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Introduction

The orthodox Christian world teaches that this is speaking of Lucifer, who they claim is Satan. Here is a typical entry on this subject from the internet:

In our last chapter we pointed out how that the Antichrist is not a system of evil, nor an anti- Christian organization, but instead, a single individual being, a person yet to appear. In support of this we appealed to the declaration of our Lord recorded in Joh 5:43; “I am come in My Father’s name, and ye receive Me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive”. Here the Saviour both compares and contrasts the Man of Sin with Himself. The point of comparison is that, like the Saviour, he shall offer himself to Israel; the contrast is, that unlike Christ who was rejected by the Jews, the false messiah shall be “received” by them. If, then, the Antichrist may be compared and contrasted with the Christ of God, he, too, must be a person, an individual being.”

If this writer only knew who the scriptures plainly tell us is a Jew, and if he only knew who the scriptures plainly tell us is Israel and who is Antichrist, then we could agree with every word in this paragraph except the words “a person yet to appear.”
Here is a list of the reasons for which many Christians seem to believe that this chapter is being addressed to both the prince and king of Tyre, as well as Satan. This is taken from a different web site:

“Ezekiel 28
If this passage were referring exclusively to the ruler of Tyre, then you would certainly have to say that it is a case of imagery and even overstatement.

• Could Ezekiel actually have had the “ruler” in mind when he described him as being “perfect and blameless” in all his ways? The doctrine of original sin is muddled when one considers that the “king of Tyre” is said to have been “blameless from the day he was created.” In contrast to that statement, King David wrote “Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.” (Psa 51:5) Satan was sinless when he was created, but that could not be said of any earthly ruler, not even King David.
• It is said that the King of Tyre was ‘created’ instead of ‘born.’ If the word ‘born’ had been used it would certainly have ruled out Satan, but that is not the case.
• The ruler of Tyre could not have been in the Garden of Eden. Satan was.
• It seems strange that the king is described as being adorned with ‘every precious stone.’ Did he really have such wealth? If this were referring to a king, it would seem to be exaggeration.
• The king was called a “guardian cherub.” This would make it the only instance in the Old Testament where that word was used in reference to a human. That seems unlikely when you study how the word ‘cherub’ is used in other contexts.
• At one time, the “king of Tyre” would have been in close fellowship with God, for it is said that he walked on the ‘holy mount of God.’ Obviously this could not have been the case; it would have to be imagery. The ‘holy mount of God’ is a direct reference to God’s throne. On the other hand ‘cherubs’ are associated with closeness to God, as demonstrated in the construction of the ‘Ark of the Covenant.’ “The cherubim (pl. of cherub) were the “inner circle” of angels who had the closest access to God and guarded his holiness. “

There can be no reasonable doubt that the ruler of Tyre is not the only person being referred to here. On the other hand, it is quite reasonable to believe that the passage is referring to the ruling power behind the ruler of Tyre’sactions.

It should be noted that addressing Satan through a human being is consistent with another passage in scripture. In Mat 16:23 we see that “Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.” Jesus was talking at Peter, but directing his comments to Satan. Reading the passage carefully it is hard to determine just which part of the sentence was for Peter and which part was for Satan. (One feels the same uncertainty at times in Isaiah and Ezekiel.) Whichever the case, Peter got an earful, and Satan- the ruling power behind Peter’s foolish words- was put in his place. In the same way, the ruler of Tyre would have been warned, and Satan- the ruling power behind his reign- would have been exposed.”

Five principles for understanding prophecy

It should be obvious to all of us that both Peter and the king of Tyre are types of the man of sin within each of us at our own time. But it is equally obvious that this writer has no concept of the principle of
1) “living by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.” He knows nothing of the principle of
2) all prophecy being Christ’s words which will “never pass away. He does not see these as words which are true today, were true yesterday, and will be true tomorrow. He does not understand the principle of
3) “comparing spiritual things with spiritual.” This writer has no concept of the fact that all prophecy
4) ” speaks unto men to edification, exhortation, and comfort.” Finally we must never forget that
5) all scripture concerns itself with Christ. We ourselves struggle to keep these principles in mind as we read any and every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. But when we do consistently apply these principles, it is incredible what living spiritual truths we can see behind the letters that kill.

