Isa 23:2 | KingComments | STEP | Now that the Lord Jesus has taken His rightful place as King of Israel in the previous chapter, there is still a power in the world that will also be judged by Him. It is not a nation, nor is it a military power, but an economic power. Already in our time we see that events in the world are not only determined by military or political power, but also by economic power. The European Union, for example, is primarily an economic power. Christ’s government also means the end of the economic power of this world. “The burden of Tyre” is the last of the series of burdens of the nations that started with the burden of Babylon. The ‘city-kingdom’ of Tyre was located in today’s Lebanon. Just as Assyria represents the (military) world power, so Tyre represents the power of trade. The influence Tyre exerted through trade is greater than that of any other people. Together with Babylon and Egypt Tyre is the representative of what is found in the world. In this way the world at that time is painted: military power, economic power and religious-political power. These factors are also topical today. Egypt represents the world as a system where people live in darkness and slavery of sin. Egypt is ruled by Pharaoh, a picture of satan. Babylon represents the world as a religious system based not on the revelation of God, but on a self-powered religion. This system culminates in “Babylon the great, the mother of harlots” – that is, the roman-catholic church – which as a religious-political system wants to rule the world, but which will be judged by that same world ( ). Tyre represents the world as an economic system where people strive to enrich themselves to be able to wallow in luxury. A detailed description of the opulence of Tyre can be found in Ezekiel 26-28. It is a prophecy about the wealth of the Roman Empire (Europe) in the end time ( ). The characteristics of Tyre are applied to Babylon. In the end time, the united states of Europe will show both the characteristics of Babylon and those of Tyre. There is no place for God in all these things. The day will soon come when all the consumerism of man will be put to an end. This is shown in the judgment on Tyre. Tyre is seen here together with the older city of Sidon, which is spoken here as a mother of Tyre ( ). The Lord Jesus mentions both cities as examples of wickedness, which however are surpassed in their wickedness by Chorazin and Bethsaida ( ). The latter cities reject their Messiah and will therefore be punished in the day of judgment more severely than Tyre and Sidon. The future destruction of Tyre is painted vividly before our very eyes right from the start. The sailors who traded overseas, in Tarshish (probably) in Spain, and sail back with ships full of big profits, will not find a home anymore ( ). When they sail home after a stopover in the land of Cyprus, they heard this news about Tyre. This appalling message has implications for all countries with which Tyre trades ( ). Because of the destruction of Tyre, they too have lost their income. Their trading relationship is more important to them than a relationship with God. That relationship doesn’t interest them at all because their god is Mammon, the god of wealth, himself ( ). A large source of income comes from the granary of Sichor, the storage place of the grain harvest of the Nile region, the granary of the world ( ). In the prophet speaks to the city of Sidon. In a poetic way this city is compared to the sea with which it is most closely connected. The sea is for Tyre what fertile ground is for other cities and countries. After all, the city has obtained its great wealth through trade and shipping. Tyre is the “stronghold of the sea”. It is built on a rocky island in the sea. Through the mouth of the sea, both cities complain that it is as if they have never given birth or raised children, that much they have been depopulated by devastation. Egypt, which is in a close relationship with Tyre because of the trade in grain and earns from it, has now lost its most important customer and will be in anguish at the report of the devastation ( ).

‏ Isaiah 23:2

Introduction

Now that the Lord Jesus has taken His rightful place as King of Israel in the previous chapter, there is still a power in the world that will also be judged by Him. It is not a nation, nor is it a military power, but an economic power.

Already in our time we see that events in the world are not only determined by military or political power, but also by economic power. The European Union, for example, is primarily an economic power. Christ’s government also means the end of the economic power of this world.

The Report of the Destruction of Tyre

“The burden of Tyre” is the last of the series of burdens of the nations that started with the burden of Babylon. The ‘city-kingdom’ of Tyre was located in today’s Lebanon. Just as Assyria represents the (military) world power, so Tyre represents the power of trade. The influence Tyre exerted through trade is greater than that of any other people. Together with Babylon and Egypt Tyre is the representative of what is found in the world. In this way the world at that time is painted: military power, economic power and religious-political power. These factors are also topical today.

Egypt represents the world as a system where people live in darkness and slavery of sin. Egypt is ruled by Pharaoh, a picture of satan.

Babylon represents the world as a religious system based not on the revelation of God, but on a self-powered religion. This system culminates in “Babylon the great, the mother of harlots” – that is, the roman-catholic church – which as a religious-political system wants to rule the world, but which will be judged by that same world (Rev 17:5 ; 16).

Tyre represents the world as an economic system where people strive to enrich themselves to be able to wallow in luxury. A detailed description of the opulence of Tyre can be found in Ezekiel 26-28. It is a prophecy about the wealth of the Roman Empire (Europe) in the end time (Rev 18:11-16). The characteristics of Tyre are applied to Babylon. In the end time, the united states of Europe will show both the characteristics of Babylon and those of Tyre. There is no place for God in all these things. The day will soon come when all the consumerism of man will be put to an end. This is shown in the judgment on Tyre.

Tyre is seen here together with the older city of Sidon, which is spoken here as a mother of Tyre (Isa 23:4 ; 12). The Lord Jesus mentions both cities as examples of wickedness, which however are surpassed in their wickedness by Chorazin and Bethsaida (Mt 11:21-22). The latter cities reject their Messiah and will therefore be punished in the day of judgment more severely than Tyre and Sidon.

The future destruction of Tyre is painted vividly before our very eyes right from the start. The sailors who traded overseas, in Tarshish (probably) in Spain, and sail back with ships full of big profits, will not find a home anymore (Isa 23:1). When they sail home after a stopover in the land of Cyprus, they heard this news about Tyre.

This appalling message has implications for all countries with which Tyre trades (Isa 23:2). Because of the destruction of Tyre, they too have lost their income. Their trading relationship is more important to them than a relationship with God. That relationship doesn’t interest them at all because their god is Mammon, the god of wealth, himself (Mt 6:24). A large source of income comes from the granary of Sichor, the storage place of the grain harvest of the Nile region, the granary of the world (Isa 23:3).

In Isa 23:4 the prophet speaks to the city of Sidon. In a poetic way this city is compared to the sea with which it is most closely connected. The sea is for Tyre what fertile ground is for other cities and countries. After all, the city has obtained its great wealth through trade and shipping. Tyre is the “stronghold of the sea”. It is built on a rocky island in the sea.

Through the mouth of the sea, both cities complain that it is as if they have never given birth or raised children, that much they have been depopulated by devastation. Egypt, which is in a close relationship with Tyre because of the trade in grain and earns from it, has now lost its most important customer and will be in anguish at the report of the devastation (Isa 23:5).