Ezekiel 26-28 give a prophecy about the fall of Tyre. Tyre, on today's map, is a city in Lebanon, about 50 miles south of Beirut. In our current geopolitical landscape, Tyre might seem like an insignificant city in a country slightly larger than Israel. In ancient times, though, Tyre, the Phoenician center for trade and commerce, was one of the most important cities in the known world. Since it was a port city situated on the Mediterranean, its strategic location provided materials and supplies to various nations. Tyre was definitely an exporter nation much like modern-day China, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, etc. In fact, during the reigns of King David and King Solomon, Tyre became a chief ally of Israel. King Hiram of Tyre even helped David build his palace (2 Samuel 5:11), as well as providing supplies and men for the building of Solomon's temple in Jerusalem (I Kings 5). Despite Tyre's alliance with Israel and seemingly non-confrontational demeanor, why did Tyre face such strong rebuke and judgement from God in Isaiah 23 and Ezekiel 26-28?
There is a combination of factors that led to Tyre's downfall, but their most blatant sin was pride. Isaiah 23:3 refers to Tyre as "the marketplace of the nations". Also, in verse 23:9, it states, "The Lord Almighty planned it, to bring low the pride of all glory and to humble all who are renowned on the earth." Not only did the merchants and people of Tyre trust in their prestige and riches, but their influence led other nations to put their trust in Tyre rather than God. Isaiah says that "When word comes to Egypt, they will be in anguish at the report from Tyre" (23:5). While Isaiah 23 focuses on Tyre, other Phoenician cities are mentioned as well such as Sidon, Tarshish, and Cyprus. Evidently, all of these strong Phoenician cities were engulfed in pride and dishonest gain. God warns Tyre later in Isaiah 23 that Tyre was in danger of ending up like Babylon. Keep in mind that Isaiah was writing his prophecies from 700-680 B.C. At that time, the Assyrian Empire was the dominant world empire. The Assyrians, under King Sargon, took 90,000 Babylonians captive from 710-709 B.C. Shortly thereafter, King Sennacherib, the prideful Assyrian king, destroyed Babylon in 689 B.C. while taking 208,000 people captive.
Now, we come to a very contested Biblical prophecy that most people overlook. In Isaiah 23:15, it states, "At that time, Tyre will be forgotten for 70 years, the span of a king's life." Isaiah picks up this prophecy at verse 17. "At the end of the 70 years, the Lord will deal with Tyre. She will return to her hire as a prostitute and will ply her trade with all the kingdoms on the face of the earth. Yet, her profit and her earnings will be set apart for the Lord, they will not be stored up or hoarded. Her profits will go to those who live before the Lord, for abundant food and fine clothes." When was Tyre forgotten for 70 years and subsequently restored? This is one of the most difficult prophecies to locate due to historical evidence and the number of times Tyre was attacked. I believe that King Nebucadnezzar's siege of Tyre is the most likely fulfillment of this prophecy, which occurred in 586 B.C. and lasted 13 years. These 70 years are interesting because they correlate with the 70 years that Judah spent in Babylon. I believe that the key to this prophecy is found in Ezra 3:7. When Solomon's temple was rebuilt, Tyre and Sidon were instrumental in providing men and cedar logs for Jerusalem. Just like the prophecy in Isaiah, Tyre's restoration would help God's people and God would use Tyre's earnings for the His purposes. Nowhere does it say that Tyre repented or that the merchants of Tyre willfully used their earnings for the Lord's work. While she continued as a metaphorical prostitute, I believe God restored the fortunes of Tyre specifically to help rebuild the Jewish temple. Additionally, Ezra's account of the rebuilding of the temple were decreed by King Cyrus of Persia. As I mentioned previously, King Hiram of Tyre willfully helped Solomon build his first temple, but the rebuilding of the temple after Judah's captivity in Babylon was decreed or in other words, commanded. So, what else does the word of God say about Tyre's destiny?
Beginning in Ezekiel 26, Tyre's entire prophetic destiny is outlined. In verse 7, Nebuchadnezzar's siege of Tyre is prophesied, which tells of the massive destruction and death toll which will happen. Subtly, verse 13 begins to prophesy about Tyre's total destruction. "I will put an end to your noisy songs, and the music of your harps will be heard no more. I will make you a bare rock, and you will become a place to spread fish nets. You will never be rebuilt, for I the Lord have spoken, declares the Sovereign Lord." Obviously, Tyre continued after Nebuchadnezzar's 13 year siege and this prophecy is saying that Tyre won't be rebuilt. Just like many prophetic chapters and verses of the Bible, immediate fulfillment's and long-term fulfillment's are seamlessly intertwined. For example, the famous Messianic prophecy in Isaiah 9:6 states, "For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders." Obviously, Jesus Christ didn't take control of government after his birth. This will have its literal fulfillment when Christ establishes His millennial reign on earth, over 2,000 years since its initial fulfillment when Christ was born. Tyre, similarly, still has a prophetic destiny. While Tyre has been conquered numerous times throughout human history by the Assyrians, the Babylonians, the Greeks under Alexander the Great, the Achaemenids, the Ottomans, etc., this famous port city still endures even today. Obviously, Tyre's grandeur has waned significantly, but it still continues one of the world's largest ports and is a popular tourist attraction. With this in mind, it stands to reason that there is more to the story.