2Co 3:6 Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.

So what we will do is read the verses in Eze 28, which concern the Prince and King of Tyrus “walking up and down in the midst of the stones of fire” and apply what the scriptures instruct us concerning “every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God” to this prophecy. If we let the scriptures tell us what these stones of fire are and who this King of Tyrus is, then we cannot be led astray, and these words will edify, exhort and comfort us, as all prophecy is intended to do:

Rom 15:4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.
1Co 14:3 But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort.

All the dire pronunciations of scripture against the flesh in no way discourage the man of the spirit. “Dying daily, being crucified with Christ, losing one’s life, being destroyed by the brightness of His coming, and going into perdition” are one and all “comfort of the scriptures bringing hope” to the spiritual man who has the mind of Christ. Christ, before coming to this earth, accepted with joy the Biblical Truth that “flesh and blood could not inherit the kingdom of God.” He struggled against the desire of His 33 year old flesh to avoid death, He nevertheless willingly laid down His corruptible flesh in order to put on an immortal spiritual body – all for our edification.
So when attempting to understand any part of scripture, we must never forget what we already know about what we are reading. We must always remember that our Lord Himself taught us that every word out of the mouth of God was:
1) words for man to live by,
2) words which will never pass away; meaning is, was, and will be words;
3) we must always be comparing spiritual things with spiritual,
4) “speaking to men to edification, exhortation and comfort… that we through the comfort of the scriptures might have hope.”

Finally we must never forget that Christ is the Word, and it all concerns Him, as either the first or the last Adam. If we fail to apply these principles we will not understand words which demand their application.

Isa 14 is the same lamentation for the king of Babylon

It is essential to this study that we realize that the exact same lamentation we are considering here in Eze 28 is also taken up against the King of Babylon in Isa 14: Both are lamented for what they “say in their hearts:”

Isa 14:4 That thou shalt take up this proverb against the king of Babylon, and say, How hath the oppressor ceased! the golden city ceased!
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.
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;

Just note now the parallels between this prophecy and the one we are considering today in Eze 28:

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 [ in your heart] art wiser than Daniel; there is no secret that they can hide from thee:
Eze 28:4 With thy wisdom and with thine understanding [ in your heart] 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.

The King, or Prince, of Tyrus was no more spiritually wise than the ninety and nine who thought they “needed no repentance” or the Pharisees who were so instrumental in Christ’s death, who thought they could “see” the things of the spirit, or the spiritually sick and dying who think they “need no physician.” It is only “In their [ own] hearts” that they think they need no repentance, need no healing of their blindness or a physician for their deadly disease. Just as surely as Adam, Joseph and King David are all used by the holy spirit as “figures of Him that was to come,” so too, are the King of Tyrus and the King of Babylon both nothing more or less than figures of “that man of sin who sits in the temple of God showing himself that he is God.”

Rom 5:14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam’s transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come.

Who do the spiritually blind see as walking in the midst of the stone of fire?

Let’s consider first how the church spins all of this? Here is another excerpt from the first above quoted writer, who fancies himself as being outside the mainstream of Christianity. Notice the typical outward application to these words by which we are told by our Lord, that we must, each in our own time, live.

