Gemstones: The Anointed Cherub in Eden: Understanding Ezekiel 28 – Part 1

[Study Aired December 30, 2025]

Introduction

Ezekiel 28 stands among the most layered and spiritually demanding passages in all of Scripture. Though often approached as a historical prophecy against the rulers of ancient Tyre, the chapter itself presses far beyond the limits of earthly kingship. It begins with a judgment against the prince of Tyre—a man whose heart was lifted up in pride—and then moves to a lamentation over the king of Tyre, described in language that transcends any merely human ruler. This second figure is said to have been in Eden, clothed with precious stones, anointed as a covering cherub, walking in the midst of stones of fire. Such language demands a spiritual reading, for it cannot be satisfied by historical circumstance alone.

Scripture instructs us that spiritual truths are not discerned by the natural mind, nor are eternal realities confined to what is outwardly seen:

“But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” (1 Corinthians 2:14)

“While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:18)

For this reason, Ezekiel 28 must be approached according to the pattern Scripture itself establishes—precept upon precept, line upon line, allowing God’s Word to interpret God’s Word:

“For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little.” (Isaiah 28:10)

When read in this way, the passage reveals not the fall of a celestial being (Satan), but a divinely ordered pattern concerning humanity itself. The king of Tyre is presented as an archetypal figure, describing man as he was created—complete for purpose, adorned with glory, yet natural and subject to vanity. This condition was not the result of an unforeseen failure, but of God’s sovereign design.

The apostle Paul states this plainly:

“For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope.” (Romans 8:20)

Humanity was created in a natural, earthy state—full of beauty and wisdom, yet vulnerable to pride and self-exaltation. This was not a fall from spiritual perfection, but the necessary first stage in God’s redemptive purpose. As Scripture declares, “that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual” (1 Corinthians 15:46).

Ezekiel 28 therefore serves as a revelation of this divine process. It exposes the nature of the first man, the carnal mind, and the pride inherent in external glory. At the same time, it points forward to God’s solution—judgment not unto destruction, but unto transformation; fire not to annihilate, but to refine; and the ultimate purpose of conforming humanity to the image of Christ, the Last Adam.

This study will examine the imagery of Eden, precious stones, gold, judgment, and the anointed cherub within the full witness of Scripture. By tracing these patterns from the Law to the Prophets and into their fulfillment in Christ, we will see that Ezekiel 28 reveals God’s wisdom in creating man natural, judging him righteously, and transforming him spiritually—bringing forth sons conformed to the image of His Son.

The Prince and King: Two Distinct Judgments

Ezekiel 28 deliberately separates its prophecy into two distinct addresses: one directed to the prince of Tyre and another to the king of Tyre. This distinction is essential, for the language, scope, and spiritual depth of each passage differ markedly. The prophet is not merely repeating himself; he is unveiling two related but distinct aspects of judgment—one temporal and one archetypal.

The judgment against the prince of Tyre addresses a man operating within the realm of earthly power. God declares:

“Son of man, say unto the prince of Tyrus, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thine heart is lifted up, and thou hast said, I am a God, I sit in the seat of God, in the midst of the seas; yet thou art a man, and not God, though thou set thine heart as the heart of God.” (Ezekiel 28:2)

Here, the emphasis is unmistakable: “thou art a man, and not God.” The prince represents human authority exercised in pride, wisdom corrupted by self-exaltation, and confidence rooted in prosperity rather than dependence upon God. His claim to divinity is not expressed through theology, but through posture— “I sit in the seat of God.” This is the carnal mind enthroning itself.

The prince’s wisdom, trade, and wealth become the instruments of his deception. His success persuades him that he is self-sufficient, blurring the boundary between creature and Creator. Scripture consistently identifies this progression: wisdom producing increase, increase fostering self-trust, and self-trust culminating in exaltation of self as God.

This pattern appears elsewhere in Scripture, most notably in the prophetic language spoken against Babylon:

“For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven… I will be like the most High.” (Isaiah 14:13–14)

It also finds expression in the apostolic warning concerning the man of sin:

“So that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.” (2 Thessalonians 2:4)

Scripture defines that temple clearly:

“Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you…?” (1 Corinthians 6:19)

The prince of Tyre therefore represents the old man—the carnal nature enthroned within the human vessel, asserting autonomy, wisdom, and authority apart from God. This is not merely a political problem; it is a spiritual condition shared by all humanity in its natural state.

God’s judgment upon the prince reflects this reality:

“Behold, therefore I will bring strangers upon thee… and they shall defile thy brightness.” (Ezekiel 28:7)

The very wisdom and splendour that elevated the prince become the means of his humiliation. His judgment takes place “in the midst of the seas,” a phrase Scripture interprets as peoples and multitudes (Revelation 17:15). He is brought down through the same system that once exalted him, revealing the futility of human glory rooted in commerce, influence, and self-rule.

The prophecy then shifts. No longer does God address the prince, but now commands a lamentation for the king of Tyre. The language immediately moves beyond earthly categories:

“Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty. Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God…” (Ezekiel 28:12–13)

Unlike the prince, the king is not addressed merely as a ruler among nations. He is placed in Eden. He is clothed with precious stones. He is described as created, anointed, and set by God. These details cannot be confined to a historical monarch, nor do they describe a contemporary political authority. The scope has expanded.

The transition from prince to king marks a movement from manifest pride to origin, from outward rule to inward condition, from present authority to foundational identity. The king of Tyre represents not a specific man, but man as he was created—humanity in its original, natural state, adorned with glory yet vulnerable to corruption.

Where the prince shows what the carnal mind becomes when exalted, the king reveals what the carnal nature is, even before judgment manifests openly. Together, the two figures form a complete picture: the prince displays the fruit, the king reveals the root.

This twofold structure is not accidental. It allows Scripture to reveal both the operation of pride in time and the origin of that pride in creation. The prince is judged for what he does; the king is lamented for what he is. The former is temporal and visible; the latter is archetypal and foundational.

Understanding this distinction is essential. Without it, Ezekiel 28 collapses into confusion. With it, the passage unfolds as a coherent revelation of humanity’s condition—created natural, elevated in beauty, corrupted through pride, and destined for judgment that leads not to annihilation, but to transformation.

The Anointed Cherub in Eden: Created Natural, Not Fallen

The lamentation over the king of Tyre introduces language that immediately transcends the realm of historical kingship. The figure described is said to have been in Eden, adorned with precious stones, created by God, and anointed as a covering cherub. Such imagery cannot be confined to a Phoenician ruler, nor does it describe a political office. Instead, Scripture draws our attention back to origins—to creation itself.

“Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty. Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God…” (Ezekiel 28:12–13)

These words describe completeness, beauty, and divine placement. Yet they also describe a created being—one brought forth by God, not eternal, not self-existent. The text states plainly that this figure was created, and that what followed unfolded according to God’s sovereign purpose.

For centuries, this passage has been misapplied to a supposed fall of Satan from heaven. However, Scripture itself does not support such a narrative. Christ declared unequivocally concerning the devil:

“He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth.” (John 8:44)

The adversary was not righteous and then corrupted; he was a murderer from the beginning. Likewise, God declares:

“I have created the waster to destroy.” (Isaiah 54:16)

These statements dismantle the idea of a pristine spiritual being who fell into evil. Instead, Scripture presents creation as proceeding according to divine intent, with each element formed for its purpose—including those instruments used in judgment and testing.

The anointed cherub in Ezekiel 28 therefore does not represent a fall from spiritual perfection, but humanity as it was created—complete for purpose, yet natural. Paul explains this foundational truth:

“For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope.” (Romans 8:20)

Humanity did not choose this condition; it was imposed by God Himself, and it was imposed in hope. The condition of vanity was not a curse resulting from divine failure, but a necessary stage in God’s redemptive design.

This is further clarified by the order Scripture establishes between the natural and the spiritual:

“Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.” (1 Corinthians 15:46)

The first man was created natural—earthy, visible, temporal. He was not created immortal, incorruptible, or spiritually complete. He was created fit for purpose as the first Adam.

The word translated “perfect” in Ezekiel 28:15 is the Hebrew tamim, meaning complete, whole, or sound. It does not mean morally flawless or spiritually finished. It describes something fully formed for its intended function. Adam was perfect in this sense—fully equipped as the natural man, lacking nothing required of the first creation. Yet that very completeness included susceptibility to pride, self-exaltation, and corruption.

This explains the statement:

“Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee.” (Ezekiel 28:15)

The iniquity was not implanted later by accident, nor did it arise from an unforeseen rebellion. It was found—brought to light, made manifest—according to God’s purpose. As Paul explains, creation was subjected to this condition so that deliverance might follow.

David acknowledged this reality when he wrote:

“Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.” (Psalm 51:5)

This is not a lament over inherited guilt from a fallen perfection, but an acknowledgement of humanity’s natural condition from the beginning. We are formed earthy, subject to corruption, dependent upon God for transformation.

The anointed cherub in Eden therefore represents humanity in its original state—placed in proximity to God’s glory, adorned with beauty and wisdom, yet natural and incomplete with respect to spiritual life. This condition was not an error to be corrected, but a foundation upon which God would build something greater.

Scripture confirms that the natural was never meant to remain:

“The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven.” (1 Corinthians 15:47)

Ezekiel 28 reveals this pattern in prophetic form. The cherub is created, adorned, and set by God—yet destined to pass through judgment, fire, and humbling so that what is natural might give way to what is spiritual. The passage does not describe a cosmic accident, but a divinely ordered process leading from the first Adam to the Last.

The Divine Pattern of Precious Stones: From Twelve to Nine to Twelve

The precious stones described in Ezekiel 28 are not ornamental details added for poetic effect. Scripture consistently uses stones as identifiers of people, covenantal order, and spiritual structure. When the stones of Ezekiel 28 are examined alongside the Law and the Revelation of Jesus Christ, a deliberate and progressive pattern emerges—one that reveals God’s purpose in moving humanity from the natural to the spiritual.

This pattern appears in three primary scriptural settings:

1. The high priest’s breastplate
2. The anointed cherub in Eden
3. The foundations of the New Jerusalem

Each setting reveals a different stage in God’s redemptive work.

The High Priest’s Breastplate — Twelve Stones Set in Gold

Under the Law, the high priest bore a breastplate containing twelve precious stones, each engraved with the name of a tribe of Israel:

“And thou shalt set in it settings of stones, even four rows of stones: the first row shall be a sardius, a topaz, and a carbuncle: this shall be the first row. And the second row shall be an emerald, a sapphire, and a diamond. And the third row a ligure, an agate, and an amethyst. And the fourth row a beryl, an onyx, and a jasper: they shall be set in gold in their inclosings” (Exodus 28:17-20).

These stones were not free-standing; they were set in gold. The tribes were carried before God externally, upon the breastplate, mediated through priestly service. This arrangement represents Israel after the flesh—chosen, ordered, and adorned, yet still natural and dependent upon an external system of righteousness.

The numerical pattern is instructive. Twelve stones combined with gold (13) form a composite picture that Scripture elsewhere associates with rebellion and insufficiency. Israel served twelve years, but rebelled in the thirteenth (Genesis 14:4). The flesh, even when placed within a divinely appointed structure, cannot bring forth spiritual life. External glory does not resolve internal corruption.

The breastplate therefore reveals the limitation of outward religion: beauty without transformation, order without life.

The Anointed Cherub in Eden — Nine Stones and Gold

The description of the anointed cherub introduces a significant change:

“Every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold.” (Ezekiel 28:13)

Unlike the breastplate, only nine stones are named. Gold is still present, but no longer merely as a setting—it stands alongside the stones. This shift is deliberate.

Throughout Scripture, the number nine is consistently associated with judgment, completeness of testimony, and chastening. The pre-flood patriarchs lived into their nine hundreds and then died. Israel was judged after nine years under Hosea (2 Kings 17). Judgment reaches its fullness before transition occurs.

Here, nine stones plus gold form a new composite picture: completion of the natural man (10) under judgment (9). This is no longer rebellion through external religion, but refinement through exposure and testing. Gold, representing what is of God, is no longer merely framing the stones; it is being refined with them.

This corresponds precisely with Scripture’s teaching:

“For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth… For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby” (Hebrews 12:6, 10-11).

The anointed cherub is not glorified; he is being prepared. The stones serve as covering, but that covering is temporary. Judgment is underway, to begin the destruction of the carnal mind and to bring the natural man to completion so that transformation may follow.

“It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father’s wife. And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you. For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed, In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.” (1 Corinthians 5:1-8)

The Foundations of the New Jerusalem — Twelve Stones Alone

The final appearance of precious stones occurs in Revelation:

“And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald; the fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolyte; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst” (Revelation 21:19-20).

Here, twelve stones appear once more—but with a crucial distinction. They are no longer a covering. They are no longer set in gold. They are foundations.

The text explains their identity:

“And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.” (Revelation 21:14)

This is no longer Israel after the flesh, nor humanity under judgment. This is the completed spiritual structure—God’s dwelling place with man. The divine nature once symbolized by gold has been fully internalized. There is no external framework because no separation remains.

The progression is unmistakable:

Breastplate: Stones externally set in gold

Cherub: Stones serving as temporary covering alongside gold

City: Stones themselves become the foundation

What was external becomes internal. What was decorative becomes structural. What once adorned now supports.

The Pattern Reveals God’s Purpose

This progression reveals God’s intent from the beginning. Humanity was never meant to remain externally adorned but internally transformed. The natural man must pass through judgment so that the divine nature may be fully integrated.

Paul describes this transformation plainly:

“If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature.” (2 Corinthians 5:17)

The stones of Ezekiel 28 therefore belong to a process, not a final state. They testify that God works through stages—natural glory, judgment, and spiritual completion. The anointed cherub stands between the breastplate and the city, between shadow and substance, between the first Adam and the Last.

This pattern prepares us for what follows: the role of judgment, fire, and refinement in bringing forth what is eternal.

Gold: The Divine Element Through Judgment

Gold occupies a unique place in Scripture. Unlike base metals, it does not corrode, decay, or lose its substance under pressure. For this reason, gold consistently represents what is most precious, enduring, and incorruptible in God’s sight. When Scripture speaks of gold in connection with fire, it is revealing not destruction, but refinement.

The first mention of gold establishes this principle:

“And the gold of that land is good.” (Genesis 2:12)

Gold is declared “good” not because it is untouched by fire, but because it can endure fire without being consumed. This enduring quality makes gold an apt symbol of what is of God—what remains when all that is corruptible is removed.

God’s law reveals how purification works:

“Only the gold, and the silver… everything that may abide the fire, ye shall make it go through the fire, and it shall be clean.” (Numbers 31:22–23)

Fire does not destroy gold; it exposes and removes what is not gold. This principle governs God’s work in humanity. Judgment is not arbitrary punishment but a necessary process through which what is false is consumed and what is true is revealed.

The prophets consistently describe God’s judgment in these terms:

“And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The LORD is my God” (Zechariah 13:9)

“But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ soap: And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness” (Malachi 3:2–3)

The fire of God is purposeful, measured, and redemptive. It is applied not to annihilate, but to prepare a people capable of offering righteousness.

This refining fire is not external only; it works inwardly. Peter makes this clear:

“That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.” (1 Peter 1:7-9)

Faith itself is refined through trial, just as gold is refined through heat. The outward affliction corresponds to an inward transformation.

This is precisely the context in which gold appears in Ezekiel 28. Gold is listed alongside the precious stones of the anointed cherub—not as ornamentation, but as an element undergoing refinement. The cherub’s judgment culminates in a striking declaration:

“Therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of thee; it shall devour thee.” (Ezekiel 28:18)

The fire originates from within. This is not foreign destruction imposed from without, but internal purification. The same principle appears in the apostolic witness:

“Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire.” (1 Corinthians 3:13)

The fire tests works, not identity. What cannot endure is consumed; what is of God remains. Even when loss occurs, salvation is not negated:

“If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.” (1 Corinthians 3:14-15)

Judgment, then, is not God’s abandonment of the creature, but His commitment to transformation. It is the means by which pride is humbled, self-exaltation is burned away, and true substance is revealed.

This is why Christ counsels the church of Laodicea:

“I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire.” (Revelation 3:18)

The church lacked nothing outwardly, yet possessed nothing enduring inwardly. Gold tried in fire is not acquired through prosperity or knowledge, but through submission to God’s refining work.

The anointed cherub’s experience reflects this same reality. The gold that once adorned now enters the fire. What was external is drawn inward. What was merely covering is tested to determine what can endure.

God’s judgment is therefore not contrary to His love; it is the expression of it:

“For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth.” (Hebrews 12:6)

The purpose is not punishment, but participation—“that we might be partakers of his holiness” (Hebrews 12:10). Fire produces purity, and purity prepares for communion.

Gold, when refined, loses nothing of its nature—only what was never truly gold. Likewise, judgment removes what is carnal, leaving what is of God intact. Through this process, the natural man reaches completion, making way for spiritual transformation.

The fire that refines gold is the same fire that prepares living stones to become a spiritual house. It is the fire that consumes pride, trafficked religion, and self-will, while revealing faith, obedience, and truth. This refining work stands at the center of God’s purpose, bridging the natural and the spiritual, the first Adam and the Last.

The Book of Joel – Chapter 3:4-6

[Study Aired October 5^th 24]

The previous three verses of Joel Chapter 3 repeated our Lord’s seemingly endless plea and biblical theme for his wife, Old Israel and spiritually his incipient Bride, today, to reflect upon the dry bones scattered at their feet in the Valley of Jehoshaphat. That valley’s name is the same site named Armageddon, a name that strikes fear and mystery in the hearts of all Babylonian Christians. It is a place where all unbelievers are slaughtered because of Viles containing The Seven Plagues and The Seven Bowls of God’s Wrath, as seen in Rev 15 and 16. The last verse of Rev 16:16 is the only place in the Bible where that inscrutable and terrifying name, Armageddon, appears,

And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.

The unnerving scriptural imagery of the result of the Vials containing the Seven Last Plagues and Seven Bowls of God’s Wrath is too chilling for the “fearful” to dwell upon.

1Jn 4:17  Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is [understanding all the mysteries of God], so are we in this world. 
1Jn 4:18  There is no fear in love [understanding Christ’s truth and living by it]; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.

The Valley of Megiddo is a measly 380 square km that equally incomprehensibly contains the billions of humanities not found in the Book of Life in the First Resurrection. Consequently, it is relatively easy to imagine their blood running to the depth of a horse’s bridle. Historically, with the major battles fought in that valley, no wonder the soil is fertile today—it is highly symbolic of them being food to enrich us.

Num 14:9  Only rebel not ye against the LORD, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defence is departed from them, and the LORD is with us: fear them not.

Psa 106:24  Yea, they despised the pleasant land, they believed not his word:

The Bride of Christ is losing her fear of Armageddon because she alone is given the understanding of the mysteries and is given to use the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven (Mat 16:19). Her “fear” is converted into the most profound honour and respect in walking in her Husband’s every commandment in honour and glory and worship for the headship in and of the Father. She, today, is experiencing the vials of God’s wrath in personalised plagues as she fills up behind the afflictions of Christ. Her startling realisation is that the Seven Last Plagues are for her alone. She, the Elect of God, is pouring out the seven last plagues upon herself, in the same way, the Elect “show [are showing] the things to the Elect“. As seen here in Rev 17:1,

AND there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters:

The Elect of God come out of the sea, the “many waters” of humanity represented as Babylon the Great, the Great Whore and mother of harlots. After the Elect shows these things to herself, the Body of Christ, this is what we all do:

Rev 19:10 And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy [Babylon, the Great Whore that we are becoming less, once didn’t have the testimony of Jesus and worshipped another Jesus].

Rev 22:6 And he said unto me, These sayings are faithful and true: and the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his angel to shew unto his servants the things which must shortly be done.
Rev 22:7 Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book.
Rev 22:8 And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which shewed me these things.
Rev 22:9 Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book [Rev 1:3]: worship God.

And so, instead of rolling our eyes at being told that we have been a whore represented as Tyre, Zidon, Egypt, Sodom and Old Jerusalem, our wide eyes eagerly see that these dry bones in the Valley of Jehoshaphat are ourselves dying (a process) to our sins at the hands of our brothers and sisters, the Elect of God.

Overview:

Joe 3:4  Yea, and what have ye to do with me, O Tyre, and Zidon, and all the coasts of Palestine? will ye render me a recompence? and if ye recompense me, swiftly and speedily will I return your recompence upon your own head; 
Joe 3:5  Because ye have taken my silver and my gold, and have carried into your temples my goodly pleasant things: 
Joe 3:6  The children also of Judah and the children of Jerusalem have ye sold unto the Grecians, that ye might remove them far from their border. 

Significations:

The key to this episode in the study of Joel, beginning in verse 3, is our Lord’s three opening questions,

Yea, and [1] what have ye to do with me, O Tyre, and Zidon, and all the coasts of Palestine? [2] will ye render me a recompence? and if ye recompense me, swiftly and speedily[3] will I return your recompence upon your own head; 

The two cities of Tyre and Sidon were delegated to the tribe of Asher to conquer when Israel settled in the promised land. The tribe of Asher, however, disobeyed God when they found Tyre and Sidon well “fortified” (Joshua 19:29) and submitted to their perceived greater strength than the Lord’s. Subsequently, Tyre and Sidon, both unconquered pagan cities, were thorns in the side of Israel who became intrigued by their gods:

Jdg 10:6  And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD, and served Baalim, and Ashtaroth, and the gods of Syria, and the gods of Zidon [Sidon = hunting 1. ancient Phoenician city, on Mediterranean coast north of Tyre], and the gods of Moab, and the gods of the children of Ammon, and the gods of the Philistines, and forsook the LORD, and served not him.

Since Israel didn’t dispatch Tyre, Zidon and the coasts of Palestine and entirely cast out all the giants of her inheritance as the Lord requested, he acidulously mocks them with that first question, “What have you to do with me?” ~ effectively saying that ‘you have humiliatingly rejected my kisses for you, my harlot wife, and demonstrated that you don’t care one jot for my word, so, what do I owe you? Since you are profoundly sure of your (self) righteousness, you must be confident in giving me a swift answer to null my ignorance of your Queen Vashti-like beauty and rulership, and what to me might that glorious benefit be?’ Well, and for the much later Bride of Christ’s glorious hindsight, Old Israel was replaced by her since the Bride was given to enthusiastically receive her Lord’s kisses of spiritual understanding, knowing that her enchantment of him would further unite her.

Job 38:1  Then the LORD answered Job [Israel – you and I] out of the whirlwind, and said,
Job 38:2  Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge? 
Job 38:3  Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I will demand of thee, and answer thou me. 

Mat 11:20  Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not: 
Mat 11:21  Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.
Mat 11:22  But I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you. 
Mat 11:23  And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. 
Mat 11:24  But I say unto you, That it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee.

Mat 10:14  And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet.
Mat 10:15  Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city.

What the Lord is saying in Joel 3:4 is that had the people of pagan Tyre, Zidon, Chorazin, Bethsaida and Capernaum been given the Lord’s commandments, their immense passion for seeking nation-building knowledge, wisdom and illusive moral standing was a greater passion than what Israel had for their Lord’s Commandments! Israel rejected her husband’s wisdom and laws that would ultimately lead to eternal life, the very thing the Sodomites and cities of the plain equally sort with like intensity! Hence, ‘It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment, than for that city, Israel’.

