I was reading chapter 9 of Ezekiel yesterday with my mouth open. In this vision Ezekiel was shown the vengeance of God that was coming upon the kingdom of Judah in their final stage. After instructing the angels of destruction to mark in the foreheads those few who were to be spared, the Lord told them to go through the streets of Jerusalem and slay every man, woman and child with this explanation: “….mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity, but I will recompense their way upon their head.” (v 10)
The ‘way’ of the Israelite’s that took them to their last breath was idolatry. There is another grievous sin, however, which brings destruction upon the nations, the sin of pride. Ezekiel prophesied that this sin will be the fall of many nations and empires in the ancient world which is a warning to us in our dispensation of time as well.
I was mesmerised with the fall of Tyre as I studied Ezekiel one year, which is clear proof of Ezekiel’s predictions . This island was anciently located between Carmel in Israel and Beirut in Lebanon. In short, Tyre was a major destination for merchant ships in the eastern Mediterranean. Because of this commerce, Tyre amassed obscene wealth and became the crown jewel of the seas (Ezekiel 27:5-9). The Lord compared it to the Garden of Eden….until iniquity was found in her (Ezekiel 28:15).
So great was Tyre that Ezekiel devoted three chapters to lament the fall of its glory (chapters 26,27,28). Chapter 26 states the reason for the fall. Tyre rejoiced in the fall of Judah but an even more serious crime becomes evident by chapter 28: “Thus saith the Lord God: Because thine heart is lifted up, and thou has said, I am a God, I sit in the seat of God, in the midst of the seas; yet thou art a man, and not God, though thou set thine heart as the heart of God.” (v2).
This is the outcome of those who elevate themselves to the status of God: “I will destroy thee…I will cast thee to the ground….I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth…and never shalt thou be any more (vs 16-18). Because of its strong fortifications, nobody could conquer Tyre and so the more detailed prophecies of its destruction (in chapter 26) remained unfulfilled for nearly three hundred years….until 332 B.C. when Alexander the Great swept in and reduced this island to rubble. Today the island of Tyre is nothing more but a small peninsula jutting into the sea where the local fishermen come to spread their nets to dry. (see Old Testament Student Manual Book 2 p 280 for more descriptive end of this island)
I look at the world today and I see the pride of Tyre….even those who are not swimming in wealth are lifted up in the pride of their hearts elevating themselves and fortifying the culture of self-importance and self-identity. We are encouraged from all sides to put ourselves first so we can become our own gods and worship the father of me-ism who is Lucifer, son of the morning (Isaiah 14:12); the author of all sin (Helaman 6:26-31); the source of ultimate pride (Moses 4:1); the thief in the night who comes to steal our spiritual identity, kill our faith in God and destroy our commitment to Christ (John 10:10).
Make
no mistake about it, the Lord wants to care for us and protect us but He will
not allow the enemy to win and the wickedness to prevail. He who loves God the
Father without comparison has ensured the penitent will not be swallowed up in
the despair of the damned. He has ensured our victory over death and sin. He
has saved us and paved the way to our safety. He is the antidote to all the
destruction the adversary can bring upon us. He is the light, the truth and the
way. To all who want to be saved He says:
I
wait for you to come
Into
the shadow of my wings;
I
have paid the price: come unto Me,
Your
God and Your King.
- CATHRYNE ALLEN
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