Ezekiel 26:1–6

Ezekiel had been carried into captivity with king Jehoiachin — at least, he was one of those made captive at that time. He regularly dates his prophecies from that period. That is an important thing to notice, so that we may understand the revelations made to him. For himself there is no longer any question of dates or of kings, of Judah or of Israel. The people of God are in captivity among the Gentiles.

The date of the prophecy is the eleventh year of Jehoiachin's captivity, on the first of the month. The month itself is not given, if we have the true text here. What can we make of this eleventh year? Is it marked by not being yet the full twelve, which speaks of the visible government of God that is to come? In fact, all this judgment that Ezekiel speaks of falls short of the full end that prophecy mostly has in view. Yet here there is surely the shadow of it. The blow has fallen upon Jerusalem, and Tyre is quite ready to take advantage of it.

Ezekiel 25 to 32 deal with God's threatened judgments on the nations round about Israel. They are judged for their past conduct towards His people, and for their present spirit of hatred to them. They would rejoice at the destruction of Jerusalem and the setting aside of God's earthly sanctuary. He would let them know that though His earthly people had failed, He still was God. If judgment fell upon His own people because of their sin, His hand would also be upon those who hated the objects of His love.

Ezekiel 24 leads on to Ezekiel 25-32. These chapters take up the nations around the land, or inside it, which the Lord Jehovah deals with. But they no longer follow the time order used in the first half of the book... The arrangement is due to no disturbing cause, but to God's design above man's thought (or want of thought) and care.

In a certain sense Tyre stood on Israel's territory. But it has another character, and it is the subject of a separate prophecy (Ezekiel 26-28). It represents the world and its riches, in contrast with Israel as the people of God. And it rejoices, not like the others out of personal hatred. Its interests were the opposite of Israel's, and the destruction of what held back its career gave free course to its natural selfishness. It is worth noticing in these prophecies how God lays open all the thoughts of man about His people, and what they have been towards Him.

The lesson is all the more serious because Tyre does not appear to have been driven by plain hostility against Israel. It was commercial greed instead. Tyre saw a chance of gain in the disasters of the chosen people. This drew the city into an opposition to Israel which Jehovah resented. For His chastening of His people gives no licence to the selfish greed that would profit by their troubles or their downfall.

Tyre means "a rock." This island city stood on a rock. For its particular purposes it did not need land that produced goods. It needed a good gathering point, where the products of other regions could come and be exchanged. In the vastness of its resources, Tyre might indeed look on itself as a rock that could not be shaken... But God takes up its character in the result, and declares that it shall be a rock — a rock and nothing more. It shall be "a bare rock," or "cliff," as the word He uses means. And the word for "bare" really means "dry" — dried by the sun.

Tyre does not appear to have been driven by simple hostility against Israel. It was rather commercial greed, which saw a chance of advantage in the disasters of the chosen people. This drew the city into an opposition to Israel that Jehovah resented. God does chasten His people. But that is no licence for the selfish greed that would profit by their troubles or their fall.

Jerusalem has been judged. In many ways she was a centre of attraction for the peoples around — "the gate of the peoples," as Tyre calls her… Tyre is a merchant through and through. Even his stated aim is to serve. No doubt his first aim is to serve himself. He does not have the true spirit of service for God. He finds in people's need the opportunity for his own gain, and that is the cause of his judgment here… The habit of gathering riches out of other people's need hardens the heart — no one needs telling that. So it was with Tyre: and for this she is judged… Tyre means "a rock." This island city was built on a rock… With such vast resources, Tyre might indeed look on itself as a rock that could not be shaken. The greater the needs of others, the more the streams of supply from every quarter served it. But God takes up its character in the result, and declares it shall be a rock — a rock and nothing more — "a bare rock." The word for "bare" means dry, dried by the sun.

The blow has fallen on Jerusalem, and Tyre is quite ready to take advantage of it. She is proud of her position and counts on her many sources of strength. So she can sit apart, hoping to profit by what she does not fear. But, as God tells her, it is only an empty dream. She has watched many nations come to replenish her. Now those same nations have come up against her with the unstoppable force of the waves of the sea… She has so often profited by the spoil of the nations; in turn she herself will become a spoil for the nations.

