When I was doing historical research for my novels (only one is published), I learned about the Phoenicians. They were the great ancient traders — the Amazon — of the Mediterranean. They had sea travel, trade, merchandising, and commerce perfected. They built and settled many cities along the Mediterranean coasts from Spain to Greece, Turkey and North Africa. However, it’s as if they disappeared, vanished leaving just some ruins and artifacts for archeologists to find. We learned in yesterday’s lesson of historical sieges of Tyre by Babylon and later Alexander the Great. In today’s chapter, we learn why… Let’s dig in…
Ezekiel 27 – The End of Tyre’s Glory
Then this message came to me from the Lord: 2 “Son of man, sing a funeral song for Tyre, 3 that mighty gateway to the sea, the trading center of the world. Give Tyre this message from the Sovereign Lord:
“You boasted, O Tyre,
‘My beauty is perfect!’
4 You extended your boundaries into the sea.
Your builders made your beauty perfect.
5 You were like a great ship
built of the finest cypress from Senir.
They took a cedar from Lebanon
to make a mast for you.
6 They carved your oars
from the oaks of Bashan.
Your deck of pine from the coasts of Cyprus
was inlaid with ivory.
7 Your sails were made of Egypt’s finest linen,
and they flew as a banner above you.
You stood beneath blue and purple awnings
made bright with dyes from the coasts of Elishah.
8 Your oarsmen came from Sidon and Arvad;
your helmsmen were skilled men from Tyre itself.
9 Wise old craftsmen from Gebal did the caulking.
Ships from every land came with goods to barter for your trade.10 “Men from distant Persia, Lydia, and Libya served in your great army. They hung their shields and helmets on your walls, giving you great honor. 11 Men from Arvad and Helech stood on your walls. Your towers were manned by men from Gammad. Their shields hung on your walls, completing your beauty.
12 “Tarshish sent merchants to buy your wares in exchange for silver, iron, tin, and lead. 13 Merchants from Greece, Tubal, and Meshech brought slaves and articles of bronze to trade with you.
14 “From Beth-togarmah came riding horses, chariot horses, and mules, all in exchange for your goods. 15 Merchants came to you from Dedan. Numerous coastlands were your captive markets; they brought payment in ivory tusks and ebony wood.
16 “Syria sent merchants to buy your rich variety of goods. They traded turquoise, purple dyes, embroidery, fine linen, and jewelry of coral and rubies. 17 Judah and Israel traded for your wares, offering wheat from Minnith, figs, honey, olive oil, and balm.
18 “Damascus sent merchants to buy your rich variety of goods, bringing wine from Helbon and white wool from Zahar. 19 Greeks from Uzal came to trade for your merchandise. Wrought iron, cassia, and fragrant calamus were bartered for your wares.
20 “Dedan sent merchants to trade their expensive saddle blankets with you. 21 The Arabians and the princes of Kedar sent merchants to trade lambs and rams and male goats in exchange for your goods. 22 The merchants of Sheba and Raamah came with all kinds of spices, jewels, and gold in exchange for your wares.
23 “Haran, Canneh, Eden, Sheba, Asshur, and Kilmad came with their merchandise, too. 24 They brought choice fabrics to trade—blue cloth, embroidery, and multicolored carpets rolled up and bound with cords. 25 The ships of Tarshish were your ocean caravans. Your island warehouse was filled to the brim!
The Destruction of Tyre
26 “But look! Your oarsmen
Ezekiel 27 NLT
have taken you into stormy seas!
A mighty eastern gale
has wrecked you in the heart of the sea!
27 Everything is lost—
your riches and wares,
your sailors and pilots,
your ship builders, merchants, and warriors.
On the day of your ruin,
everyone on board sinks into the depths of the sea.
28 Your cities by the sea tremble
as your pilots cry out in terror.
29 All the oarsmen abandon their ships;
the sailors and pilots stand on the shore.
30 They cry aloud over you
and weep bitterly.
They throw dust on their heads
and roll in ashes.
31 They shave their heads in grief for you
and dress themselves in burlap.
They weep for you with bitter anguish
and deep mourning.
