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RETURN TO SYLLABUS
EZEKIEL 26 AND 27
LESSON #24
THE IMPORTANCE OF ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL PRIORITIES
v MEMORY VERSE: MAT 6:33-34
v IN THIS LESSON WE WILL SEE THEREMARKABLE NATURE OF BIBLE PROPHECY AND HOW GOD FULFILLS PERFECTLY THE SMALLEST DETAILS.CHAPTERS 26 AND 27 RELATE TO THE CITY OF TYRE. TYRE WAS THE CAPITAL OF THE GREAT PHONECIANEMPIRE. IT WAS A GREAT WORLD TRADING CENTER AT THAT TIME. THE PHOENICIAN SHIPS SAILED ASFAR AS ENGLAND TO TRADE FOR TIN. AS FAR AS WE KNOW, PHOENICIA WAS THE FIRST NATION TOESTABLISH TRADING COLONIES IN OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD.
Ø FOR EXAMPLE: THE CITY OF TARSHISH ONTHE COAST OF SPAIN WAS A TRADING COLONY BELONGING TO TYRE. YOU WILL REMEMBER THAT JONAHFLED FROM GOD TO TARSHISH INSTEAD OF IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION TO NINEVEH. (THE BOOK OFJONAH)
§ IN EZE 26, THESE TRADING COLONIES AREREFERRED TO AS HER DAUGHTERS. (6) (TARSHISH, CYPRUS, CARTHAGE)
v HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE:
Ø MANY YEARS BEFORE EZEKIELS TIME,KING DAVID AND THE KING OF TYRE, HIRAM, WERE GOOD FRIENDS. KING HIRAM SUPPLIED TIMBER FROMLEBANON TO BUILD SOLOMONS TEMPLE.
Ø AFTER THE DIVISION OF THE NATION OFISRAEL, KING AHAB FROM THE NORTHERN PART OF ISRAEL MARRIED A PHOENICIAN PRINCESS NAMED,JEZEBEL. (1KI 16:29-33) SHE WAS A MOST EVIL QUEEN. SHE INTRODUCED THE WORSHIP OF THEPHOENICIAN GOD, BAAL, INTO ISRAEL.
v READ EZE 26:1-6 THE STORM OF DESTRUCTION OVER TYRE
Ø THIS SECTION OF SCRIPTURE DESCRIBES THEGENERAL NATURE OF GODS JUDGMENT. A STORM AT SEA SYMBOLIZES THE JUDGMENT.
§ LIKE MANY BIBLICAL PROPHECIES, THEREARE MULTIPLE FULFILLMENTS OF THIS PROPHECY ABOUT TYRES DESTRUCTION. (REMEMBER OURPROPHETIC LAW OF DOUBLE REFERENCE.)
· ISAIAH PROPHESIED TYRESDESTRUCTION IN ISA 23.
¨ THE FIRST FULFILLMENT OF ISA 23:
Ø THE ASSYRIANS DESTROYED TYRE AROUND THETIME THE NORTHERN KINGDOM OF ISRAEL WAS TAKEN CAPTIVE TO BABYLON. (721 BC)
· EZEKIEL PROPHESIED TYRESDESTRUCTION AFTER THE FALL OF THE NORTHERN KINGDOM. THE PHOENICIANS HAD QUICKLY REBUILTTHE CITY. (EZE 26)
¨ THE SECOND FULFILLMENT OF ISA 23, ANDTHE FIRST FULFILLMENT OF EZE 26:
Ø THE BABYLONIANS DESTROYED TYRE AFTERTHE DESTRUCTION OF JERUSALEM IN 586 BC.
¨ THE SECOND FULFILLMENT OF EZE 26:
Ø THE DESTRUCTION OF TYRE BY ALEXANDERTHE GREAT IN 332 BC.
v READ EZE 26:7-10 THE DESTRUCTION OF TYRE BY NEBUCHADNEZZAR
Ø AFTER GIVING A GENERAL PICTURE OF GODSJUDGMENT ON TYRE, EZEKIEL GIVES US DETAILS ABOUT BABYLONS ATTACK ON THIS CITY.
§ NEBUCHADNEZZAR SPENT 13 YEARS TRYING TODESTROY THIS CITY.
v READ EZE 26:11-21 THE DESTRUCTION OFTYRE BY OTHER NATIONS
Ø NOTICE THAT EZEKIEL TELLS US THAT OTHERNATIONS WILL ALSO DESTROY TYRE. (5, 12)
§ THE PROPHET CHANGES THE PRONOUN HEIN VERSE 9 TO THEY IN VERSE 12.
· THIS PHENOMENON HAPPENS FREQUENTLY INBIBLICAL PROPHECY. THE PROPHET BEGINS WITH A NARROW CENTER POINT, AND GOD BROADENS THEFOCUS TO INCLUDE MORE THAN ONE EVENT.
· BABYLON, PERSIA, GREECE, EGYPT, SYRIA,AND ROME ALL HAD DOMINION OVER TYRE AT ONE TIME OR ANOTHER IN HISTORY.
Ø EZEKIELS SECOND FULFILLMENT = THEDESTRUCTION BY ALEXANDER THE GREAT IN 332 BC.