In vindicating His performance of this miracle on the Sabbath, the Lord Jesus began by saying, “My Father worketh hitherto, and I work” (v. 17). But this only served to intensify their enmity against Him, for we read, “Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill Him, because He not only had broken the Sabbath, but said also that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God” (v. 18). In response, Christ then made a detailed declaration of His divine glories. In conclusion He appealed to the varied witnesses which bore testimony to His Deity: – the Father Himself (v. 32); John the Baptist (v. 33); His own works (v. 36); and the Scriptures (v. 39). Then He turned to those who were opposing Him and said, “And ye will not come to Me, that ye might have life. But I know you, that ye have not the love of God in you. I am come in My Father’s name, and ye receive Me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive” (vv. 40, 42, 43). And this was immediately followed by this searching question – “How can ye believe which receive honor (glory) one of another, and seek not the honor (glory) that cometh from God only?” (v. 44).
Here is the key to the solemn statement which begins this article. These Jews received glory from one another; they did not seek it from God, for they had not the love of God in them. Therefore it was that the One who had come to them in the Father’s name, and who “received not glory from men” (v. 41) was rejected by them. And just as Eve’s rejection of the word of God’s truth laid her open to accept the serpent’s lie, so Israel’s rejection of the true Messiah, has prepared them, morally, to receive the false Messia h, for he will come in his own name, doing his own pleasure, and will “receive glory from men”. Thus will he thoroughly appeal to the corrupt heart of the natural man.
The future appearing of this one who shall “come in his own name” was announced, then, by the Lord Himself. The Antichrist will be “received”, not only by the Jews, but also by the whole world; received as their acknowledged Head and Ruler; and all the modern pleas for and movements to bring about a federation of the churches and a union of Christendom, together with the present- day efforts to establish a League of Nations – a great United States of the World – are but preparing the way for just such a character as is portrayed both in the Old and New Testaments.
There will be many remarkable correspondences between the true and the false Christ, but more numerous and more striking will be the contrasts between the Son of God and the Son of perdition. The Lord Jesus came down from Heaven, whereas the Antichrist shall ascent from the bottomless Pit (Rev. 11:7). The Lord Jesus came in His Father’s name, emptied Himself of His glory, lived in absolute dependence upon God, and refused to receive honor from men; but the Man of Sin will come in his own name, embodying all the pride of the Devil, opposing and exalting himself not only against the true God, but against everything that bears His name, and his deepest craving will be to receive honor and homage from men.”

The subject of all scripture is Christ

The first thing we need to remember is that the whole of scripture is Christ- centric. Even the first Adam and the serpent lifted up in the wilderness are said to be “figures of Him that was to come.” Jesus Christ Himself has made this clear:

Joh 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Joh 1:2 The same was in the beginning with God.
Joh 1:3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
Act 17:28 For in him we [ Paul and the Pagan Athenias he is addressing] live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.
Rom 11:36 For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.

Christ even tells us that He is the author of both Adams. It is with these two men, and these two men alone, that all scripture is concerned. It is also most important that we must never forget that both of these men are within each of us at their appointed time. In the end, the first man will be destroyed so that the last man will become the Christ.

Rev 1:8 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning [ Adam] a nd the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.
Rev 1:11 (a) Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last:

Both of these men are the necessary work which will produce the “one new man” Christ. This Truth is made clear at the very beginning our God’s Word:

Gen 3:14 And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:
Gen 3:15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

The first thing the natural man will do is to defend his Babylonian doctrine that places this all outside of himself. He will say, ‘There it is, this is all about Satan, the most subtle beast of the field.’ But it is Christ Himself who reveals for us where Satan dwells. It is Christ Himself who tells us who is the real seed of the serpent, and what He reveals is that the seed of the serpent and the seed of the woman are both out of “the mother of all living”, our mother, Eve, who happens to be “of Adam.” Christ makes this clear in this statement which He made to “those Jews which believed on Him.”

Joh 8:31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
Joh 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
Joh 8:33 They answered him, We be Abraham’s seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?
Joh 8:42 Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me.
Joh 8:43 Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word.
Joh 8:44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

So our father Adam became the seed of the serpent by doing the will of the serpent. We will soon see that the King of Tyrus is also the seed of the serpent just as Adam was and as each person in his/ her own appointed time is.

This prophecy will never pass away

The next thing we need to remember is that we will avoid many deceptions if we remember that whatever we are reading about the word of God will never pass away.

Mat 24:35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.

What “My words shall not pass away” means is that God’s Words are always ‘is, was and will be’ words. They are always personally applicable as we are reading them. This means they are applicable today, they were applicable yesterday, and they will be applicable tomorrow. God’s Word is always that way because God’s words are Jesus Christ, and this is what we already know about Him.

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.

In the sixth chapter of John, Christ informs us that He is the bread that comes down from heaven. He tells us that this bread is His flesh which we must each personally eat in order to have life.

Joh 6:51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.

