PROCLAMATION AGAINST TYRE After parading the proclamations against the Amonites, the Moabites, the Edomites, and the Philistines, the following three chapters are dedicated to proclamations against Tyre: The first of them talked about the judgment of Tyre; the second included a lamentation for it, and the third is a proclamation against its king. The first chapter (26) talked about: 1- The transgressions of Tyre 1-2. 2- God is against Tyre 3-6. 3- Nebuchadnezzar destroys Tyre 7-14. 4- The effect of the destruction of Tyre on the other coastlands 15-19. 5- Bringing Tyre down to the lower parts of the earth 20-21. 1- THE TRANSGRESSIONS OF TYRE Tyre is a well-known Phoenician city that appeared in the year 2750 B.C. on land. But with time, and for defensive reasons, it was moved to a close-by rocky island, that carried the same name, of 142 acres, and had two ports. It is closer to Israel than Sidon, and greater. The Hebrews did not occupy it in the days of Joshua; and its king sent materials of construction to king David (2 Sam 5:11), and to king Solomon (1 Kings 9:10-14). The people of Tyre delivered the children of Israel to Edom (Amos 1:9); confiscated their goods; and sold them as slaves to the Greeks (Joel 3:5, 6). Nebuchadnezzar besieged it for 13 years (585-573 B.C.), before it negotiated with him and recognized his authority. It was also besieged by Alexander the Great, who occupied it in the year 332 B.C. Then she readily resumed its glory, and after his death she fell under the authority of the Selucusians, then the Romans. On its coasts, the Lord Christ passed (Mat 15:21-28; and Mark 7:24-31); and was approached by some of its people (Mark 3:8; Luke 6:17). Christianity came to it in the apostolic era (Acts 21:3, 4). Origen was buried in the Basilica of Tyre; and St. Paulinus built in it a magnificent cathedral, where the Historian Eusebius gave a sermon on the day of its dedication the year 323. In the fourth century, it was described by St. Jerome, as the most honored and beautiful of the Phoenician cities that had commercial relationships with the whole world. It was distinguished among the Dioceses of the Antiochian See, next to Antioch itself. Its head used to deliver the pastoral staff to the Patriarch on the day of his ordainment1. The name ‘Tyre’ is a Semite name meaning “rock;” probably because it was built on a rocky island. But St. Jerome believes that the word ‘Tyre’ in Hebrew means ‘a tribulation2.’ That is why he sees its inhabitants to represent those who fell under the tribulation of the devil. Anyhow, this proclamation (Ez 26) against Tyre, came in the eleventh year, on the first day of the month; namely, after the devastation of Jerusalem; although no news concerning that reached the prophet Ezekiel, nor the captives in its first stage; not before .561- 1 قاموس الكتاب المقدس ،ص 559 New Westminster Dict. of the Bible, "Tyre". 2 PL 25:240. 5 the twelfth year, on the fifth day of the tenth month (Ez 33:21). The sin of Tyre was greed; having benefited from, and rejoiced for the desolation of Jerusalem; saying: “Aha! She is broken who was the gateway of the peoples. Now she is turned over to me; I shall be filled. She is laid waste” (Ez 26:2). Jerusalem has been like the gateways (gates) of the peoples, in one of two concepts: Either it was as strong as closed gates, that other peoples could not force open, then turned desolate; to be trampled by everyone; its gates wide open before Tyre and other nations; or that it (Jerusalem) was a center for international trade; and by its desolation, its gates became wide open before Tyre, to take away all her customers, and to get richer at its expense; as Tyre lived on commerce. 2- GOD IS AGAINST TYRE Having rejoiced for the desolation of Jerusalem, and was prepared to benefit from her calamity; God Himself stands against Tyre; and will cause many nations to come up against it; as the sea waves incessantly come up. He speaks to it with the language it understands, as an island in the sea. It assumed that, through the desolation of Jerusalem, ships from all over the world would come over to it seeking its goods and bringing prosperity. Yet, the sea, instead of sending ships to Tyre, is sending its waves to destroy its walls, break down its towers, and scrape its dust from it, to turn it into a completely bare rock. It rejoiced because the closed gates of Jerusalem, were forced wide open to it. Yet, here is Tyre itself, has become without gates, or towers, and even without dust, a bare rock, unfit for life; uninhabitable by man, and beasts; and on which even plants will not grow. Indeed, who assumes that his fellow man has become a spoil to him, God will make him a spoil to others; and will even make him of no use whatsoever! This is the fruit of greed in the life of man! 3- NEBUCHADNEZZAR DESTROYS TYRE If Nebuchadnezzar had destroyed Jerusalem, he also besieged Tyre with his army for 13 years until he entered it and made it a plunder for him and his army. The prophet Ezekiel portrayed the conditions in Tyre in the following points: a- Its daughter villages will be slain (Ez 26:8). He probably means its customers who used to come to it from all over the world for trade... Daughters symbolize the works and fruits of the flesh; as whoever rejoices for the afflictions of his fellow man, will become fruitless. Instead of benefiting from the desolation of Jerusalem, Tyre lost all material fruits! b- The multitude of his army, chariots, and horses, will cause the dust to cover it; thus she loses every vision and beauty; as a result it will be