Could it be that Tyre is more than a city, but a metaphor for pride and materialism? The literal city of Tyre has suffered devastating blows to their system of commerce and trade, but the lament for Tyre in Ezekiel 27 seems to hint at a deeper meaning. Many nations and cities are mentioned as trading partners with Tyre such as Cyprus, Egypt, Aram (Damascus), Arabia, Beth Togarmah (Turkey), Israel, Greece, Persia, etc. Also, expensive merchandise, military equipment, ships, animals, etc. are associated with Tyre's cultural and economic dominance. These things are characteristic of literal Tyre, but in the last verse of Ezekiel 27, we are given a revealing clue to the true nature of Tyre. "The merchants among the nations hiss at you; you have come to a horrible end and will be no more" (36). The weeping and mourning at Tyre's fall seem to uncannily resemble the fall of Babylon in Revelation 18. There is a ton of conjecture about whether the city of Babylon will arise again in the future as a powerful city in modern day Iraq, but this fall of Babylon in Revelation 18 seems to speak of the entire unjust world system. If we compare the two chapters in Ezekiel 27 and Revelation 18, we find many similarities. For example, in Revelation 18:9, John states, "When the kings of the earth who committed adultery with her and shared her luxury see the smoke of her burning, then they will weep and mourn for her." Verse 11 states, "The merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over her because no one buys their cargoes any more." Ezekiel 27 also speaks of great mourning and weeping over Tyre's fall. Also, Revelation 18:21 shares a striking parallel to Tyre's fate. "With such violence the great city of Babylon will be thrown down, never to be found again. The music of harpists, flute players, and trumpeters, will never be heard in you again." Interestingly enough, the silence of harps and music are also a characteristic of Tyre's ultimate demise. While I don't believe that the cities of Tyre and Babylon will rise to international prominence in the future, I believe that their prideful pasts symbolize the future destruction of earth and the entire world system which is characterized by greed, violence, perversity, and death.
The true spirit behind Tyre is seen in Ezekiel 28 as the fall of the king of Tyre is prophesied. In verse 2, we are given a clue as to who this wicked king might be. "In the pride of your heart you say, I am a god; I sit on a throne of a god in the heart of the seas. But you are a man and not a god, though you think you are as wise as a god." In verse 10, the prideful king of Tyre will be killed. In verse 13, the mask comes off and the true nature of the king of Tyre is unveiled. "You were the model of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. You were in Eden, the garden of God." Obviously, this is a reference to Satan. In verse 15, we see the fall of Lucifer. "You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created till wickedness was found in you. Through your widespread trade you were filled with violence, and you sinned. So, I drove you in disgrace from the mount of God, and I expelled you, O guardian cherub, from among the fiery stones." As I previously drew parallels between Tyre and Babylon, it is interesting to see that trade and violence are two of the chief characteristics of Satan, trade being linked to Tyre and violence associated with Babylon, along with idolatry. This parallel is fully realized in Isaiah 14.
Isaiah 14 prophesies about the fall of the king of Babylon. Much like the king of Tyre, this prophecy initially references the king's pride and tells of the his ultimate destruction. In Isaiah 14:12, the scene shifts into another veiled reference to Lucifer. "How you have fallen from heaven, O morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations! You said in your heart "I will ascend to Heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God." You see, the kings of Tyre and Babylon are not just wicked kings of antiquity, but will have their ultimate fulfillment in the Antichrist. While Satan obviously represents the true power behind these kings, he can't physically be their fulfillment since Satan is a cherub. He will, however, indwell a man during the tribulation, which will be the Antichrist. Ezekiel 28:19 perfectly sums up the Antichrist's demise. "All the nations who knew you are appalled at you; you have come to a horrible end and will be no more." Similarly, Isaiah 14:9 proclaims, "The grave below is all astir to meet you at your coming." If we pick up in verse 11, it states, "All your pomp has been brought down to the grave, along with the noise of your harps." Verse 16 gives the most accurate description of the world's response to the Antichrist's death. "Those who see you stare at you, they ponder your fate. Is this the man who shook the earth and made kingdoms tremble?" While Israel will mourn for the one they pierced, but will accept their Messiah, Jesus Christ, at the end of the tribulation, the world will also mourn, but will be astonished at seeing the man who led them to their eternal damnation. If we skip over to verse 22 in Isaiah 14, we see that end times Babylon, in fact, is referencing the entire ungodly, wicked system and the individuals who partake in that system. "I will rise up against them, declares the Lord Almighty. I will cut off from Babylon her name and survivors, her offspring and descendants, declares the Lord." This shows emphatically that end times Babylon will not be a specific country or city, but instead, will include all people who reject Jesus Christ, persist in wickedness, and fail to repent. In Revelation, God commands people to come out of Babylon, which must refer to the ungodly world system in its entirety. Overall, Tyre and Babylon serve as warnings to not trust in material goods and riches, but to trust God, the maker of the universe.
Sources
1. http://www.dabhand.org/Essays/OT569_Is23_destruction_of_tyre.htm
2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tyre,_Lebanon#Early_history
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