Exo 32:9  And the LORD said unto Moses, I have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiffnecked people:
Exo 32:10  Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them: and I will make of thee a great nation.

Act 7:51  Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.

A “recompense” H1576 means a ‘dealing’ or a ‘benefit’ to ‘requite God’s wrath. We, having insisted upon eating our own doctrinally kneaded bread, find more palatable than his “light bread” he now demands we give an acknowledgement of our sins, and his tone is one venting from eyes like flames of fire (Rev 19:11-12).

Subsequently, the answer to the Lord’s third question in Joel 3:4 is acidly rhetorical. “… will I return your recompense upon your own head?” ~ A resounding ‘YES’, he will return what Israel has sown to herself upon her own head! Because Israel didn’t route all the pagans out of her land, she is now reaping a harvest of pain and suffering that will ‘requite God’s wrath’ as it does with his chastisements upon our like disobedience for his goodness towards us and our subsequent acknowledgement and repentance!

Gal 6:7  Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
Gal 6:8  For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the spirit reap life everlasting.

Israel, like the Athenians, Greeks and Sodomites, intrinsically lusts for God-like wisdom by their standards to toss intellectualised debate back and forth for self-elevation and status among their peers. People love to be the first to discover an outstanding new insight by which they can academically debate and win an argument against the nobility. It is precisely what Christianity does today with its 40,000-plus disputing doctrines and more ‘acidly’ pointing at the Bride herself for any lingering spiritual disjointedness; worse, that sniping at a fellow Saint should ensue.

Act 17:16-23  Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry.
Act 17:17  Therefore disputed he in the synagogue with the Jews, and with the devout persons, and in the market daily with them that met with him.
Act 17:18  Then certain philosophers of the Epicureans, and of the Stoicks, [colloquially speaking, people who love to grandstand ( G4770 – “a portico”) a debate and brawl a concept and be puffed up and bowed to as wise], encountered him. And some said, What will this babbler say? other some, He seemeth to be a setter forth of strange gods: because he preached unto them Jesus, and the resurrection.
Act 17:19  And they took him, and brought him unto Areopagus, saying, May we know what this new doctrine, whereof thou speakest, is? 
Act 17:20  For thou bringest certain strange things to our ears: we would know therefore what these things mean.
Act 17:21  (For all the Athenians and strangers which were there spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell, or to hear some new thing.)
Act 17:22  Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars’ hill, and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious. 
Act 17:23  For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you.

Eph 2:18  For through him we both have access by one spirit unto the Father.

Joe 3:5  Because ye have taken my silver and my gold, and have carried into your temples my goodly pleasant things: 
Joe 3:6  The children also of Judah and the children of Jerusalem have ye sold unto the Grecians, that ye might remove them far from their border. 

A “Grecian” (H3125 1. Grecian, Ionian) is a person from Greece, a Greek and its associated Mediterranean Islands. Classically, they are known in the H1121 equivalence as “mire” and “wine” (from H3196) and representative of being a “grandson member of a group”, suggesting the intrinsic habit of sitting around being drunk in the mire of their academic doctrinal disputes and never coming to the truth of God! Melbourne, Australia, where I live, has up to 400,000 Australians with Greek ancestry. Thus, it has the largest Greek population outside of Greece, and I notice the Epicurian habit of “old” (“grandsons”) Greek men sitting around at shopping centres, drinking short black coffee deep in debate, much as I suspect they did for ‘eternity’ (… and ogling the women with equal Epicurian leers).

Thus, and as demonstrated in 2 Tim 3:7, the Grecians represent the world’s, Israel’s and particularly our former propensity for,

Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.

1Co 1:20  Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? 
1Co 1:21  For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.
1Co 1:22  For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom:
1Co 1:23  But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; 
1Co 1:24  But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.
1Co 1:25  Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

Isa 56:9  All ye beasts of the field, come to devour, yea, all ye beasts in the forest.
Isa 56:10  His watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber. 
Isa 56:11  Yea, they are greedy dogs which can never have enough, and they are shepherds that cannot understand: they all look to their own way, every one for his gain, from his quarter.
Isa 56:12  Come ye, say they, I will fetch wine, and we will fill ourselves with strong drink; and tomorrow shall be as this day, and much more abundant.

Our traditional Babylonian Christian focus is to point at the evil of others and thus unconsciously cloud our understanding that the primary point of a matter should lie at our feet. Subsequently, the exploits of the men of Sodom are almost always overly represented as homosexual. However, that confusing act against the order of God’s headship has a more profound spiritual connection.

Gen 19:5  And they called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where are the men which came in to thee this night? bring them out unto us, that we may know them.

For us, knowing that ‘first comes the natural (in this case ironically unnatural) and then the spiritual’, the Sodomite’s lust to “know” the Angels of the Lord tremendously amplified their Grecian/Epicurean-like enthusiasm to get first-hand knowledge from the very gods themselves! What an incredible opportunity! Hence, the Sodomites, sitting at the known world’s crossroads of commerce and Epicurean-like knowledge and wisdom, had an incredible thirst to “know” (H3045) the Angels in the natural academically, as a heterosexual man righteously ‘knows’ (H3045) his wife, as did Adam with Eve. While ‘knowing’ another man sexually is in accordance with the meaning of H3045, is an abomination to the Lord and ‘his Christs’; the primary point of “knowing” another person is to represent Christ’s Bride “knowing” Him spiritually.

In the opening verses of The Song of Solomon, the Shulamite, representing the Bride of Christ, utterly turns on its head the world’s insatiable worship of women, where she, the Bride, worships Christ, her husband. (That act of a wife in a physical marriage symbolically worshipping her husband in all that she does, rather than having her husband fawn on her every need, would solve almost all bitter marital disputes and 100% of accursed marital difficulties if both parties are Christs).

Son 1:2  Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth: for thy love is better than wine.
Son 1:3  Because of the savour of thy good ointments thy name is as ointment poured forth, therefore do the virgins [Joints in the Bride of Christ] love thee.
Son 1:4  Draw me, we will run after thee: the king hath brought me into his chambers: we will be glad and rejoice in thee, we will remember thy love more than wine: the upright love thee.

Of course, Lot did the degenerate act of presenting his daughters to the Sodomites. However, the Sodomites already knew every detail about a woman’s sensuality, effectively stating (and particularly to our former selves) that the world’s churches (“another Jesus” 2 Cor 11:4) bored them, whereas these new and exciting ideologies these ‘gods’ opportunistically dumped into their laps were too good to reject! Thus the Sodomite’s lecherous desires had to be satiated with this new philosophy, and our Lord designed their debauched ways to represent our lust for any new and more sensual doctrinal ideology that we likewise lustily have to “know“!

Lev 18:22  Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination.
Lev 18:23  Neither shalt thou lie with any beast to defile thyself therewith: neither shall any woman stand before a beast to lie down thereto: it is confusion.
Lev 18:24  Defile not ye yourselves in any of these things: for in all these the nations are defiled which I cast out before you:
Lev 18:25  And the land [we are] is defiled: therefore I do visit the iniquity thereof upon it, and the land itself vomiteth out her inhabitants.
Lev 18:26  Ye shall therefore keep my statutes and my judgments, and shall not commit any of these abominations; neither any of your own nation, nor any stranger that sojourneth among you:
Lev 18:27  (For all these abominations have the men of the land done, which were before you, and the land is defiled;)
Lev 18:28  That the land spue not you out also, when ye defile it, as it spued out the nations that were before you.
Lev 18:29  For whosoever shall commit any of these abominations, even the souls that commit them shall be cut off from among their people.
Lev 18:30  Therefore shall ye keep mine ordinance, that ye commit not any one of these abominable customs, which were committed before you, and that ye defile not yourselves therein: I am the LORD your God.

Hence, and as seen in Joel 3:3, Israel sneered at her Lord’s word and sorted the more sensual Aholah and Aholibah-Epicurean lusts, thus disastrously casting lots for (gambling) the truth,

And they have cast lots for my people; and have given a boy for an harlot, and sold a girl for wine, that they might drink. 

Such was and is the world without Christ’s commandments. Abominable confusion results in the forms of “knowing” all and any sexual intimacy with any living man or beast of any interchangeable gender, Angels included, the very gods themselves having come to Sodom, delivering the imagined holy grail of knowledge and wisdom!

Since Israel, like Sodom, insisted upon “knowing’ every other ideology, especially ones of ‘unknown gods’, the Lord vexatiously demanded of Israel in Joel 3:4,

Yea, and what have ye to do with me, O Tyre, and Zidon, and all the coasts of Palestine? will ye render me a recompence? and if ye recompense me, swiftly and speedily will I return your recompence upon your own head [?];

Thus, the spiritual mirroring of “knowing” someone sexually is to be intimately acquainted with every detail of their mind and body, just as Solomon at Christ’s hand penned the creation of the Shulamite in “The Song of Solomon, which is Solomon’s”, meaning, Christ’s song of anticipation for the spiritual pattern of the heavenly, his Bride, “knowing” every detail about him. But, no, and by the act of “knowing”, mankind would rather worship women who broadly represent every other deviation from Christ’s truth by us falsely “knowing” them as we would righteously “know” one’s wife. How?

Eph 5:25  Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
Eph 5:26  That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 
Eph 5:27  That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
Eph 5:28  So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.

Hence, the act of a physical husband ‘knowing‘ his wife, his OWN FLESH’s every jot and title detail, and she in equal enthusiasm his, in righteous spiritual inspection, she is worshipping Christ, her husband by that Shulamite-like eagerness and so, too is her carnal husband in order of headship. It all represents the Church, the wife worshipping her husband, Christ..

Eze 33:13 When I shall say to the righteous, that he shall surely live; if he trust to his own righteousness, and commit iniquity, all his righteousnesses shall not be remembered; but for his iniquity that he hath committed, he shall die for it.

Pro 9:9  Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach [H3045 – “know”] a just man, and he will increase in learning. 

Ecc 8:16  When I applied mine heart to know [H3045] wisdom, and to see the business that is done upon the earth: (for also there is that neither day nor night seeth sleep with his eyes:)

Mar 12:30  And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.

Joe 3:5  Because ye have taken my silver and my gold, and have carried into your temples my goodly pleasant things:

Since, formally, we have magically twisted our Lord’s silver and gold, representing his righteous word, hammered into an image to increase our physical and unrighteous spiritual wealth, how do we answer our Lord for the “recompense” he demands?

God owns all the silver and gold; they represent his righteousness.

Hag 2:8  The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the LORD of hosts. 
Hag 2:9  The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, saith the LORD of hosts: and in this place will I give peace, saith the LORD of hosts.

Eze 7:19 They shall cast their silver in the streets, and their gold shall be removed: their silver and their gold [Their false doctrines] shall not be able to deliver them in the day of the wrath of the LORD: they shall not satisfy their souls, neither fill their bowels: because it is the stumblingblock of their iniquity. 

Gentile Christian’s false doctrines representing their imagined silver and gold, which were our very same doctrines, are a stumbling block and an iniquity. In fact, anything different to God’s word is iniquity and a stumbling block since, at that point, it blocks the truth of correlating scriptures, and the entire ‘lump’ of the Bible becomes corrupty leavened (Gal 5:9. 1 Cor 5:6).

Eze 14:3 Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their heart, and put the stumblingblock of their iniquity before their face: should I be enquired of at all by them? 

… is the same as the Lord in Joel 3:4 asking, “… what have ye to do with me, O Tyre, and Zidon, and all the coasts of Palestine?”

An “idol in the heart” is a false doctrine, a stumbling block of iniquity, which the Lord will not tolerate. 

Isa 42:8 I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images [false doctrines].

God will not give his glory to a Gentile Christian who was all of us when we, the symbolic treacherous Judah, the priests of God, were in far worse error.

Mat 22:12  And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless.
Mat 22:13  Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Mat 22:14  For many are called, but few are chosen.

The Lord answers his own question, “… what have ye to do with me, O Tyre, and Zidon, and all the coasts of Palestine?” in Joel 3:4 with Joel 3:6, he says,

The children also of Judah and the children of Jerusalem have ye sold unto the Grecians, that ye might remove them far from their border. 

The act of Israel selling her unconquered self in the form of Tyre and Zidon, who in the time of Joshua’s wars should have utterly destroyed those heathen nations, she has now sold her Lord’s righteousness for the fascinating academic philosophies of the Greeks! Such is Israel’s and our former hatred for Christ’s Commandments. And, now, today, approaching 2025, the Gentile Christian nations seem to be in the final stages of selling their imagined remaining spiritual sight of God’s word (Rom 11:25) to the very same people as did Israel, with the perceived Sodomite-like intelligence whose governance is fast enslaving the world! Subsequently, and today, the Christian world has sold all the remains of their alleged spiritual wealth to Tyre, increasing the wealth of modern greater Babylon, the world. It won’t be long before the Bible will be assigned to misinformation and disinformation so that all of Christ’s truth will be ‘removed far from our borders’.

Rom 11:25  For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.
Rom 11:26  And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion [“a parched place” of God’s word] the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:
Rom 11:27  For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.
Rom 11:28  As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers’ sakes.
Rom 11:29  For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.
Rom 11:30  For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief:
Rom 11:31  Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy. 
Rom 11:32  For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all. 

Rev 6:5  And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand.
Rev 6:6  And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine.
Rev 6:7  And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see.
Rev 6:8  And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.

In these apparent ‘latter days’ before the outward return of Christ, and by all news accounts, personal experience and observations, it appears that our physical food will become scarce. Its spiritual meaning is that God’s word will be very difficult to acquire since the world’s hatred of Christ will make it an offence to speak his name without being hauled off to stand before judges and kings of authority. However, the Lord’s “little flock” retain the “oil and wine” of spiritual understanding hidden in their hearts where no man can rob, or moths devour.

Rev 2:9  I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan. 
Rev 2:10  Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. 

Although inwardly, we are in and out of prison all the time in a struggle to keep Christ’s commandments, there is every likelihood that it will happen physically for some of the Elect to stand before a glowering magistrate as witnesses against this world and possibly be thrown in prison among the vilest of people.

Rom 7:23  But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.

Zec 9:11  As for thee also, by the blood of thy covenant I have sent forth thy prisoners out of the pit wherein is no water. 

And so, the narration of Israel in the Book of Joel, is mirroring us and our insatiable acts of seeking every spiritual Epicurean sensuality imaginable beyond the borders of our former coastline’s estate in Christ for the ‘water’ and ‘bread’ of another Jesus. And next week, Lord willing, we will see what Christ’s answer is to his questions, “… will ye render me a recompence? and if ye recompense me, swiftly and speedily will I return your recompence upon your own head [?]

Ezekiel 28:1-26 The Judgment of the Prince of Tyre

Introduction

[Study Aired August 19, 2024]

Today’s study is about the resources the Lord has given the Prince of Tyre which had made him bask in pride. As a result, the Prince of Tyre shall surely be destroyed through the Lord’s judgment. The study also focuses on Tyre’s neighbor, Sidon and her destruction. Finally, the study ends with a promise of restoration of the people of Israel who in this case represents the Lord’s elect. 

In order to understand what the Lord is sharing with us today, we need to know who the Prince of Tyre represents spiritually. That will make it easier to know the mind of Christ concerning today’s study. As we are aware, it is the spirit that gives life, the flesh profits nothing.  

Joh 6:63  It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. 

In the previous study, we mentioned that Tyre spiritually is the same as Babylon. Therefore, the Prince of Tyre is the same as the Prince of Babylon. One key characteristic of both is their pride which makes them think that they are like God to be worshiped. Indeed, it is because all humanity worships them that makes them think they have the same status as God.

Eze 28:2  Son of man, say unto the prince of Tyrus, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thine heart is lifted up, and thou hast said, I am a God, I sit in the seat of God, in the midst of the seas; yet thou art a man, and not God, though thou set thine heart as the heart of God: 

Isa 14:13  For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: 
Isa 14:14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. 

Rev 13:8  And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.  

However, the Lord is saying that they are mere men or flesh and not spirit. Being flesh means that the King of Tyre and that of Babylon all represent our old man or flesh.

Isa 31:3  Now the Egyptians are men, and not God; and their horses flesh, and not spirit. When the LORD shall stretch out his hand, both he that helpeth shall fall, and he that is holpen shall fall down, and they all shall fail together. 

Psa 9:19  Arise, O LORD; let not man prevail: let the heathen be judged in thy sight. 
Psa 9:20 Put them in fear, O LORD: that the nations may know themselves to be but men. Selah. 

This chapter we are reviewing today is what the false apostles in Babylon used to make us believe the false doctrine that Satan was created a perfect angel of the Lord, who later rebelled against the Lord. These verses are as follows:

Eze 28:13  Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created. 
Eze 28:14  Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. 
Eze 28:15  Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee.
Eze 28:16  By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire. 
Eze 28:17 Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee.  

They try to support this assertion by referring to the Book of Isaiah as follows:

Isa 14:12  How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! 
Isa 14:13  For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: 
Isa 14:14  I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. 
Isa 14:15 Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit. 

These verses have nothing to do with Satan. They refer to our old man or flesh. Lucifer means light-bringer or shining one, and it is not another name for Satan. As we review this chapter, we shall see why our old man is called a light bringer or shining one. 

The Pride of the Prince of Tyre

Eze 28:1  The word of the LORD came again unto me, saying, 
Eze 28:2  Son of man, say unto the prince of Tyrus, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thine heart is lifted up, and thou hast said, I am a God, I sit in the seat of God, in the midst of the seas; yet thou art a man, and not God, though thou set thine heart as the heart of God: 
Eze 28:3 Behold, thou art wiser than Daniel; there is no secret that they can hide from thee: 

As indicated in the previous study, the word of the Lord coming to Ezekiel in verse 1, who represents the Lord’s elect, means the unveiling of the mystery of the kingdom of God to us, His elect. 

Eph 3:1  For this reason I, Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles— 
Eph 3:2  assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace that was given to me for you, 
Eph 3:3  how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly. 
Eph 3:4  When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, 
Eph 3:5 which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. (ESV)

As indicated, the Prince of Tyre represents our old man or flesh. In verse 2, the fact that he sits as God in the midst of the seas means he dominates the sea of humanity. What controls every man is the demands of his flesh or old man which receives his power through the devil.

Rev 13:4  And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?

Why does the old man or flesh think he is like God? The fact that everyone born of the flesh submits to his rule makes our flesh proud, thinking that he is God. In addition, the false doctrine of this world and of Babylon that everyone has his or her own free will and does whatever he or she pleases makes us assume the role of God, who alone does what He pleases. No man has a freewill. 

2Th 2:3  Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; 
2Th 2:4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. 

Rom 9:15  For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. 
Rom 9:16  So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy. 

In verse 3, the Lord is rhetorically saying that our old man thinks he is wiser than the Lord’s elect, symbolized here by Daniel. When we are dominated by the flesh, we think we are wiser than the Lord’s elect. Our old man is the epitome of the wisdom of this world. However, this wisdom is of the earth, sensual and devilish.

1Co 3:18  Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise. 
1Co 3:19  For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness. 
1Co 3:20  And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain. 
1Co 3:21 Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours; 

Jas 3:15  This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.
Jas 3:16  For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. 
Jas 3:17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. 

In verse 3, we are also told that our old man thinks there is no secret hidden from him. Our old man is totally in darkness regarding being given to understand the mysteries of the kingdom of the Lord. It is our new man created in righteousness that is endowed with wisdom from above with no secret hidden from him. 

Eph 4:24  And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

Col 3:10  And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:

Eze 28:4  With thy wisdom and with thine understanding thou hast gotten thee riches, and hast gotten gold and silver into thy treasures: 
Eze 28:5 By thy great wisdom and by thy traffick hast thou increased thy riches, and thine heart is lifted up because of thy riches: 

We know that it is not through our wisdom and understanding that we get riches into our treasures – silver and gold. The silver and gold therefore in this case represent worldly riches. The positive application of silver and gold refers to the truth of the word of the Lord which is given not through human wisdom but through being called and chosen before the foundations of the world. Verse 5 also shows us that it is also through trafficking, that is, peddling or trading, that our flesh becomes enriched or resourced which causes us to become proud. We know that the love of money or desiring to become rich is the source of all evil. This implies that our old man is the source of all evil within us.

1Ti 6:9  But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.
1Ti 6:10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

Eze 28:6  Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thou hast set thine heart as the heart of God; 
Eze 28:7  Behold, therefore I will bring strangers upon thee, the terrible of the nations: and they shall draw their swords against the beauty of thy wisdom, and they shall defile thy brightness. 
Eze 28:8 They shall bring thee down to the pit, and thou shalt die the deaths of them that are slain in the midst of the seas. 

As indicated earlier, our old man thinks that he is God as he is worshiped by every human being. In addition, it is only God who makes His own decisions. The false doctrine that we make our own decisions causes us to assume the role of God which is blasphemy. As a result, our old man must face judgment. As shown below, our old man devises his way, but it is the Lord who directs  everything that he has created including the devil.

Pro 16:9  A man’s heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps.  

Here in verse 7, the Lord is using the sword as His instrument of judgment to destroy our old man. Strangers drawing their sword means every man’s sword shall be against us as people oppose us and speak bitter words to us. That is the negative application of the sword. 

Psa 64:2  Hide me from the secret counsel of the wicked; from the insurrection of the workers of iniquity: 
Psa 64:3  Who whet their tongue like a sword, and bend their bows to shoot their arrows, even bitter words: 

Eze 38:21 And I will call for a sword against him throughout all my mountains, saith the Lord GOD: every man’s sword shall be against his brother.

Jdg 7:22 And the three hundred [men with Gideon] blew the trumpets, and the LORD set every man’s sword against his fellow, even throughout all the host [of the Midianites]: and the host fled to Bethshittah in Zererath, and to the border of Abelmeholah, unto Tabbath.

The judgment of the Lord will result in bringing down into the pit our old man as he dies the death of them that are slain in the midst of the seas. Being slain in the midst of the seas means that our old man shall die through the agency of humanity (sea of flesh). This happens as every man’s sword comes against us. 

Eze 28:9  Wilt thou yet say before him that slayeth thee, I am God? but thou shalt be a man, and no God, in the hand of him that slayeth thee. 
Eze 28:10 Thou shalt die the deaths of the uncircumcised by the hand of strangers: for I have spoken it, saith the Lord GOD. 

Verse 9 is another way of saying that when we are judged, our old man shall die and will not resurrect again to usurp our Lord Jesus Christ’s throne in our hearts and minds. Verses 9 and 10 all affirm to us the death of our old man through the Lord’s judgment, which will be swallowed up in our victory over our flesh.

1Co 15:55  O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? 
1Co 15:56  The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. 
1Co 15:57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Eze 28:11  Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 
Eze 28:12  Son of man, take up a lamentation upon the king of Tyrus, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty. 
Eze 28:13 Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created. 

Before we review these verses, we must understand that everything the Lord has created, whether good or evil, is good in regard to the purpose for which it was created. 

Gen 1:16  And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also. 
Gen 1:17  And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth, 
Gen 1:18 And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good.

