Ezekiel 28 King of Tyre

Today's chapter is unraveling my understanding of Satan. He's hidden all through out the Bible. I see it in this chapter. Ezekiel was given a word from the Lord and told to talk with the ruler (prince) of Tyre. Tyre is one of the many trading partners of Israel that led Israel to the darkness with their dark practices that were outside of God's commands and full of sin. Tyre assisted, fully, in the sinning of the Jewish people that caused God to have to reign down judgement on the nation.

Tyre was ruled by men who believed themselves to be Gods. If you research Tyre, you will find that it was a trade post on the sea and was very affluent because of where it was situated. They had productions of precious stones, oils, perfumes, foods, spices, etc. They were a force to be reckoned with, BUT GODS? Nah.

God warned them through Ezekiel that judgement would come their way soon enough and it would force all other nations to look at them in fear and wonder. Then they all would know that He is God.

Where Satan turns up in this chapter is overpassed a lot. In fact, I didn't see it until I went searching for a more critical understanding of verses 11-19. Whereas Ezekiel 28:1 addresses the ruler (prince) of Tyre, Ezekiel 28:11 addresses the king of Tyre. That address makes all the difference, but so does the substance of the verses.

11 The word of the Lord came to me:12 “Son of man, take up a lament concerning the king of Tyre and say to him: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: " you were the seal of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. 13 You were in Eden, the garden of God."

Not believing that this is metaphor or some sort of symbolic meaning, Bible thumpers like myself can easily conclude that this could not be addressing the same ruler as the previous verses. Tyre is not a part of Israel either, so the reader could reasonably assume this isn't symbolism or figurative language in regards to the citizens/nation/rulers/port town of Tyre either. So if Chapter 28:11 is addressing someone without speaking in figurative language and this someone was a part of Eden and used to be perfect and filled with wisdom and beauty, the reader could reasonably assume this would be someone we as readers have already been introduced to.

13...every precious stone adorned you: carnelian, chrysolite and emerald, topaz, onyx and jasper, lapis lazuli, turquoise and beryl.[b] Your settings and mountings[c] were made of gold; on the day you were created they were prepared.

Whoever this person or being within the garden was, was also adorned in precious stones, prepared especially for the being.

14 You were anointed as a guardian cherub, for so I ordained you. You were on the holy mount of God; you walked among the fiery stones.

In addition, whoever this being was, was also a cherub, and not just any cherub, the anointed guardian cherub, who was on the holy mount of God and walked among the fiery stones.

I watched a video explaining how God only allowed his trusted and most sacred upon the mount with Him.

This being was a cherub and was in fellowship with God and was trusted by God and had wisdom, and was very beautiful.

15 You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created till wickedness was found in you.

I'm telling you verse 15 had me thinking that this had to be a reference to Israel and that all of this was about Israel and the sin they had committed knowingly against God. But this was about before the original sin came forth. God is addressing a being who was perfect and blameless until wickedness was found in him. He was the anointed most high cherub, and was blameless until all blame that could ever happen was his creation. He questioned His creator because he had free will.

16 Through your widespread trade you were filled with violence, and you sinned. So I drove you in disgrace from the mount of God, and I expelled you, guardian cherub, from among the fiery stones.

Verse 16 is very two toned. This is definitely a tie back to Tyre and the trade and goods that were constantly moved to other kingdoms/nations, but this is also a connection to God throwing Satan out of Heaven because of his deceptive and violent nature toward the creator.

17 Your heart became proud on account of your beauty, and you corrupted your wisdom because of your splendor. So I threw you to the earth; I made a spectacle of you before kings.

Verse 17 alludes to man and Satan's downfall of pride and obsession with self. This obsession with self makes Kings believe that they are Gods, so they would be humbled to the ground, and many thrown into pits of the earth. This obsession corrupted the God given wisdom that the guardian cherub had been blessed with. So he was thrown to the earth, as if to say fallen from heaven.

18 By your many sins and dishonest trade you have desecrated your sanctuaries. So I made a fire come out from you, and it consumed you, and I reduced you to ashes on the ground in the sight of all who were watching.

Verse 18 seems explicit when it's really more symbolism. God placed the fallen angel on the earth in a lowly status. And used him as the example of what not to do...all who watch know that when you challenge God this lowly state is what you will be reduced to.

19 All the nations who knew you are appalled at you; you have come to a horrible end and will be no more.’”

Clearly here, God (through Ezekiel), is talking about more than one thing. This is also a two fold thought. On the one hand you have the story of the fall of Satan continuing here as we know that Satan's fall will come to a horrible end and he will be an after thought. On the other hand you have God who is also talking to the nation of Tyre and letting them know, you will be utterly destroyed, so much so that the nations that have dealt with you will be appalled. Likely because they know that their judgement is coming. Tyre is no more.

After reading Ezekiel 28, I was confused. I went into investigation mode to find out something that made sense. I ran across a few sermons and bible studies that helped better explain what is happening here. For anyone that's reading this and is confused and you still don't understand, just understand that God is omniscient, he is everywhere in time all the time in the beginning and the end. That's so meta right?!

He is everywhere, in all time, at the same time, and can understand our lives from every possible perspective. We can never fathom his understanding of his creation. So God talks to us in a way that is sort of tri-fold. He reminds us of our past. He did so in this chapter. He explains where we currently are, he did so within this chapter, and he is announcing to us, the future. Sin will be defeated and sinful people will be judged. He lets us in on his understanding to the best of our understanding. If he said much more we would never be able to understand it. His ways are higher than our ways remember, his thoughts are higher than our thoughts. We could never be equal to his understanding. It's like a mother trying to explain something to a child who has not grown into the ability to understand a simple concept yet. He breaks down a complex idea that far surpasses us and tries to make it make sense. And it does, if you ask the spirit of the lord to help you understand it.

Prayer

Father God of Heaven, I pray you send your helper to the one who is lost within this word and that divine understanding and comprehension takes place. I ask that you allow the complexities of this chapter to not dissuade readers and that it inspires them, just as it did me, to research further. To really seek you out. I know that you are the God of creation and that I can never understand the way that you do, but I'm so thankful to you for giving me pieces of understanding of your ways. I love you Lord. Keep filling me with your word, it sustains me and oddly enough it brings me peace. But isn't that what your promised? Peace that surpasses all understanding. I thank you for it.

In Jesus name I pray, Amen.