Is the King of Tyre prophecy in Ezekiel 28 referring to Satan?

So Ezekiel 28, from verse 11, is commonly, and, I have no doubt justly, applied to the fall of Satan. It is not the same as the prince of Tyrus, who is judged historically in the beginning of the chapter. "Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty. Thou hast been in Eden, the garden of God: every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, the topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created. Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God, thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee." Then in verse 17, "thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness," and so on. Under the figure of the king of Tyre clearly, but under figure, we see this, which goes far beyond the idea of a mere king of Tyre, and, I doubt not, it is Satan. The prince of Tyre who was there was conquered by Nebuchadnezzar. On the other hand, I see no foundation for the king of Tyre representing Adam. Satan "was a murderer, and abode not in the truth," so that he is a fallen being. The meaning of the word "covereth" refers to a cherub, and gives the idea of protection, I suppose. There is power and beauty in the creature. These precious stones are here in creation, as again in grace in the priesthood, and yet again in glory in the new Jerusalem. All this diversified beauty from God was upon him, and the light shines from the creature as from the precious stones. We have no detail, for God was not teaching men about Satan. He abode not in the truth, he was not kept in dependence by God's power; and angels fell with him, because it says "the devil and his angels." Where Adam sinned in the presence of good, it was only natural goodness received from God; he was not in the glory of God in the upper creation.

The Devil was not always evil, but now there is not an element of good in him. We believe we are right in accepting the view that in Ezekiel 28 and Isaiah 14 there is given in arresting language a description of his greatness and beauty as he was when in the beginning God created him. In rebuking the King of Tyre the prophet by the Spirit breaks out into the description of a being that can be none other than the Devil. “Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty... Thou art the anointed Cherub that covereth and I have set thee so. Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee... thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering Cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire. Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty; thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness.”

It is worth recounting this experience as illustrating the link between the Prince of Tyrus and the King of Tyrus (Satan). The Prince of Tyrus was clearly a man. The divine judgment upon him was that he should die the death of the uncircumcised at the hands of strangers.

But when we come to the description of the origin of the King of Tyrus, we can only come to the conclusion that it describes the origin of Satan himself.

"Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty. Thou hast been in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the emerald, and the carbuncle and gold; the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day thou wast created" (Ezek. 28:12-13).

This is a highly symbolic description of a creation of wondrous power and beauty. Tabrets (timbrels), and pipes (flutes)—musical instruments commonly used in the East at weddings and feasts—show this creature was created to utter God's praises. Note, too, how the precious stones are more or less identical with the gems that glittered on the high priest's breastplate (Ex. 28:17-21).

Then we are told he was the anointed cherub that covers, that is that defends, a word used for the cherubim covering the mercy seat. He walked upon the holy mount of God. He was perfect in all his ways till iniquity was found in him.

H.A.I. — In that chapter in Ezekiel the Spirit of God is addressing a man, the prince of Tyre. Beginning with verse 12, He is addressing one who cannot be a mere man, because he had walked in Eden, the garden of God. He calls him a “king,” and he controlled the prince of Tyre. I believe it carries us farther back as to Satan than any other scripture — not the first information as to Satan that we have in the Word of God, but it carries us farthest back. What brother B refers to, is in verses 12 and 13: “Son of man, take up a lamentation upon the king of Tyrus, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord God: Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty. Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering — the sardius, topaz, and the diamond; the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper; the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created.” Also, in verse 15, “Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee.” And “Thy heart was lifted up because of thy beauty” (ver. 17).

Ezekiel 28:12-15 has long been held to refer to Satan. The description, though primarily of the king of Tyrus, goes far beyond that of any human being, and in its opening sentences fits only Satan himself, the author of all his pride and corruption. He is addressed by God as “the anointed cherub that covers,” every precious stone being his covering. A stone is a receiver and reflecter of light, the various coloured gems giving an idea of how full this reflection was, for he was perfect in his ways since he was created till iniquity was found in him.

