The following commentary covers Chapters 26, 27, and 28.
Tyre
judged as representing the world and its riches
Although in a certain
sense upon Israel's territory, Tyre has another
character, and is the subject of a separate prophecy
(chaps. 26-28), because it represents the world and its
riches, in contrast with Israel as the people of God; and
rejoices, not like the others from personal hatred, but
because (having opposite interests) the destruction of
that which restrained its career gave free course to its
natural selfishness. It is worthy of remark in these
prophecies, how God lays open all the thoughts of man
with respect to His people and that which they have been
towards Him.
Tyre's ill-will to
God's people and city judged
In chapter 27, Tyre is
judged for its ill-will to the people and the city of
God. It is overthrown as a worldly system, and all that
formed its glory disappears before the breath of Jehovah.
The prince and
king of Tyre judged for their pride
In chapter 28 it is the
prince and the king of Tyre that are judged for their
pride. Verses 1-10 set before us the prince of this
world's glory as a man, exalting himself and seeking to
present himself as a god, having acquired riches and
glory by his wisdom. Verses 11-19, while continuing to
speak of Tyre, go, I think, much farther, and disclose,
though darkly, the fall and the ways of Satan, become
through our sin the prince and god of this world. The
prince of Tyre represents Tyre and the spirit of Tyre.
The verses which follow (11-19) are much more personal. I
do not doubt that, historically, Tyre itself is referred
to; verses 16-19 prove it. But, I repeat, the mind of the
Spirit goes much farther. The world and its kings are
presented as the garden of Jehovah on account of the
advantages they enjoy. (The outward government of God is
in question, which till then had recognised the different
nations around Israel). This however applies more
especially to Tyre, which was situated in the territory
of Israel, in Emmanuel's land, and which, in the person
of Hiram, had been allied with Solomon, and had even
helped to build the temple. Its guilt was proportionate.
It is the world in relation with God, and if the prince
of Tyre represents this state of things as being the
world, and a world that has been highly exalted in its
capabilities by this position—an exaltation of which
it boasts in deifying itself, the king represents the
position itself in which, under this aspect, the world
has been placed, and the forsaking of which gives it the
character of apostasy. It is this character which gives
occasion for the declaration of the enemy's apostasy
contained in these verses. He had been where the plants
of God flourished [1],
he had been covered with precious stones (that is to say,
with all the variety of beauty and perfection, in which
the light of God is reflected and transformed when
manifested in, and with respect to, creation). Here the
varied reflection of these perfections had been in the
creature: a creature was the means of their
manifestation. It was not light, properly so called. (God
is light; Christ is the light here below, and so far as
He lives in us, we are light in Him). It was the effect
of light acting in the creature, like a sunbeam in a
prism. It is a development of its beauty, which is not
its essential perfection, but which proceeds from it.
The
characteristics of the king of Tyre; his fall
The following are the
features of the king of Tyre's character, or that of the
enemy of God, the prince of this world. He is the
anointed cherub—he is covered with precious
stones—he has been in Eden the paradise of God, upon
the mountain of God—he walked in the midst of the
stones of fire—he was perfect in his ways until
iniquity was found in him. He is cast out of the mountain
of God on account of his iniquities; his heart was lifted
up because of his beauty, and he corrupted himself.
Farther, we find that which, as to the creature, is most
exalted; he acts in the judicial government of God
according to the intelligence of God (this is the
character of the anointed cherub). He is clothed with the
moral beauty that variously reflects the character of God
as light [2].
He is recognised among the plants of God, in which God
displayed His wisdom and His power in creation, according
to His good pleasure, as Creator. He had been there also
where the authority of God was exercised—on the
mountain of God. He walked where the moral perfections of
God were displayed in their glory, a glory before which
evil could not stand—"the stones of fire."
His ways had been perfect. But all these advantages were
the occasion of his fall, and characterised it. For the
privileges we enjoy always characterise our fall. Whence
have we fallen? is the question; for it is the having
failed there, when we possessed it, that degrades our
condition. Moreover it is not an outward temptation, as
in man's case—a circumstance which did not indeed
take away man's guilt, but which modified its character.
"Thy heart was lifted up because of thy
beauty." He exalted himself against God, and he was
cast out as profane from the mountain of God. His spirit,
independent in security, was humbled when he was cast to
the ground. His nakedness is manifested to all; his folly
shall in the end be apparent to all.
The judgment of
Sidon; Israel's safety
The judgment of Sidon is
added. And then, all hope having been taken from Israel,
when the judgment of the nations is accomplished, God
gathers them and causes them to dwell in their land in
peace for ever.
[1]
We may see, chapter 31: 8, 9, 16, that this is a
description of the kings of the earth, at least before
Nebuchadnezzar, who first substituted one sole dominion
given by God, for the many kings of the nations
recognised by God as the result of Babel, and in the
centre of which His people were placed, to make the
government of God known through their means.
The special relation of Tyre with
Israel added something to the position of the merchant
city, and gave room also for the use made here of the
history of its king as a type or figure of the prince of
this world.
[2] Observe that this takes place in
the creature. In the case of Aaron, the type of Christ as
priest, it exists in the absolute perfection of grace,
which presents us to God according to His perfection in
the light. It is afterwards seen in the glory as the
foundation of the city, the bride, the Lamb's wife, in
the Revelation. That is, these stones present the fruit
of perfect light—what God is in His nature shining
in and through the creature, in creation, grace, and
glory.