Here in verse 12, the Lord requesting Ezekiel to take up a lamentation upon the King of Tyre is to let us know the evil experience we must pass through for the destruction of the king of Tyre which is our old man or flesh. In verse 12, the Lord is letting us know that the king of Tyre is an embodiment of wisdom and perfection of beauty. Here the Lord is making us aware that our old man is endowed with the wisdom of this world. The perfection in beauty relates to the wisdom of our old man as shown in the following verse:

Eze 28:7  Behold, therefore I will bring strangers upon thee, the terrible of the nations: and they shall draw their swords against the beauty of thy wisdom, and they shall defile thy brightness. 

In verse 13, we are made aware that the Prince of Tyre was in Eden, the garden of God and that every precious stone was her covering. Being in Eden means our old man or flesh was an integral part of his creation right at the beginning. In the Bible, precious stone refers to the truth of the word of the Lord. Therefore, our old man or flesh being covered with the Truth of the words of the Lord means that it is only through the truth of the word of the Lord that we can see the nakedness or the depravity of our old man or flesh. A natural man only sees the perfection of beauty of our old man. That is why when we are given to know who our flesh or old man is, we really marvel at his destructive nature.

Isa 14:16  They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms; 
Isa 14:17 That made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof; that opened not the house of his prisoners?  

2Co 3:13  And not as Moses, which put a vail over his face, that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished: 
2Co 3:14  But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ. 
2Co 3:15  But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart. 
2Co 3:16 Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away.

In verse 13, we are further told that on the day that our old man was created, his settings and engravings were all crafted in gold. That becomes clearer as follows:

Eze 28:13  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. (ESV)

What we are being told here is that all that pertains to our flesh or old man was created by the words of the Lord, which is signified by gold, just as we see in creation that it is the words of the Lord that brought about everything.

Gen 1:1  In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. 
Gen 1:2  The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. 
Gen 1:3 And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.  

Eze 28:14  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. 

In verse 14, our flesh or old man is shown as an anointed cherub. According to Brown-Driver-Briggs (BDB), anointed here can mean expansion. Cherub also can mean the chariot of Jehovah. What these definitions are telling us is that the prince of Tyre as an anointed cherub means that our old man or flesh was intentionally created by the Lord to serve as the vehicle for the expansion of his creation. As we can see physically, human wisdom has expanded the creation of the Lord. However, human wisdom is earthly, sensual and devilish. That is why the world is becoming worse and worse.  

Jas 3:15  This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.
Jas 3:16  For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. 
Jas 3:17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.  

The holy mountain of God refers to the house of Israel which in this case is the temple of the Lord which is our body. 

1Co 3:16  Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? 
1Co 3:17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are. 

Eze 20:40  For in mine holy mountain, in the mountain of the height of Israel, saith the Lord GOD, there shall all the house of Israel, all of them in the land, serve me: there will I accept them, and there will I require your offerings, and the firstfruits of your oblations, with all your holy things. 

Isa 2:3  And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.

The stones of fire signifies the voice of the Lord as shown in the following verse:

Psa 18:13  The LORD also thundered in the heavens, and the Highest gave his voice; hail stones and coals of fire. 

The purpose of our old man being placed in the temple of the Lord, which is our body, is for us to be able to hear His voice. Since our old man does not have what it takes to obey the voice of the Lord when he hears Him, this gives the Lord the occasion He is seeking to come and judge us. This becomes clearer when we look at what happened to Adam and Eve when they heard the voice of the Lord in the garden. They hid from Him. This is all to show us that when we are dominated by the flesh, we run away from the voice of the Lord, that is, the truth of the word of the Lord

Deu 4:36  Out of heaven he made thee to hear his voice, that he might instruct thee: and upon earth he shewed thee his great fire; and thou heardest his words out of the midst of the fire. 

Gen 3:8  And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden. 

Eze 28:15  You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created, till unrighteousness was found in you. 
Eze 28:16 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. 

Being blameless in his ways from the day our old man was created until unrighteousness was found in him implies that until Christ comes to us with His words, we think we are righteous. In the Book of Job, we saw that Job was described as being blameless. It was when the Lord came to him with His judgment that he realized that unrighteousness was in him. 

Job 1:1  There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil.      

Job 40:3  Then Job answered the LORD, and said, 
Job 40:4  Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer thee? I will lay mine hand upon my mouth. 
Job 40:5 Once have I spoken; but I will not answer: yea, twice; but I will proceed no further. 

Job 42:5  I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee. 
Job 42:6  Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes. 

Our flesh loves to enrich itself through business or trading. We know that the love of money is a root of all evil. One of the obvious evils of the love of money is violence. In verse 16, we can see that it is because of money that our old man becomes violent when such an opportunity to enrich himself is threatened. Most of the violence in the whole of this world is principally due to people feeling threatened of their ability to make money. The casting of our flesh from the mountain of God and the midst of the stones of fire implies the destruction of our old man or flesh within us through the fiery words of the Lord. It is through this judgment that we are able to offer our bodies as living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to the Lord.

Rom 12:1  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 
Rom 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. 

Eze 28:17  Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee. 
Eze 28:18  Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries by the multitude of thine iniquities, by the iniquity of thy traffick; therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of thee, it shall devour thee, and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee. 
Eze 28:19 All they that know thee among the people shall be astonished at thee: thou shalt be a terror, and never shalt thou be any more. 

The beauty of our old man is his attractiveness which has caused all humanity to become his victims. That is to say that all humanity worships or is dominated by the beast or our old man or flesh. This is what has made our old man to be lifted up with pride. Being cast to the ground in verse 17 means being judged. Our old man being laid before kings to behold means that the Lord’s elect (kings) shall come to see who our old man or flesh really is.

Rev 13:4  And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him? 

Rev 13:8  And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. 

Defiling his sanctuaries by the multitude of his iniquities in verse 18 implies our old man claiming himself as God and sitting on the throne of our Lord in our hearts and mind. One of his iniquities which is mentioned here in verse 18 is his trafficking which is his inclination to trading or peddling, even the word of the Lord.

2Co 2:17  A lot of people try to get rich from preaching God’s message. But we are God’s sincere messengers, and by the power of Christ we speak our message with God as our witness. (GW)

The Lord bringing forth a fire from the midst of the old man means our old man shall be judged using the flesh of others to come against her. That is to say that every man’s sword shall be against his neighbor. 

Eze 38:21  And I will call for a sword against him throughout all my mountains, saith the Lord GOD: every man’s sword shall be against his brother. 

In verse 19, we are told that it is through the Lord’s judgment that our old man or flesh shall be put to death. That is to say that he will lose his power of influence over us, His elect.

Prophecy Against Sidon

Eze 28:20  Again the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 
Eze 28:21  Son of man, set thy face against Zidon, and prophesy against it, 
Eze 28:22  And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Zidon; and I will be glorified in the midst of thee: and they shall know that I am the LORD, when I shall have executed judgments in her, and shall be sanctified in her. 
Eze 28:23  For I will send into her pestilence, and blood into her streets; and the wounded shall be judged in the midst of her by the sword upon her on every side; and they shall know that I am the LORD. 
Eze 28:24 And there shall be no more a pricking brier unto the house of Israel, nor any grieving thorn of all that are round about them, that despised them; and they shall know that I am the Lord GOD. 

Sidon was a port city close to Tyre. She had a close ties with Tyre and was supportive in helping build the temple of the Lord during Ezra’s time. Spiritually, Sidon is the same as Tyre. This means that both Sidon and Tyre represent Babylon. Inwardly, Babylon within us shall be destroyed through the Lord’s judgment of our old man. In verse 24, we are shown one of the benefits of the Lord’s judgment. The false doctrines in our hearts and minds that we imbibed during our time in Babylon, which we still cling to, is the pricking briar or the grieving thorn that hurts the development of the temple or the house of the Lord within us. The destruction of Babylon within us through the Lord’s judgment will therefore enhance our understanding of the truth of the words of the Lord. That is the same as hearing the voice of the Lord in the midst of the fire. 

Deu 5:24  And ye said, Behold, the LORD our God hath shewed us his glory and his greatness, and we have heard his voice out of the midst of the fire: we have seen this day that God doth talk with man, and he liveth.

The Lord’s Elect shall be Gathered Together in Security

Eze 28:25  Thus saith the Lord GOD; When I shall have gathered the house of Israel from the people among whom they are scattered, and shall be sanctified in them in the sight of the heathen, then shall they dwell in their land that I have given to my servant Jacob. 
Eze 28:26 And they shall dwell safely therein, and shall build houses, and plant vineyards; yea, they shall dwell with confidence, when I have executed judgments upon all those that despise them round about them; and they shall know that I am the LORD their God. 

What the Lord is doing now is gathering His elect in this age. He does it through the judgment of our old man. It is obvious that those who are in Christ are going through all kinds of trials all over the world. This testifies that the Lord is doing a quick work in us as He gathers His children together from all over the world, even as we see the end of the age approaching. We are the ones who are being sanctified in the plain sight of the people of this world, the heathens. Dwelling in their land in verse 25 means being given dominion over our bodies as we walk in the spirit and therefore do not fulfill the lust of the flesh.

Gal 5:16  This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. 
Gal 5:17  For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. 
Gal 5:18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. 

Dwelling safely therein as we build houses and plant vineyards in verse 26 is another way of saying that no weapon, formed or fashioned against us shall prosper as we see the day approaching.

Isa 54:17  No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD. 

All those who despise us in verse 26 refer to our old man or flesh. Therefore, the Lord executing judgment on all those who despise us round about refers to the judgment of our old man or flesh. It is through this judgment that we come to hear the voice of the Shepherd and therefore come to know Him as our Lord!!

Deu 5:24  And ye said, Behold, the LORD our God hath shewed us his glory and his greatness, and we have heard his voice out of the midst of the fire: we have seen this day that God doth talk with man, and he liveth.

May the Lord continue to gather us together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings!! Amen!!

Ezekiel 27:1-36  A Lamentation for Tyre

[Study Aired August 12, 2024]

Introduction

In order to understand our study for Today, we need to go back to the previous study to understand what the city of Tyre represents. That will serve as a basis to understand what the lamentation for Tyre is about. Spiritually, Tyre represents our flesh or our old man who hates Christ within us. 

Psa 83:2  For behold, your enemies make an uproar; those who hate you have raised their heads.
Psa 83:3  They lay crafty plans against your people; they consult together against your treasured ones. 
Psa 83:4  They say, “Come, let us wipe them out as a nation; let the name of Israel be remembered no more!” 
Psa 83:5  For they conspire with one accord; against you they make a covenant—
Psa 83:6  the tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites, Moab and the Hagrites, 
Psa 83:7  Gebal and Ammon and Amalek, Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre;

Tyre also signifies Babylon. As indicated in the previous study, a city can represent a church as shown in the following verses:

Rev 21:10  And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, 

Rev 14:8  And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.

Today’s study shows us the characteristics of the city of Tyre which gives the Lord the occasion to come with His judgment to destroy her. Since Tyre signifies Babylon or our old man or flesh, her judgment means our judgement by the Lord. This judgment reflects the pain or sorrow that we must endure as the Lord deals with our old man or flesh. The lamentation of Tyre is therefore our sorrowful reaction to the evil experience of the Lord’s judgment. 

The Beauty of Tyre

Eze 27:1  The word of the LORD came again unto me, saying, 
Eze 27:2  Now, thou son of man, take up a lamentation for Tyrus; 
Eze 27:3  And say unto Tyrus, O thou that art situate at the entry of the sea, which art a merchant of the people for many isles, Thus saith the Lord GOD; O Tyrus, thou hast said, I am of perfect beauty. 
Eze 27:4 Thy borders are in the midst of the seas, thy builders have perfected thy beauty.

The word of the Lord coming to Ezekiel, who represents the Lord’s elect, means the revealing of the mystery of the kingdom of God to us, His elect. 

Eph 3:1  For this reason I, Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles— 
Eph 3:2  assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace that was given to me for you, 
Eph 3:3  how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly.
Eph 3:4  When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, 
Eph 3:5 which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. (ESV)

As part of this experience of being given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, we are being shown how the Lord is taking us through an evil experience signified by mourning (lamentation) as a result of the Lord’s judgment of Tyre within us. We are the Lord’s witnesses being clothed in sackcloth in this age.

Rev 11:3  And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.

The Lord is always seeking for an occasion to come to us through His judgment. In verse 3, the Lord is showing us our sins which justify His coming to judge us. As we have indicated, Tyre represents our flesh or old man. The Lord describing Tyre as situated at the entrance to the sea and a merchant to the people for many isles implies that Tyre is naturally endowed to enrich itself through trading at the expense of people from the isles.

The sea represent humanity and therefore Tyre’s borders being in the midst of the seas (verse 4) refers to those who have just left the world but are still dominated by the flesh. The isles in verse 3 represent Babylon or the physical churches of this world and therefore the people from the isles are all those who have left the world but are still dominated by the flesh. At a certain stage of our lives, when we were in Babylon, we were given over to the desires of our flesh. Verse 3 therefore shows us how our old man is naturally endowed to enrich itself from our brothers and sisters in the churches. We know that the love of money is the root of all evil. What verse 3 spiritually signifies is that our flesh is the gateway for all kinds of evil.

1Ti 6:9  But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. 
1Ti 6:10  For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. 
1Ti 6:11 But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. 

It is instructive to note that in verse 3, Tyre regarded itself as being of perfect beauty. According to verse 4, its builders have perfected her beauty. The builders are people from many isles or Babylon in verse 3. Tyre’s beauty brought about pride and we know that pride always comes before destruction.

Eze 28:17  Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee. 

Pro 16:18  Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall. Pro 16:19 Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud. 

The attractiveness or the beauty of our old man makes it impossible for every one to resist his dominion. It is only when we are in Christ that we are given power over him.

Rev 13:4  And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?

As we have indicated, Tyre also represent Babylon. It is impossible to resist the attraction of the churches of this world (Babylon) when we have not been given eyes to see and ears to hear. 

Pro 6:23  For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life: 
Pro 6:24  To keep thee from the evil woman, from the flattery of the tongue of a strange woman. 
Pro 6:25  Lust not after her beauty in thine heart; neither let her take thee with her eyelids. 
Pro 6:26  For by means of a whorish woman a man is brought to a piece of bread: and the adulteress will hunt for the precious life. 
Pro 6:27  Can a man take fire in his bosom, and his clothes not be burned?
Pro 6:28 Can one go upon hot coals, and his feet not be burned? 

Because our old man or flesh’s heart was lifted up because of his beauty, he shall be destroyed through the Lord’s judgment.

Psa 39:11  When thou with rebukes dost correct man for iniquity, thou makest his beauty to consume away like a moth: surely every man is vanity. Selah. 

The destruction of our old man is the birth and growth of our new man created after the image of Christ. The beauty of our new man is what the Lord desires.

Eph 4:24  And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

Col 3:10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:

Psa 45:11  So shall the king greatly desire thy beauty: for he is thy Lord; and worship thou him. 

Outwardly, the churches confidence in their beauty means that they shall be consumed in the fullness of time.

Rev 18:7  How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow. 
Rev 18:8 Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her.

Eze 27:5  They have made all thy ship boards of fir trees of Senir: they have taken cedars from Lebanon to make masts for thee. 
Eze 27:6  Of the oaks of Bashan have they made thine oars; the company of the Ashurites have made thy benches of ivory, brought out of the isles of Chittim.
Eze 27:7 Fine linen with broidered work from Egypt was that which thou spreadest forth to be thy sail; blue and purple from the isles of Elishah was that which covered thee. 

Ships were used in the Biblical times principally for business which was basically trading. Ships, shipmasters, sailors represents those who trade by sea. Tyrian or Babylonian ships therefore represent the false apostles who take advantage of our brothers and sisters in Babylon who are dominated by the sea of humanity to make merchandise of them. We were also enriching our shipmasters at a certain point of our walk with Christ. It is worth noting that the people of Israel built very few ships for themselves but they furnished the Tyrians with timber for shipping. This implies that it is our brothers and sisters in Babylon who make these false messengers rich. 

Psa 107:23  They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters; 

Rev 18:17  For in one hour so great riches is come to nought. And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off, 

Here in verses 5 to 7, we see the opulence of these ship merchants. The ship boards were made of cedars of Lebanon, the ships oars were made of oaks of Bashan, the benches made of ivory and the sail were made of fine linen of blue and purple. The description of the opulence displayed by their ships reflects how the Lord has endowed the churches of this world or Babylon with huge resources. However, instead of the resources being used to further the kingdom of God, it is being used to build images of men.

Eze 16:17  Thou hast also taken thy fair jewels of my gold and of my silver, which I had given thee, and madest to thyself images of men, and didst commit whoredom with them,

The fact that fine linen was used as masts by their ships shows us that these false apostles come supposedly bearing the righteousness of the saints (fine linen) but inwardly, they are wolves!!

Rev 19:8  And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.

Mat 7:15  Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. 
Mat 7:16  Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? 
Mat 7:17  Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. 
Mat 7:18  A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. 
Mat 7:19  Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. 
Mat 7:20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. 

It is worth noting that the fine linen were blue and purple. These colors characterize the harlot woman who arrayed herself with purple and scarlet colors and decked herself with gold and precious stones and pearls, displaying her opulence just like the Tyrian ships. This affirms that Tyre and Babylon are the same.

Rev 17:3  So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.
Rev 17:4  And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication: 
Rev 17:5 And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. 

Eze 27:8  The inhabitants of Zidon and Arvad were thy mariners: thy wise men, O Tyrus, that were in thee, were thy pilots. 
Eze 27:9  The ancients of Gebal and the wise men thereof were in thee thy calkers: all the ships of the sea with their mariners were in thee to occupy thy merchandise. 

The gallant ships from Tyre were well-manned by men of great industry experience. They have men from many nations supporting their trading business of their ships with the leaders or pilots being from Tyre (verse 8).

Rev 17:15  And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.

These men of renown are the false apostles parading as angels of light. The business that the ships from Tyre or Babylon engages in includes the trading of gold, silver, precious stones, pearls, fine linen and the souls of men. As we are aware, the gold, silver, precious stones and pearls all refer to the word of the Lord which is traded in Babylon or Tyre. These men of renown make merchandise of the word of the Lord. 

Rev 18:11  And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more: 
Rev 18:12  The merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stones, and of pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all thyine wood, and all manner vessels of ivory, and all manner vessels of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble, 
Rev 18:13  And cinnamon, and odours, and ointments, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and beasts, and sheep, and horses, and chariots, and slaves, and souls of men. 

Joh 2:16  And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father’s house an house of merchandise.

2Pe 2:3  And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.

Eze 27:10  They of Persia and of Lud and of Phut were in thine army, thy men of war: they hanged the shield and helmet in thee; they set forth thy comeliness. 
Eze 27:11 The men of Arvad with thine army were upon thy walls round about, and the Gammadims were in thy towers: they hanged their shields upon thy walls round about; they have made thy beauty perfect. 

These verses are to show us how the Lord has protected Tyre or Babylon until the time appointed for her destruction. Persia, Lud, Phut, Arvad and Gammadims being in the army of Tyre is to show us the formidable protection of Tyre or Babylon by the nations of this world. The nations’ protection of Trye or Babylon is because she has dominion over them as she sits upon many waters. 

Rev 17:1  And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters:

Rev 17:15  And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.

A witness to this is in the Book of Ezra, where the Lord caused the King of Persia, Cyrus, to build him a house at Jerusalem. At that time, King Cyrus had dominion over the kingdoms of the world and therefore building a house for the Lord had the support of the nations of this world. This house of the Lord is Tyre or Babylon or the physical churches of this world.  

Ezr 1:1  Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying, 
Ezr 1:2 Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, The LORD God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth; and he hath charged me to build him an house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah.

We cannot therefore say anything evil against the churches of this world because we know that it is the Lord who is protecting them for His own purpose. May the Lord help us so that we don’t fall into the same example of  these filthy dreamers who speak evil of things that they do not know.

Jud 1:8  Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities. 
Jud 1:9  Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.
Jud 1:10 But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves. 

As a matter of fact, we have been shown why the Lord is protecting the churches of this world for a set time. This is the Lord’s intention in protecting Tyre or Babylon as it is:

Mat 13:13  Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. 
Mat 13:14  And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: 
Mat 13:15 For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.

The nations protecting Tyre or Babylon means giving her a period of peace to perfect her beauty or attraction to many who unsuspectedly are lured into her bed. We were all victims of her attraction at a certain stage of our walk with Christ. 

Pro 7:9  In the twilight, in the evening, in the black and dark night: 
Pro 7:10  And, behold, there met him a woman with the attire of an harlot, and subtil of heart. 
Pro 7:11  (She is loud and stubborn; her feet abide not in her house: 
Pro 7:12  Now is she without, now in the streets, and lieth in wait at every corner.) 
Pro 7:13  So she caught him, and kissed him, and with an impudent face said unto him, 
Pro 7:14  I have peace offerings with me; this day have I payed my vows. 
Pro 7:15  Therefore came I forth to meet thee, diligently to seek thy face, and I have found thee. 
Pro 7:16  I have decked my bed with coverings of tapestry, with carved works, with fine linen of Egypt. 
Pro 7:17  I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon. 
Pro 7:18  Come, let us take our fill of love until the morning: let us solace ourselves with loves. 
Pro 7:19  For the goodman is not at home, he is gone a long journey: 
Pro 7:20  He hath taken a bag of money with him, and will come home at the day appointed. 
Pro 7:21  With her much fair speech she caused him to yield, with the flattering of her lips she forced him. 
Pro 7:22  He goeth after her straightway, as an ox goeth to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks; 
Pro 7:23 Till a dart strike through his liver; as a bird hasteth to the snare, and knoweth not that it is for his life. 

As we have indicated, Tyre also represents our old man or flesh whose attractiveness had overcome us all until Christ came to us with the spirit of His mouth and His brightness. We can clearly see that it is the Lord who had protected our old man or flesh from destruction until the time appointed for his death through judgment. This protection is the Lord causing all humanity to submit to our old man or flesh or the beast within us as described as follows:

Rev 17:13  These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast. 
Rev 17:14 These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful. 

As indicated by Revelation 17:14, at the right time, the Lord shall overcome the beast or our old man within us through His judgement. This is to assure us that the Lord is in perfect control of our circumstances and until the time appointed by the Lord, the word of the Lord shall try us just as it did to Joseph who had been promised rulership.

Psa 105:17  He sent a man before them, even Joseph, who was sold for a servant: 
Psa 105:18  Whose feet they hurt with fetters: he was laid in iron:
Psa 105:19  Until the time that his word came: the word of the LORD tried him. 
Psa 105:20  The king sent and loosed him; even the ruler of the people, and let him go free.
Psa 105:21 He made him lord of his house, and ruler of all his substance: 

The Merchants of the Earth That Traded with Her

Eze 27:12  Tarshish was thy merchant by reason of the multitude of all kind of riches; with silver, iron, tin, and lead, they traded in thy fairs. 
Eze 27:13  Javan, Tubal, and Meshech, they were thy merchants: they traded the persons of men and vessels of brass in thy market. 
Eze 27:14  They of the house of Togarmah traded in thy fairs with horses and horsemen and mules. 
Eze 27:15  The men of Dedan were thy merchants; many isles were the merchandise of thine hand: they brought thee for a present horns of ivory and ebony.
Eze 27:16  Syria was thy merchant by reason of the multitude of the wares of thy making: they occupied in thy fairs with emeralds, purple, and broidered work, and fine linen, and coral, and agate.
Eze 27:17  Judah, and the land of Israel, they were thy merchants: they traded in thy market wheat of Minnith, and Pannag, and honey, and oil, and balm. 
Eze 27:18  Damascus was thy merchant in the multitude of the wares of thy making, for the multitude of all riches; in the wine of Helbon, and white wool. 
Eze 27:19  Dan also and Javan going to and fro occupied in thy fairs: bright iron, cassia, and calamus, were in thy market. 
Eze 27:20  Dedan was thy merchant in precious clothes for chariots. 
Eze 27:21  Arabia, and all the princes of Kedar, they occupied with thee in lambs, and rams, and goats: in these were they thy merchants. 
Eze 27:22  The merchants of Sheba and Raamah, they were thy merchants: they occupied in thy fairs with chief of all spices, and with all precious stones, and gold. 
Eze 27:23  Haran, and Canneh, and Eden, the merchants of Sheba, Asshur, and Chilmad, were thy merchants.
Eze 27:24 These were thy merchants in all sorts of things, in blue clothes, and broidered work, and in chests of rich apparel, bound with cords, and made of cedar, among thy merchandise. 