So if we will “eat this bread”, if we will eat Christ’s flesh, we are promised that we will never die. But what does that mean? What exactly is His flesh which if we eat it we will never die, and what does the eating of Christ’s flesh have to do with helping us to understand who walks up and down among the stones of fire? Here is what the flesh of Christ is. Here is what the bread of life is. It is revealed right here in this same sixth chapter of John. It is so radical that Christ has to slowly lead us up to it, and even then most of His disciples simply cannot receive this truth, which is going to clear up for us who walks among the stones of fire.

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.

There it is. Christ is the bread of life, His flesh is that bread, and it is His words that He speaks which are “Spirit and… are life.” “They are life,” they are His flesh, they “never pass away” and they never change.

Heb 13:8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.

There have been different administrations within the plan of God down through the ages, but Christ and His words never change, and each administration advances that unchanging plan in words which will never pass away.
Now before we go to Ezekiel 28 where these “stones of fire” are mentioned, let’s go there with a few more very important keys to understanding these unchanging, never passing away words we are about to consider. If we go over to this part of God’s word and simply forget these truths concerning the words of Eze 28, then we will be sure to find what we want to see, according to what we have been told while we were in Babylon. That mindset is called an “idol of the heart” right here in this same book of Ezekiel. With any idol of the heart we will be sure to be deceived by God Himself. We all have had just such a deception, as our subject today demonstrates.

Eze 14:1 Then came certain of the elders of Israel unto me, and sat before me.
Eze 14:2 And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
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?
Eze 14:9 And if the prophet be deceived when he hath spoken a thing, I the LORD have deceived that prophet, and I will stretch out my hand upon him, and will destroy him from the midst of my people Israel.

We must live these words also and destroy the false prophet within before we can hope to understand the true personal meaning of this prophecy of Ezekiel chapter 28. But before we consider that prophecy, let’s remember what we referred to at the very beginning of our study concerning Christ’s rebuttal of the Adversary when He told the Adversary that “Man shall… live by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.” There are two more principles concerning how we are to understand anything we read in Ezekiel 28, or any other part of the Word of God. We have already alluded to this next principle, but we need to clearly state this it before we consider this ‘idol of the heart ‘ which is the subject of this study. Here is a truth which will go a long way towards helping us to properly and scripturally understand our subject. It comes directly out of the mouth of our Lord Himself, and it destroys this idol of the heart that has snared much of the orthodox Christian world. These words apply to “every word” of Ezekiel 28, including the words with which we are concerned today.

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

… and this.

1Co 2:13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
1Co 2:14 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.

So a couple of things of which we can be sure is that whatever is the meaning of “walking up and down among the stones of fire,” these are words which must first have a personal application, which we will all at our own appointed time “live by.” Secondly, we know that these are not words which man’s wisdom teaches, but which the holy spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual,” and that the True meaning of these words cannot be received by the natural man because these are spiritual words which must be spiritually discerned.
Now let’s look at the verses in question.

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.

Just look at all the phrases in all of these verses which prove conclusively that this is not speaking of a spirit being. Those who are so quick to say “Look at the context” are the first to ignore the context of this chapter. Here is that ‘context.’

Eze 28:2 Son of man, say unto the prince [ Hebrew, nagyid] 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:

This whole chapter is addressed to what might at first appear to be two different and separate men. The first part is addressed to “the prince of Tyrus” as we have just seen. The last half of this chapter is addressed to “the king of Tyrus.”
This is how the holy spirit sets the stage for the introduction of “the prince of Tyrus:”

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 T hey 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.

Then without taking a breath, the subject becomes the king of Tyrus,

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.

The King is simply a mature prince who has come into His time. When we acknowledge that this is merely “a man” who ” hast set [ his] heart as the heart of God,” and is plainly told so by God, then reality and truth of our subject becomes much clearer, and all the verses like this one begin to fall into place.

Eze 28:8 T hey 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.

So even the most ardent defender of orthodoxy is forced to acknowledge that the context, which they are generally so quick to enjoin, gives more evidence that this chapter is addressed to a mortal man than it does to a spirit being. Let’s look again at how God addresses “the prince of Tyrus” in the first part of this chapter:

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 28:19 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.