Ezekiel 26 Bible Commentary
John Darby’s Synopsis
Tyre judged as representing the world and its riches
Although in a certain sense upon Israel's territory, Tyre has another character, and is the subject of a separate prophecy (chaps. 26-28), because it represents the world and its riches, in contrast with Israel as the people of God; and rejoices, not like the others from personal hatred, but because (having opposite interests) the destruction of that which restrained its career gave free course to its natural selfishness. It is worthy of remark in these prophecies, how God lays open all the thoughts of man with respect to His people and that which they have been towards Him.
Tyre's ill-will to God's people and city judged
In chapter 27, Tyre is judged for its ill-will to the people and the city of God. It is overthrown as a worldly system, and all that formed its glory disappears before the breath of Jehovah.
The prince and king of Tyre judged for their pride
In chapter 28 it is the prince and the king of Tyre that are judged for their pride. Verses 1-10 set before us the prince of this world's glory as a man, exalting himself and seeking to present himself as a god, having acquired riches and glory by his wisdom. Verses 11-19, while continuing to speak of Tyre, go, I think, much farther, and disclose, though darkly, the fall and the ways of Satan, become through our sin the prince and god of this world. The prince of Tyre represents Tyre and the spirit of Tyre. The verses which follow (11-19) are much more personal. I do not doubt that, historically, Tyre itself is referred to; verses 16-19 prove it. But, I repeat, the mind of the Spirit goes much farther. The world and its kings are presented as the garden of Jehovah on account of the advantages they enjoy. (The outward government of God is in question, which till then had recognised the different nations around Israel). This however applies more especially to Tyre, which was situated in the territory of Israel, in Emmanuel's land, and which, in the person of Hiram, had been allied with Solomon, and had even helped to build the temple. Its guilt was proportionate. It is the world in relation with God, and if the prince of Tyre represents this state of things as being the world, and a world that has been highly exalted in its capabilities by this position—an exaltation of which it boasts in deifying itself, the king represents the position itself in which, under this aspect, the world has been placed, and the forsaking of which gives it the character of apostasy. It is this character which gives occasion for the declaration of the enemy's apostasy contained in these verses. He had been where the plants of God flourished [1], he had been covered with precious stones (that is to say, with all the variety of beauty and perfection, in which the light of God is reflected and transformed when manifested in, and with respect to, creation). Here the varied reflection of these perfections had been in the creature: a creature was the means of their manifestation. It was not light, properly so called. (God is light; Christ is the light here below, and so far as He lives in us, we are light in Him). It was the effect of light acting in the creature, like a sunbeam in a prism. It is a development of its beauty, which is not its essential perfection, but which proceeds from it.
The characteristics of the king of Tyre; his fall
The following are the features of the king of Tyre's character, or that of the enemy of God, the prince of this world. He is the anointed cherub—he is covered with precious stones—he has been in Eden the paradise of God, upon the mountain of God—he walked in the midst of the stones of fire—he was perfect in his ways until iniquity was found in him. He is cast out of the mountain of God on account of his iniquities; his heart was lifted up because of his beauty, and he corrupted himself. Farther, we find that which, as to the creature, is most exalted; he acts in the judicial government of God according to the intelligence of God (this is the character of the anointed cherub). He is clothed with the moral beauty that variously reflects the character of God as light [2]. He is recognised among the plants of God, in which God displayed His wisdom and His power in creation, according to His good pleasure, as Creator. He had been there also where the authority of God was exercised—on the mountain of God. He walked where the moral perfections of God were displayed in their glory, a glory before which evil could not stand—"the stones of fire." His ways had been perfect. But all these advantages were the occasion of his fall, and characterised it. For the privileges we enjoy always characterise our fall. Whence have we fallen? is the question; for it is the having failed there, when we possessed it, that degrades our condition. Moreover it is not an outward temptation, as in man's case—a circumstance which did not indeed take away man's guilt, but which modified its character. "Thy heart was lifted up because of thy beauty." He exalted himself against God, and he was cast out as profane from the mountain of God. His spirit, independent in security, was humbled when he was cast to the ground. His nakedness is manifested to all; his folly shall in the end be apparent to all.
The judgment of Sidon; Israel's safety
The judgment of Sidon is added. And then, all hope having been taken from Israel, when the judgment of the nations is accomplished, God gathers them and causes them to dwell in their land in peace for ever.
[1] We may see, chapter 31: 8, 9, 16, that this is a description of the kings of the earth, at least before Nebuchadnezzar, who first substituted one sole dominion given by God, for the many kings of the nations recognised by God as the result of Babel, and in the centre of which His people were placed, to make the government of God known through their means.
The special relation of Tyre with Israel added something to the position of the merchant city, and gave room also for the use made here of the history of its king as a type or figure of the prince of this world.
[2] Observe that this takes place in the creature. In the case of Aaron, the type of Christ as priest, it exists in the absolute perfection of grace, which presents us to God according to His perfection in the light. It is afterwards seen in the glory as the foundation of the city, the bride, the Lamb's wife, in the Revelation. That is, these stones present the fruit of perfect light—what God is in His nature shining in and through the creature, in creation, grace, and glory.