Ezekiel 28 depicts the prince and the King of Tyre, both judged for their pride. He who is the prince of this world's glory (see John 14:30, John 16:11) is represented here as a man, and is told, "Because thine heart is lifted up, and thou hast 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 … thou shalt die the deaths of them that are slain in the midst of the seas" (Ezek. 28:2, 8). There is little doubt that in what follows, in Ezek. 28:11 to 19, the King of Tyre is emblematical of Satan — the prince and god of this world. A creature of God, his heart was lifted up; he corrupted his brightness, became an apostate from God, and the enemy of God and man. His advantages had been the occasion of his fall. He exalted himself against God, and was cast out, as profane, from the mountain of God.

The king of Babylon and the prince of Tyre use similar language. The king of Babylon said, "I will be like the Most High," and the prince of Tyre said, "I am God." But why the distinction between the king and the prince in the judgment on Tyre? and blending Satan with his human agent in the judgment on Babylon? Perhaps because idolatry and persecution which were developed at Babylon are more Satanic, and the human instrument more completely in his hand. Perhaps also another reason is that the riches of Tyre will one day be used for the Lord, whereas the judgment on idolatrous Babylon is that it will never be restored.

The words addressed to the king of Tyre are inapplicable to a mere man, however clothed he might be with power. Some of the qualities here enumerated may be said of Adam; but there is a glory here which cannot all apply to Adam innocent. The king was full of wisdom and perfect in beauty; and the gems, which adorned the high priest's breast-plate and which men prize, are used figuratively to express his covering. He walked in the midst of the stones of fire; he had been on the mountain of God. But his he t was corrupted on account of his beauty: iniquity was found in him, and he was cast to the ground. This is not oriental exaggeration, but the Holy Spirit describing by means of human things and words the past glories and magnificence of him that now seeks to use his wisdom and power in leading the world against Him Who created it. But he was perfect once. He was adorned with every precious gem; as the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God is, in figure, similarly adorned. So, neither could Satan's primeval beauty, as beyond earthly conception, be described but by joining together incongruous imagery borrowed from the earth; though only a shadowy sense of glory may rest on the mind from his walking in the midst of the stones of fire.

1895 268 In the lamentation of the king we have not the display of riches, but their source, or the means by which they were acquired. The king seals up the sum: all angelic, all created, glory was in him; and he is called the covering cherub, the anointed cherub, full of wisdom, perfect in beauty, and God set (created) him so. "Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth, and have set thee so; thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created till iniquity was found in thee." Fulness of wisdom in the king, delegated wisdom in the prince. The lamentation for the king contains a description of Satan before he fell. And the power and wisdom which he retained after his fall are used against God and His truth, and to this end work in the prince of Tyre to accumulate riches so that this earth may not appear smitten with a curse. Satan is really the king, and the source of the wisdom and riches of Tyre. The prince is the human agent for the king to show his power, who, from his titles here, may have been the highest among the angels, before iniquity was found in him.

The origin of Satan is not definitely stated, but if Ezekiel 28:12-19 refer to him, under the appellation of the king of Tyre (as was very early believed in the church, and may be correct), he is described as the anointed cherub that 'covereth;' all the precious stones and gold were also his covering, resplendent by reflected light; he had a place in Eden, the garden of God, and was upon the holy mountain of God. He was perfect in his ways from the day he was created, until iniquity was found in him. Tyre, in its worldly wisdom and beauty, is looked at morally as the creation of the prince and god of this world. He will eventually be cast out as profane and find his portion in the lake of fire.

Let us consider for a little the precious gems of Scripture, taking as our first reference Ezekiel 28:12-19. In this chapter God is speaking through the prophet to the wicked prince of Tyrus, but from verse 12 the King of Tyrus, another person, is addressed. Of this person it is said, "Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty. Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering."

Who was this that was in the Garden of Eden? Not the prince of Tyre, nor yet is it Adam that is indicated here: it was none other than Satan, who had the precious stones mentioned, and who walked amidst their fire, which expresses their brilliance. This great being is addressed as the "Covering cherub," most beautiful of created beings, with authority over angelic hosts, but being lifted up with pride he aspired to the throne of God, but God cast him from his eminence and stripped him of his glory.