Orthodox Christian doctrine as it concerns Satan, teaches that Satan is an immortal spirit being who will live in the fires of hell forever. These verses say “you shall die… they that know you among the people, will be astonished at you… and never shall you be any more.” It is interesting to note that Nebuchadnezzar never again exalted himself after “saying in his heart that he was a god. He was eventually restored as we will all be eventually restored. But he was not the same old Nebuchadnezzar:

Dan 4:28 All this came upon the king Nebuchadnezzar.
Dan 4:29 At the end of twelve months he walked i n 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.
Dan 4:33 The same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar: and he was driven from men, and did eat grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hairs were grown like eagles’ [ feathers], and his nails like birds’ [ claws].

This literal Babylon and this literal king of Babylon, typify the king of Babylon in the prophecies of both the Old and the New Testaments. This is the type of the true “man of sin who exalts himself above all that is called God” This is the type of the “man of sin who “sits in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.” Here is this whole prophecy as it is repeated in the New Testament:

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.

So how are we to understand these words?:

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.

We will not have covered this subject in depth if we do not mention that the word ‘perfect’ here is completely misleading. Here is how this same Hebrew word is translated elsewhere in the Old Testament:

Eze 15:1 And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
Eze 15:2 Son of man, What is the vine tree more than any tree, or than a branch which is among the trees of the forest?
Eze 15:3 Shall wood be taken thereof to do any work? or will men take a pin of it to hang any vessel thereon?
Eze 15:4 Behold, it is cast into the fire for fuel; the fire devoureth both the ends of it, and the midst of it is burned. Is it meet for any work?
Eze 15:5 Behold, when it was whole, it was meet for no work: how much less shall it be meet yet for any work, when the fire hath devoured it, and it is burned?

“When it was whole, it was meet (fit) for no work…” The word translated ‘whole here is the same word translated ‘perfect’ in reference to the king of Tyrus in Eze 28. It is ‘tamiym,’ H8549, and it has nothing at all to do with a perfected spirit being who apparently was not so perfect after all.
What are these “stones of fire?” The “stones of fire” of verse 14 are the very stones which are all specifically and symbolically named in verse 13. These “stones of fire” are not some mysterious stones that were in the garden of Eden, but simply were not mentioned until Ezekiel 28. Neither are they some mysterious stones in heaven around the throne of God which are mentioned nowhere else but here. Here are these “stones of fire” in the New Testament. They are the very same stones with which we are all “tried by fire” and the very stones with which we build upon the foundation of Jesus Christ:

1Co 3:11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
1Co 3:12 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;
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.

So these “stones of fire” are our works, and as Christ does, so must we equate our works with His words:

Joh 14:10 Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.

“Every precious stone was your covering, till iniquity was found you” is true in each of us, and it will be so again in the end. We adorn ourselves with the words and works of Christ. One of the heads of our beast receives a deadly wound. Then we fall seven times, lose our first love and are cast out of the mountain of God as profane. All precious stones are created only by the combination of pressure and heat. We all walk for a while in this heated atmosphere, “in the midst of the stones of fire,” and instead of being humbled by it, we first become self exalted by the very thing that is intended to humble us. We go through all the heat and pressures of coming out of Egypt and crossing the Red Sea. Then what do we all do? Are we humbled that God has seen fit to call us out of the world? No, not at all. The very first thing we do is to take personal pride in our calling. We want to exalt ourselves above those who seem to have a close relationship with God. What do we do to those persons? We accuse them of having the problem of pride with which we now suffer and with which we are now struggling, though we would never admit to that at the time.

Num 12:1 And Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married: for he had married an Ethiopian [ Gentile] woman.
Num 12:2 And they said, Hath the LORD indeed spoken only by Moses? hath he not spoken also by us? And the LORD heard it.

So we are chastened and humbled in Miriam’s leprosy, and we are brought face to face with our incurable deadly disease of pride. We actually seem to have made some progress. But then what happens to us next? Are we now humble and grateful for all God has done in our lives? Hardly. Our jealousy and rebellion only increases. We again become puffed up, but now it is on any even greater scale than before. This too, is us:

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 lift ye up yourselves above the congregation of the LORD?