When Jerusalem was destroyed, many may well have fled to Tyre for refuge. But hope of gain made Tyre forget the covenant of brotherhood, and she handed the fugitives over to the cruel Edomites. Tyre did not remember the covenant of brotherhood — that is the prophet's charge against her (Amos 1:9). David and Hiram, king of Tyre, made a covenant, and Solomon confirmed it; Hiram called him "my brother" (see 2 Sam. 5 and 1 Kings 5 — 9).

That godless city… represents the world with its riches and lusts. It hated God and God's people. It was glad when Israel fell, because that left her freer to indulge her own selfishness. God checks her triumph: "Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I am against you, O Tyre" (Ezek. 26:3). "I will make you a bare rock. You shall be a place for the spreading of nets. You shall never be rebuilt" (Ezek. 26:14). "Though you be sought for, you will never be found again" (Ezek. 26:21). Alexander the Great was the means of carrying this out (B.C. 332).

The opposition that Tyre showed has carried on into modern times. The commerce so famous in that city has spread its wings over the cities of our own day. They follow in Tyre's steps, and with the same unrighteousness they await the same doom… The worship of money rules the age. Under its influence the truth is twisted, and becomes the profession of greedy men who suppose that gain is godliness.

Did Tyre say that Jerusalem was broken, "I shall be replenished now that she is laid waste"? The Lord Jehovah replies, "I am against you, O Tyre, and will bring up many nations against you." Her doom is pronounced. Her very dust will be scraped from her. Her daughters in the field — probably the colonies she planted — will be killed by the sword. So they would know that it was Jehovah.

In Tyre we find no direct enmity to Israel. Tyre is a merchant through and through; his stated aim is even to serve. No doubt his first aim is to serve himself. He has not the true spirit of service for God. Instead he finds in the need of man the opportunity for his own gain. This is what we find as the cause of his judgment here... The habit of gaining riches from the need of others hardens the heart, there is little need to say.

She is proud of her position. Counting on her many sources of strength, she can sit apart, hoping to profit from what she does not fear. But, as God tells her, it is only a vain dream. She has seen many nations coming again and again to replenish her. Now those same nations come up against her with the unstoppable force of the waves of the sea. They rise over her defences, destroy her walls, and break down her towers. She who has so often profited by the spoil of the nations shall in turn be a spoil for the nations.

Tyre means "a rock." This island city was built on a rock. For its particular purposes it did not need productive land where it stood. It needed a good meeting point where the goods of other places could come and be exchanged. Given the immensity of its resources, Tyre might well look on itself as a rock that could not be shaken. The greater the needs of others, the more the streams of supply from all quarters served it. But God takes up its character in the result, and declares that it shall be a rock — a rock and nothing more — "a bare rock."

God did not carry out this great judgment all at once. Nebuchadnezzar came against her first, as verses 7-11 predict. He besieged Tyre on the mainland and took the city after thirteen years. But the part of Tyre built on the island in the sea escaped, because Tyre's fleet protected it. Then came seventy years for her when she was forgotten, as Isaiah predicted (23:15). After these years passed, Tyre saw a startling revival. The island city became more powerful and more wicked than before.

The opposition that Tyre showed has carried on into modern times. The commerce so famous in that city has spread its wings over the cities of our day. They follow in Tyre's steps with the same unrighteousness, and they await the same doom... The spirit of Mammon rules the age. Under its influence men twist the truth. It becomes the profession of greedy men, who suppose that gain is godliness.

Tyre means "a rock." This island city was built upon a rock… With its huge resources, Tyre could well look on itself as a rock that could not be shaken. The greater the needs of others, the more the streams of supply from every quarter served it. But God takes up its character in the end, and declares that it shall be a rock — a rock and nothing more — "a bare rock," or "cliff," as the word He uses means. The word for "bare" really means "dry" — dried by the sun.

