In this chapter, the Lord refers to the king of Tyre as an angelic guardian. Is the Lord referencing Satan? Here’s the chapter in its entirety: “Then this message came to me from the Lord: “Son of man, give the prince of Tyre this message from the Sovereign Lord: In your great pride you claim, ‘I am a god! I sit on a divine throne in the heart of the sea.’ But you are only a man and not a god, though you boast that you are like a god. You regard yourself as wiser than Daniel and think no secret is hidden from you. With your wisdom and understanding you have amassed great wealth – gold and silver for your treasuries. Yes, your wisdom has made you very rich, and your riches have made you very proud.” (Wow… the nerve of some people! The king of Tyre kind of sounds like a former president that is on trial right now.)
“Therefore, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Because you think you are as wise as a god, I will bring against you an enemy army, the terror of the nations. They will suddenly draw their swords against your marvelous wisdom and defile your splendor! They will bring you down to the pit, and you will die there on your island home in the heart of the sea, pierced with many wounds. Will you then boast, ‘I am a god!’ to those who kill you? To them you will be no god but merely a man! You will die like an outcast at the hands of foreigners. I, the Sovereign Lord, have spoken!” (Wow! The fate of the proud is destruction! Lord, rid us of such destructive pride.)
Then this further message came to me from the Lord: “Son of man, weep for the king of Tyre. Give him this message from the Sovereign Lord: You were the perfection of wisdom and beauty.. You were in Eden, the garden of God. Your clothing was adorned with every precious stone – red carnelian, chrysolite, white moonstone, beryl, onyx, jasper, sapphire, turquoise, and emerald – all beautifully crafted for you and set in the finest gold. They were given to you on the day you were created. I ordained and anointed you as the mighty angelic guardian. You had access to the holy mountain of God and walked among the stones of fire.”
“You were blameless in all you did from the day you were created until the day evil was found in you. Your great wealth filled you with violence, and you sinned. So I banished you from the mountain of God. I expelled you, O mighty guardian, from your place among the stones of fire. Your heart was filled with pride because of all your beauty. You corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor. So I threw you to the earth and exposed you to the curious gaze of kings. You defiled your sanctuaries with your many sins and your dishonest trade. So I brought fire from within you, and it consumed you. I let it burn you to ashes on the ground in the sight of all who were watching. All who knew you are appalled at your fate. You have come to a terrible end, and you are no more.” (Wow! It sounds like God is referencing Satan. If so, why? As usual, if anyone knows, finds out, or has relevant information to share, please place a comment.)
A Message for Sidon
Then another message came to me from the Lord: “Son of man, look toward the city of Sidon and prophesy against it. Give the people of Sidon this message from the Sovereign Lord: I am your enemy, O Sidon, and I will reveal my glory by what happens to you. When I bring judgment against you and reveal my holiness among you, everyone watching will know that I am the Lord. I will send a plague against you, and blood will be spilled in your streets. The attack will come from every direction, and your people will lie slaughtered within your walls. Then everyone will know that I am the Lord. No longer will Israel’s scornful neighbors prick and tear at her like thorns and briers. For then they will know that I am the Sovereign Lord.
Restoration for Israel
“This is what the Sovereign Lord says: The people of Israel will again live in their own land, the land I gave my servant Jacob. For I will gather them from distant lands where I have scattered them. I will reveal to the nations of the world my holiness among my people. They will live safely in Israel and build their homes and plant their vineyards. And when I punish the neighboring nations that treated them with contempt, they will know that I am the Lord their God.” (Ezekiel 28) (Wow! How good is our God? Though He disciplines us, His great plans await us!)
In my bible there is a caption titled “Beauty”, and it reads as follows: “Many scholars think that, in addition to prophesying against the king of Tyre, Ezekiel was using the king as a picture of Satan. Tyre was a magnificent, prosperous seaport city. It was known for its stunning beauty. Likewise, Satan is depicted as beautiful. In fact, Satan often uses beauty to make his schemes attractive to us.
But beauty can lead to pride, which was Satan’s (and Tyre’s) downfall. A stunning physical appearance, an ornate home, an attractive car, a new set of clothes – these are all examples of beautiful things that in themselves are wonderful gifts to us. But they can also make us feel superior to others. This kind of pride is one of Satan's greatest weapons because it takes our focus away from who we really are and places it upon mere appearances. It is unwise to be captivated by our own beauty, for the pride that results makes us unattractive to God as well as other people. Use the beautiful things in our life to welcome people in, not alienate them.” (Touch Point Bible)
Lord, thank you for your Word today! As quickly as you can make us great, you can take away that greatness. Help us humble ourselves and give you the glory for all you have done for us and helped us accomplish. Lord, we love you!
May the Lord bless you and protect you. May the Lord smile on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord show you his favor and give you his peace.” (Numbers 6:24-26)
….AND MAY WE ALL PRACTICE THIS WITH ONE ANOTHER.
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