These experiences are all within us. They are all in our flesh. This is not a mere history lesson. These events are “types of us” both individually and corporately as “the temple of God,” and as “the body of Christ.” We are plainly told so. “Now all these things happened unto them… and they are written” for each of us:

1Co 10:6 Now these things became types of us, for us not to be lusters after evil things,
1Co 10:11 Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.

We all fail miserably to see that these next words, too are ‘is, was, and will be’ words with which we individually struggle to the end.

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

The “ends” or ‘outcome’ of the age is, was and always will “come upon… he that reads and understands” in every generation since Christ. But this is a life- long process. That is the lesson of the covering cherub that was set so by God being “cast out as profane.” Here is the process with which we are dealing:

Deu 7:22 And the LORD thy God will put out those nations [ within our land] before thee by little and little: thou mayest not consume them at once, lest the beasts of the field increase upon thee.
Deu 7:23 But the LORD thy God shall deliver them unto thee, and shall destroy them with a mighty destruction, until they be destroyed.

But we have been told that these stones of fire were only in Eden. Some affirm that they are only around the throne of God in heaven. We certainly have never been told that these precious ‘stones of fire’ are also scripturally to be found in Babylon. The Truth is that there is nothing in this chapter which says these stones were in Eden. But it does say “You were in Eden.” We have all been “in Eden” because we are all “in Adam” who in the days of his innocence, was “in Eden.” We “in Adam” are just as Levi who we are told “payed tithes in Abraham,” to Christ, who is typified by Melchisedec:

Heb 7:8 And here men that die receive tithes; but there he receiveth them, of whom it is witnessed that he liveth.
Heb 7:9 And as I may so say, Levi also, who receiveth tithes, payed tithes in Abraham.
Heb 7:10 For he was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchisedec met him.

We have all been led to believe that there is no gold, silver or precious stones in Babylon. But is that true? No, that is no more true than the doctrine that God does not create evil. These “stones of fire” are in Babylon in abundance and God does create evil. Here are those “gold, silver and precious stones” which are in great abundance in 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,

The very vessels of God’s own temple are carried with us into Babylon.

2Ki 20:17 Behold, the days come, that all that is in thine house, and that which thy fathers have laid up in store unto this day, shall be carried into Babylon: nothing shall be left, saith the LORD.
2Ch 36:7 Nebuchadnezzar also carried of the vessels of the house of the LORD to Babylon, and put them in his temple at Babylon.
2Ch 36:18 And all the vessels of the house of God, great and small, and the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king, and of his princes; all [ these] he brought to Babylon.

We all, “in Adam, have “been in Eden the garden of God… in the day of our creation… till iniquity was found in us.” That is the very basis of “leaving our first love” and of “a falling away first, and that man of sin [ being] revealed, the son of perdition; who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped; so that [ he] sits in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
This man is said to be “cast… as profane out of the mountain of God,” and “destroyed.”

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.

What is this “mountain of God?” Any student of scripture knows that the word ‘mountain’ in scripture, symbolizes a kingdom, and the mountain of God is speaking of the kingdom of God:

Dan 2:35 Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.

Where is the mountain of God today according to scripture?

Luk 17:20 And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation:
Luk 17:21 Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.

If it is not “within you”, then that is only because you have been “cast out of the mountain of God and profane, because sin was found in you.”
Once more here is the New Testament version of that event:

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.

What are we told happens to this “man of sin” of 2Th 2? Here is what happens to him, and here is what happens to the anointed cherub who is “cast out as profane from the mountain of God.”

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:

Conclusion

I want to read a letter I recently received which is very typical of many such letters I receive. It is typical of you and of me because we must all live by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. We are all lifted up by “the multitude of our [ spiritual] merchandise… and we have sinned and are cast as profane out of the mountain of God.” Here is how that happens:

Hey, Mike, I am struggling to overcome my sins. At times I feel like I’m turning God’s grace into lasciviousness. I keep doing things that I know are wrong yet I do them anyway. I am in misery. Paul said that he obtained mercy because he did the things he did in ignorance. I don’t feel like I am in ignorance. I really want this to end, yet I know that God is in control. Any advice you could give me would be appreciated. Your prayers would be appreciated too.

