Evil Forces-Satan/The Devil
The best explanation is that Ezekiel was describing Satan who was the true “king” of Tyre, the one motivating the human “ruler” of Tyre. Satan was in the Garden of Eden (Gen. 3:1–7), and his chief sin was pride (1 Tim. 3:6). He also had access to God’s presence (cf. Job 1:6–12). Speaking of God’s judging the human “ruler” of Tyre for his pride (Ezek. 28:1–10), the prophet lamented the satanic “king” of Tyre who was also judged for his pride (vv. 11–19). Tyre was motivated by the same sin as Satan, and would suffer the same fate.
Ezekiel described the beauty and perfection of Satan as God originally created him (vv. 12–15a). He was the model of perfection, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty. God did not create Satan as some prime minister of evil. As with all God’s Creation, Satan was a perfectly created being—one of the crowning achievements in God’s angelic realm.
Satan was given an exalted place; he was in Eden, the garden of God. Eden was the epitome of God’s beautiful Creation on earth (cf. Gen. 2:8–14). Satan’s beauty matched that of Eden: every precious stone adorned him. Ezekiel listed nine gemstones in describing Satan’s beauty. These were 9 of the 12 kinds of stones worn in the breastplate of Israel’s high priest (cf. Ex. 28:15–20; 39:10–13). The precious stones probably symbolized Satan’s beauty and high position.
God had anointed Satan as a guardian cherub (Ezek. 28:14). The cherubim (pl. of cherub) were the “inner circle” of angels who had the closest access to God and guarded His holiness (cf. 10:1–14). Satan also had free access to God’s holy mount (28:14), heaven, and he walked among the fiery stones (cf. v. 16). Some associate “the fiery stones” with the precious gems (v. 13), but the stones there were part of Satan’s attire whereas the stones in verses 14 and 16 were part of the abode where Satan dwelt. Others have identified the “fiery stones” with God’s fiery wall of protection (cf. Zech. 2:5). They see Satan dwelling inside or behind God’s outer defenses in the “inner courts” of heaven itself. This view is possible, and the word translated “among” (mitôk) can have the idea of “between” or “inside.” Whatever the exact identification, Ezekiel was stating that Satan had access to God’s presence.
As originally created by God, Satan was blameless … till wickedness was found in him (Ezek. 28:15) and he sinned (v. 16). The sin that corrupted Satan was self-generated. Created blameless, his sin was pride (1 Tim. 3:6) because of his beauty. Satan spoiled his wisdom because of his splendor (cf. Ethbaal’s similar problem, Ezek. 28:1–2, 5, 7). Satan’s pride led to his fall and judgment.
Though Ezekiel presented the fall of Satan as a single act, it actually occurred in stages. Satan’s initial judgment was his expulsion from the position of God’s anointed cherub before His throne. God expelled him from the mount of God (heaven, v. 16; cf. v. 14). Satan was cast from God’s government in heaven (cf. Luke 10:18) but was still allowed access to God (cf. Job 1:6–12; Zech. 3:1–2). In the Tribulation Satan will be cast from heaven and restricted to the earth (Rev. 12:7–13); in the Millennium he will be in the bottomless pit (Rev. 20:1–3); and after his brief release at the end of the Millennium (Rev. 20:7–9) he will be cast into the lake of fire forever (Rev. 20:10).
Ezekiel was comparing the human “prince” of Tyre and his satanic “king.” So Ezekiel used a word that could convey a broad meaning. Satan’s position in heaven involved broad contact with many elements of God’s creation much as the prince of Tyre’s position enabled him to contact many nations.
Though Ezekiel was describing the “ultimate” ruler of Tyre, Satan, the purpose of the lament was to speak of the city’s destruction. So he began to blend the characteristics of the satanic king with the human ruler. Satan would be cast to the earth (v. 17), and the king of Tyre would also be cast down before other kings, his enemies. Satan’s ultimate destiny will be the lake of fire (cf. Rev. 20:10), and the defeat and death of the human ruler of Tyre was pictured as being consumed by fire (Ezek. 28:18). Both Satan’s and Tyre’s defeats would shock those nations who had followed them. They would be appalled because of Satan’s and Tyre’s horrible end (cf. 27:35–36).