ETB Ezekiel 28:11-26

During our last session together, we were in Chapter 20 and God through Ezekiel was rejecting the request from the elders for guidance. In Chapter 21 Ezekiel prophesied that God’s judgment would come with increasing intensity and against the Ammonites. Chapter 22 returns to decry the wickedness of Israel’s people through idols and defiling the land with bloodshed. A parable about two women Oholah and Oholibah representing Samaria and Judah fill most of Chapter 23. In the ninth year of exile, at the beginning of Chapter 24 the final siege of Jerusalem had begun. The prophet’s wife also died but he was not allowed to mourn publicly to be a sign to the people of His lack of remorse over the fallen city. Starting in Chapter 25 the prophecies become more hopefully and positive for the people of Israel but come in the form of many judgments against the surrounding and oppressing nations. Starting in Chapter 26 through to our passage today in Chapter 28 all the prophesies and pronouncements of judgement focus on the city of Tyre and its leader. [LifeWay Adults (2021). Explore the Bible: Adult Leader Guide - ESV - Winter 2022. LifeWay Press.]

The Archaeological Encyclopedia of the Holy Land Tyre; Tyrians

During the period of the Israelite conquest of Canaan it was known as the ‘strong city of Tyre’ and lay on the border of the lot of the tribe of Asher (Josh. 19:29). David sent for cedar trees, carpenters and masons from Tyre in order to build his house (2 Sam. 5:11). Hiram, King of Tyre (969–936 BC), enlarged the Island of Tyre by uniting it with a small island and rebuilt the old temples of Melkart and Astarte. It is possible that the colonies founded by Tyre reached Spain in this period. Solomon renewed his father’s pact with Hiram, King of Tyre (1 Kgs. 5:1–3), and enlisted his help in the building of his temple in Jerusalem. In return for this help Solomon gave Hiram the land of Cabul and 20 cities in Galilee (1 Kgs. 9:11–13). Israel and Tyre had close relations during the reign of Ahab, who married Jezebel, daughter of Ethbaal, King of the Sidonians (1 Kgs. 16:31). This marriage led to the introduction of idolatry into Israel. It was for this reason that Isaiah (23), Jeremiah (25:22), Ezekiel (26–8), Joel (3:4), Amos (1:9–10) and Zechariah (9:2–4) foretold the destruction of the town and its colonies.

The city was renowned as a trading and shipping center for the world’s merchants. Its main center was originally on an island. It is mentioned ca. 50 times in the Old Testament. Israel never did control the city because all the inhabitants were not all removed. (Num 33:55, Judges 1:31-32) but worked closely with several of its kings. The psalmist pictured the king of Tyre bringing gifts to the king of Israel (45:12[13]). It is listed among the enemies of Israel’s God in Psalm 83:7[8]), but Psalm 87:4 speaks of Tyre’s recognition of the Lord in worship. Ezekiel could find no better ancient symbol to represent the hubris and arrogance of the king(s) of Tyre than the first Adam or Satan before his rebellion. [Baker, Warren, and Eugene E. Carpenter. The complete word study dictionary: Old Testament 2003: 1227. Print.]

As we read through our passages today that last statement of symbolism and representation is a good principle to keep in mind as most of the text is in a poetic format and much should not be taken literally.

Explore the Text

Ezekiel 28:11–12 (ESV)

Moreover, the word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, raise a lamentation over the king of Tyre, and say to him, Thus says the Lord God: “You were the signet of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.

Ezekiel’s opening statement, the word of the Lord came to me, highlights that the prophet brought God’s message, not his own. The prophets functioned as God’s messengers; they did not merely offer their opinions. The word lamentation can denote a song of mourning for the dead. The object of Ezekiel’s lament was the king of Tyre a leading city of the Phoenicians. [LifeWay Adults (2021). Explore the Bible: Adult Leader Guide - ESV - Winter 2022. LifeWay Press.]

Thus says the Lord, helps us remember that all the imagery and symbolism originate from God and Ezekiel is writing down what he sees using the best language he can to explain God’s infinite insights with finite terms.

A signet ring was usually made of baked clay, metal, or stones and was used to identify someone. It served much like an ancient identity card (Gen. 38:18) by bearing a person’s distinctive mark.[Baker, Warren, and Eugene E. Carpenter. The complete word study dictionary: Old Testament 2003: 323. Print.] This word and phrase like many others in the passage is not easily translated and depending on the translation you use can be “seal”, “pattern”, or “model” of perfection. All of these however do not point to the object - in this case the king of Tyre - as being perfect but that he represented perfection or that it could be seen through the impressions that he left. Just as the signet ring was used to seal a document showing ownership or origin, God seals believers with the Holy Spirit to show that we are His (2 Cor 1:22).