deserted by its visitors! c- Its people will be slain by the sword; and its strong pillars will fall to the ground (Ez 26:11); a sign of the killing of the people and rulers, who will fall down to dust from wealth and dignity. d- Its riches will be plundered, its merchandise will be pillaged; its walls will be broken down; its pleasant houses will be destroyed; its stones, timber, and soil, will be laid in the middle of the water; to turn into a rock, completely bare even of dust! e- The sound of its songs, of its harps, and its joy, shall be heard no more (Ez 26:13). That is the work of greed; man will not only lose what he hoped to get, but will 6 also lose his riches, strength, beauty, joy, and his health. He will lose others, and will become deprived of his humanity, and all vitality in him! Tyre assumed that it would acquire much gain through the desolation of Jerusalem. Yet it, not only suffered material losses, but it also lost its sons and daughters! It assumed that it would gain the attention of the whole world, after the destruction of Jerusalem. But instead, it became surrounded by armies; covered by dust; and mocked by everyone. It expected great dignity and greatness; but instead, it had its people with its rulers killed. Instead of the gains it expected through the desolation of Jerusalem, it became a spoil for plunderers; lost all its inaccessibility, her beauty vanished; and turned into a bare rock. It sang and danced with joy for the destruction of Jerusalem. Thus, its joy and rejoice were taken away from it! 4- EFFECT OF ITS DESTRUCTION ON THE OTHER COASTLANDS “Will the coastlands not shake at the sound of your fall, when the wounded cry, when slaughter is made in the midst of you? Then all the princes of the sea will come down from their thrones, lay aside their robes, and take off their embroidered garments; they will clothe themselves with trembling; they will sit on the ground, tremble every moment, and be astonished at you. And they will make up a lamentation for you”(Ez 26:15-17). The collapse of Tyre shook all the other islands. They assumed that that rich and famous island that stood like a rock in the middle of the sea was unapproachable. Yet Tyre collapsed. What would then be the destiny of the smaller islands?! There would be no need for fighting them; but their princes would come down from their thrones, lay aside their robes, clothe themselves with trembling, and helplessly sit on the ground in fear. They will make up a lamentation for Tyre, when actually they are doing it for themselves! Ananias and his wife Sapphira fell and died because of their greed. They lied to the Holy Spirit, and kept back of the price of the land for themselves (Acts 5:3). Great fear came upon all those who heard these things. They became like the greedy Tyre; and lost their life beside their possessions, and became an example for others. Those islands probably refer to the traders who used to come to it, or to the ships that came loaded with goods from all over the world. They made up a lamentation for Tyre, the center of trade. How amazing! When Jerusalem, the city of the great King fell, nobody mourned for it, but on the contrary, many mocked her and felt joy for her calamity! But when Tyre was destroyed, the islands came to mourn for her. Jerusalem fell, yet God set her up after being chastised. But Tyre fell, was mourned for by the world, then stayed down, and was even wiped out all together! So the believer may fall under chastisement, and may find nobody to feel sorry for him, but the eye of God will have compassion on him and will support him. On the other hand, the wicked that persists on his wickedness, when he falls, he may be mourned for by many, yet he will not arise again! He probably means here, evil itself that falls and never arises! 5- BRINGING TYRE DOWN TO THE LOWER PARTS OF THE EARTH “‘Then I will bring you down with those who descend into the pit, to the people of the old, and I will make you dwell in the lowest part of the earth, in places desolate from antiquity, with those who go down to the pit, so that you may never be inhabited. And I 7 shall establish glory in the land of the living. I will make you a terror, and you shall be no more; though you are sought for, you will never be found again’ says the Lord” (Ez 26:20, 21). If Tyre represents the sin of greed; although it seems at the beginning shiny, attractive, and sought by many; yet it is deceptive; and will be wiped out, never to be found again. It is, like so many other sins, thought by man to be his whole fulfillment, pleasure, and happiness. Yet man will soon discover that it does not really exist; it is like mirage, after which man runs, but will never reach it! 8 AN INSPIRATION FROM THE BOOK OF E ZEKIEL 26 LET IT FALL, SO THAT I MAY BECOME RICH! Let it fall, so that I may become rich! That is what Tyre sang, when Jerusalem fell! It rejoiced with greed, at the expense of others! I wonder, what did Tyre gain through the destruction of Jerusalem? Instead of acquiring new traders, it lost its daughters. Instead of the preoccupation of the world with it alone, it became a booty for the armies. Instead of acquiring dignity, its people were killed. And instead of joy and songs, it became a miserable bare rock! O Lord! Teach me love and mercy. Let me not rejoice for the afflictions of my fellow men; And let me not use them to my benefit! Take Tyre out of my heart; Grant me to give to my fellow men; To share their feelings; And to count them as my joy and my crown!
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