It is a widely known fact even among the heathens that the church system of this world has become a business instead of being places that people go to know Christ. The verses above show us that all the nations trade with Tyre or Babylon. I remember during my days in the churches of this world, one renown pastor mentioned that every activity of a church must generate profit. Our Lord Jesus spoke against this when He entered the temple to cleanse it from all those who were doing business in His name. 

Mat 21:12  And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves, 
Mat 21:13 And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.

If we look closely at the things that are being traded by the nations with Tyre as shown in verses 12 to 24, they are not different from what the merchants were trading with Babylon before her destruction predicted in Revelation chapter 18. No wonder the merchants of the earth shall mourn the destruction of Babylon. Here are some of the things traded which are common to Tyre and Babylon:

Rev 18:11  And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more: 
Rev 18:12  The merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stones, and of pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all thyine wood, and all manner vessels of ivory, and all manner vessels of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble, 
Rev 18:13  And cinnamon, and odours, and ointments, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and beasts, and sheep, and horses, and chariots, and slaves, and souls of men. 
Rev 18:14  And the fruits that thy soul lusted after are departed from thee, and all things which were dainty and goodly are departed from thee, and thou shalt find them no more at all.
Rev 18:15  The merchants of these things, which were made rich by her, shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing, 
Rev 18:16  And saying, Alas, alas, that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls! 
Rev 18:17  For in one hour so great riches is come to nought. And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off, 
Rev 18:18  And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like unto this great city! 
Rev 18:19 And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas, that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate.

It is insightful to note that all these things that are being traded are found in the churches. The gold, silver, precious stones, wine, flour, wheat, oil and honey all refer to the word of the Lord which we are warned not to peddle.

2Co 2:17  For we are not, like so many, peddlers of God’s word, but as men of sincerity, as commissioned by God, in the sight of God we speak in Christ. (ESV) 

The spices such as cinnamon, odours and frankincense are incense which signify prayers. These false apostles parading as angels of light insist on giving them an offering to support their prayers for us. Some even come up with the false doctrine that our prayers cannot be heard by the Lord unless they are supported with an offering.

The horses and chariots here refer to the horsemen or preachers who come with their two hundred million false doctrines which churches pay for with their tithes and offerings. 

The blue and purple clothes, the embroidered work, fine linen and rich apparels all signify righteousness of the saints which when we were in Babylon or Tyre, we paid for through our tithes and offerings. We were therefore culprits of the trading in the churches until the Lord came to our rescue.

The Judgment of Tyre

Eze 27:25  The ships of Tarshish did sing of thee in thy market: and thou wast replenished, and made very glorious in the midst of the seas. 
Eze 27:26  Thy rowers have brought thee into great waters: the east wind hath broken thee in the midst of the seas. 
Eze 27:27  Thy riches, and thy fairs, thy merchandise, thy mariners, and thy pilots, thy calkers, and the occupiers of thy merchandise, and all thy men of war, that are in thee, and in all thy company which is in the midst of thee, shall fall into the midst of the seas in the day of thy ruin. 
Eze 27:28  The suburbs shall shake at the sound of the cry of thy pilots. 
Eze 27:29  And all that handle the oar, the mariners, and all the pilots of the sea, shall come down from their ships, they shall stand upon the land; 
Eze 27:30  And shall cause their voice to be heard against thee, and shall cry bitterly, and shall cast up dust upon their heads, they shall wallow themselves in the ashes: 
Eze 27:31  And they shall make themselves utterly bald for thee, and gird them with sackcloth, and they shall weep for thee with bitterness of heart and bitter wailing.
Eze 27:32  And in their wailing they shall take up a lamentation for thee, and lament over thee, saying, What city is like Tyrus, like the destroyed in the midst of the sea? 
Eze 27:33  When thy wares went forth out of the seas, thou filledst many people; thou didst enrich the kings of the earth with the multitude of thy riches and of thy merchandise. 
Eze 27:34  In the time when thou shalt be broken by the seas in the depths of the waters thy merchandise and all thy company in the midst of thee shall fall. 
Eze 27:35  All the inhabitants of the isles shall be astonished at thee, and their kings shall be sore afraid, they shall be troubled in their countenance. 
Eze 27:36 The merchants among the people shall hiss at thee; thou shalt be a terror, and never shalt be any more. 

These verses are the same as the judgment of Babylon in Revelation chapter 18. It shows us the pain we must bear as our old man or flesh is judged by the Lord. Outwardly, it shows us that the physical churches of this world shall be judged in the fullness of time by the Lord.

Rev 18:15  The merchants of these things, which were made rich by her, shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing, 
Rev 18:16  And saying, Alas, alas, that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls! 
Rev 18:17  For in one hour so great riches is come to nought. And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off, 
Rev 18:18  And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like unto this great city!
Rev 18:19 And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas, that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate. 

Just as the Lord has caused many nations to protect Babylon, the Lord shall also put in the minds of people to destroy Babylon when her sins have reached the heavens.

Rev 18:5  For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities. 
Rev 18:6  Reward her even as she rewarded you, and double unto her double according to her works: in the cup which she hath filled fill to her double. 
Rev 18:7  How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow. 
Rev 18:8 Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her.

Rev 17:16  And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire. 
Rev 17:17  For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled.
Rev 17:18 And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.

We give thanks to the Lord that in His time, He makes all things beautiful!! Amen!!

Ezekiel 26:1-21  The City of Tyre and Her Judgement

[Study Aired August 5, 2024]

Introduction

Today’s study is about the coastal city of Tyre which was located in present-day Lebanon with historical and biblical significance. This Phoenician city became famous for its maritime trade and production of the luxurious Tyrian purple dye. It played a critical role during the construction of Solomon’s Temple and served as a symbol of arrogance and pride in Biblical history.

In the Book of Psalms, we see Tyre conspiring with other enemies of the Lord’s elect to destroy them. Our enemy in the Bible is Satan or the devil who exercises his power through our flesh. Spiritually, Tyre, therefore, represent our flesh or our old man who hates Christ within us.

Psa 83:1  A Song. A Psalm of Asaph. O God, do not keep silence; do not hold your peace or be still, O God!
Psa 83:2  For behold, your enemies make an uproar; those who hate you have raised their heads.
Psa 83:3  They lay crafty plans against your people; they consult together against your treasured ones. 
Psa 83:4  They say, “Come, let us wipe them out as a nation; let the name of Israel be remembered no more!” 
Psa 83:5  For they conspire with one accord; against you they make a covenant—
Psa 83:6  the tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites, Moab and the Hagrites,
Psa 83:7  Gebal and Ammon and Amalek, Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre; 
Psa 83:8 Asshur also has joined them; they are the strong arm of the children of Lot. Selah (ESV)

Rev 13:4  And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast (our flesh or old man): and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?

Tyre also signifies Babylon. As indicated in the previous study, a city can represent a church as shown in the following verses:

Rev 21:10  And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, 
Rev 14:8  And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.

This assertion of Tyre being Babylon becomes clear in the following verses in Psalms as the church of the firstborn or heavenly Jerusalem or Zion is compared with Babylon and Tyre.

Psa 87:2  The LORD loveth the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob.
Psa 87:3  Glorious things are spoken of thee, O city of God. Selah.
Psa 87:4 I will make mention of Rahab and Babylon to them that know me: behold Philistia, and Tyre, with Ethiopia; this man was born there.

Despite its past glory, Tyre’s ultimate downfall was prophesied and fulfilled by invading forces, which serves as a testament to the transient nature of our flesh or old man. It also shows us that the destruction of Babylon within and without of us, the Lord’s elect, is imminent. Our study for Today is therefore based on the sins of Tyre and the Lord’s promise of her judgement.

The Need for Tyre to Be Judged

Eze 26:1  And it came to pass in the eleventh year, in the first day of the month, that the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 
Eze 26:2  Son of man, because that Tyrus hath said against Jerusalem, Aha, she is broken that was the gates of the people: she is turned unto me: I shall be replenished, now she is laid waste: 
Eze 26:3  Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Tyrus, and will cause many nations to come up against thee, as the sea causeth his waves to come up. 

The first day of the month of the eleventh year that the Lord came to speak to Ezekiel concerning Tyre is significant. The number eleven means the ruin and disintegration of the perfection of the flesh. This implies that we have come to a time in our walk with Christ that we have just encountered Him and as a result, we are becoming aware of the total darkness we found ourselves in because of our flesh, which the judgement of the Lord is about to deal with in our lives. The fact that it was the first day of the month suggests that all that has happened and will happen to Tyre, our old man is of the Lord (significance of the number one). At this point in our walk, the Lord is preparing us to leave Babylon.

Rev 18:4  And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.

As indicated in the introductory portion of this study, Tyre also represent Babylon or the physical churches of this world. In this case, Tyre represent the last stage of our sojourn as the Lord’s elect in Babylon. This becomes more clear when our Lord Jesus referred to Tyre together with Sidon as cities which would have repented if the Lord had performed His mighty works there, instead of Babylon (the cities of Israel) which are not repentant. One of the Lord’s mighty work to us is causing our eyes to see and our ears to be opened. At this stage of our walk, we are beginning to see the darkness we are in and the need for the ruin and disintegration of our flesh in order to worship the Lord acceptably. That is why we are ready to repent.

Mat 11:20  Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not: 
Mat 11:21  Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. 
Mat 11:22 But I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you.   

In verse 2, the city of Tyre said that Jerusalem, which is the gateway for the nations is destroyed and its doors are wide opened to her. As a result, she shall be rich because of its ruins. The mindset that the Lord should destroy Babylon so that we can be enriched in Him is an earthly wisdom which comes from our old man.

Jas 3:13  Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.
Jas 3:14  But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.

Jas 3:15  This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. 
Jas 3:16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.

What we need to know is that it is the Lord’s mercy that we are being enriched in Him at the expense of Babylon.

Rom 11:30  For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief:
Rom 11:31  Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy. 
Rom 11:32 For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all. 

In verse 3, we are told that the Lord will cause many nations to come up against us, just as the sea causes its waves to come up.  This is another way of saying that we shall be hated by all men for His name’s sake.

Mat 10:22  And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved. 
Mat 10:23  But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come.
Mat 10:24 The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord.

Eze 26:4  And they shall destroy the walls of Tyrus, and break down her towers: I will also scrape her dust from her, and make her like the top of a rock. 
Eze 26:5  It shall be a place for the spreading of nets in the midst of the sea: for I have spoken it, saith the Lord GOD: and it shall become a spoil to the nations. 
Eze 26:6 And her daughters which are in the field shall be slain by the sword; and they shall know that I am the LORD. 

The destruction of the walls of Tyre and the breakdown of her towers in verse 4 signifies the destruction of our old man or flesh as his defenses are taken away by the Lord. Just as the walls of Jericho were destroyed to pave way for the destruction of the city, the Lord has removed the defenses of our old man to ensure our victory over the flesh.

Jos 6:2  And the LORD said unto Joshua, See, I have given into thine hand Jericho, and the king thereof, and the mighty men of valour. 

Jos 6:20  So the people shouted when the priests blew with the trumpets: and it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city.

The scraping of the dust from her and making her like the top of a rock means that Tyre shall become a bare land without any plant growing, after her destruction.  In other words, the destruction of our old man is such that it shall not come alive again.

In verse 5, it is stated that Tyre shall be a place for the spreading of nets in the midst of the sea. That is to say that the death of our old man or flesh will give birth to the new man who will cause us to become fishers of men.

Eze 47:10  And it shall come to pass, that the fishers shall stand upon it from Engedi even unto Eneglaim; they shall be a place to spread forth nets; their fish shall be according to their kinds, as the fish of the great sea, exceeding many.

Mat 4:19  And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. 

In verse 5, we are also told that Tyre shall a spoil for the nations. A spoil refers to the booty or plunder or the precious possession of those who are defeated in battle. During the Biblical times, the spoil serves as the reward for victory won during a battle. This implies that Tyre, our old man, being delivered as a spoil for the nations means that as the Lord’s elect, we shall surely win the victory over our old man or flesh through the Lord’s judgement.

Gen 49:27  Benjamin (representing the Lord’s elect) shall ravin as a wolf: in the morning he shall devour the prey, and at night he shall divide the spoil.

Num 31:53  (For the men of war had taken spoil, every man for himself.)

Jer 30:16  Therefore all they that devour thee shall be devoured; and all thine adversaries, every one of them, shall go into captivity; and they that spoil thee shall be a spoil, and all that prey upon thee will I give for a prey.

Verse 6 indicates that the daughters of Tyre which are in the field shall be slain by the sword and that it is through this that the Lord shall be made known. The daughters of Tyre in the field refer to the physical churches in this world who are put to spiritual death or slain by the false doctrines propagated through false apostles. We were victims of this slaying by the sword but thanks be to God who came to us through His elect to make us know the truth of the word of the Lord. This truth of the word of the Lord is what destroys the false doctrines within our hearts and minds.  In verse 6, we are told that it is through this evil experience of being slain by the sword that we come to know Christ. This implies that to know Christ, we must pass through the evil experience of dying spiritually through false doctrines we imbibe in Babylon or Tyre. The destruction of the false doctrines by the truth of the Lord’s words will make us appreciate who the Lord is. The voice of the Lord or His words are the hail stones or the coals of fire which destroys our false doctrines.

Psa 18:13  The LORD also thundered in the heavens, and the Highest gave his voice; hail stones and coals of fire.

Isa 28:17 Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet: and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place.

Eze 26:7  For thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will bring upon Tyrus Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, a king of kings, from the north, with horses, and with chariots, and with horsemen, and companies, and much people. 
Eze 26:8  He shall slay with the sword thy daughters in the field: and he shall make a fort against thee, and cast a mount against thee, and lift up the buckler against thee. 
Eze 26:9  And he shall set engines of war against thy walls, and with his axes he shall break down thy towers. 
Eze 26:10 By reason of the abundance of his horses their dust shall cover thee: thy walls shall shake at the noise of the horsemen, and of the wheels, and of the chariots, when he shall enter into thy gates, as men enter into a city wherein is made a breach. 

The Lord bringing king Nebuchadrezzar of Babylon to Tyre from the north with his army signifies the judgement of our old man by the Lord. The coming of Nebuchadrezzar with chariots and horses means that our time in Babylon is a period of conflict or war as horses and chariots signifies war.

Pro 21:31  The horse is prepared against the day of battle: but safety is of the LORD.   

This war or evil experience that we must go through is clearly defined by Apostle Paul as follows:

Gal 5:17  The Spirit and your desires are enemies of each other. They are always fighting each other and keeping you from doing what you feel you should. (CEV)

Our stay in Babylon is characterized by the conflict between what the spirit desires against our fleshly desires. As a result, we are unable to do what we want to do, that is, please the Lord. It is insightful to also note that the king of Babylon came to Tyre with horsemen, companies (multitude) and much people. These horsemen of Babylon represent the two hundred million false doctrines coming from the horsemen loosed by the four angels who were bound in the great river Euphrates in the Book of Revelation as follows:

Rev 9:14  Saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates.
Rev 9:15  And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men.
Rev 9:16 And the number of the army of the horsemen were two hundred thousand thousand: and I heard the number of them. 

In verse 10, we are told that because of the abundance of Babylonian horses, their dust shall cover Tyre. This dust is the same as the smoke from the bottomless pit which darkened the sun and the air. That is to say that what these false apostles say darkened our understanding concerning Christ (Sun) and our spiritual understanding (air).

Rev 9:1  And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit.
Rev 9:2  And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit. 

Verse 8 states that our daughters in the field shall be slain by the sword of king of Babylon. That is to say that churches of this world (field) of which we were part of at a certain stage of our walk with Christ shall be put to spiritual death through false doctrines propagated by these horsemen or false apostles.

2Co 11:13  For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.
2Co 11:14  And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
2Co 11:15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.

The making of a fort, the casting of a mount and the lifting up of a buckler against Tyre in verse 8 signifies that there is no escape of our old man concerning the judgement of the Lord.

Jer 25:27  Therefore thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Drink ye, and be drunken, and spue, and fall, and rise no more, because of the sword which I will send among you.
Jer 25:28 And it shall be, if they refuse to take the cup at thine hand to drink, then shalt thou say unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Ye shall certainly drink.

The setting up of engines of war against our walls and the breaking down of our towers with their axes in verse 9 signifies that we cannot resist the pull of the false doctrines that are propagated in Babylon. We were all swept away by this flood of false doctrine when we were in Babylon. This is reiterated in verse 10 when it says that the walls of Tyre shall be shaken by the noise of the horsemen and of the wheels of their chariots as they enter into the city. The noise of the horsemen and of the wheels of their chariots refers to the false doctrines that these false apostles propagate. What this means is that being overcome with false doctrines in Babylon is an inevitable experience that we must bear at a certain stage of our lives.

Eze 26:11  With the hoofs of his horses shall he tread down all thy streets: he shall slay thy people by the sword, and thy strong garrisons shall go down to the ground.
Eze 26:12  And they shall make a spoil of thy riches, and make a prey of thy merchandise: and they shall break down thy walls, and destroy thy pleasant houses: and they shall lay thy stones and thy timber and thy dust in the midst of the water. 

Treading down the streets of Tyre with the hoofs of the king of Babylon’s horses in verse 11 implies that these false doctrines interfere with our walk with the Lord. This interference is through the use of his sword which he uses to slay us. In other words, through false teachings (negative application of sword), we are put to spiritual death. The little truth of the word that we know which serves as our garrison is destroyed or brought down to the ground through the false doctrines of the enemy.

This situation is continued in verse 12 where our walls which represent the truth of the Lord’s words and serves as our defenses against the enemy are destroyed or broken down by the adversary and our pleasant houses demolished. Our pleasant houses refer to our temple or our hearts and minds which are desecrated by our old man who sits in our temple thinking of himself as God.

2Th 2:3  Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
2Th 2:4  Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. 
2Th 2:5 Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?

Laying stones, timber and dust in the midst of our water in verse 12 means polluting the truth of the word of the Lord with false doctrines. What is said here is the same as saying the following:

Eze 16:17  Thou hast also taken thy fair jewels of my gold and of my silver, which I had given thee, and madest to thyself images of men, and didst commit whoredom with them,

Eze 26:13  And I will cause the noise of thy songs to cease; and the sound of thy harps shall be no more heard. 
Eze 26:14 And I will make thee like the top of a rock: thou shalt be a place to spread nets upon; thou shalt be built no more: for I the LORD have spoken it, saith the Lord GOD.

Causing the noise of our songs and the sound of our harps to cease in verse 13 means being unable to worship the Lord in truth and in spirit in Babylon.

Psa 137:1  By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion.
Psa 137:2  We hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof.
Psa 137:3  For there they that carried us away captive required of us a song; and they that wasted us required of us mirth, saying, Sing us one of the songs of Zion. 
Psa 137:4 How shall we sing the LORD’S song in a strange land? 

As indicated earlier, making Tyre like the top of a rock means that the destruction of our old man or flesh is such that it shall not grow again. Tyre being a place to spread nets upon means that the death of our old man shall result in the birth of the new man after the image of Christ who shall make us fishers of men.

Eze 47:10  And it shall come to pass, that the fishers shall stand upon it from Engedi even unto Eneglaim; they shall be a place to spread forth nets; their fish shall be according to their kinds, as the fish of the great sea, exceeding many.

Mat 4:19  And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. 

The Lord’s statement that Tyre shall not be built again affirms the assertion in that our old man or flesh shall not become active again after its destruction.

Rev 18:14  And the fruits that thy soul lusted after are departed from thee, and all things which were dainty and goodly are departed from thee, and thou shalt find them no more at all.

Eze 26:15  Thus saith the Lord GOD to Tyrus; Shall not the isles shake at the sound of thy fall, when the wounded cry, when the slaughter is made in the midst of thee? 
Eze 26:16  Then all the princes of the sea shall come down from their thrones, and lay away their robes, and put off their broidered garments: they shall clothe themselves with trembling; they shall sit upon the ground, and shall tremble at every moment, and be astonished at thee. 
Eze 26:17  And they shall take up a lamentation for thee, and say to thee, How art thou destroyed, that wast inhabited of seafaring men, the renowned city, which wast strong in the sea, she and her inhabitants, which cause their terror to be on all that haunt it! 
Eze 26:18 Now shall the isles tremble in the day of thy fall; yea, the isles that are in the sea shall be troubled at thy departure.

What these verses are saying is that as we see our old man begins its journey of death through the Lord’s judgement, he becomes filled with trembling, as he sees that his final death is near. The isles shaking at the sound of the fall of our old man, the princes of the sea clothing themselves with trembling and taking up a lamentation are all to assure us that when the Lord starts the death process of our old man through His judgement within us, our old man trembles knowing that his time is short. We must therefore be assured that whatever the Lord starts, He shall surely bring to completion.

Rev 12:12  Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.    

What verses 15 to 18 say is the same as the destruction of Babylon within us and outwardly in the Book of Revelation as follows:

Rev 18:7  How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow.
Rev 18:8  Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her.
Rev 18:9  And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning,
Rev 18:10  Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come. 
Rev 18:11  And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more:

Rev 18:14  And the fruits that thy soul lusted after are departed from thee, and all things which were dainty and goodly are departed from thee, and thou shalt find them no more at all.
Rev 18:15  The merchants of these things, which were made rich by her, shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing,
Rev 18:16  And saying, Alas, alas, that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls!
Rev 18:17  For in one hour so great riches is come to nought. And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off,
Rev 18:18  And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like unto this great city!
Rev 18:19 And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas, that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate.

Eze 26:19  For thus saith the Lord GOD; When I shall make thee a desolate city, like the cities that are not inhabited; when I shall bring up the deep upon thee, and great waters shall cover thee; 
Eze 26:20  When I shall bring thee down with them that descend into the pit, with the people of old time, and shall set thee in the low parts of the earth, in places desolate of old, with them that go down to the pit, that thou be not inhabited; and I shall set glory in the land of the living; 
Eze 26:21 I will make thee a terror, and thou shalt be no more: though thou be sought for, yet shalt thou never be found again, saith the Lord GOD. 