Another reason for some of the pattern and model translations could be from the word translated in here in the ESV as “perfection”.

toḵniyṯ is a feminine noun referring to perfection; a plan, a pattern. It indicates completeness in every way, wisdom, beauty, environment, blessedness, anointed of God (Ezek. 28:12). It refers appropriately to a blueprint, an arrangement laid out for the Temple, its plan (Ezek. 43:10). [Baker, Warren, and Eugene E. Carpenter. The complete word study dictionary: Old Testament 2003: 1227. Print.]

When describing the king’s beauty, a different word for perfection is used.

kāliyl is an adjective meaning whole, entire, perfect, complete. This word can refer to an offering that was entirely consumed (Deut. 33:10; 1 Sam. 7:9); figuratively, it refers to burning a whole town that worshiped other gods (Deut. 13:16 [17]). The ephod had to be all purple (Ex. 28:31; 39:22); Isaiah prophesied of a day when idols would completely disappear (Isa. 2:18). [Baker, Warren, and Eugene E. Carpenter. The complete word study dictionary: Old Testament 2003: 509. Print.]

Not only was the king an image bearer and a complete man but was also given by God wisdom to rule. Godly wisdom is a thing to be strived and praise for (Acts 6:3, Col 1:9) but wisdom of man will not last (Prov 21:30; 1Cor 1:19). Like beauty, wisdom can also be removed by God if He judges that His gift is being misused or misappropriated for evil.

The king’s “complete appearance” is described with precious stones and his completeness as a person is described by an important role or status within God’s domain in the next few verses.

Ezekiel 28:13–15 (ESV)

You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone was your covering, sardius, topaz, and diamond, beryl, onyx, and jasper, sapphire, emerald, and carbuncle; and crafted in gold were your settings and your engravings. On the day that you were created they were prepared.

You were an anointed guardian cherub. I placed you; you were on the holy mountain of God; in the midst of the stones of fire you walked. You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created, till unrighteousness was found in you.

The leader’s guide commentary for this part of our passage starts off with:

The comment you were in Eden, the garden of God and the following three descriptions of the king of Tyre has challenged Bible interpreters. Clearly Ezekiel intended the garden of Eden (Gen. 2:8), so what did the prophet mean? Some interpreters have connected the king of Tyre with Adam, the first man. Both held privileged positions, yet God humbled them when they became proud and sought to be like Him (Gen. 3:17-19). Others have seen a parallel to Satan, the serpent in the garden of Eden (Gen. 3:1-6).[LifeWay Adults (2021). Explore the Bible: Adult Leader Guide - ESV - Winter 2022. LifeWay Press.]

At first, I tried to make some sense of these things through my own studying tracing down each object and its various symbolism throughout Scripture. This however made me more confused, and I understood the truth of Ecc 12:12 “Of making many books there is no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh.” And earlier in Ecc 8:17 “However much man may toil in seeking, he will not find it out. Even though a wise man claims to know, he cannot find it out.” I then resolved to leave these efforts behind and save them for later or as Chris Rice put it, “Questions for Heaven.” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mo5BAGWoD7g)

Here’s an example of one of my rabbit trails. I am an amateur geologist, so the list of stones has significance to me. This list of stones matches those listed in Exodus 28:17-21. However, 3 stones are missing, in the ESV they are jacinth, agate, and amethyst. If we continue with the breastplate reference then these would be in representative of the tribes of Gad, Asher, & Issachar. Why were they excluded especially since Tyre was within Asher’s allotment of land? Then I saw that the word used for “sardis” in Hebrew had the same root as the word for “adam” or man. Was there significance to that? Then I looked at the list in Rev 21:19-20. The same type of stone but in a different order. Those words were in Greek, but my Ezekiel and Exodus were in Hebrew, so out comes the Septuagint. Only some of the words matched but not all and around and around my head went. I ended with more questions than notes, less insight, a headache, and frustration.

I finally stopped, prayed, and remembered that this is poetry and symbolism not correlative documentation. Just like the mark left by the signet ring in verse 12 it is imagery and representation it is showing us concepts from other objects and people not the real thing. We would never assume that the indented wax seal on a scroll left by the king’s ring was really the king himself! But we would recognize the mark and value the words within them as if the king had spoken them to us directly.

I went back through and reread these verses again and saw what God had “given” Tyre’s leader that he was now abusing.

“You were in Eden, the garden of God” = I placed you in a special place where I can walk with you.

“Every precious stone was your covering” = I gave you the best of creation and you were clothed as a holy priest who comes into my presence.

