Title: Judgment on Tire/Ezekiel 26
Judgment on Tire
Ezekiel 26
1. The Sin of Tire and God's Judgment (1-14)
① Reason for judgment (1,2)
The judgment on Tire is also related to Israel. Tire is Israel
He rejoiced to see the defeat of the people. However, while Ammon was mainly rejoicing over the religious downfall of the Israelites, Tire was rejoicing over the political and economic downfall of Jerusalem. Such an attitude was regarded as rebellion against God and had no choice but to be judged thoroughly.
② Judgment Situation (3-6)
Ezekiel uses figurative language to show that judgment will be comprehensive, not partial. In particular, the expression 'I also wiped the dust away from it' (4), which indicates Jehovah's direct intervention, emphasizes that the judgment situation is thoroughly accomplished by God's sovereign providence. Despite the strong defenses of Tire, the walls and towers are all destroyed so that no dust remains on the stones. (3) No matter how strong and wonderful they are, those who oppose God will perish in one day.
③ Judgment tool and development process (7-14)
God uses Babylon as a concrete means of judgment. Military Excellence Nebuchadnezzar defeated Pharaoh Nego of Egypt, who had come to the aid of Assyria from Carchemish, and invaded Jerusalem to seize the hegemony of the ancient Near East. Driven by this momentum, Nebuchadnezzar conquered and ruled Tire for 13 years. In this way, God uses the existing state of the world to accomplish His will.
2. The reaction of neighboring countries to the judgment of Tire (15-18)
① Description of the cry of Tire (15) ② The reaction of neighboring countries to it (16-18)
Through the judgment of Tire, it is revealed that only God is the true ruler. In fact, the judgment on Tire is unconventional. Verse 15 ‘all the islands will shake’, verse 16 ‘they will tremble and be astonished’ in verse 18, ‘they will be amazed at your end’.
This fact shows that the neighboring countries thought that Tire was a strong country that would not be destroyed as easily. However, no matter how strong a nation is, it cannot escape God's judgment. Because only God is the subject of history.
3. Prophecy of the decisive destruction of Tire (19-21)
① The death of Tire (19-20a)
The prophecy that Tire will go into the pit is an expression of death. Also, the expression of deep sea or large water is an expression of death. This expression is that Tire eventually loses its life as a result of God's judgment.
② The disappearance of Tire (20b-21)
Tire's death means that Tire will completely disappear from the history line. Many will remember and seek Tire's old fame, but will never find it.