Ezekiel 28
-Ezekiel takes his message from the city of Tyre to the king
of Tyre in his next word from the LORD (Ezekiel 28:2, 12). This king was the
cause of the fall because he lifted his heart up to be like God, which
introduces us to the concept of original sin and the activities of Satan in the
beginning of creation. There is a comparison and running theme of this pride
issue intertwined throughout the passage between the king of Tyre and his
influencer, Satan. We see the beauty, perfection, and wisdom that is bequeathed
upon each, which lead to their haughty spirit and the deception that they were
like God as a god themselves (Ezekiel 28:2-6, 9, 12, 15, 17-18). This lie lead
to their destruction since none is like the LORD God. One more interesting note
is the reference to the wisdom of Daniel, who was a contemporary of Ezekiel in
Babylon and had apparently already received incredible accolades in the foreign
land (Ezekiel 28:3).
-The phrases “You were in Eden, the garden of God,” “You were
the anointed cherub who covers,” and “You were on the holy mountain of God”
could only refer to the spiritual person of Satan, which takes the message from
the mere physical reality of this king from Tyre to the power behind him
(Ezekiel 28:13-14). From this text we can learn some important characteristics
of the one who is called Satan, Lucifer, the enemy, the accuser, the adversary,
the star of the morning, the son of dawn, the devil, the dragon, the serpent, or
Beelzebub in Scripture. He was created (Ezekiel 28:13, 15), he was blameless in
his ways at the creation (Ezekiel 28:15), he had a free will to choose right or
wrong (Ezekiel 28:15-16), violence is his internal filling (Ezekiel 28:16), he
is the father of sin and unrighteousness (Ezekiel 28:15-16), he was cast from
the mountain of God as profane to the ground before human kings to be seen
(Ezekiel 28:16-17), his beauty made his heart be lifted up in conceit (Ezekiel
28:17), and his wisdom corrupted him by reason of his splendor (Ezekiel 28:17).
So, within the context of this judgment on the king of Tyre, deeper spiritual
implications are taught.
-God’s word is declared for recompense upon this evil and
prideful king. Strangers were prophesied to come upon the nation of Tyre, the
most ruthless of the nations who will draw swords and cut them down from their
beauty defiling their splendor (Ezekiel 28:7). They will be brought down to the
pit dying the death of those who are slain in the heart of the seas and the
uncircumcised (Ezekiel 28:8, 10). Fire will consume them because of the
multitude of their iniquities and the unrighteousness of their trade which
profaned sanctuaries (Ezekiel 28:18). Those that know them from previous
ventures will be appalled and terrified as Tyre ceases to be forever (Ezekiel
28:19).
-Then, a new word is given for Sidon, which was just north
of Tyre along the Mediterranean coast. God spoke against this city too with a
coming pestilence and violence for being a nuisance with contempt to Israel
(Ezekiel 28:20-24). This is done again for the purpose that “they will KNOW
that I am the LORD God (Ezekiel 28:22-24).” Sidon’s economy was so closely tied
to Tyre that when they fell to Nebuchadnezzar, Sidon was doomed as well.
-In the last two verses of the chapter we get the hope of regathering
for Israel once again prophesied. It will be at this time that the LORD’s
holiness will be manifested in the sight of the nations, the Israelites will
again live in their land, they will live securely planting vineyards and
building houses, and they will KNOW that the LORD is God as they see the
Sovereign execute judgments upon all who disdain them round about (Ezekiel
28:25-26).
-*Application* We must destroy pride at its source.
Recognize the enemy within and kill him with the blood of Christ shed at
Calvary accepted by us through faith. Then walk humbly with your King (Micah
6:8).
Verse to Memorize:
Ezekiel 28:17
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