Who is causing this brother’s misery? Is he in misery of his own free will? I think not. Is it Satan, or has Satan simply been sent by God to cause us all, when we are at this point, to walk up and down in the midst of the stones of fire.” That is right, it is the words of God, and the knowledge of good and evil, and the inability to do what we know and want to do that make us so miserable that we want to die. These, our works are actually the words of God concerning what we will do in these vessels of clay, also know as sinful, corruptible flesh and blood. These predestined evil work are sent to cause us to be humbled so that our old man will be destroyed and so that our new man can begin to increase daily as our old man dies daily.
What are we to conclude from all of this? The answer is that if I and you, do not see our own names written upon virtually every page of scripture, then we are denying that “man… shall live by every word that proceeds out of God.” The only thing worse than the plight in which this brother finds himself is to have this experience and not even realize that it is taking place:

Isa 42:23 Who among you will give ear to this? who will hearken and hear for the time to come?
Isa 42:24 Who gave Jacob for a spoil, and Israel to the robbers? did not the LORD, he against whom we have sinned? for they would not walk in his ways, neither were they obedient unto his law.
Isa 42:25 Therefore he hath poured upon him the fury of his anger, and the strength of battle: and it hath set him on fire round about, yet he knew not; and it burned him, yet he laid it not to heart.

That too, is us at our appointed time. Some of us have even been taught to revel in our freedom from the laws of God. We may rebel but we will also be brought to repentance, and we will be made to give and accounting for the deeds done in the flesh.

Rom 2:6 Who will render to every man according to his deeds:
Gal 6:7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.

Who then has walked among the stones of fire? I have, and you have. Why do we do so? Here is why you and I have done that:

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.

Verse 15 is not saying ‘You were created perfect and then you chose to fall.’ Here rather is how “iniquity is found in us.”

2Th 2:6 And now ye know what withholdeth [ the day of the Lord, 2Th 2:2] that he might be revealed in his time.
2Th 2:7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth [ Greek, withhold, same Greek word translated ‘withhold in verse 6] 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:

Unless and until you and I acknowledge that we have all in time past been the children of disobedience, the children of wrath even as others, and come to see ourselves as chief of sinners, we will not be that anointed cherub that covers the throne of God. It is acknowledging our unworthiness that qualifies our acceptance. It is knowing that we have fallen seven times and have fulfilled these verses, that bring us to accept even these words as words of comfort. They are all the fire of all the words that have proceeded out of the mouth of God. Even these words become words of comfort to the mind which understand the things of the spirit.

Mat 12:43 When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none.
Mat 12:44 Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth [ it] empty, swept, and garnished.
Mat 12:45 Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there [ as the king of Tyre, the cast out cherub]: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.

“This wicked generation” is, was and will be the generation “who readeth.” When the apostle John tells us, “Even now there are many antichrists,” He is not speaking of anything which he had not at one time been a part. John too, had left and denied His own Lord. We think that because we see these deep spiritual truths that we, as the anointed cherub that covers the very throne of God, that we cannot possibly be subject to the words of this prophecy. But the truth is the exact opposite. It is because we are set as the anointed cherub that covers the very throne of God, that this trial is experienced. It is because God Himself has set us as those who are seated with Him in the heavens that “there is war in our heaven,” our struggles with the the principalities and powers of spiritual wickedness darkness in the heavens,” and the manchild who will rule all nations is brought forth.

Eph 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places [ Greek, the heavens].
Rev 12:1 And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars:
Rev 12:2 And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered.
Rev 12:3 And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.
Rev 12:4 And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born.
Rev 12:5 And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.
Rev 12:6 And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.
Rev 12:7 And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,
Rev 12:8 And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.
Rev 12:9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
Rev 12:10 And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.

We cross the Red Sea and witness the destruction of our enemies, only to discover that we are our own worst enemy. We cross the Jordan and cast the giants out of our land, and we think we are now secure, overcomers, only to find ourselves and the very vessels of the temple itself, carried away into Babylon because we forgot the lessons of the Red Sea and the Jordan. We come out of Babylon and begin to rebuild the temple. All along the way we walk among the stones of fire, but the stakes are now even higher and our worst enemy once again is the man of sin within us, who tells us that our name doesn’t need to be on every page of the words which proceed out of the mouth of God.
Let’s look at the forward to the book from which we have been referencing concerning who is the Antichrist?

