The Mediterranean
Isaiah 23
appears to be an oracle against Tyre, but in reality it is an oracle for the
whole rest of the Mediterranean Sea and the surrounding region. Some history would be beneficial to
understanding this chapter. The people
of Tyre and the area were called Kenaani (a derivation of the word
Canaanite). This means that they are
likely the descendants of the Canaanites and most scholars believe this to be
true. Of course, we know from history
that Tyre was one of the major cities of the Phoenician people. The Phoenicians are historically considered
one of the first people to write, coming up with the alphabet that is the
grandfather for many modern alphabets.
However, their greatest claim to fame was their ability to sail. They were known as incredible traders and
merchants throughout all of the Mediterranean and even points beyond.
This
history really helps this chapter leap off of the pages. As we read through this chapter we hear about
other foreign ports mourning at the Assyrian conquest of the Phoenicians
(people of Tyre, according to Isaiah).
Egypt mourns. Tarshish
mourns. We know that the Egyptians were
great exporters of fruits, grains, flax, papyrus, and just about anything else
that they could grow in the fertile Nile Delta.
We know that Tarshish was a great exporter of silver, iron, tin, and
lead (assuming, of course, that Tarshish is Tartessos, an ancient port city in
southern Spain). Whatever the case,
these are two examples of a people who had grown to depend upon the Phoenicians
for sea trade. They depended on the
Phoenicians to take their goods to places that needed them and bring them the
things they needed from far off places.
Thus, when Assyria comes upon the Phoenicians and wreaks havoc upon
them, much of the Mediterranean culture suffers.
For the
record, the Assyrians did not destroy the Phoenicians, although they were the
first to subdue them. It is Alexander
the Great who handles that task for the Greek nation. Prior to Alexander getting his hands upon the
Phoenicians but after the Assyrians do, Cyrus of the Persians conquered the
city. It is after the city falls into
Persian rule that many of the Phoenician people go to Carthage. So what did the Assyrians do to the
Phoenicians besides subdue their cities?
The Assyrians restricted the trade of the Phoenicians. They put limits on what the Phoenicians could
accomplish. In an attempt to keep the
Mediterranean region weak so that it could not revolt, the Assyrians hampered
the Phoenician ability to bridge the gap between nations who would need trade
to rise into power.
Back To The Passage
What can
we learn from this passage? First, we
can learn that as nations grow, they also become vulnerable. As nations grow, they require things from
surrounding areas in order to sustain their life. Trade becomes a major force in world
scene. Economies become
significant. When outside influences
come down on a regional (or global) economy, everybody suffers. As nations grow and the world shrinks, what
happens in one region is far more likely to have an impact upon the rest of the
world.
We can
also learn two neat lessons from the end of this passage. First, notice that there is a declaration of
grace once more. The Assyrian domination
will not last forever. There will be a hardship
upon the land; but the hardship will be limited. As we have seen with nearly all the other
oracles – there is grace at the end of the oracle. God’s wrath may come; but God’s grace
outlasts His wrath.
The second
lesson actually pertains to the note of grace that we find directed towards the
Hebrew people. Did you notice that as
grace is directed towards the Phoenicians that it is said to be holy for the
Lord? Even though the trade of the
Phoenicians is verbally painted like that of a prostitute going among the
nations, God will be praised and blessed and it will actually be holy to the
Lord. How is this possible?
After the
Assyrian domination of the land is finished, the Babylonians take over with
respect to power. The Babylonians were
far less effective at managing the Phoenicians’ ability to trade and rebuild
their commercial empire. As the
Phoenicians do rebuild, the Persians come on the scene and allow the Hebrews to
return to Israel. As they rebuild the
city of Jerusalem and try to restore it to its past glory, many of the building
supplies needed to rebuild Jerusalem come from Tyre, the Phoenicians, and their
ability to trade. The Lord’s remnant
comes out of captivity at the discretion of the Persians only to find a ready
trading partner right when they need them the most.
Isn’t the
provision of the Lord awesome?
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