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Welcome
Pray
Understand the Context
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.]
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.”
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