defenses by force and tear down the watchtowers (Eze 26:9).

The multitude of horses he has will raise so much dust that Tyre will be covered by it (Eze 26:10). When Nebuchadnezzar storms into the gate of the city with thundering violence, the thumping of the horses’ hooves and chariots will make the walls tremble. The city will fall like an open city into the hands of the king of Babylon and his armies. When they are in the city, the streets will be broken up by the horses (Eze 26:11). No passable road will remain. The inhabitants will be killed and every strength where people have entrenched themselves will come crashing down to the earth.

The accumulated wealth will be made a spoil and all the merchandise will be plundered (Eze 26:12). Nothing of their treasures will remain for them. The walls they have built around their homes to protect their precious villas from burglars will be destroyed. Then their coveted abodes, of which they are so proud, will be razed to the ground. The debris will be dumped in the sea. That is the end of all their luxury.

This will also be the end of their songs, which they sing out (cf. Amos 5:23) and in which they praise how wonderfully they have prospered (Eze 26:13). The harps with which they accompany their singing are silent, forever. God has put an end to their bellowing.

So the LORD will make Tyre a bare rock, where there is nothing left and no one lives (Eze 26:14). The only thing left to do is to lay nets to dry. Never again will anything of Tyre rise up. Because the LORD has said so, it will be so.