“Our aim has been to present as comprehensive an outline as our space would allow. Much of what we have advanced will no doubt be new to the great majority of our readers. Frequently we have been obliged to deviate from the interpretations of those who have gone before us. Nevertheless, we have sought to give clear proof texts for everything advanced, and we would respectfully urge the reader to examine them diligently and impartially.
The subject is unspeakably solemn, and before each chapter was commenced we lifted up our heart to God that we might write with His fear upon us. To speculate about any of the truths of Holy Writ is the height of irreverence: better far to humbly acknowledge our ignorance when God has not made known His mind to us. Only in His light do we see light. Secret things belong unto the Lord, but the things which are revealed (in Scripture) belong unto us and to our children. Therefore, it is our bounden duty, as well as holy privilege, to search carefully and prayerfully into what God has been pleased to tell us upon this, as upon all other subjects of inspiration.
Fully conscious are we that we have in no wise exhausted the subject. As the time of the manifestation of the Man of Sin draws near, God may be pleased to vouchsafe a fuller and better understanding of those parts of His Word which make known “the things which must shortly come to pass“. That others may be led to make a more thorough inquiry for themselves is our earnest hope, and that God may be pleased to use this work to stimulate to this end is our prayer. May He deign to use to His glory whatever in this book is in harmony with His Word, and cause to fall to the ground whatever in it is displeasing to Him.”

A. P., Swengel, Pa. October, 1923.

We too, are “fully conscious that we have in no wise exhausted this subject.” The gold, silver and precious stones within the ‘mine’ we call ‘the Word of God’ are inexhaustible. But they will be ours only through the pressure and the heat that is required to produce these “stones of fire” through which we must all walk. We will all walk among them and be cast out as profane, when the pride that is our beast is restored to a strong and healthy, beastly pride which “needs no physician.” But we are made by our heavenly father to “make a more thorough inquiry for ourselves,” and to us it has been revealed that Christ’s words have not been suspended for the past two thousand years, but that rather, these words concerning that much anticipated “man of sin” have been true all along.

1Jn 2:18 Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.

But we are comforted also that this is “the rest of the story” concerning the True “Israel of God.”

Isa 14:1 For the LORD will have mercy on Jacob, and will yet choose Israel, and set them in their own land: and the strangers shall be joined with them, and they shall cleave to the house of Jacob.
Isa 14:2 And the people shall take them, and bring them to their place: and the house of Israel shall possess them in the land of the LORD for servants and handmaids: and they shall take them captives, whose captives they were; and they shall rule over their oppressors.
Isa 14:3 And it shall come to pass in the day that the LORD shall give thee rest from thy sorrow, and from thy fear, and from the hard bondage wherein thou wast made to serve,

These are not far distant promises. They are present truths for which I can personally vouch. “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life,” no longer rule over those who have fallen seven times and then rose again. The day is here now, and “the time is at hand” to “keep the things written therein.” “In that day the Lord will give you rest from your sorrow, and from your fear, and from the hard bondage wherein you were made to serve” those beastly lords in our flesh. We have stumbled around in total darkness as a miserable slave to the flesh of a drunken man. But it will all serve to give us an appreciation for the wonderful peace of mind that comes only from resigning ourselves to the undeniable truth that is “every word of God.”

1Jn 2:16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
1Jn 2:17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
1Jn 2:18 Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.
1Jn 2:19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.

This is you and me at our own time. We live by every word, and every word “speaks to men to edification, exhortation and comfort.” “All things” really does mean ALL THINGS.

Rom 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
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.
Rom 8:30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.
Rom 8:31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?

It so happens that all things are called according to His purpose, so that all things really are “working together for good.”

Eph 1:11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:

What wonderful hope and “comfort of the scriptures” is ours! I will close with a couple of verses we quoted at the beginning of this study. Even the stones of fire are encompassed in these verses.

1Co 14:3 But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort.
Rom 15:4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.