32 As they wail and mourn over you,
they sing this sad funeral song:
‘Was there ever such a city as Tyre,
now silent at the bottom of the sea?
33 The merchandise you traded
satisfied the desires of many nations.
Kings at the ends of the earth
were enriched by your trade.
34 Now you are a wrecked ship,
broken at the bottom of the sea.
All your merchandise and crew
have gone down with you.
35 All who live along the coastlands
are appalled at your terrible fate.
Their kings are filled with horror
and look on with twisted faces.
36 The merchants among the nations
shake their heads at the sight of you,
for you have come to a horrible end
and will exist no more.’”
Major Points
- He describes the city as the perfect ship. Seriously, the Phoenicians were the Amazon of the Ancient Mariners.
- They thought of themselves as perfection.
- The passage describes the broadness of Tyre’s influence. The map to the right shows their waterfront location and the map at the top shows all their trade routes and some of the cities they built. They established a city wherever they found raw materials that would be of interest to other areas.
- They were the shrewdest business people of that era. They knew that people would pay for the right goods and they also knew where to find them.
- The problem was, they credited themselves for their business acumen and success — not God.
- The first siege came from the east — the “eastern gale” — the Babylonians. Even the Greeks — Alexander the Great — came from the east. See yesterday’s post for historical details.
- Everything was lost and there was no insurance back then. Today, for now, whenever there is a cataclysmic event where there’s loss of property, the owners just call their insurance company and wait for the check. Not so in ancient times.
- Even the people who depended on their trade suffered. Interestingly enough, the Greeks took over as the main traders, then later the Romans. In fact, the shipping trade routes were what helped keep the Roman Empire stay alive for so long. Furthermore, they helped the Good News of the Salvation of Jesus Christ spread throughout the Mediterranean. Just read the Book of Acts!
You Can’t Ignore God!
Could God take down Amazon? Absolutely!
James, Jesus’ half-brother wrote…
2 You want what you don’t have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous of what others have, but you can’t get it, so you fight and wage war to take it away from them. Yet you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it. 3 And even when you ask, you don’t get it because your motives are all wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure.
4 You adulterers! Don’t you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again: If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God. 5 Do you think the Scriptures have no meaning? They say that God is passionate that the spirit he has placed within us should be faithful to him. 6 And he gives grace generously. As the Scriptures say,
“God opposes the proud
James 4:2-6 NLT
but gives grace to the humble.”
All it would take would be an electromagnetic wave from a solar flare to hit the earth and everything computerized is dead. We’ve seen how hackers, computer viruses and outages could take down Amazon, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Zoom, etc. Remember, God is still in control. He’s allowing Satan to have his way on earth, but in the end, all the prideful, haughty, vain, gluttonous people will be ruined. For instance, in Revelation 16, the 4th bowl judgment….
8 Then the fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, causing it to scorch everyone with its fire. 9 Everyone was burned by this blast of heat, and they cursed the name of God, who had control over all these plagues. They did not repent of their sins and turn to God and give him glory.
Revelation 16:8 NLT
Now, I’m not saying or predicting that it will happen. Just that God has the power to do it and He could do it. Without warning!
God Hates Pride!
Related:
Are You Right with God?
Here’s what you have to do…
Believe. Repent. Be Baptized. Receive the Holy Spirit.
- Believe — have Faith — that Jesus is the Christ and He died taking your sins away forever and that He rose from the dead 3 days later.
- Repent of your sins — stop sinning! Do a complete 180-degree turn in your life and surrender your life to Him. When you ask Jesus to forgive you He will. ALL your sins will be wiped clean — past, present, and future! And All means ALL!
- Be Baptized by water baptism — show the world and yourself that you have died to your old life and are born again in Christ.
- Receive the gift of Holy Spirit in your heart.
Invite Jesus into Your Heart and Receive the Gift of Grace, Joy, Peace, and the Confident Hope of Eternal Life…
The Bible Explained: Ezekiel
Soli Deo Gloria! To God Alone Be the Glory!
Top image: User:Rodrigo (es), User:Reedside (en), CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