Tyre is a merchant at heart; even his stated aim is to serve. No doubt his first aim is to serve himself. He does not have the true spirit of service for God. Instead he finds in the need of other people the chance for his own gain. This is the cause of his judgment here… She says against Jerusalem: "Aha, the gate of the peoples is broken; it has swung open to me. I shall be replenished, now that she is laid waste." How common such rejoicing is among merchants at all times! It hardly needs saying: making a habit of getting rich from other people's needs hardens the heart.

Proud of her position and counting on her many sources of strength, she can sit apart, hoping to profit from what she does not fear. But, as God tells her, it is only an empty dream. The many nations she has seen coming again and again to replenish her have now come up against her with the unstoppable force of the waves of the sea. They come to overtop her defences, destroy her walls, and break down her towers. She who has so often profited by the spoil of the nations shall in turn be a spoil for the nations. Her doom is to declare the name of the Lord — the name she has despised.

This great judgment was not carried out all at once. Nebuchadnezzar came against her first, as predicted in verses 7-11. He besieged Tyre on the mainland and took the city after thirteen years. The part of Tyre built on the island in the sea escaped, protected by the Tyrian fleet. Then came seventy years in which she was forgotten, as Isaiah predicted (23:15). After those years had passed Tyre saw a startling revival. The island city became more powerful and more wicked than before… The mainland Tyre, however, remained in ruins.

Alexander the Great came against the city built on the island. He took the city after seven months by building a causeway, which let his forces enter. In building this causeway, Alexander used the ruins of the old city. He laid the stones, the timber, and the very dust of the destroyed city into the sea to build the causeway that brought the utter ruin of the wealthy city.

Its present inhabitants are only a few poor wretches sheltering in the vaults and living mostly by fishing. Divine providence seems to keep them there, as a visible argument of how God has fulfilled His word about Tyre: that it should be "a bare rock… a place for the spreading of nets." To this hour everything has happened according to the word of the Lord God.

Ezekiel 26:2 shows that Tyre, the merchant city of the world, was the rival of Jerusalem, the city of God. So Babylon is the rival of the new Jerusalem. God was known in the palaces of Jerusalem; in Tyre, the god of this world. There the desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes, and pride in possessions could be satisfied.

Jerusalem has been judged — Jerusalem, in many ways a centre of attraction for the people around, "the gate of the peoples," as Tyre calls her. Tyre says against Jerusalem: "Aha, she is broken, the gate of the peoples; she is turned to me. I shall be replenished now that she is laid waste." How easily we understand it! How common such rejoicing is among merchants, in every age! Making a habit of getting rich from the need of others hardens the heart; that hardly needs saying. So it is with Tyre here: and for this she is judged.

Her doom is pronounced. Her very dust will be scraped from her. She herself will be like the top of a rock where nets are spread, out in the middle of the sea. Her daughters in the field — I take these to be the colonies she planted — will be killed by the sword. So they should know that it was Jehovah.

Nebuchadnezzar came first against her as predicted in verses 7-11. He besieged Tyre on the mainland and took the city after thirteen years. But the part of Tyre built on the island in the sea escaped, protected by Tyre's fleet.

She has watched many nations come to her again and again to supply her. Now those same nations come up against her with the unstoppable force of the sea waves. They rise over her defences, destroy her walls, and break down her towers. She who has so often profited by the spoil of the nations shall in turn be a spoil for the nations.

The siege by Nebuchadnezzar was the beginning of the end. There was a revival after this, however, and another siege by the Greek king Alexander. This broke her strength for good. A remnant of the city lasted a long time, wasting and drying up more and more, until the end came. Today, as we can see, nothing is left but a bare rock, used only for spreading nets.

So this knowledge of Jehovah comes by the judgment itself. It is not a spiritual knowledge of Him that follows from it. For when all the earth rejoices, Edom will be left desolate. It is through judgment that all the nations will know that Jehovah is God.

That godless city, mentioned by the Lord Jesus in the Gospels, represents the world with its riches and lusts. It hated God and God's people, and was glad of Israel's fall, because it left her freer to indulge her own selfishness.