Discovery Journal

Justin T. - September 5, 2011

Scripture:

Ezekiel 28:11-19 The word of the LORD came to me: “Son of man, take up a lament concerning the king of Tyre and say to him: ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: "You were the seal of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone adorned you: carnelian, chrysolite and emerald, topaz, onyx and jasper, lapis lazuli, turquoise and beryl. Your settings and mountings were made of gold; on the day you were created they were prepared. You were anointed as a guardian cherub, for so I ordained you. You were on the holy mount of God; you walked among the fiery stones. You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created till wickedness was found in you. Through your widespread trade you were filled with violence, and you sinned. So I drove you in disgrace from the mount of God, and I expelled you, guardian cherub, from among the fiery stones. Your heart became proud on account of your beauty, and you corrupted your wisdom because of your splendor. So I threw you to the earth; I made a spectacle of you before kings. By your many sins and dishonest trade you have desecrated your sanctuaries. So I made a fire come out from you, and it consumed you, and I reduced you to ashes on the ground in the sight of all who were watching. All the nations who knew you are appalled at you; you have come to a horrible end and will be no more."

Observation:

At first glance, the prophecy in Ezekiel 28:1-19 seems to refer to the human King of Tyre. Tyre was known for arrogantly building its wealth by exploiting its neighbors. Ancient writers referred to the the city of Tyre as a city filled with unscrupulous merchants. Spiritually speaking, Tyre was a center of religious idolatry and sexual immorality. In the Bible, Tyre is most often rebuked for its pride, brought on by its great wealth and strategic location. Ezekiel 28:1-19 seems to be a particularly strong indictment against the King of Tyre in the prophet Ezekiel’s day, rebuking him for his insatiable pride and greed. At the same time, some of the descriptions in Ezekiel 28:1-19 go far beyond any mere human king. In no sense could an earthly king claim to be “in Eden,” or “the anointed cherub who covers,” or “on the holy mountain of God.” As a result of this, most Bible interpreters believe that Ezekiel 28:1-19 is a dual prophecy, comparing the pride of the King of Tyre to the pride of Satan, that led to his fall. Before his fall, Satan was indeed a beautiful creature. He was perhaps the most beautiful and powerful of all the angels. The phrase “guardian cherub” possibly indicates that Satan was the angel who “guarded” God’s presence. This exalted position led to Satan’s fall, however, as he allowed pride and arrogance to consume him. Rather than giving God the glory for creating him so beautifully, Satan took pride in himself, thinking that he himself was responsible for his exalted status. Satan’s sinful rebellion resulted in God casting Satan from His presence, and will, eventually, result in God condemning Satan to the lake of fire for all of eternity. Similarly, the King of Tyre was prideful due to the riches of Tyre. Rather than recognizing God’s sovereignty, the King of Tyre attributed Tyre’s riches to his own wisdom and strength. Not satisfied with his extravagant position, the King of Tyre sought more and more, resulting in Tyre taking advantage of other nations, expanding its own wealth at the expense of others. But just as Satan’s pride led to his fall, and will eventually lead to his eternal destruction, so will the city of Tyre lose its wealth, power, and status.

Application:

Pride is a sin that has been around since the beginning. Even though this sin has existed since the beginning, it often seems to escape notice in many Christian settings. On Sunday mornings the preacher may address sins such as fornication, addictions, or idolatry while many times one of the most egregious sins, pride, goes unnoticed. Pride is such a slippery sin that somehow it managed to find it's way into the most Holy place, heaven itself! People can be proud about anything from their job, their family, to their relationship with God. God is clear about where He stands when it comes to pride, He opposes anybody who has it (James 4:6)! Pride is not always noticed externally, rather it's a condition of the heart which only the Holy Spirit can reveal through the Word and prayer (Hebrews 4:12). I have to be EXTREMELY watchful that the seeds of pride never take root in my heart and when it does, quickly snuff it out. Pride is a sin that the bible says is common to everyone (1 John 2:16) meaning that no matter what level you are at in your Christian walk if you are not careful, pride can rear its ugly head!

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, guard my heart against pride today! Help me not to boast in anything except my ABSOLUTE dependence upon You for everything! I choose today to remove myself from the center of my own universe and ask You to take Your rightful place upon the throne of my heart! In Jesus' name. Amen.