In these verses, the Lord is telling us that Tyre which represents Babylon shall be ruined such that it shall be no more. It is instructive to note that in verse 19, we are told that the Lord shall bring up the deep upon her such that she shall be covered by great waters. That is to say that the deep sea shall cover Babylon. The deep sea or great waters signifies humanity. This implies that the Lord will cause Babylon to be destroyed by people whom the Lord has prepared for such a purpose. This destruction of Babylon is also foretold in Revelation chapter 17 where the ten horns shall make her desolate and naked, and eat her flesh. The ten horns represent the strength of the flesh to carry out what the Lord has put in their hearts, that is, the destruction of Babylon, in the fulness of time. This destruction refers to Babylon within us and without.

Rev 17:15  And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.
Rev 17:16  And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire. 
Rev 17:17 For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled.  

This destruction is detailed in Revelation chapter 18 as follows:

Rev 18:7  How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow.
Rev 18:8 Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her.
Rev 18:17  For in one hour so great riches is come to nought. And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off,
Rev 18:18  And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like unto this great city!
Rev 18:19  And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas, that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate.
Rev 18:20  Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets; for God hath avenged you on her.
Rev 18:21 And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all.

May the Lord grant us the grace to endure to the end as He destroys Tyre or Babylon within us. Amen!!

Isa 23:13-18 Her Merchandise...Shall Be for Them That Dwell Before The Lord

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Isa 23:13-18 Her Merchandise...  Shall Be For Them That Dwell Before The LORD, To Eat Sufficiently, and For Durable Clothing.

Isa 23:13  Behold the land of the Chaldeans; this people was not, till the Assyrian founded it for them that dwell in the wilderness: they set up the towers thereof, they raised up the palaces thereof; and he brought it to ruin.
Isa 23:14  Howl, ye ships of Tarshish: for your strength is laid waste.
Isa 23:15  And it shall come to pass in that day, that Tyre shall be forgotten seventy years, according to the days of one king: after the end of seventy years shall Tyre sing as an harlot.
Isa 23:16  Take an harp, go about the city, thou harlot that hast been forgotten; make sweet melody, sing many songs, that thou mayest be remembered.
Isa 23:17  And it shall come to pass after the end of seventy years, that the LORD will visit Tyre, and she shall turn to her hire, and shall commit fornication with all the kingdoms of the world upon the face of the earth.
Isa 23:18  And her merchandise and her hire shall be holiness to the LORD: it shall not be treasured nor laid up; for her merchandise shall be for them that dwell before the LORD, to eat sufficiently, and for durable clothing.

We are continuing our study of the burden of Tyre, which is another way of saying Babylon, and 'Babylon' is Bible-speak for the religions of mankind which are all living in spiritual fornication and in opposition to the doctrines of Christ (Rev 17:-18).  All the religions of this world will be put down when the Lord's elect are given dominion over the kingdoms of this world immediately following the manifestation of the sons of God at the time of the resurrection of the dead in Christ. (Rom 8:18-23, Rev 11:15, Rev 20:1-4)

Isaiah 14 is "a parable against Babylon", and here again in Isaiah 23, in this burden of Tyre, we are again being assured "the LORD of hosts hath purposed it, to stain the pride of all glory, and to bring into contempt all the honourable of the earth"['s religions].

Isa 23:9  The LORD of hosts hath purposed it, to stain the pride of all glory, and to bring into contempt all the honourable of the earth.

I will read the next two verses to bring us to where we stopped in our last study:

Isa 23:10  Pass through thy land as a river, O daughter of Tarshish: there is no more strength.
Isa 23:11  He stretched out his hand over the sea, he shook the kingdoms: the LORD hath given a commandment against the merchant city, to destroy the strong holds thereof.

So we should have absolutely no doubt that it is "the Lord of hosts" who has purposed the fall of Tyre (Babylon) "to bring into contempt all the honorable of the earth". As always, we must apply these words proceeding out of the mouth of God to ourselves and the kingdom of our own old man, first and foremost, acknowledging that it is we ourselves, the man of sin, the son of perdition, whom we worship above all others:

2Th 2:3  Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
2Th 2:4  Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.

While the whole of Tyre and Babylon are looking outward toward the Middle East for a physical temple to be built and for the man of sin to set himself up in that outward temple, the few who know what Christ meant when He told us, "the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit" know where the true temple of God really is and where the 'man of sin' truly resides:

1Co 3:16  Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
1Co 3:17  If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.

2Co 6:16  And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

The expulsion of this 'man of sin [from] the temple of God' is the 'laying waste' of Tyre in this chapter concerning "the burden of Tyre".

Isa 23:1  The burden of Tyre. Howl, ye ships of Tarshish; for it is laid waste, so that there is no house, no entering in: from the land of Chittim it is revealed to them.

Now notice who the Lord uses to destroy Tyre in the very next verse:

Isa 23:13  Behold the land of the Chaldeans; this people was not, till the Assyrian founded it for them that dwell in the wilderness: they set up the towers thereof, they raised up the palaces thereof; and he brought it to ruin.

Babylon is in "the land of the Chaldeans", and it is Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, whom the Lord uses as His servant to destroy Tyre, a type of Babylon itself.  Notice what we are told of Babylon also: "and he brought it to ruin."

Isa 23:14  Howl, ye ships of Tarshish: for your strength is laid waste.

Tyre is the 'strength' of Tarshish, and we find that Tyre within us will have "no house, no entering in" any longer. We are commanded to "come out of her that [we] partake not of her sins and that [we] receive not of her plagues" (Rev 18:4).  When we are given to see the Truth, Christ and His doctrines, at that point the strength of Tyre and Babylon and all of their daughters, like Zidon and Tarshish are very soon "laid waste" and burned up by the fire that is His words of Truth. That is the meaning of these words:

Jer 5:14  Wherefore thus saith the LORD God of hosts, Because ye speak this word, behold, I will make my words in thy mouth fire, and this people wood, and it shall devour them.

1Co 3:13  Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is.
1Co 3:14  If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
1Co 3:15  If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

2Th 2:8  And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:

While we are in Babylon we are blinded by God to our own carnal-minded deceived condition. We think "[we] have seen the fire", when the Truth is that the Lord Himself has simply sent us "strong delusion".

Isa 44:16  He burneth part thereof in the fire; with part thereof he eateth flesh; he roasteth roast, and is satisfied: yea, he warmeth himself, and saith, Aha, I am warm, I have seen the fire:
Isa 44:17  And the residue thereof he maketh a god, even his graven image: he falleth down unto it, and worshippeth it, and prayeth unto it, and saith, Deliver me; for thou art my god.

2Th 2:10  And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
2Th 2:11  And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
2Th 2:12  That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

This "strong delusion" is described as the healing of a deadly wound which we are given "by a sword".

Rev 13:2  And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.
Rev 13:3  And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.

This "all the world" is the same as "the kings of the earth... and the inhabitants of the earth [who] have been made drunk with the wine of [the] fornication" [of the great whore].

Rev 17:2  With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication.

We actually come to Christ, listen to His Words, and then, through the influence of the idols of Tyre and Babylon, we tell Christ that His words simply are not necessary to achieve salvation. Peter did just that:

Mar 8:31  And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and of the chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.
Mar 8:32  And he spake that saying openly. And Peter took him, and began to rebuke him.
Mar 8:33  But when he had turned about and looked on his disciples, he rebuked Peter, saying, Get thee behind me, Satan: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but the things that be of men.

Our "idols" today are "idols of [our] hearts" (Eze 14:1-9). We think they are comforting doctrines. They tell us we should never have to suffer because Christ suffered for us. They tell us we will be raptured away to heaven, and we will avoid all the trials which Christ endured. They tell us that because Christ suffered for us we do not need to suffer with Him. However, it is all a lie, and it serves only to heal the deadly wound which the sword of the word of God had inflicted upon our old man. When the spirit to which Peter succumbed comes to us, we, too, succumb to that spirit and return to being the spiritual harlot we once were. That is the message of our next few verses:

Isa 23:15  And it shall come to pass in that day, that Tyre shall be forgotten seventy years, according to the days of one king: after the end of seventy years shall Tyre sing as an harlot.
Isa 23:16  Take an harp, go about the city, thou harlot that hast been forgotten; make sweet melody, sing many songs, that thou mayest be remembered.
Isa 23:17  And it shall come to pass after the end of seventy years, that the LORD will visit Tyre, and she shall turn to her hire, and shall commit fornication with all the kingdoms of the world upon the face of the earth.

"Tyre shall turn to her hire, and shall commit fornication with all the kingdoms of the world upon the face of the earth". Is this not exactly what we are told about "Babylon the great, the mother of  harlots" in the book of Revelation?

Rev 17:1  And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters:
Rev 17:2  With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication.

Why does the Lord see fit to tell you and me about what He is doing and will do with Tyre and Babylon? How does the knowledge of what the Lord is doing with Tyre and Babylon edify His body? Did not Christ tells us:

Joh 6:63  It is the spirit that giveth life; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I have spoken unto you are spirit, and are life. (ASV)

"The flesh profits nothing" does not say, "The flesh has no function in the plan of God." Nothing is further from the Truth. It is the death of "the flesh", the death of our carnal-minded old man, which is the "corn of wheat" which serves as the catalyst which must "fall into the earth and die" before we can begin to be "transformed [and] conformed" into the new man with a new mind, "the mind of Christ":

Joh 12:24  Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.

So the death of the "corn of wheat" is a necessary and an integral part of the birth of "the Christ... the new man" within us. But this "corn of wheat" is healed of a "deadly wound by a sword" before it dies to never again be raised up:

Rev 13:2  And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat [Greek: thronos, throne], and great authority.
Rev 13:3  And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.
Rev 13:4  And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?

Tyre's return to her harlotry is just another way of telling us that we all return to our own vomit and our wallow in the mire. The book of Revelation calls this experience the healing of a deadly wound by a sword.

2Pe 2:20  For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.
2Pe 2:21  For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.
2Pe 2:22  But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.

Rev 13:11  And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.
Rev 13:12  And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.
Rev 13:13  And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,
Rev 13:14  And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.

This all sounds so dire and so foolish, and yet there is one event to all men (Ecc 9:2), and it is all predestined to be fulfilled in the life of every man. The details of each life differ, but the event is the same "one event to all":

Ecc 9:2  All things come alike to all: there is one event to the righteous, and to the wicked; to the good and to the clean, and to the unclean; to him that sacrificeth, and to him that sacrificeth not: as is the good, so is the sinner; and he that sweareth, as he that feareth an oath.

Christ tells us that we are all sinners in need of a Savior:

Luk 13:1  There were present at that season some that told him of the Galilaeans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.
Luk 13:2  And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such things?
Luk 13:3  I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
Luk 13:4  Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem?
Luk 13:5  I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.

What we are being told by Christ here in Luke, and in the burden of Tyre here in Isaiah 23, is that "flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God" and must be destroyed before the new man can come up out of that destruction. We see this transformation take place in nature through the life cycle of a butterfly that begins as a worm getting about on its belly like a serpent, but through the death of that worm it's being transformed into a beautiful butterfly which is capable of rising up into the heavens. Truly "the invisible things of God are clearly seen being understood by the things which are made" (Rom 1:20).

Rom 1:20  For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:

Returning to being a harlot is just a way of telling us that we come out of one church just to go into another harlot church, all the while serving God as we want to serve Him. Our actions are not because we mean to be carnal and rebellious, rather it is because we were gifted from birth with "the law of sin in [our] members" (Rom 7:17-23). After being subject to that law of sin in our members for the predestined time, we are, through Christ, delivered from that wretched body of death, and we are miraculously transformed into a "new man... by the renewing of [our] mind".

Rom 12:2  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Rom 8:29  For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

Paul does not shy away from telling us that we have been "predestinate[d] (Eph 1:11) to be conformed to the image of His Son, that [we] might be the firstborn among many brothers."  If we are the predestined "firstborn among many brothers", then it follows that "many brothers" are predestined to be born in Christ after "the firstborn".

Just how many will, in the end, be "in Christ", and how will that later harvest of souls take place? Paul is also bold to answer those questions with these words:

1Co 15:21  For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.
1Co 15:22  For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
1Co 15:23  But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.
1Co 15:24  Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.
1Co 15:25  For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.
1Co 15:26  The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.

Those are really simple and straightforward words; "As in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive". The manner in which "all die", that is the same manner in which "all... shall be... made alive", and death will then be destroyed because no one will then be dead. This doctrine accords with these words of Christ which we just quoted to show the function flesh plays in the work He is doing with "all men":

Joh 12:24  Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.
Joh 12:25  He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.
Joh 12:26  If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.
Joh 12:27  Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour.
Joh 12:28  Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.
Joh 12:29  The people therefore, that stood by, and heard it, said that it thundered: others said, An angel spake to him.
Joh 12:30  Jesus answered and said, This voice came not because of me, but for your sakes.
Joh 12:31  Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.
Joh 12:32  And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.
Joh 12:33  This he said, signifying what death he should die.

Christ, the only man who has ever lived who never sinned, still had to "fall into the ground and die" before He could be perfected and "bring forth much fruit" in the form of life for "all men".

Luk 13:32  And he said unto them, Go ye, and tell that fox, Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures to day and to morrow, and the third day I shall be perfected.

What we are learning is that our carnal-minded, rebellious flesh, is a first and very integral part of the making of mankind into "the image of His Son":

Rom 8:29  For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

We will understand the mind of the Lord only if we acknowledge that before we are "conformed to the image of His Son", we are first a "man of sin", made into "the image of jealousy", and we place ourselves "in the temple of God, setting [our]self forth as God".

That is the spiritual meaning of this prophecy of Ezekiel 8:

Eze 8:1  And it came to pass in the sixth year, in the sixth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I sat in mine house, and the elders of Judah sat before me, that the hand of the Lord GOD fell there upon me.
Eze 8:2  Then I beheld, and lo a likeness as the appearance of fire: from the appearance of his loins even downward, fire; and from his loins even upward, as the appearance of brightness, as the colour of amber.
Eze 8:3  And he put forth the form of an hand, and took me by a lock of mine head; and the spirit lifted me up between the earth and the heaven, and brought me in the visions of God to Jerusalem, to the door of the inner gate that looketh toward the north; where was the seat of the image of jealousy, which provoketh to jealousy.
Eze 8:4  And, behold, the glory of the God of Israel was there, according to the vision that I saw in the plain.
Eze 8:5  Then said he unto me, Son of man, lift up thine eyes now the way toward the north. So I lifted up mine eyes the way toward the north, and behold northward at the gate of the altar this image of jealousy in the entry.

Historically this "image of jealously' is believed to be the altar which King Ahaz had Urijah the priest to build to replace the altar which God had told Moses to be careful to build 'according to the pattern he had been given in the mount'.

Exo 25:40  And look that thou make them after their pattern, which was shewed thee in the mount.

2Ki 16:10  And king Ahaz went to Damascus to meet Tiglathpileser king of Assyria, and saw an altar that was at Damascus: and king Ahaz sent to Urijah the priest the fashion of the altar, and the pattern of it, according to all the workmanship thereof.
2Ki 16:11  And Urijah the priest built an altar according to all that king Ahaz had sent from Damascus: so Urijah the priest made it against king Ahaz came from Damascus.
2Ki 16:12  And when the king was come from Damascus, the king saw the altar: and the king approached to the altar, and offered thereon.

King Ahaz and Urijah had so little fear of God that they were both willing to disobey His commandments to do what they wanted to do. Their own ways meant more to them than God's ways, and that spirit is expressed in these words in the New Testament:

2Th 2:4  he that opposeth and exalteth himself against all that is called God or that is worshipped; so that he sitteth in the temple of God, setting himself forth as God. (ASV)

Ahaz threw his lot in with the king of Assyria. He had taken the Lord's gold out of the Lord's temple and had sent it to the king of Assyria as a bribe.

2Ki 16:7  So Ahaz sent messengers to Tiglathpileser king of Assyria, saying, I am thy servant and thy son: come up, and save me out of the hand of the king of Syria, and out of the hand of the king of Israel, which rise up against me.
2Ki 16:8  And Ahaz took the silver and gold that was found in the house of the LORD, and in the treasures of the king's house, and sent it for a present to the king of Assyria.

As a type of us, King Ahaz had chosen fornication with Babylon over dying to the flesh. It is all predestined and has to be experienced, and it must be repented of before we can reap the benefits of dying to our old man and His rebellious kingdom.

This experience of returning to our own ways was prophesied in these words concerning Tyre in the last verse of our study today:

Isa 23:18  And her merchandise and her hire shall be holiness to the LORD: it shall not be treasured nor laid up; for her merchandise shall be for them that dwell before the LORD, to eat sufficiently, and for durable clothing.

Tyre and Babylon are types of the time we spend in service to all the fornication and false doctrines of the the great whore who is the harlot religions of this world. In time all those false doctrines become nothing more than "wood, hay, and stubble" to be burned up by the fiery truth of the Word of God. After being deceived and brought to repentance, all of that experience of evil becomes "bread for us", as we use that experience to wage spiritual warfare in our heavens, dying daily to the lies of Babylon and to the giants in our land. As Caleb and Joshua told the fearful nation of Israel:

Num 14:8  If the LORD delight in us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it us; a land which floweth with milk and honey.
Num 14:9  Only rebel not ye against the LORD, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defence is departed from them, and the LORD is with us: fear them not.

As the apostle Paul tells us, in Christ we are not ignorant of the devices of the adversary, and we can now use his own devices against him. Instead of valuing the things of this life, we can now 'seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness' knowing the suffering of this age is not worthy to be compared with the glory that will be revealed in us'.

Christ gave us this parable to show us how the materialistic spirit of wealthy prosperous Tyre, appeals to the beast we all are:

Luk 12:16  And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully:
Luk 12:17  And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits?
Luk 12:18  And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods.
Luk 12:19  And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.
Luk 12:20  But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?
Luk 12:21  So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.

Rom 8:18  For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

The materialistic, immoral appeal of the temptations of Tyre and Babylon are the armor of the adversary, which serve the adversary in keeping us convinced we cannot do battle against him, just as the armor of God serves us in waging our wars against the adversary in the heavens.

These verses in Job describe the hopelessness of doing battle with the adversary in our own strength:

Job 41:24  His heart is as firm as a stone; yea, as hard as a piece of the nether millstone.
Job 41:25  When he raiseth up himself, the mighty are afraid: by reason of breakings they purify themselves.
Job 41:26  The sword of him that layeth at him cannot hold: the spear, the dart, nor the habergeon.
Job 41:27  He esteemeth iron as straw, and brass as rotten wood.
Job 41:28  The arrow cannot make him flee: slingstones are turned with him into stubble.
Job 41:29  Darts are counted as stubble: he laugheth at the shaking of a spear.
Job 41:30  Sharp stones are under him: he spreadeth sharp pointed things upon the mire.

That is the power of Tyre and Babylon over the flesh and the carnal mind of our old man. It is spiritually impossible for any man, of himself to overcome the beast within us all:

Rev 13:4  And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?

Paul's own personal experience caused him to echo this same refrain, but Paul supplies us with the answer of "who is able to make war with [the beast]":

Rom 7:24  O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
Rom 7:25  I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.

In the next chapter we are given these very positive, affirming words:

Rom 8:37  Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
Rom 8:38  For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
Rom 8:39  Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Truly Tyre's hire will be turned to "holiness to the Lord... bread for us, and for durable clothing" for us.

Isa 23:18  And her merchandise and her hire shall be holiness to the LORD: it shall not be treasured nor laid up; for her merchandise shall be for them that dwell before the LORD, to eat sufficiently, and for durable clothing.

Next week, if the Lord wills, we will learn how the destruction of Tyre and Babylon, "the city of confusion", is actually the destruction of this entire earth and "the things that are seen". The destruction of Tyre and Babylon is the necessary step we all must take to bring us into the Lord's judgments in our 'earth':

Isa 26:8  Yea, in the way of thy judgments, O LORD, have we waited for thee; the desire of our soul is to thy name, and to the remembrance of thee.
Isa 26:9  With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.

Wow! What a radical and blasphemous doctrine from the perspective of spiritual Tyre and Babylon! Those words fly in the face of the false doctrine of eternal torment which tells us that God's judgments will confine the vast majority of His creation to endless flames of merciless torment.

Here are our verses for next week's study of the judgment of the whole earth:

Isa 24:1  Behold, the LORD maketh the earth empty, and maketh it waste, and turneth it upside down, and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof.
Isa 24:2  And it shall be, as with the people, so with the priest; as with the servant, so with his master; as with the maid, so with her mistress; as with the buyer, so with the seller; as with the lender, so with the borrower; as with the taker of usury, so with the giver of usury to him.
Isa 24:3  The land shall be utterly emptied, and utterly spoiled: for the LORD hath spoken this word.
Isa 24:4  The earth mourneth and fadeth away, the world languisheth and fadeth away, the haughty people of the earth do languish.
Isa 24:5  The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant.
Isa 24:6  Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are desolate: therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left.
Isa 24:7  The new wine mourneth, the vine languisheth, all the merryhearted do sigh.
Isa 24:8  The mirth of tabrets ceaseth, the noise of them that rejoice endeth, the joy of the harp ceaseth.
Isa 24:9  They shall not drink wine with a song; strong drink shall be bitter to them that drink it.
Isa 24:10  The city of confusion is broken down: every house is shut up, that no man may come in.
Isa 24:11  There is a crying for wine in the streets; all joy is darkened, the mirth of the land is gone.
Isa 24:12  In the city is left desolation, and the gate is smitten with destruction.

Isa 23:7-12 The Lord Has Purposed To Bring Into Contempt All The Honorable of The Earth

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Isa 23:7-12 The Lord Has Purposed To Bring Into Contempt All The Honorable of The Earth

Isa 23:7  Is this your joyous city, whose antiquity is of ancient days? her own feet shall carry her afar off to sojourn.
Isa 23:8  Who hath taken this counsel against Tyre, the crowning city, whose merchants are princes, whose traffickers are the honourable of the earth?
Isa 23:9  The LORD of hosts hath purposed it, to stain the pride of all glory, and to bring into contempt all the honourable of the earth.
Isa 23:10  Pass through thy land as a river, O daughter of Tarshish: there is no more strength.
Isa 23:11  He stretched out his hand over the sea, he shook the kingdoms: the LORD hath given a commandment against the merchant city, to destroy the strong holds thereof.
Isa 23:12  And he said, Thou shalt no more rejoice, O thou oppressed virgin, daughter of Zidon: arise, pass over to Chittim; there also shalt thou have no rest.

These verses are wonderful news for all of us! The Lord has purposed to stain the pride of all the glory of the rebellious, sinful flesh of our old man and to bring into contempt all the honorable men of this earth.  There can be no better news than that.

Who do we all consider to be the most honorable man in the world? This is what we are told:

Eph 5:29  For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:

When Christ tells us how we should treat our wives, He uses this natural fact to make that point. Self-preservation is as natural as breathing. According to the scriptures, our old man literally worships himself as a god:

2Th 2:3  Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
2Th 2:4  Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.

Christ said this about all mankind:

Mat 4:4  But he answered and said, It is written, Man [Greek: 'anthropos', mankind] shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

Tyre is just another symbol for the great harlot, called 'Babylon' in Revelation 17-18. The fact that we all "exalt [our]selves above all that is called God or that is worshiped" demonstrates that all men are given over to this "great whore", symbolizing the religions of this world, including the religion of self-worship.

