Read Ezekiel 26
A Prophecy Against Tyre
26 In the eleventh month of the twelfth year, on the first day of the month, the word of the Lord came to me: 2 “Son of man, because Tyre has said of Jerusalem, ‘Aha! The gate to the nations is broken, and its doors have swung open to me; now that she lies in ruins I will prosper,’ 3 therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am against you, Tyre, and I will bring many nations against you, like the sea casting up its waves. 4 They will destroy the walls of Tyre and pull down her towers; I will scrape away her rubble and make her a bare rock. 5 Out in the sea she will become a place to spread fishnets, for I have spoken, declares the Sovereign Lord. She will become plunder for the nations, 6 and her settlements on the mainland will be ravaged by the sword. Then they will know that I am the Lord.
7 “For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: From the north I am going to bring against Tyre Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, king of kings, with horses and chariots, with horsemen and a great army. 8 He will ravage your settlements on the mainland with the sword; he will set up siege worksagainst you, build a ramp up to your walls and raise his shields against you.9 He will direct the blows of his battering rams against your walls and demolish your towers with his weapons. 10 His horses will be so many that they will cover you with dust. Your walls will tremble at the noise of the warhorses, wagons and chariots when he enters your gates as men enter a city whose walls have been broken through. 11 The hooves of his horses will trample all your streets; he will kill your people with the sword, and your strong pillars will fall to the ground. 12 They will plunder your wealth and loot your merchandise; they will break down your walls and demolish your fine houses and throw your stones, timber and rubble into the sea. 13 I will put an end to your noisy songs, and the music of your harps will be heard no more.14 I will make you a bare rock, and you will become a place to spread fishnets. You will never be rebuilt, for I the Lord have spoken, declares the Sovereign Lord.
15 “This is what the Sovereign Lord says to Tyre: Will not the coastlandstremble at the sound of your fall, when the wounded groan and the slaughter takes place in you? 16 Then all the princes of the coast will step down from their thrones and lay aside their robes and take off their embroideredgarments. Clothed with terror, they will sit on the ground, trembling every moment, appalled at you. 17 Then they will take up a lament concerning you and say to you:
“‘How you are destroyed, city of renown,
peopled by men of the sea!
You were a power on the seas,
you and your citizens;
you put your terror
on all who lived there.
18 Now the coastlands tremble
on the day of your fall;
the islands in the sea
are terrified at your collapse.’
19 “This is what the Sovereign Lord says: When I make you a desolate city, like cities no longer inhabited, and when I bring the ocean depths over you and its vast waters cover you, 20 then I will bring you down with those who go down to the pit, to the people of long ago. I will make you dwell in the earth below, as in ancient ruins, with those who go down to the pit, and you will not return or take your place in the land of the living. 21 I will bring you to a horrible end and you will be no more. You will be sought, but you will never again be found, declares the Sovereign Lord.”
Go Deeper
Ezekiel’s prophecies have begun to shift toward God’s judgment on nearby nations. The previous chapter began this series by focusing on Ammon, and the current chapter concentrates on God’s judgment regarding the city of Tyre. Located along the Mediterranean coast, Tyre served as an important point of commerce for the region. Tyre was a wealthy city that viewed Jerusalem’s fall as a commercial opportunity. In essence, Tyre claimed that Jerusalem’s destruction was “good for business.” God’s judgment fell on this city, and Ezekiel tells of “many nations” that would rise against Tyre.
Tyre’s commercial power will be wiped away as a part of God’s judgment. In fact, Tyre will be absolutely demolished down to “a bare rock, a place where only fishnets can be spread” (v. 14). God plans to destroy Tyre as if vast waves of the sea overtook the city. From Ezekiel’s words we can imagine Tyre’s utter destruction equal to that of a giant tsunami overtaking a city, destroying everything and everyone in its path.
God promised that the same king who destroyed Jerusalem would take over Tyre. And in fact, not long after Ezekiel’s prophecy, Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon, laid siege to Tyre for thirteen years. The prophecy of Nebuchadnezzar’s ravaging invasion paints a grim picture: battering rams against Tyre’s walls, dust hovering everywhere from so many horses and wagons overtaking the city, and throwing the city’s houses into the sea. It all points to the downfall of a powerful city of the sea. History tells us that the Persians, Alexander the Great, Antiochus III, Rome, and finally the Saracens (who annihilated the city completely in 14th century AD) all followed Nebuchadnezzar in its rule against Tyre. All fulfilled the prophecy of “many nations” rising against Tyre.
Ezekiel’s prophecy of the destruction of Tyre teaches us that God is sovereign and powerful. God does not take pleasure in destruction, but we are reminded that there are consequences of sin and rebellion. Ezekiel speaks boldly of the future. Let’s also speak boldly about the future. Let’s tell others what will or will not happen for their future in eternity. Salvation through Jesus Christ guarantees a future of eternity with our Heavenly Father in heaven. Without salvation, this future does not exist. Let’s be bold with this gospel message, like Ezekiel.
Questions
- What stuck out to you on your first read through this passage? Why?
- Why did God’s judgment fall on Tyre? What lessons can you learn from God’s judgment of Tyre?
- What are the consequences of sin and rebellion that you have experienced in your own life? Is there anything you need to repent and turn away from today?
Keep Digging
Check out this painting called “The Destruction of Tyre” from British painter John Martin that was painted in 1840.
2 thoughts on “Ezekiel 26”
To this day, the city of Tyre continues to be a pile of rubble as a testimony to God’s judgement. The very people who “rejoiced over the fall of Jerusalem” because of selfish gain and the love of wealth, fell under God’s wrath and was demolished. What is our response when our enemies fall? Do we gloat or mourn? John 9:4 declares the task of every Christ-follower, “I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.” We must pay attention, learn from scripture, seek to know him, and faithfully represent the Light of the world.
God means what He says and says what He means. He told them what would happen IF… and it happened down to every detail. He has told us what is going to happen and it will, down to every detail. Repent, turn away from the wrong doing, of following this world.
1 John 5 1-5 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well. 2 This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. 3 In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, 4 for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. 5 Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.
God thank You for sending me Your only Son. Thank You for loving so much that You make the way back to You. God help me to have eyes to see when I am not following You in that moment so I can turn away. God give me the wisdom and fortitude to stand firm about You in all the ways in which the world tries to twirl me. God I fear You with a trembling fear. I love You with a intensity that is scary. Help me to overcome so that the victory is Yours in Jesus name amen.
WOOHOO!!!!