THRU THE BIBLE EXPOSITION

Ezekiel: Effective Ministry To The Spiritually Rebellious

Part XXXIX: The Fall Of Tyre Over Her Pride

(Ezekiel 27:1-36)

I. Introduction

A. Tyre was famous for its seafaring trade with the nations of the Ancient Near East, Africa and Europe, and because of their fame and wealth, the people of Tyre were proud of their lofty position in the world.

B. Such pride is intolerable to God, and due to it, He would destroy Tyre so that it would never exist again.

C. Ezekiel 27:1-36 predicts the fall of Tyre for its pride, providing a significant lesson for us (as follows):

II. The Fall Of Tyre Over Her Pride, Ezekiel 27:1-36.

A. After predicting in Ezekiel 26:1-26 that Tyre would be destroyed for its materialistic greed at Jerusalem's fall, God had Ezekiel take up a lamentation for the city/nation of Tyre in Ezekiel 27:1-36.

B. Another reason for Tyre's fall is implied in Ezekiel 27:3b where God claimed the city had said, "I am of perfect beauty." Tyre would then also fall for the sin of great pride! (Bible Know. Com., O. T., p. 1279-1280)

C. To emphasize the great human exaltation Tyre had experienced, God in Ezekiel 27:1-9 described the city like a beautiful seafaring ship (Ezekiel 27:1-9) with its successful commerce (Ezekiel 27:10-25) before describing its utterly catastrophic, permanent fall (Ezekiel 27:26-36) as follows (Ibid., p. 1279-1282):

1. Tyre was exalted like a beautiful seafaring ship, Ezekiel 27:1-9:

a. The city's domain was the sea itself, and her builders brought her to perfection, Ezekiel 27:1-4 NIV.

b. Her planks were from trees on Mount Hermon, her masts from Lebanon cedars, her oars from the oaks of Bashan and her deck from the coasts of Cyprus, inlaid with ivory, Ezekiel 27:5-6 ESV.

c. Her sail was Egyptian fine embroidered linen, her blue and purple awning from Elishah (Cyprus?; Ryrie Study Bible, KJV, 1978, ftn. to Ezekiel 27:7), Ezekiel 27:7.

d. Tyre's rowers were from Sidon and Arvad with Tyre's skilled pilots guiding her, Ezekiel 27:8.

e. The elders of Gebal and their skilled men caulked her seams, and all the ships of the sea with their mariners were in her to barter for her wares, Ezekiel 27:9-10 ESV.

2. Tyre thus conducted lucrative trade with many nations, Ezekiel 27:10-25:

a. In Ezekiel 27:10-11, Ezekiel described the mercenaries she hired to protect her, soldiers from Persia, Lydia and Put who were also joined by men from Arvad, Helech and Gammad.

b. Thus protected, Tyre traded with 23 nations involving at least 36 different kinds of merchandise listed in Ezekiel 27:12-25; Ibid., p. 1281. So great was Tyre's sea trade that "ships of Tarshish," an expression likely referring to "large vessels carrying cargo on the open sea," bore her wares of trade, Ibid.

3. However, Tyre would be destroyed in an utterly, catastrophic, permanent fall, Ezekiel 27:26-36:

a. The magnificent seafaring ship of Tyre would be rowed by her rowers out into the open Mediterranean Sea where the notoriously destructive East Wind would break her down and sink her, Ezekiel 27:26. This East Wind likely refers to Babylon that was east of Tyre, that Babylon would be the cause of Tyre's initial fall, and she would be caught in the open seas of her extensive commercial enterprises that had led to her great personal pride!

b. The surrounding nations would mourn over Tyre's fall due to the loss of wealth it meant for them, and they would be astounded and appalled at her sudden demise, Ezekiel 27:27-32.

c. Indeed, merchants of onlooking nations who had fared well by their trade with Tyre would view her fall as bad for them, so they would "hiss" in "shock at Tyre's demise," for if the "pride of the fleet" of world commerce had come to such a horrible end, it promised little hope for them, Ezek. 27:33-36; Ibid., p. 1282

Lesson: Due to her great pride as fostered by her extensive trade in great valuables with so many nations of that part of the world, God would cause Babylon to destroy Tyre to the shock and dismay of other nations that would have traded with her, giving them little hope of escaping a similar destruction themselves!

Application: (1) May we avoid the sin of pride at all costs, for God both hates it and He will intensely punish those who are guilty of it. (2) If God blesses us with wealth, may we not be proud and trust in it, but rather trust in the Living God Who gives us all things to enjoy and be ready to use that wealth to help needy parties, making eternal value out of those possessions, 1 Timothy 6:17-19. (3) May we recall that anything of value that we possess has come from God (1 Corinthians 4:7), that we always view our possessions with humble thanksgiving to the Lord.