I want to read the last two verses of last week's study to give us context to the six verses of our study today:

Isa 23:5  As at the report concerning Egypt, so shall they be sorely pained at the report of Tyre.
Isa 23:6  Pass ye over to Tarshish; howl, ye inhabitants of the isle.

Isa 23:7  Is this your joyous city, whose antiquity is of ancient days? her own feet shall carry her afar off to sojourn.
Isa 23:8  Who hath taken this counsel against Tyre, the crowning city, whose merchants are princes, whose traffickers are the honourable of the earth?

The use of 'Tarshish' as the destination of the "inhabitants of the isle" is for the purpose of letting us know just how universal the knowledge of the destruction of Tyre and Babylon will be.

Tarshish was a city in Spain, and Spain symbolizes the uttermost parts of the known world. The message we are being given is that the whole world, every part of the kingdom of our old man, will be made painfully aware of his destruction and the destruction of his kingdom within us. Just as the Egyptian army marched on their own feet right into their own destruction in the Red Sea, so also does our own old man march right into his own destruction at the hand of his own iniquities:

Jer 2:19  Thine own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy backslidings shall reprove thee: know therefore and see that it is an evil thing and bitter, that thou hast forsaken the LORD thy God, and that my fear is not in thee, saith the Lord GOD of hosts.

"[Our] own feet" is "[our] own wickedness". It is our own ways which will judge us and cause us to be carried off and carried away from our Creator and Savior and into our own destruction.

Pro 14:14  The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways: and a good man shall be satisfied from himself.

Verse 8 poses the question: "Who hath taken this counsel against Tyre, the crowning city, whose merchants are princes, whose traffickers are the honourable of the earth?"

Verse 9 answers that question leaving no doubt who "[took] counsel against Tyre... whose traffickers are the honorable [men] of the earth".

Isa 23:9  The LORD of hosts hath purposed it, to stain the pride of all glory, and to bring into contempt all the honourable of the earth.

"All the honorable of the earth" is the "man of sin" who "sits in the temple of God showing himself that he is God". "The honorable of the earth" is our own old man whom the Lord is slowly showing as contemptible and not worthy of inheriting the kingdom of God, if for nothing else, his contemptible composition of dying flesh and blood and the deadly fruit of that dying composition:

Gen 3:19  In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

1Co 15:50  Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.

Our flesh does not like those words and refuses to believe them. Many of the daughters of Babylon actually teach a doctrine of "eternal spiritual flesh", and teach that just as Christ's physical body was raised from the dead, so will we experience a 'corporal resurrection' with a physical body of 'eternal, spiritual flesh and blood'.

Such lies fly in the face of 1Co 15:50 as well as these words of our Lord:

Joh 3:6  That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

These false doctrines notwithstanding, the Lord is bringing down all the flesh of 'all the honorable of the earth' [into] contempt, including far away Tarshish, one of the daughters of Tyre:

Isa 23:10  Pass through thy land as a river, O daughter of Tarshish: there is no more strength.
Isa 23:11  He stretched out his hand over the sea, he shook the kingdoms: the LORD hath given a commandment against the merchant city, to destroy the strong holds thereof.

True to life, we all attempt to evade, avoid and nullify the Lord's judgment to make our flesh contemptible to us and to this world, so we seek to get away from His judgments upon us.  However, we cannot get away from a God who is omnipresent and all powerful. When our "day of visitation" arrives (Isa 10:3), we will be judged, and then we will "learn righteousness" (Isa 26:8-9).

Isa 10:3 And what will ye do in the day of visitation, and in the desolation which shall come from far? to whom will ye flee for help? and where will ye leave your glory?

Isa 26:8 Yea, in the way of thy judgments, O LORD, have we waited for thee; the desire of our soul is to thy name, and to the remembrance of thee.
Isa 26:9 With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.

The Tyrians who were able to escape fled Tyre and went to Cyprus, but even there they found no rest from the Lord's hand:

Isa 23:12  And he said, Thou shalt no more rejoice, O thou oppressed virgin, daughter of Zidon: arise, pass over to Chittim; there also shalt thou have no rest.

All the commentaries agree that 'Chittim' is the island of Cyprus, in the eastern Mediterranean. The wealthy Tyrians were the ancient Phoenicians who had established ports of trade throughout the Mediterranean, including the island of Cyprus, which at that time was known in scripture both as 'Caphtor' and as 'Chittim'. That is why Tarshish, a Phoenician city in Spain way over in the western Mediterranean, is instructed to mourn the loss of Tyre.  In the first verse of this chapter we are told the destruction of Tyre is revealed to Tarshish by Cyprians, who are here called 'Chittim':

Isa 23:1  The burden of Tyre. Howl, ye ships of Tarshish; for it is laid waste, so that there is no house, no entering in: from the land of Chittim it is revealed to them.

In Numbers 24 we have the story of Israel toward the end of their wanderings in the wilderness. The Lord is at last bringing them through the land of Moab, one of the three nations the Lord instructed Israel not to attack because they were Israel's brother via Lot, the nephew of Abraham. The other two nations were the Ammonites, Moab's brother, and the Edomites, the descendant's of Esau, Jacob's twin brother.

The point being made is that these nations are our own self-righteous flesh, and we cannot at first even fight against our own self-righteous flesh. Here is the part of that story where the "ships... of Chittim", along with "all the "honorable of the earth", will be proven by the Lord to be "contemptible" (Isa 23:9).

Num 24:10  And Balak's anger was kindled against Balaam, and he smote his hands together: and Balak said unto Balaam, I called thee to curse mine enemies, and, behold, thou hast altogether blessed them these three times.
Num 24:11  Therefore now flee thou to thy place: I thought to promote thee unto great honour; but, lo, the LORD hath kept thee back from honour.
Num 24:12  And Balaam said unto Balak, Spake I not also to thy messengers which thou sentest unto me, saying,
Num 24:13  If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the commandment of the LORD, to do either good or bad of mine own mind; but what the LORD saith, that will I speak?
Num 24:14  And now, behold, I go unto my people: come therefore, and I will advertise thee what this people shall do to thy people in the latter days.
Num 24:15  And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor hath said, and the man whose eyes are open hath said:
Num 24:16  He hath said, which heard the words of God, and knew the knowledge of the most High, which saw the vision of the Almighty, falling into a trance, but having his eyes open:
Num 24:17  I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth.
Num 24:18  And Edom shall be a possession, Seir also shall be a possession for his enemies; and Israel shall do valiantly.
Num 24:19  Out of Jacob shall come he that shall have dominion, and shall destroy him that remaineth of the city.
Num 24:20  And when he looked on Amalek, he took up his parable, and said, Amalek was the first of the nations; but his latter end shall be that he perish for ever.
Num 24:21  And he looked on the Kenites, and took up his parable, and said, Strong is thy dwellingplace, and thou puttest thy nest in a rock.
Num 24:22  Nevertheless the Kenite shall be wasted, until Asshur shall carry thee away captive.
Num 24:23  And he took up his parable, and said, Alas, who shall live when God doeth this!
Num 24:24  And ships shall come from the coast of Chittim, and shall afflict Asshur, and shall afflict Eber, and he also shall perish for ever.
Num 24:25  And Balaam rose up, and went and returned to his place: and Balak also went his way.

The fact that Seth ("Sheth" verse 17, and "Eber" verse 24) are mentioned among all these nations, is the same as telling us that even the flesh of Christ cannot inherit the kingdom of God (1Co 15:50).

"The ships of Chittim" are also mentioned in the prophecies of Daniel:

Dan 11:30  For the ships of Chittim shall come against him: therefore he shall be grieved, and return, and have indignation against the holy covenant: so shall he do; he shall even return, and have intelligence with them that forsake the holy covenant.

Tyre, Babylon and the ships of Chittim are all types of the great whore and her daughters who are: "they that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in [the] great waters [of] multitudes and nations [upon which the great whore sits]":

Psa 107:23  They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters;
Psa 107:24  These see the works of the LORD, and his wonders in the deep.

Rev 17:1  And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters:
Rev 17:2  With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication.

Rev 17:15  And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.
Rev 17:16  And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire.
Rev 17:17  For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled.
Rev 17:18  And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.

What we have just been told here in Isaiah 23, in Daniel 11 and in Revelation 17, is that we are all brought to "hate the whore, and... eat her flesh, and burn her with fire", while we are in the process of coming out of her. As carnal babes in Christ (1Co 3:1-4), we blame the harlot for being a harlot and for deceiving us for so long. Joseph, a type of the Lord's elect, was upset with his brothers when they cast him into a pit and sold him into Egypt. It was over 13 years before he was given to see what the Lord was working in his life. As long as he was in the pit, in the possession of the Ishmaelites, in Potifar's house or in prison, he could not possibly see how any good could come of his situation. Only after he was seated with Christ in the heavens was he able to see that "it was not [his brothers]" who had sold him into Egypt. It was God who sent him there to save Egypt and his own apostate family.

Outwardly the beast that is mankind is becoming, and will become, disillusioned with the religions of this world, and will blame them for all the evil in this world, when, of course, the Truth is that the Lord Himself has put it in her heart to be the whore she is within us, just as He puts it into our hearts to hate her and to burn her with fire.

In time we come to know that it was all a work of God. When the Lord opens our eyes, we finally see that all of Israel's enemies, all the enemies of the kingdom of God within us, whether they are symbolized by the literal kinsmen of Israel as the descendants of Abraham, "a Syrian" or the nations of giants within the land or the Assyrians, they are one and all "the first man Adam" who is within us all. All our enemies, inward and outward, represent and symbolize our own flesh and our own carnal, rebellious old man and his kingdom:

Gen 25:20  And Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah to wife, the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian of Padanaram, the sister to Laban the Syrian.

Gen 28:5  And Isaac sent away Jacob: and he went to Padanaram unto Laban, son of Bethuel the Syrian, the brother of Rebekah, Jacob's and Esau's mother.

Deu 26:5  And thou shalt speak and say before the LORD thy God, A Syrian ready to perish was my father, and he went down into Egypt, and sojourned there with a few, and became there a nation, great, mighty, and populous:

1Co 15:44  It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.
1Co 15:45  And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.

Next week, Lord willing, we will see that our experience in Tyre and in Babylon is absolutely essential "to save many people alive", just as Joseph's betrayal by His ten brothers accomplished that same end (Gen 45:4-8).

Gen 45:4  And Joseph said unto his brethren, Come near to me, I pray you. And they came near. And he said, I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt.
Gen 45:5  Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life.
Gen 45:6  For these two years hath the famine been in the land: and yet there are five years, in the which there shall neither be earing nor harvest.
Gen 45:7  And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance.
Gen 45:8  So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God: and he hath made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt.

Here are the last six verses of Isaiah 23. These will be our study for next week.

Isa 23:13  Behold the land of the Chaldeans; this people was not, till the Assyrian founded it for them that dwell in the wilderness: they set up the towers thereof, they raised up the palaces thereof; and he brought it to ruin.
Isa 23:14  Howl, ye ships of Tarshish: for your strength is laid waste.
Isa 23:15  And it shall come to pass in that day, that Tyre shall be forgotten seventy years, according to the days of one king: after the end of seventy years shall Tyre sing as an harlot.
Isa 23:16  Take an harp, go about the city, thou harlot that hast been forgotten; make sweet melody, sing many songs, that thou mayest be remembered.
Isa 23:17  And it shall come to pass after the end of seventy years, that the LORD will visit Tyre, and she shall turn to her hire, and shall commit fornication with all the kingdoms of the world upon the face of the earth.
Isa 23:18  And her merchandise and her hire shall be holiness to the LORD: it shall not be treasured nor laid up; for her merchandise shall be for them that dwell before the LORD, to eat sufficiently, and for durable clothing.

Isa 23:1-6 As At The Report of Egypt, So Shall They Be...At The Report of Tyre

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Isa 23:1-6  As At The Report of Egypt, So Shall They Be... At The Report of Tyre

Isa 23:1  The burden of Tyre. Howl, ye ships of Tarshish; for it is laid waste, so that there is no house, no entering in: from the land of Chittim it is revealed to them.
Isa 23:2  Be still, ye inhabitants of the isle; thou whom the merchants of Zidon, that pass over the sea, have replenished.
Isa 23:3  And by great waters the seed of Sihor, the harvest of the river, is her revenue; and she is a mart of nations.
Isa 23:4  Be thou ashamed, O Zidon: for the sea hath spoken, even the strength of the sea, saying, I travail not, nor bring forth children, neither do I nourish up young men, nor bring up virgins.
Isa 23:5  As at the report concerning Egypt, so shall they be sorely pained at the report of Tyre.
Isa 23:6  Pass ye over to Tarshish; howl, ye inhabitants of the isle.

In the physical realm, this is a prophecy of the destruction of Tyre by King Nebuchanezzar, and later the Tyre of the island about half a mile off the coast is destroyed by Alexander the Great. This prophecy had an outward fulfillment in the days of Ezekiel:

Eze 29:17  And it came to pass in the seven and twentieth year, in the first month, in the first day of the month, the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
Eze 29:18  Son of man, Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon caused his army to serve a great service against Tyrus: every head was made bald, and every shoulder was peeled: yet had he no wages, nor his army, for Tyrus, for the service that he had served against it:
Eze 29:19  Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will give the land of Egypt unto Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon; and he shall take her multitude, and take her spoil, and take her prey; and it shall be the wages for his army.
Eze 29:20  I have given him the land of Egypt for his labour wherewith he served against it, because they wrought for me, saith the Lord GOD.
Eze 29:21  In that day will I cause the horn of the house of Israel to bud forth, and I will give thee the opening of the mouth in the midst of them; and they shall know that I am the LORD.

Tyre is destroyed and Egypt's destruction immediately follows. When that happens, then the Lord "will cause the horn of [His] Israel to bud forth.

So the burden of Tyre is pronounced upon her here in Isaiah:

Isa 23:1  The burden of Tyre. Howl, ye ships of Tarshish; for it is laid waste, so that there is no house, no entering in: from the land of Chittim it is revealed to them.
Isa 23:2  Be still, ye inhabitants of the isle; thou whom the merchants of Zidon, that pass over the sea, have replenished.

Tyre works very closely with Zidon and with all her daughter cities of the world to increase her profits and her influence throughout the outward world as well as  the world within us. This prophecy is repeated in another form in Ezekiel 28. "The pride of life" is alive and well within Tyre, outwardly as well as within us:

Eze 28:1  The word of the LORD came again unto me, saying,
Eze 28:2  Son of man, say unto the prince of Tyrus, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thine heart is lifted up, and thou hast said, I am a God, I sit in the seat of God, in the midst of the seas; yet thou art a man, and not God, though thou set thine heart as the heart of God:
Eze 28:3  Behold, thou art wiser than Daniel; there is no secret that they can hide from thee:
Eze 28:4  With thy wisdom and with thine understanding thou hast gotten thee riches, and hast gotten gold and silver into thy treasures:
Eze 28:5  By thy great wisdom and by thy traffick hast thou increased thy riches, and thine heart is lifted up because of thy riches:
Eze 28:6  Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thou hast set thine heart as the heart of God;
Eze 28:7  Behold, therefore I will bring strangers upon thee, the terrible of the nations: and they shall draw their swords against the beauty of thy wisdom, and they shall defile thy brightness.
Eze 28:8  They shall bring thee down to the pit, and thou shalt die the deaths of them that are slain in the midst of the seas.
Eze 28:9  Wilt thou yet say before him that slayeth thee, I am God? but thou shalt be a man, and no God, in the hand of him that slayeth thee.
Eze 28:10  Thou shalt die the deaths of the uncircumcised by the hand of strangers: for I have spoken it, saith the Lord GOD.
Eze 28:11  Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
Eze 28:12  Son of man, take up a lamentation upon the king of Tyrus, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty.
Eze 28:13  Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created.
Eze 28:14  Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire.
Eze 28:15  Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee.
Eze 28:16  By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire.
Eze 28:17  Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee.
Eze 28:18  Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries by the multitude of thine iniquities, by the iniquity of thy traffick; therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of thee, it shall devour thee, and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee.
Eze 28:19  All they that know thee among the people shall be astonished at thee: thou shalt be a terror, and never shalt thou be any more.

Tyre's "traffic" (verse 5) and "the multitude of [her] merchandise"(verse 16) have made her rich "in the midst of the sea", but her riches cannot deter the judgments of God:

Isa 23:3  And by great waters the seed of Sihor, the harvest of the river, is her revenue; and she is a mart of nations.

Tyre is made rich "by great waters the seed of Sihor, the harvest of the river." Her revenues come to her via "great waters the seed of Sihor." Ezekiel 28:2 tells us Tyre is situated "in the midst of the sea". What are we being told? What is the meaning of "great waters"? This is what we are being told about the extent of Tyre's influence:

Rev 17:1  And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters:
Rev 17:2  With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication.

Lest we miss the point about the universal influence of this "great whore", the Lord tells us plainly:

Rev 17:15  And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.

So what is this 'Sihor', also called 'Shihor'? The name appropriately means 'dark'. This name appears three other times in scripture, and those verses will help us to see who is being referenced here in Isaiah:

Jos 13:3  From Sihor, which is before Egypt, even unto the borders of Ekron northward, which is counted to the Canaanite: five lords of the Philistines; the Gazathites, and the Ashdothites, the Eshkalonites, the Gittites, and the Ekronites; also the Avites:

1Ch 13:5  So David gathered all Israel together, from Shihor of Egypt even unto the entering of Hemath, to bring the ark of God from Kirjathjearim.

Jer 2:18  And now what hast thou to do in the way of Egypt, to drink the waters of Sihor? or what hast thou to do in the way of Assyria, to drink the waters of the river?

"...The waters of Sihor... in the way of Egypt, [and] Sihor, which is before Egypt", tell us that the waters of Sihor are the waters of Egypt, apparently the waters of the Nile which served to make "the way of Egypt" the envy of the world in her day. Spiritually speaking they are "dark" waters, and they are the same as "the way of Assyria".  Both are the opposite of the way and the waters of these "rivers":

Joh 7:38  He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.

Joh 4:14  But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

We all know what coming up out of Egypt typifies. Coming up out of the darkness and slavery of "the great waters, the seed of Sihor" in Egypt is just an earlier, less mature part in our book of coming out of Babylon, the land of the Chaldeans. Babylon is the symbol of a later, more mature form of the enslavement of the Lord's Israel to an even greater darkness and an even greater slavery to "the waters of Assyria... the rivers of Babylon" (Psa 137:1):

Hos 11:1  When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt.
Hos 11:2  As they called them, so they went from them: they sacrificed unto Baalim, and burned incense to graven images.
Hos 11:3  I taught Ephraim also to go, taking them by their arms; but they knew not that I healed them.
Hos 11:4  I drew them with cords of a man, with bands of love: and I was to them as they that take off the yoke on their jaws, and I laid meat unto them.
Hos 11:5  He shall not return into the land of Egypt, but the Assyrian shall be his king, because they refused to return.

Jeremiah parallels "the waters... of Egypt" with "the waters of the river... of Assyria", and 'Assyria' is the same as 'Babylon, the mother of harlots and of the abominations of the earth'. Why does Jeremiah mention Egypt and Assyria in the same breath? The reason is that these are the two places where Israel served as slaves. Egypt comes first because it symbolizes our slavery to our flesh as "a child". Assyria and Babylon are later because it is within that great harlot that we are ensnared by all of her doctrines which appeal to our flesh and thereby enslave "the souls of men".

Ezekiel 28  could be a duplication of Isaiah 14  if we just replace the name 'Babylon' in Isaiah 14 with the name 'Tyre' in Ezekiel 28. Once again "the dream is one" (Gen 41:25-26), and Tyre is just another symbol of the grip that false religions have upon Adam. The religions of this world are spiritual whores who want to "eat [their] own bread and wear [their] own apparel, but [they want to be] called by [God's] name":

Isa 4:1  And in that day seven women shall take hold of one man, saying, We will eat our own bread, and wear our own apparel: only let us be called by thy name, to take away our reproach.

And this is what the Lord tells us about these "seven" daughters of the "great whore" which is the religions and false doctrines to which we have all been enslaved, and to which the religions of this world are still totally enslaved:

Isa 14:13  For thou [the king of Babylon] hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:
Isa 14:14  I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.
Isa 14:15  Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.

Now let's read Jeremiah 2:18 again, and this time let's notice what the very next verse tells us about the fruit of the waters of both Egypt and Assyria:

Jer 2:18  And now what hast thou to do in the way of Egypt, to drink the waters of Sihor? or what hast thou to do in the way of Assyria, to drink the waters of the river?
Jer 2:19  Thine own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy backslidings shall reprove thee: know therefore and see that it is an evil thing and bitter, that thou hast forsaken the LORD thy God, and that my fear is not in thee, saith the Lord GOD of hosts.

Jeremiah asks us, "What have [we] to do in the way of Egypt, and in the way of Assyria?"  Then he answers his own question informing us of the fruits of drinking the water of Sihor and the waters of the river of Assyria:

Jer 2:19  Thine own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy backslidings shall reprove thee: know therefore and see that it is an evil thing and bitter, that thou hast forsaken the LORD thy God, and that my fear is not in thee, saith the Lord GOD of hosts.

We have demonstrated the Biblical parallels between the king of Babylon in Isa 28 and the king of Tyre in Ezekiel 14. Both are symbols of our later slavery in captivity to the doctrines of "Babylon the Great, the mother of harlots and of abominations of the earth":

Rev 17:1  And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters:
Rev 17:2  With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication.
Rev 17:3  So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.
Rev 17:4  And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication:
Rev 17:5  And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
Rev 17:6  And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.

When Tyre is destroyed, she is ashamed and mourns the fact that she can no longer travail and bring forth any more children, young men, or virgins. Notice how the same thing is said of Babylon when she is suddenly unable to function as an influence throughout the world as she has for so long.

First, let's take note how Babylon is the habitation of all the false religious doctrines, which slander the name of a loving heavenly Father:

Rev 18:1  And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory.
Rev 18:2  And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.
Rev 18:3  For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.

Now let's notice how much our old man and the friends of our old man miss him when he is destroyed within us and when Babylon's grip upon mankind is destroyed:

Rev 18:7  How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow.
Rev 18:8  Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her.
Rev 18:9  And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning,
Rev 18:10  Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come.
Rev 18:11  And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more:
Rev 18:12  The merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stones, and of pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all thyine wood, and all manner vessels of ivory, and all manner vessels of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble,
Rev 18:13  And cinnamon, and odours, and ointments, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and beasts, and sheep, and horses, and chariots, and slaves, and souls of men.
Rev 18:14  And the fruits that thy soul lusted after are departed from thee, and all things which were dainty and goodly are departed from thee, and thou shalt find them no more at all.
Rev 18:15  The merchants of these things, which were made rich by her, shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing,
Rev 18:16  And saying, Alas, alas, that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls!
Rev 18:17  For in one hour so great riches is come to nought. And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off,
Rev 18:18  And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like unto this great city!
Rev 18:19  And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas, that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate.

Tyre and Babylon are both symbols of a religious spiritual harlot who "says in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow" (Rev 18:7).

Her destruction by Nebuchadnezzar is the outward physical fulfillment of this "burden of Tyre", but the spiritual fulfillment of this event within us is our own judgment which will in time "cause the horn of [the Lord's spiritual] Israel to bud forth" and in time it will also give us "the opening of the mouth" to cause the whole world to know that Christ is the true king of "the kingdoms of this world":

Dan 4:17  This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones: to the intent that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men.

