dreadful end

May 29, 2017

Exposed iniquities of the king of Tyre (Ezek 28:17-28:19)

“Your heart was proud

Because of your beauty.

You corrupted

Your wisdom

For the sake

Of your splendor.

I cast you

To the ground.

I exposed you

Before kings,

To feast their eyes

On you.

By the multitude

Of your iniquities,

In the unrighteousness

Of your trade,

You profaned

Your sanctuaries.

Thus I brought out fire

From within you.

It consumed you.

I turned you

To ashes

On the earth,

In the sight

Of all who saw you.

All who know you

Among the people

Are appalled at you.

You have come

To a dreadful end.

You shall be no more

Forever.”

Yahweh, via Ezekiel, had a strong condemnation of Tyre and its king. The king of Tyre had become proud because of his beauty. His great trade wisdom had become corrupt. Yahweh cast them down, despite their splendor. He exposed them before other kings and people. Everyone was able to see the multitude of their iniquities and their unrighteous trade practices. Tyre had profaned their own sanctuaries. Yahweh then brought fire to consume them. He turned them into ashes on the ground in the sight of everyone, so that everyone was appalled at the dreadful end of Tyre, who would not exist anymore. However, Tyre did continue to exist.

May 27, 2017

The coastland towns are upset (Ezek 27:33-27:36)

“When your wares

Came from the seas,

You satisfied

Many people.

You enriched

The kings of the earth

With your abundant wealth,

With your merchandise.

Now you are wrecked

By the seas,

In the depths

Of the waters.

Your merchandise,

With all your crew,

Have sunk with you.

All the inhabitants

Of the coastlands

Are appalled at you.

Their kings

Are horribly afraid.

Their faces

Are convulsed.

The merchants

Among the people

Hiss at you.

You have come

To a dreadful end.

You shall be no more

Forever.”

Many people benefited from the various goods that Tyre brought from the different towns on the Mediterranean Sea. Their wealth and merchandise enriched many kings. Now they have been wrecked by the deep sea. Both the merchandise and the crew are gone. Now all the inhabitants of the coastland towns were appalled at Tyre. In fact, their kings were horribly afraid as their faces convulsed. The merchants from these towns now hissed at the name of Tyre because they had come to a dreadful end. Tyre would not exist anymore.

May 23, 2017

The end of Tyre (Ezek 26:19-26:21)

“Thus says Yahweh God!

‘I will make you

A city laid waste,

Like the cities

That are not inhabited.

I will bring up

The deep over you.

I will bring up

The great waters

To cover you.

Then I will thrust you

Down with those

Who descend

Into the pit,

To the people

Of long ago.

I will make you

Live in the world below,

Among primeval ruins,

With those who go down

To the pit.

You will not be inhabited.

You will not have a place

In the land

Of the living.

I will bring you

To a dreadful end.

You shall be no more.

Though sought for,

You will never be found again.’

Says Yahweh God.”

Yahweh God was going to put an end to Tyre. It would be laid waste, like an uninhabited city. Yahweh was going to cover it over with great waters from the deep sea. He was going to send Tyre and its inhabitants into the pit with the people who had lived a long time ago. They would live in this underworld pit among the ruins. They would no longer have a place in the land of the living, but rather enter the land of the dead. Yahweh was going to bring them to a dreadful end. They would be no more. People would look for them, but they would never be found again.