“You were anointed guardian cherub” = I gave you authority and a special purpose.

“You were on the holy mountain of God” = I allowed you to be in My presence.

“from the day that you were created” = I made you and have known you from the beginning.

As I looked through that list again, I see how it is true for the king of Tyre, it was true of Adam, and we can see how it relates to the fallen angel now called Satan as well. Most importantly though, it all points to me and you as believers in Christ as well. This then makes me stop and ask, “Am I abusing these privileges and blessings like the king of Tyre?” I may never grasp all the symbolism and analogies within this poetry but I know that I am like the king of Tyre in the last phrase of verse 15 “unrighteousness was found in you” and we will all continue to be found sinful (Isa 53:6, Rom 3:23) until we are glorified. This then helps me to begin to heed the warning from God through Ezekiel through the symbolism of Tyre’s king.

Thankfully only my sinful state matches the king’s and not his economic practices.

Ezekiel 28:16 (ESV)

In the abundance of your trade you were filled with violence in your midst, and you sinned; so I cast you as a profane thing from the mountain of God, and I destroyed you, O guardian cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire.

As trade increased in Tyre, the city became wealthy, as did the king. The Bible never says wealth is evil, but it does warn us the love of money is the root of all sorts of evil (1 Tim. 6:10). Tyre’s abundance led to excess, power, and greed. Soon, the king and his city were filled with violence. The Hebrew word translated violence refers to unjust violence toward other people (Gen. 6:11; Hab. 1:2). Tyre’s king sinned as he yielded to the temptations that accompanied his success. [LifeWay Adults (2021). Explore the Bible: Adult Leader Guide - ESV - Winter 2022. LifeWay Press.]

Because of the king’s and the city’s sin, God’s judgement begins to remove the blessings that were just described. Because God’s gifts were abused and treated as common or “profaned”, the Lord laments over having to do the same to the once beneficial king and his city. First, he is removed from God’s presence, which in turn allows the city and the king’s livelihood to be destroyed. This in turn by God’s guiding hand removes the authority and special purpose the king could have fulfilled.

All the wealth, power, and splendor has been removed but God’s judgement is not finished.

Ezekiel 28:17 (ESV)

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.

Ezekiel’s words described Tyre’s king, but also probably reflected the attitude of the general population. Ezekiel testified, your heart was proud because of your beauty. The city’s citizens trusted in the greatness of their city rather than in God. Likewise, Tyre’s king became proud as he considered his own situation. [LifeWay Adults (2021). Explore the Bible: Adult Leader Guide - ESV - Winter 2022. LifeWay Press.]

The removal of all the blessings is complete. Once the pattern and image of wholeness it is now desolate and exposed. Everyone around will see how far the king and his city will fall and be marveled at the emptiness. This contrast and progression can be seen even in the structure of the poetry as one commentary illustrated.

The Companion Bible: Being the Authorized Version of 1611 with the Structures and Notes, Critical, Explanatory and Suggestive and with 198 Appendixes Chapter 28

DESCRIPTION OF “THE KING”. (THE ANTITYPE.) (Introversion.)

t | –12, 13. His “wisdom” and “beauty”.

u | 14, 15–. The covering Cherub.

v | –15. His iniquity.

v | 16–. His sin.

u | –16. The covering Cherub.

t | 17–. His “wisdom” and “beauty”.

Yet it was not just because of Tyre’s sin that this was going to happen. The king and his city were to be a warning to all that would see the fall and destruction.

Ezekiel 28:18–19 (ESV)

By the multitude of your iniquities, in the unrighteousness of your trade you profaned your sanctuaries; so I brought fire out from your midst; it consumed you, and I turned you to ashes on the earth in the sight of all who saw you. All who know you among the peoples are appalled at you; you have come to a dreadful end and shall be no more forever.”

Ezekiel said to the king, you profaned your sanctuaries. The word translated profaned is the same word translated “cast you as a profane thing” in verse 16. It stresses taking what is holy and treating it as common. Sanctuaries could be a reference to the multitude of pagan worship sites the king of Tyre and others profaned. [LifeWay Adults (2021). Explore the Bible: Adult Leader Guide - ESV - Winter 2022. LifeWay Press.]

Again, this points to taking the blessings of God’s creation and misusing it for ungodly purposes. Gems and precious stones being used to decorate idols or trees being sculpted into totems. The worship of man created items from God’s created resources. All of it is to be destroyed and those who see it will be “appalled” at the destruction. Hopefully they would learn from Tyre’s mistakes and continue to serve or at least not neglect recognizing God’s plan for their lives and nations.