Rev 11:15  And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.

Utilizing "the dream is one" principle, we have seen that Tyre and Babylon are both symbols of the Lord's own apostate Israel, which in turn symbolizes the apostate Christian church. The similarities of actions of the two kings, the king of Babylon in Isaiah 14 and the king of Tyre in Ezekiel 28, are as striking as the similarities of the actions of the corn and the cows in Pharaoh's dreams, where we learn of this Biblical principle of "the dream is one".

Let's take the time to take note of the revelation of this principle in:

Gen 41:25  And Joseph said unto Pharaoh, The dream of Pharaoh is one: God hath shewed Pharaoh what he is about to do.
Gen 41:26  The seven good kine are seven years; and the seven good ears are seven years: the dream is one.

"The dream is one" is a Biblical principle which must apply throughout all scripture. The lean cows and the thin, blasted ears of corn are both symbols of who we are. They are symbols of the kingdom of our old man who devours us and is none the better for doing so. The well-fed cows and "the seven good ears" symbolize the mind of and doctrines of our new man who is destroyed by our old man, as we destroyed Christ before we were given to die with Him. Yet it is through that destruction of the Truth that we are judged and learn to die with Christ so we can then be saved from death.

This is how Christ explains this process:

Joh 12:24  Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.
Joh 12:25  He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.

The seven lean years symbolize our starved, dying process, but the stored up grain symbolizes the life that comes out of that famine of the words of God. When the famine has run its course, then the corn of wheat falls into the ground and dies, and life comes through that death just as the Lord's words teach us.

In Isaiah 14 we are given a "proverb against the king of Babylon". We are told his pomp is brought down to the grave because he said in his heart, "I will ascend into heaven... I will be like the most high." Then we are told, "Yet you shall be brought down to the grave, to the sides of the pit."

Isa 14:13  For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:
Isa 14:14  I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.
Isa 14:15  Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.

In Ezekiel 28 we are told "[your] heart is lifted up, and you said, I am God..."

Eze 28:2  Son of man, say unto the prince of Tyrus, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thine heart is lifted up, and thou hast said, I am a God, I sit in the seat of God, in the midst of the seas; yet thou art a man, and not God, though thou set thine heart as the heart of God:

Then the king of Tyre is told the same thing as the king of Babylon:

Eze 28:8  They shall bring thee down to the pit, and thou shalt die the deaths of them that are slain in the midst of the seas.
Eze 28:9  Wilt thou yet say before him that slayeth thee, I am God? but thou shalt be a man, and no God, in the hand of him that slayeth thee.
Eze 28:10  Thou shalt die the deaths of the uncircumcised by the hand of strangers: for I have spoken it, saith the Lord GOD.

Tyre is no more Babylon than corn is cows. Yet in both cases the two are "one dream", and in both cases the message is the same. The kingdom of our old man must be destroyed before the kingdom of our new man will come forth out of that death, just as Christ came forth out of the grave as a "corn of wheat [which had] fallen into the ground and died".

Neither of these chapters say a word about any spirit being such as Satan. Both chapters deal with "a man" whose "heart is lifted up" and who "say[s] in [his] heart, I am God." Both men are "brought down to the grave" and are destroyed as types of our old man who makes all those same claims while he, too, "sits in the temple of God" claiming to be God:

2Th 2:3  Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
2Th 2:4  Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he [our own old man] as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.

It is an over simplification of scripture, but it is still true that from Genesis 1:1 to Rev 22:21 it is these two men who are in view. All scriptures actually concern themselves with nothing more than our old, "first man Adam", and our new man, "the last Adam":

1Co 15:45  And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.

With this understanding, let's now look at our last three verses for today's study:

Isa 23:4  Be thou ashamed, O Zidon: for the sea hath spoken, even the strength of the sea, saying, I travail not, nor bring forth children, neither do I nourish up young men, nor bring up virgins.
Isa 23:5  As at the report concerning Egypt, so shall they be sorely pained at the report of Tyre.
Isa 23:6  Pass ye over to Tarshish; howl, ye inhabitants of the isle.

Here is how "the sea... bring[s] forth children". Here in the New Testament is the exact spiritual opposite of verse Isaiah 23:4 along with the fruit of the children who "rise up out of the sea":

Rev 13:1  And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.
Rev 13:2  And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.

But here we are being told that Tyre will be destroyed and will no longer produce any children. The report of her destruction is likened to the report of Egypt's destruction. Our old man is destroyed as Christ is being birthed within us. When the Lord delivered Israel out of Egypt He destroyed Egypt in the process. Yet it still took the death of the firstborn of Egypt to bring Egypt to her knees, and even then this symbol of our old man still wanted to enslave and destroy us:

Exo 10:7  And Pharaoh's servants said unto him, How long shall this man be a snare unto us? let the men go, that they may serve the LORD their God: knowest thou not yet that Egypt is destroyed?

Exo 12:29  And it came to pass, that at midnight the LORD smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sat on his throne unto the firstborn of the captive that was in the dungeon; and all the firstborn of cattle.
Exo 12:30  And Pharaoh rose up in the night, he, and all his servants, and all the Egyptians; and there was a great cry in Egypt; for there was not a house where there was not one dead.

At this point, Pharaoh and his people were now moved by great fear to cast Israel out of Egypt and to pay them to leave:

Exo 12:33  And the Egyptians were urgent upon the people, that they might send them out of the land in haste; for they said, We be all dead men.
Exo 12:34  And the people took their dough before it was leavened, their kneadingtroughs being bound up in their clothes upon their shoulders.
Exo 12:35  And the children of Israel did according to the word of Moses; and they borrowed of the Egyptians jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment:
Exo 12:36  And the LORD gave the people favour in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they lent unto them such things as they required. And they spoiled the Egyptians.

But as a testimony to our stubborn, rebellious nature, Pharaoh could not leave well enough alone, and he still thought he could somehow overpower the Lord and again enslave and destroy us. Pharaoh is our old man, and his predestined doom was very near:

Exo 14:8  And the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued after the children of Israel: and the children of Israel went out with an high hand.
Exo 14:9  But the Egyptians pursued after them, all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, and his horsemen, and his army, and overtook them encamping by the sea, beside Pihahiroth, before Baalzephon.

Exo 14:27  And Moses stretched forth his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to his strength when the morning appeared; and the Egyptians fled against it; and the LORD overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea.
Exo 14:28  And the waters returned, and covered the chariots, and the horsemen, and all the host of Pharaoh that came into the sea after them; there remained not so much as one of them.
Exo 14:29  But the children of Israel walked upon dry land in the midst of the sea; and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left.
Exo 14:30  Thus the LORD saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the sea shore.

The parting of the Red Sea and the destruction of Pharaoh and his army in the Red Sea; all of this was reported to the nations in the land of Canaan and their hearts melted.

Jos 2:9  And she said unto the men, I know that the LORD hath given you the land, and that your terror is fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you.
Jos 2:10  For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red sea for you, when ye came out of Egypt; and what ye did unto the two kings of the Amorites, that were on the other side Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom ye utterly destroyed.
Jos 2:11  And as soon as we had heard these things, our hearts did melt, neither did there remain any more courage in any man, because of you: for the LORD your God, he is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath.

What does all of this mean to the kingdom of our old man within us? Here is what it means to Tyre and all her daughters:

Isa 23:5  As at the report concerning Egypt, so shall they be sorely pained at the report of Tyre.
Isa 23:6  Pass ye over to Tarshish; howl, ye inhabitants of the isle.

Conversely Christ within us can rest and rejoice in His strength and in the comfort of His Words. "If God [is] for us who can be against us?"

This is the positive side of Isaiah 23:5-6:

Rom 8:31  What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?
Rom 8:32  He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?
Rom 8:33  Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth.
Rom 8:34  Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.
Rom 8:35  Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
Rom 8:36  As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
Rom 8:37  Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
Rom 8:38  For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
Rom 8:39  Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

That is our study for today. Next week we will see that the outcome of the war in our heavens against the kingdom of our old man has already been determined and written down for our comfort and  our admonition.

Isa 23:6  Pass ye over to Tarshish; howl, ye inhabitants of the isle.
Isa 23:7  Is this your joyous city, whose antiquity is of ancient days? her own feet shall carry her afar off to sojourn.
Isa 23:8  Who hath taken this counsel against Tyre, the crowning city, whose merchants are princes, whose traffickers are the honourable of the earth?
Isa 23:9  The LORD of hosts hath purposed it, to stain the pride of all glory, and to bring into contempt all the honourable of the earth.
Isa 23:10  Pass through thy land as a river, O daughter of Tarshish: there is no more strength.
Isa 23:11  He stretched out his hand over the sea, he shook the kingdoms: the LORD hath given a commandment against the merchant city, to destroy the strong holds thereof.
Isa 23:12  And he said, Thou shalt no more rejoice, O thou oppressed virgin, daughter of Zidon: arise, pass over to Chittim; there also shalt thou have no rest.

The Prophecy of Isaiah - Part 48 Discussion

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Isa 10:12-15 The Judgment o​f The King o​f Assyria

Isa 10:12  Wherefore it shall come to pass, that when the Lord hath performed his whole work upon mount Zion and on Jerusalem, I will punish the fruit of the stout heart of the king of Assyria, and the glory of his high looks.
Isa 10:13  For he saith, By the strength of my hand I have done it, and by my wisdom; for I am prudent: and I have removed the bounds of the people, and have robbed their treasures, and I have put down the inhabitants like a valiant man:
Isa 10:14  And my hand hath found as a nest the riches of the people: and as one gathereth eggs that are left, have I gathered all the earth; and there was none that moved the wing, or opened the mouth, or peeped.
Isa 10:15  Shall the axe boast itself against him that heweth therewith? or shall the saw magnify itself against him that shaketh it? as if the rod should shake itself against them that lift it up, or as if the staff should lift up itself, as if it were no wood.

Notice carefully what we are told here in verse twelve:

Isa 10:12  Wherefore it shall come to pass, that when the Lord hath performed his whole work upon mount Zion and on Jerusalem, I will punish the fruit of the stout heart of the king of Assyria, and the glory of his high looks.

The word 'wherefore' refers back to the previous four verses:

Isa 10:8  For he [the king of Assyria] saith, Are not my princes altogether kings?
Isa 10:9  Is not Calno as Carchemish? is not Hamath as Arpad? is not Samaria as Damascus?
Isa 10:10  As my hand hath found the kingdoms of the idols, and whose graven images did excel them of Jerusalem and of Samaria;
Isa 10:11  Shall I not, as I have done unto Samaria and her idols, so do to Jerusalem and her idols?

We are told here that because of the pride of the king of Assyria he will be punished only "when the Lord has performed His WHOLE work upon M​ount Zion and on Jerusalem". The King of Assyria and the King of Babylon are the enemies of God's symbolic people of Israel. Assyria and Babylon typify "Babylon the great, the mother of harlots and abominations of the earth".

Rev 17:5  And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.

Inwardly and spiritually Isaiah 10:5 is telling us that "when the Lord has perfomed His whole work upon M​ount Zion and on Jerusalem", at that point, if indeed we are 'Judah and Jerusalem', our names have been​ written in heaven, and we have been given "power over all the power of the enemy":

Luk 10:19  Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.
Luk 10:20  Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.

The inward application will be the focus of this study. However let's never forget that the inward application of the Word is only the 'Is' portion of a Christ who "is, was and will be". This Truth is repeated twelve times in various forms in the Book of Revelation, meaning it is a foundational Truth as well as an extremely important fact to keep in mind as we strive to know who our Lord is and what He is doing with His creatures.

Here are just two of those twelve entries of this all important description of our Lord and His character:

Rev 1:8  I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.

Rev 1:17  And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last:
Rev 1:18  I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.
Rev 1:19  Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter;

So when we are told "that when the Lord hath performed His whole work upon Mount Zion and on Jerusalem, I will punish the fruit of the stout heart of the king of Assyria and the glory of his high looks", those words have a dispensational application which includes the past historically, the inward present, as well as an end-of-the-ages 'lake of fire' application.

"When the Lord has performed His whole work upon Mount Zion and on Jerusalem" speaks to the whole work which is now being done in His judging His own house, the house of God".

1Pe 4:17  For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?

The work which is yet to come will be performed upon those who will be raised up from the dead who "obey[ed] not the gospel of God" in this age. That will take place only at that  'great white throne judgment'. Those who will come up in that latter resurrection will still be afflicted  with this spirit of the proud, self-righteous, and rebellious "King of Assyria". At that time the Lord will send His firstfruits to do what His Father sent Him to do, which is "that the world through Him might be saved":

Joh 3:17  For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

Joh 20:21  Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.

Rev 14:4  These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb.

That is the dispensational application which we must never deny, otherwise we are denying one third of the 'is, was and will be' character of Christ who is His word (Joh 1:1). We will return to this dispensational application of these words in next week's study. Our emphasis today though will be on the inward application of the judgment of this spirit of the king of Assyria within each of us.

We will, Lord willing, always focus first on the inward application, yet it is of utmost importance that we realize that the inward, spiritual application of these Words of God are always to be taken as being true only in downpayment, "earnest" form at this present time. Like Christ while standing before Pilate, we know and must confess that we are kings, yet we must also be aware and confess that "[our] kingdom is not of this age":

Joh 18:35  Pilate answered, Am I a Jew? Thine own nation and the chief priests have delivered thee unto me: what hast thou done?
Joh 18:36  Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world [Greek: aion - age]: if my kingdom were of this world [age], then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence [this age].
Joh 18:37  Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.

Christ had no illusions that Pilate would "hear [His] voice" and set Him free, or that Pilate would give his power over to Christ in this age. Christ said these words to Pilate for our sakes, so we would know that we, too, are really even "now the sons of God... [are now] kings and priests", and yet this is true only in "earnest", downpayment form, and we do not yet have "the purchased possession".

Eph 1:13  In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
Eph 1:14  Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

The apostle John confirms this Truth:

1Jn 3:1  Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.
1Jn 3:2  Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

So it is inwardly and spiritually when we are told:

Isa 10:12  ... when the Lord hath performed his whole work upon mount Zion and on Jerusalem, [He] will punish the fruit of the stout heart of the king of Assyria, and the glory of his high looks.

This judgment of the King of Assyria also is taking place "now" within us in downpayment form, in "earnest... until the redemption of the purchased possession", and that judgment requires that we continue to punish the fruit of the stout heart of the King of Assyria and the glory of his high looks [by] bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ:

2Co 10:5  Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

There will not be one person in the first resurrection who has not himself experienced the punishment of the fruit of the stout heart of the King of Assyria, and the punishment of the glory of his high looks.

We have a story which typifies what must be done within us before we will be able to enter into the temple in heaven (Rev 15:7-8). This is not simply a history lesson. This is a type of us (1Co 10:11). This is the story of the fruit of the stout heart, and the glory of the high looks of King Nebuchadnezzar within us being punished by our Lord:

Dan 4:19  Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was astonied for one hour, and his thoughts troubled him. The king spake, and said, Belteshazzar, let not the dream, or the interpretation thereof, trouble thee. Belteshazzar answered and said, My lord, the dream be to them that hate thee, and the interpretation thereof to thine enemies ["Judah and Jerusalem. This dream is to God's firstfruits].
Dan 4:20  The tree that thou sawest, which grew, and was strong, whose height reached unto the heaven, and the sight thereof to all the earth;
Dan 4:21  Whose leaves were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it was meat for all; under which the beasts of the field dwelt, and upon whose branches the fowls of the heaven had their habitation:
Dan 4:22  It is thou, O king, that art grown and become strong: for thy greatness is grown, and reacheth unto heaven, and thy dominion to the end of the earth.
Dan 4:23  And whereas the king saw a watcher and an holy one coming down from heaven, and saying, Hew the tree down, and destroy it; yet leave the stump of the roots thereof in the earth, even with a band of iron and brass, in the tender grass of the field; and let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts of the field, till seven times pass over him;
Dan 4:24  This is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree of the most High, which is come upon my lord the king:
Dan 4:25  That they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and they shall wet thee with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over thee, till thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.
Dan 4:26  And whereas they commanded to leave the stump of the tree roots; thy kingdom shall be sure unto thee, after that thou shalt have known that the heavens do rule. ["He himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire" 1Co 3:16]
Dan 4:27  Wherefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable unto thee, and break off thy sins by righteousness, and thine iniquities by shewing mercy to the poor; if it may be a lengthening of thy tranquillity.
Dan 4:28  All this came upon the king Nebuchadnezzar.
Dan 4:29  At the end of twelve months he walked in the palace of the kingdom of Babylon.
Dan 4:30  The king spake, and said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty?
Dan 4:31  While the word was in the king's mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, saying, O king Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken; The kingdom is departed from thee.
Dan 4:32  And they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field: they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and seven times shall pass over thee, until thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.

Nebuchadnezzar, as a type of us, was given the heart of a beast for seven years, just as we are given the heart of a beast "until the seven plagues of the seven angels are fulfulled":

Rev 15:1  And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvellous, seven angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the wrath of God.
Rev 15:2  And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God.

Standing on the sea of glass is the same as being in the temple, inasmuch as the "molten sea" was reserved for only the priests, the sons of Aaron [2Ch 4:6], who typified Christ as our high priest. Because the priests typify the elect firstborn, this chapter concludes with these words:

Rev 15:7  And one of the four beasts gave unto the seven angels seven golden vials full of the wrath of God, who liveth for ever and ever.
Rev 15:8  And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power; and no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled.

Nebuchadnezzar, the King of Babylon [typifying God's elect], cannot receive or sit upon his throne until the seven years of judgment and the destruction of his stout heart and the glory of his high looks are accomplished and he knows that the heavens rule on his earth. Nebuchadnezzar's seven​ years of punishment until the wrath of God against him is fulfilled typifies our own punishment under the seven plagues and not being able to enter into the temple until the seven plagues which fill up the wrath of God against Babylon The Great within us are fulfilled in our lives.

Before his judgment, Nebuchadnezzar typifies our own old man, who must first be judged and destroyed. He is just a later version of the King of Assyria, who is also a type of our own proud rebellious, yet religious, flesh. Our flesh just naturally believes in the false doctrine of free moral agency. It is that false doctrine which leads us to say:

Isa 10:13  For he saith, By the strength of my hand I have done it, and by my wisdom; for I am prudent: and I have removed the bounds of the people, and have robbed their treasures, and I have put down the inhabitants like a valiant man:
Isa 10:14  And my hand hath found as a nest the riches of the people: and as one gathereth eggs that are left, have I gathered all the earth; and there was none that moved the wing, or opened the mouth, or peeped.

Let's look closely at these two verses and notice the self aggrandizement the King of Assryia within us places upon himself:

Isa 10:13  For he saith, By the strength of my hand I have done it, and by my wisdom; for I am prudent: and I have removed the bounds of the people, and [I] have robbed their treasures, and I have put down the inhabitants like a valiant man:
Isa 10:14  And my hand hath found as a nest the riches of the people: and as one gathereth eggs that are left, have I gathered all the earth; and there was none that moved the wing, or opened the mouth, or peeped.

This is my flesh and your flesh. If we so much as deny these following verses of scripture, which we all do in our own time, then we are the King of Assyria whose proud heart must be destroyed. Our inability to see what is in these verses is because of "the pride of life", the fruit of the false doctrine of 'free moral agency', which is one of the last lies we are granted to relinquish:

Gen 45:4  And Joseph said unto his brethren, Come near to me, I pray you. And they came near. And he said, I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt.
Gen 45:5  Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life.
Gen 45:6  For these two years hath the famine been in the land: and yet there are five years, in the which there shall neither be earing nor harvest.
Gen 45:7  And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance.
Gen 45:8  So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God: and he hath made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt.

Pro 16:1  The preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue, is from the LORD.

Pro 16:4  The LORD hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil.

Isa 45:7  I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.

Isa 63:17  O LORD, why hast thou made us to err from thy ways, and hardened our heart from thy fear? Return for thy servants' sake, the tribes of thine inheritance.

The preparations of the hearts of Joseph's brothers and their agreement among themselves to sell him as a slave into Egypt were "from the Lord". While there are many other examples of the truth that God Himself hardens our hearts and makes us to err from His ways, I will quote just one more section of scripture which makes this point:

Rom 7:17  Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
Rom 7:18  For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.
Rom 7:19  For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.
Rom 7:20  Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
Rom 7:21  I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.
Rom 7:22  For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:
Rom 7:23  But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.

The King of Assyria within us is "captive to the law of sin which is in [our] members", and he is helpless to do anything about it. We are all so full of ourselves and so subject to "the pride of life" (1Jo 2:16), that this very same story is repeated to us through two other kings in scripture who are given this same mind of:

Isa 10:13  For he saith, By the strength of my hand I have done it, and by my wisdom; for I am prudent: and I have removed the bounds of the people, and have robbed their treasures, and I have put down the inhabitants like a valiant man:

The King of Babylon

The first additional example is the King of Babylon, who is also an Assyrian and who actually conquers the King of Assryia and his capital of Nineveh. But the King of Babylon carries on in the same spirit of the "pride of life":

Isa 14:13  For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:
Isa 14:14  I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.

We are very unrealistic in our unlimited pride of our hearts. How can we exalt our throne above the stars of God? How can we possibly be like the most High when this is the actual truth of who we really are?:

Isa 14:15  But you are brought down to Sheol, to the far reaches of the pit.
Isa 14:16  Those who see you will stare at you and ponder over you: 'Is this the man who made the earth tremble, who shook kingdoms, (ESV)

Isa 14:21  Prepare slaughter for his children for the iniquity of their fathers; that they do not rise, nor possess the land, nor fill the face of the world with cities.
Isa 14:22  For I will rise up against them, saith the LORD of hosts, and cut off from Babylon the name, and remnant, and son, and nephew, saith the LORD.

'Sheol' is the unseen, the grave, and the King of Babylon says all these grandiose things "in [his] heart". But in reality he is nothing "like the most high", and instead he is "brought down to sheol", and he is "the man  who made the earth tremble".

The King of Tyre

Another king possessed by this same pride of life is a third Biblical type of whom we are before we are humbled and brought to know our Lord and His work in our lives. This king also in his heart thinks he is a god. But our hearts are "deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked" (Jer 17:9), so the Lord clears the air at the very beginning of this story:

Eze 28:1  The word of the LORD came again unto me, saying,
Eze 28:2  Son of man, say unto the prince of Tyrus, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thine heart is lifted up, and thou hast said, I am a God, I sit in the seat of God, in the midst of the seas; yet thou art a man, and not God, though thou set thine heart as the heart of God:

In spite of the Lord telling us this prince, this king, "is a man... and not a God", that he simply "sets [his] heart as the heart of God", and that he has all the fantasies expressed in the rest of this chapter only "in [his] heart", the churches of this world, the churches of the great harlot and her daughters, still believe and teach that Isaiah 14 and this 28th chapter of Ezekiel are not at all about "a man [whose] heart is lifted up [to] think [he] is a God".

