Theological Commentary: Click Here
Today
Ezekiel speaks about Tyre. These were
the seafaring people who lived along the Mediterranean coast. We typically call them Phoenicians when speaking
of them from a historical, not a spiritual, reference. They were great traders, travelling all over
the Mediterranean – and probably the Atlantic Ocean coastline in Africa and
Europe.
It would be
easy to say that God’s issue with Tyre is the same as yesterday. There are certain elements of it in the
reading today. God does hint at the fact
that Tyre took advantage of the Hebrew people when they were being attacked and
judged by Assyria and Babylon.
I think
there is much more to this, though. What
God dwells on is the destruction of the Phoenician society. He speaks about destroying their wealth. He speaks about removing their pleasant
buildings. God says that He will stop their music. He will strip their princes bare.
I think what
God is getting at here is that the people of Tyre were too caught up in their
materialistic life. They were providing
for themselves. They were not in
relationship with God; they had no need for God! Their society was rich and functioning quite
well on its own – or so they thought.
Because the
people had no need for God, God would show them the error of their ways. He would show them calamity. He would remind them that if we focus on the
material things of this world, it can be stripped away quite readily! He will show them that if we think society is
all about buying, selling, and making money then we are exceptionally shallow
in our perspective!
This is why
the people of Tyre will come to judgment.
Their perspective is short-sighted.
They need to be reminded that there is more to life than luxury and
comfort.
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