Ezekiel & Daniel Commentary

We learn that the celebration of his preeminence was the crux of his demise. His abuse of the very gifts of God caused his destruction. The king of Tyre had been created handsome, intelligent, and skillful, but he chose to preside over commercial practices laced with violence (28:16). The trade he sponsored trafficked in dishonesty (28:18), and infatuation with splendor itself corrupted his competence (28:17). These and other sins defiled Tyre’s “sanctuaries”—referring either to the actual defilement of her religious practices or to the king’s doings being thought of as sacred because they had been appointed by God. Tyre had prostituted the gifts of God and turned them into an occasion for hubris, a fatal mistake.

The last paragraph in the quarterly on page 51 has an excellent and condemning insight.

How could a nation that was so powerful and prominent fall? The problem of the nation was an issue of the human heart. The seeds that lead to a nation’s judgment come from the inside. Arrogance and selfish pride will lead to judgement by God. [LifeWay Adults (2021). Explore the Bible: Personal Study Guide - ESV - Winter 2022. LifeWay Press.]

This reminds me of a quote from Ruth Graham after a review of her husband's manuscript for his book, World Aflame. "If God doesn't soon bring judgment upon America, He'll have to go back and apologize to Sodom and Gomorrah!" - and Tyre.

The imagery of judgement however is contrasted with the opportunity for restoration and hope by the symbolism of the people of Israel returning from their captivity with Ezekiel in Babylon and other nations.

Ezekiel 28:25–26 ESV

“Thus says the Lord God: When I gather the house of Israel from the peoples among whom they are scattered, and manifest my holiness in them in the sight of the nations, then they shall dwell in their own land that I gave to my servant Jacob. And they shall dwell securely in it, and they shall build houses and plant vineyards. They shall dwell securely, when I execute judgments upon all their neighbors who have treated them with contempt. Then they will know that I am the Lord their God.”

God promised He would gather the house of Israel from the peoples among whom they are scattered. In 722 BC, the Assyrians conquered the Northern Kingdom of Israel and deported the population to various regions in the Assyrian empire (2 Kings 17:6). The Babylonians later had exiled part of the population of Judah, the Southern Kingdom, and soon would destroy Jerusalem and the temple (2 Kings 25:8-10). Throughout history, other smaller nations also had deported groups of God’s people into slavery (Amos 1:6,9).

God also promised He would manifest His holiness in them in the sight of the nations. The Hebrew word translated holiness fundamentally connotes the idea of separateness. God would separate His people for Himself when He gathered them from other nations. [LifeWay Adults (2021). Explore the Bible: Personal Study Guide - ESV - Winter 2022. LifeWay Press.]

Today we can see a portion of this verse manifested as the nation of Israel was once again recognized and separated from the surrounding countries in 1948. His “chosen people” have a significant portion of the land back to be separate from the adjacent nations. As believers in Christ, we to are to be in the world but not “of the world” (John 15:19). The fact that Jesus warns of this contrast helps reinforce Ezekiel’s warning message through the example of Tyre’s king. We are to be different enough that people around us notice it. We must be different and separate enough that our neighbors see and understand that “I AM the LORD their God” is true.

Apply the Text

The Teacher’s Bible Commentary Prophecies against Tyre and a Brief Fragment against Sidon (Ezek. 26:1–28:26)

Truth for today.—There is no security apart from a personal relationship with God. The spiritual factor in history is not as outwardly evident as the economic and political factors, but it works silently and surely. In the long run to have “much wealth but little soul” will cause any civilization to crumble.

There is always the temptation for a strong state to arrogate to itself absolute authority. This leads to usurping the place of God by declining to recognize an authority higher than its own. This is one of the greatest dangers of our day.

It is in God we find the power both to win and maintain inward serenity even in the face of seeming insecurity. God vindicates the individual who remains faithful to him regardless of the pressures brought by the ungodly forces of pride and greed.

Ezekiel spoke to the displaced people of Israel about a future hope of restoration to their homeland but only a few would accept that gracious gift when it became available.

Today, God’s grace remains available through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. We cannot merely say to God, “I’m sorry,” and then continue to live evil lives. Rather, through repentance and faith, we become children of God, and we demonstrate our relationship to Him by living holy lives (Rom. 2:4; 3:21-31). Seeking God’s grace requires us to recognize He is greater than we are. The Bible assures us that God resists the proud, but is ready to receive and extend grace to the humble (1 Pet. 5:5). [LifeWay Adults (2021). Explore the Bible: Personal Study Guide - ESV - Winter 2022. LifeWay Press.]

Related Media

Related Sermons