Rather, the churches of this world and the commentaries almost all teach that these two chapters of scripture are about the fall of Satan from the heavens, back some time before the Garden of Eden. The fact is that the scriptures actually teach us that Satan and his angels, by God's design, still haunt the heavens and that the Lord calls heavenly assemblies from which He sends evil spirits to "trouble [King] Saul" (1Sa 16:14-15), and to be lying spirits in the mouths of all of King Ahab's prophets (1Kg 22:22), and that to this very day the heavens must yet be cleansed with better things than the blood of calves and goats:

Heb 9:19  For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book, and all the people,

Heb 9:23  It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.
Heb 9:24  For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself [into the hearts and minds of His people who "are the temple of God" (1Co 3:16)], now to appear in the presence of God for us:

1Co 3:16  Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
1Co 3:17  If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.

2Co 6:16  And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

The Truth is that this same proud heart of the kings of Assyria, Babylon and Tyrus is still in all men to this very day, and we all still "sit in the temple of God, [maintaining that we] are God":

2Th 2:3  Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
2Th 2:4  Who ["That man of sin... the son of perdition" within us all] opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.

Of ourselves we cannot see this man of sin within us. It takes the spirit of God to reveal him to us, so we are told:

2Th 2:6  And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.
2Th 2:7  For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
2Th 2:8  And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:

The old English word 'let' means 'to restrain', and it is our old man, our carnal mind, which restrains us from seeing ourselves for the pompous, would-be 'god' which we think "in [our] hearts" we are. "The spirit of His mouth" which destroys "that Wicked... man of sin" within us all, are these very words of scripture which reveal "that Wicked... man of sin [is] the pride of life... in [our own] hearts" which restrains the day of the destruction of this "man of sin... sitting in the temple of God, [by] showing himself that he is God".

But that day of revealing who he is, is inevitable, "and that man of sin... that Wicked [will] be revealed [and] the Lord [will] consume [him] with the spirit of His mouth", which includes these very words:

Isa 10:15  Shall the axe boast itself against him that heweth therewith? or shall the saw magnify itself against him that shaketh it? as if the rod should shake itself against them that lift it up, or as if the staff should lift up itself, as if it were no wood.

It is humanly impossible for us, with our carnal mind which is enmity against God, to understand the depth of our own apostasy and our own helplessness to do anything about our wretched and miserable and naked condition. We may think in our hearts, and we may act as if we think we are God, but this is far closer to reality:

Rev 3:17  Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:

Then what ​is to be done if we are completely helpless to save ourselves from the captivity we are in to the law of sin in our members? There is only one thing to do, and that is to cry out along​ with the apostle, to our Lord:

Rom 7:24  O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?

We must be humbled and have the pride of the King of Assyria, the King of Babylon and the King of Tyre burned out of us before we can know that the fiery solution to our helpless and hopeless predicament is the death and destruction of our old man. Only then can we (and we must) express our gratitude for the provision God has 'devised to bring back to Himself His banished'.

2Sa 14:14  For we must needs die, and are as water spilt on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again; neither doth God respect any person: yet doth he devise means, that his banished be not expelled from him.

Ecc 1:13 I applied my heart to inquiring and exploring by wisdom concerning all that is done under the heavens: it is an experience of evil Elohim has given to the sons of humanity to humble them by it. (CLV)

Joh 12:24  Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.

That really is 'good news'. That is the gospel of Jesus Christ. When we have been humbled to see that we cannot even sin of ourselves and that even our sins are a work of the Lord, "an experience of evil" the Lord has given us to humble us, then we can rejoice with the apostle Paul at the means He has devised and has revealed to us as to who will deliver us from the body of this death:

Rom 7:25  I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.

"Jesus Christ, our Lord" is the new man within us, and as he grows within us our old man dies daily.

Joh 3:30  He [Christ] must increase, but I [the old man] must decrease.

Next week, Lord willing, we will learn what it means for our old man, the King of Assyria within us, to decrease until there is very little left of him and his ways:

Isa 10:16  Therefore shall the Lord, the Lord of hosts, send among his fat ones leanness; and under his glory he shall kindle a burning like the burning of a fire.
Isa 10:17  And the light of Israel shall be for a fire, and his Holy One for a flame: and it shall burn and devour his thorns and his briers in one day;
Isa 10:18  And shall consume the glory of his forest, and of his fruitful field, both soul and body: and they shall be as when a standard bearer fainteth.
Isa 10:19  And the rest of the trees of his forest shall be few, that a child may write them.

Psa 87:1 A Psalm or Song for the sons of Korah. His foundation is in the holy mountains.
Psa 87:2 The LORD loveth the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob.
Psa 87:3 Glorious things are spoken of thee, O city of God. Selah.
Psa 87:4 I will make mention of Rahab and Babylon to them that know me: behold Philistia, and Tyre, with Ethiopia; this man was born there.
Psa 87:5 And of Zion it shall be said, This and that man was born in her: and the highest himself shall establish her.
Psa 87:6 The LORD shall count, when he writeth up the people, that this man was born there. Selah.
Psa 87:7 As well the singers as the players on instruments shall be there: all my springs are in thee.

This week’s title reflects what God’s people are blessed to develop in their lives so that they can become “His foundation is in the holy mountains” spoken of in verse one.

In verse 2 we see Jacob as representing the elect who God loves (Mal 1:2, Rom 9:13), and has been/is being made the apple of His eye (Psa 17:8, Zec 2:8). Jacob or the elect are the “gate” that will lead to the salvation of the rest of the world (Oba 1:21) and God has set His love on us as a kind of first fruits so that this can be accomplished (Rom 11:16, Deu 18:4, Jas 1:18).

It is Zion whom God loves more than “all the dwellings of Jacob”, where these ‘dwellings’ represent the world out of which God’s people are called (Rev 18:4, Act 16:18, Eph 6:12). To confirm this point of where we all come from, God makes mention of “Rahab and Babylon” and of “Philistia, and Tyre, with Ethiopia”, where we are born and originate.

From start to finish, this Psalm talks about the glorious work of the church, the body of Christ (Col 1:24), and how this “city of God” (Gal 4:26, Mat 5:14) will shine brightly for all the world to see, and it will give the world great pause “Selah” to stop and look and discern what God has done and how His righteousness was formed in this city (Mal 3:18, Jon 4:11, Eze 44:23, Mat 25:32).

One of the hardest lessons we have to learn, and the world will learn, is that God is the only one who can “establish her” (“her” being Zion). She is clothed in fine linen or the righteousness of the saints that God forms within “her”/us, through the purifying process that has been granted His people (Rev 19:8).

In this study we will look more closely at that purifying process and how our merciful Father brings us to a place of “rejoicing in hope; [and being] patient in tribulation; [and] continuing instant in prayer” (our title and Rom 12:12).

The “righteousness of the saints” is formed by the Master Potter, and here are some verses before we start our study that remind us of what it takes to form the “righteousness of the saints” which is “of the saints”.

First, let us look at how God has declared that “the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints ” who are a many membered body (1Co 12:12), who have come to greatly fear and reverence God through this life which humbles us under His mighty hand (Psa 10:17, Jas 4:10).

Dan 7:27 And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.

Psa 89:7 God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him.

And here are more of the healthy signs of God working in His people, in the church, in the body “of the saints”:

Mat 27:52 And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, (dying daily to be raised in heavenly places 1Co 15:31, Eph 2:6).

1Co 14:33 For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.

1Co 16:15 I beseech you, brethren, (ye know the house of Stephanas, that it is the firstfruits of Achaia, and that they have addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints,)

2Co 9:12 For the administration of this service not only supplieth the want of the saints, but is abundant also by many thanksgivings unto God;

Eph 4:12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: (2Pe 3:18).

Col 1:12 Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be (Eph 1:11) partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: (2Ti 2:21, Rev 19:7).

Phm 1:7 For we have great joy and consolation in thy love, because the bowels of the saints are refreshed by thee, brother (Php 2:1-2).

Rev 8:4 And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel’s hand (1Th 5:17).

Rev 13:10 He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.

Rev 14:12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus (Rom 12:12).

Rev 17:6 And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration. [our blood, which is the word of God that is typified by the precious blood of Christ (1Pe 1:19), is being sanctified (Joh 17:17) as we are purified in this life of much tribulation, whereas Babylon — where we come from and are coming out of — is unstable and drunk on that “blood of the martyrs of Jesus” because all she can do at this time is wrap His words around the idols of her heart. We are sacrificed for the world and our witness of martyrdom of the true gospel of Jesus Christ which tells us to lay down our life is what makes the woman, the churches of this world, the woman drunken with the blood (Rev 11:3)].

Rev 20:9 And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. [the end result of the witness of the saints is spoken of in this verse where the camp is compassed Rev 20:9, and is also mentioned in this parallel verse found in (Rev 11:7).

Psa 87:1 A Psalm or Song for the sons of Korah. His foundation is in the holy mountains.

Our prayer for his saints is that we can continue to rejoice always in the Lord and know that it is through Christ that we can be “rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer” (of Rom 12:12 and our title), and again I say rejoice as Paul says.

Php 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.
Php 4:5 Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.
Php 4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

Straight away we are reminded that this song is a “song for the sons of Korah” which is where we come from, and where we must die and go into the earth (Num 16:1-3, Num 16:4-16, Num 16:17-34) in order to come out and become that holy seed that will become “His foundation in the holy moutains”.

I’ve separated these verses of Numbers 16 to show three distinct parts that demonstrate in the end that the world (within and without) does not want to be swallowed up by the earth as stated in (Num 16:34), which parallels (Exo 20:18-19):

Num 16:34 And all Israel that were round about them fled at the cry of them: for they said, Lest the earth swallow us up also.

Exo 20:18 And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they removed, and stood afar off.
Exo 20:19 And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die [In other words, we would rather remain under the law for the lawless (1Ti 1:9) than have to die daily and go on to perfection via the law of Christ (Gal 6:2)] (this is what keeps the world in that drunken spiritual state we talked about earlier)].

In the first three verses of Numbers 16 the heart of man is being revealed which is the wrong and faulty foundation that we all start off on and must be destroyed as this story will go on to demonstrate:

Num 16:1 Now Korah, the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, and Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On, the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took men:
Num 16:2 And they rose up before Moses, with certain of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty princes of the assembly, famous in the congregation, men of renown:
Num 16:3 And they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said unto them, Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the LORD is among them: wherefore then [why then] lift ye up yourselves above the congregation (Rev 12:5, Eph 2:6) of the LORD?

The answer to that type and shadow question, is that it is the Lord who raises us up for their sakes, and the patience and the faith of the saints is what is needed to endure until the end through Jesus Christ. It is in that raised up position that we can continue to be “Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer”.

The next verses are critical to helping us understand what it is that makes the events that are unfolding in Moses’ life as a type and shadow of that which is “of the saints”, and that is stated in verse 28 where Moses says “Hereby ye shall know that the LORD hath sent me to do all these works”: Hereby we know that we are of the Lord because we believe that we must live by every word of God and go into the ‘earth, earth, earth’ of (Jer 22:29) like Korah and then, by the grace and faith of Jesus Christ, “come out of her my people” (Eph 2:8).

Num 16:28 And Moses said, Hereby ye shall know that the LORD hath sent me to do all these works; for I have not done them of mine own mind.
Num 16:29 If these men die the common death of all men, or if they be visited after the visitation of all men; then the LORD hath not sent me.
Num 16:30 But if the LORD make a new thing, and the earth open her mouth, and swallow them up, with all that appertain unto them, and they go down quick into the pit; then ye shall understand that these men have provoked the LORD.
Num 16:31 And it came to pass, as he had made an end of speaking all these words, that the ground clave asunder that was under them:
Num 16:32 And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods.
Num 16:33 They, and all that appertained to them, went down alive into the pit, and the earth closed upon them: and they perished from among the congregation.

The third section of Numbers chapter 16 parallels what we talked about in our last study where two distinct groups are discussed in the parable of the ten virgins. God shows us that there is a separation taking place between the congregation and Korah, Dathan, and Abiram in this instance (Num 16:24), and the imagery and use of censers is used to make this point evident regarding the parable of the ten virgins.

There is judgment that leads to death, and there is judgment that leads to life, and God shows us through all these stories that it is not enough to have the words of life as honey in the mouth (Eze 3:3-5), or coals (Isa 6:6) just sitting in that censer not kindled, rather they must be heated, burning and destroying everything that breathes within us which is contrary to sound doctrine. The heated coals are the same as the bitterness that must be in the belly of all of God’s people to give us those bowels of mercy which unite us with the same mind of Christ (Rev 10:10, Php 2:1).

Num 16:17 And take every man his censer, and put incense in them, and bring ye before the LORD every man his censer, two hundred and fifty censers; thou also, and Aaron, each of you his censer.
Num 16:18 And they took every man his censer, and put fire in them, and laid incense thereon, and stood in the door of the tabernacle of the congregation with Moses and Aaron.
Num 16:19 And Korah gathered all the congregation against them unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: and the glory of the LORD appeared unto all the congregation.
Num 16:20 And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,
Num 16:21 Separate yourselves from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment.
Num 16:22 And they fell upon their faces, and said, O God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, shall one man sin, and wilt thou be wroth with all the congregation?
Num 16:23 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
Num 16:24 Speak unto the congregation, saying, Get you up from about the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.
Num 16:25 And Moses rose up and went unto Dathan and Abiram; and the elders of Israel followed him.
Num 16:26 And he spake unto the congregation, saying, Depart, I pray you, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest ye be consumed in all their sins.
Num 16:27 So they gat up from the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, on every side: and Dathan and Abiram came out, and stood in the door of their tents, and their wives, and their sons, and their little children.
Num 16:28 And Moses said, Hereby ye shall know that the LORD hath sent me to do all these works (1Co 11:19); for I have not done them of mine own mind.
Num 16:29 If these men die the common death of all men, or if they be visited after the visitation of all men; then the LORD hath not sent me. (to die the common death is to die in our sins (Joh 8:24), and to die the death to which God calls the elect is to come out of the earth, earth, earth by dying daily – Jer 22:29, 1Co 15:31).
Num 16:30 But if the LORD make a new thing, and the earth open her mouth, and swallow them up, with all that appertain unto them, and they go down quick into the pit; then ye shall understand that these men have provoked the LORD. (The “new thing” is the day of our visitation; the judgment that comes upon all those with whom the Lord is working in this age – Luk 19:44.)
Num 16:31 And it came to pass, as he had made an end of speaking all these words, that the ground clave asunder that was under them:
Num 16:32 And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods.
Num 16:33 They, and all that appertained to them, went down alive into the pit, and the earth closed upon them: and they perished from among the congregation.
Num 16:34 And all Israel that were round about them fled at the cry of them: for they said, Lest the earth swallow us up also.

Psa 87:2 The LORD loveth the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob.

I took some time with verse 1 to demonstrate what God is doing to create a foundation through the body of Christ that is a hidden foundation from the world and one that will one day manifest to all the world in a moment and in the twinkling of an eye (1Co 15:52, Isa 66:8, Oba 1:21).

The fear of the Lord is something God is developing within us, and if He loves us in this age (Rom 9:13), we will inevitably be experiencing that love in the form of chastening and scourging (Heb 12:6, Heb 6:4-9). It is that chastening and scourging which keeps us on the narrow path of knowing that it is His righteousness alone which can accomplish the work within us and does build the true foundation which is being laid for all the world with Christ as the chief cornerstone (Eph 2:20).

We read in Ezekiel (Eze 18:24) the witness to the verses in Hebrews 6:4-9 that are there for God’s people to be admonished and to heed in this age. Again, if God loves us, He is seeing to it we are drinking that cup of judgment of which we must be partakers if we are going to go on to perfection on the third day (Eze 18:24 in them shall he die the common death we spoke of Joh 8:24, Pro 24:16, Luk 13:32).

Eze 18:24 But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die.

Heb 6:4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,
Heb 6:5 And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,
Heb 6:6 If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.
Heb 6:7 For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God:
Heb 6:8 But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned.
Heb 6:9 But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak.

Psa 87:3 Glorious things are spoken of thee, O city of God. Selah.

This is a humbling declaration of what God is able to do through His people as we go from glory to glory as His city set on a hill (2Co 3:18 ASV, Mat 5:14).

2Co 3:16 But whensoever it shall turn to the Lord, the veil is taken away.
2Co 3:17 Now the Lord is the Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
2Co 3:18 But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord the Spirit. (ASV)

Mat 5:14 Ye are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hid.

Having faces which are unveiled is symbolic language that tells us we no longer establish our own righteousness through the law, but rather through Jesus Christ (Rom 10:3, 1Ti 1:9, Gal 6:2).

Psa 87:4 I will make mention of Rahab and Babylon to them that know me: behold Philistia, and Tyre, with Ethiopia; this man was born there.

In this verse we are reminded from where we come and how it is by the grace of God that we are born there and then able to come out of her my people [Rahab-Babylon-Philistia-Tyre-Ethiopia] and endure until the end as the “not many noble” brethren, the weak of the world (2Co 6:17, 1Co 1:26) God uses to show that this is a work which is being accomplished, all to the glory of God (Rom 11:36) who is working all things according to the counsel of His will (Eph 1:11).

Rahab^H7294 (Jos 2:1-4). We are hidden in Babylon who is likened to a harlot while we are in the court, and God does not forget her kindnesses (Heb 11:31). The two men who spy the land represent Christ or the two witnesses or Joshua and Caleb, and the dream is one (Gen 41:25), as we all must go into Babylon to come out of her, which represents the world of sin within our members, that Christ himself had to come out of and why we are told that God’s son comes out of Egypt (1Jn 4:17, Hos 11:1).

1Jn 4:17 Herein is love made perfect with us, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as he is, even so are we in this world.

Hos 11:1 When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt.

Babylon^H894 We must go into Babylon to ‘come out of her my people’, and Babylon represents the world which we come out of (2Co 6:17).

Philistia^H6429 (Isa 14:29). We are being told in Isa 14:29 that God is going to raise seraphim (Rev 4:8) out of those who start off with Satan being their father.

Isa 14:29 Rejoice not thou, whole Palestina, because the rod of him that smote thee is broken: for out of the serpent’s root shall come forth a cockatrice, and his fruit shall be a fiery flying serpent.

Rev 4:8 And the four living creatures, having each one of them six wings, are full of eyes round about and within: and they have no rest day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God, the Almighty, who was and who is and who is to come.

Tyre^H6865 (Zec 9:3-4) Tyre is where we become rich in the word but cannot properly discern the true gospel, as we make merchandise of our brothers at this time, buying and selling the truth as we try to make disciples by our own power in the sea of humanity, not truly fishers of men yet. We live out the parable of the rich young ruler in Tyre who cannot sell all that he thinks he has and come and follow Christ (Rev 18:11-13, Mat 19:21).

Ethiopia^H3568 Cush – (Gen 10:8, Isa 11:11)

Gen 10:8 And Cush begat Nimrod: he began to be a mighty one in the earth.

Isa 11:11 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord will set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people (Jdg 1:12), that shall remain, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea.

Ethiopia is connected to Egypt which is connected to Babylon, and Isaiah is a token or sign against Egypt and Ethiopia, walking three years naked and barefoot, who witnessed to the fact that God saw Egypt and Ethiopia as being spiritually unclothed.

In Isa 11:11 we are reminded of the process that we all must go through to be twice plucked up^H3568 (Jdg 1:12) before we can truly come to know the true gospel of Jesus Christ.

Isa 20:3 And the LORD said, Like as my servant Isaiah hath walked naked and barefoot three years for a sign and wonder upon Egypt and upon Ethiopia;

Isa 20:5 And they shall be afraid and ashamed of Ethiopia their expectation, and of Egypt their glory.

Psa 87:5 And of Zion it shall be said, This and that man was born in her: and the highest himself shall establish her.

Psa 87:5 Yea, of Zion it shall be said, This one and that one was born^H3205 in her; And the Most High himself will establish her. (ASV)

We are chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world, that we should be a little flock that is holy and without blemish before him in love (Eph 1:4, Luk 12:32). God has already determined that we be “born in her”, “Zion”, and boasting therefore is excluded by the law of faith which makes what God has determined possible (Rom 3:27, Heb 12:2). It is “the Highest Himself [who] shall establish (Exo 23:20, Gen 41:32, Isa 62:7, 1Ch 16:30) her”.

“Born^H3205 in her” is used 526 times in the KJV with that sense of being born or begotten, and is also very significantly noted three times as “midwife” in Gen 35:17, Gen 38:28 and Exo 1:16.

We understand the “travail” as painful, again confirming that it is not without the hope found in the title of our study (Rom 12:12) and so many other verses that are meant to coach and encourage us along that narrow Way (Joh 16:21).

Psa 87:6 The LORD shall count, when he writeth up^H3789 the people, that this man was born there. Selah.

All our days are numbered or counted and written in His book (Psa 139:16), and “he writeth up^H3789 the people” and is doing this to witness to the world the workmanship of His hands (Eph 2:10).

Here are some verses that describe what God has written up for His people:

Job 13:26 For thou writest^H3789 bitter things against me, and makest me to possess the iniquities of my youth.

Deu 31:22 Moses therefore wrote^H3789 this song the same day, and taught it the children of Israel.

Hab 2:2 And the LORD answered me, and said, Write^H3789 the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it.

Pro 7:3 Bind them upon thy fingers, write^H3789 them upon the table of thine heart.

Jer 31:33 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write^H3789 it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.

Psa 87:7 As well the singers as the players on instruments shall be there: all my springs^H4599 are in thee.

God reassures us that this body is well equipped with each joint supplying what is needed to accomplish the work that He has set before us (Eph 4:16). There are “singers as the players on instruments” and that speaks of a mindset of rejoicing and being thankful for this high calling in the Lord (Php 3:14).

The “springs”^H4599 that God calls us to are spoken of in type and shadow in the old covenant as the fountains^H4599 of the deep that are broken up in (Gen 7:11), as we are bruised and broken for the world so that it can become as it was in the days of Noah, with the entire earth being flooded by those springs or fountains (Mat 24:37, Hab 2:14) that will bring forth the living waters that will fill the earth and be a starting point of baptism just as the Israelites of old came under the cloud of witness, or like John the baptist who baptized with water and then the Lord with fire (Heb 12:1, 1Co 10:2).

H4599
– Definition:
1. spring
– Origin: from H5869 as a denominative in the sense of a spring) – TWOT entry: 1613a
– Part(s) of speech: Noun Masculine
– Strong’s: From H5869 (as a denominative in the sense of a spring); a fountain (also collectively) figuratively a source (of satisfaction): – fountain spring well.

Total KJV Occurrences: 23

•fountain, 9
Lev_11:36; Jos_15:9; Psa_74:15; Psa_114:8; Pro_25:26; Son_4:12; Son_4:15; Hos_13:15; Joe_3:18

•fountains, 7
Gen_7:11; Gen_8:2; 1Ki_18:5; 2Ch_32:4; Pro_5:16; Pro_8:24; Isa_41:18

•springs, 2
Psa_87:7; Psa_104:10

•well, 2
Jos_18:15; Psa_84:6

•wells, 3
2Ki_3:19; 2Ki_3:25; Isa_12:3

The world will once again come under that cloud of witness which will rule with a rod of iron (Rev 2:27); a people who will be prepared through that experience for the great white throne judgment in the lake of fire that will save all mankind (Rev 20:15, 1Co 15:22)…

Isa 12:3 … Rom_12:12
Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells^H4599 of salvation. Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer…

[Questions or comments can be directed to the author at anthocul@sympatico.ca]