§ IT IS HERE IN OUR LESSON WHERE WE SEEGODS MIRACULOUS DETAIL.
· THE DETAILS UNFULFILLED BYNEBUCHADNEZZAR. (12,14)
¨ THE TIMBERS AND STONES FROM THE CITYWILL BE PUT IN THE SEA.
¨ THE CITY WILL BE NO MORE REBUILT.
¨ IT WILL BE A VACANT PLACE FOR THESPREADING OF FISHING NETS.
· THE DETAILS FULFILLED BY ALEXANDER THEGREAT.
¨ AFTER THE DESTRUCTION BYNEBUCHADNEZZAR, THE PHOENICIANS REBUILT THE CITY. HOWEVER, THEY DID NOT REBUILD IT TOTALLYON THE SHORE AS BEFORE. INSTEAD, THEY BUILT PART OF IT ON SHORE AND MUCH OF IT ON A SMALLISLAND JUST OFF SHORE FOR GREATER SECURITY.
¨ WHEN ALEXANDER CAME TO TAKE THE CITY,HE EASILY DESTROYED THE PART ON THE COAST. HOWEVER, HE SAW THE REMAINDER OF THE CITY OUTIN THE WATER. HE HAD NO SHIPS! THEREFORE, HE USED STONES AND TIMBERS FROM THE DESTRUCTIONOF THE OLD CITY ON THE SHORE TO BUILD A CAUSEWAY (ROAD) OUT TO THE ISLAND. THEN HE EASILYTOOK THE REST OF TYRE WITH HIS ARMY.
Ø THIS IS THE DETAIL OF PROPHECY THATEZEKIEL PREDICTED AND ALEXANDER THE GREAT FULFILLED.
¨ THE CITY OF TYRE HAS NEVER AGAIN BEENREBUILT SINCE THE DAYS OF ALEXANDER THE GREAT. THE NAME TYRE MEANS = ROCK.TODAY IT IS A VACANT ROCK.
v READ EZE 27:1-8 LAMENTATION OVER TYRE / SINKING THE SHIP
Ø IN CHAPTER 26 THE SYMBOLIZATION WAS ASTORM. IN CHAPTER 27 THE SYMBOLIZATION IS A SHIP AT SEA.
Ø IN BOTH CHAPTER 26 AND 27, EZEKIELGIVES US GODS REASONS FOR THE DESTRUCTION OF THE CITY OF TYRE.
§ THE SOUTHERN KINGDOM OF JUDAH HAD MADEA TREATY WITH TYRE THAT, IF BABYLON INVADED ONE OF THEM, THE OTHER PROMISED TO HELP THEMFIGHT THE BABYLONIANS.
· NEBUCHADNEZZAR DESTROYED JERUSALEMFIRST, BUT TYRE DID NOT SEND HELP. INSTEAD THEY LAUGHED. (2) THE PHOENICIANS THOUGHT THATTHEY WOULD PLAY POLITICAL GAMES FOR THEIR OWN BENEFIT. THEY EXPECTED TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OFTHE SITUATION AND EVENTUALLY CONTROL ALL WORLD TRADE. UP TO THAT TIME THEYCONTROLLED TRADE BY SEA, BUT JERUSALEM CONTROLLED THE CARAVAN ROUTES BY LAND.
¨ THEREFORE, THEIR SIN WAS GREED ANDDECEIT (EZE 26:2), AND PRIDE (EZE 27:3)
Ø THESE THREE SINS HAVE BROUGHT DOWN MANYPOWERFUL NATIONS IN HISTORY.
§ PRIDE IN THEIR POWER, THEIR WEALTH, ANDTHEIR ACCOMPLISHMENTS GOT GODS ATTENTION.
Ø WHAT ARE THE PREDOMINATECHARACTERISTICS OF THE CITY OF TYRE?
§ A PERSONAL PRIORITY OF LIFE WAS PLACEDON WEALTH AND ABUNDANCE.
§ A PERSONAL PRIORITY WAS PLACED ONRICHES FROM OTHER COUNTRIES.
§ A NATIONAL PRIORITY WAS PLACED ONMATERIALISM.
§ A NATIONAL PRIORITY WAS PLACED ON APROSPEROUS WORLD TRADE.
Ø THE VISUAL PICTURE OF THE DESTRUCTIONOF TYRE IN THIS CHAPTER IS THAT OF A RICH OCEAN LINER FILLED WITH RICH PEOPLE ENJOYING THEWEALTH OF THE WORLD. (4) THEN SUDDENLY, THE SHIP SINKS! (27)
§ THE RESULTS:
· A DISRUPTION OF WORLD TRADE BY SEA ANDBY LAND.
· AN ECONOMIC COLLAPSE FOR MANY TRADINGPARTNERS AROUND THE WORLD.
v THE REMAINDER OF CHAPTER 27 DESCRIBESTYRES TRADING PARTNERS AND THEIR MERCHANDISE. YOU CAN SEE THIS VISUALLY ON THE PAGEAT THE END OF THIS LESSON.
v APPLICATION:
Ø THIS DESTRUCTION OF THE CITY OF TYREREMINDS US OF A SIMILAR DESTRUCTION THAT WILL OCCUR IN THE TRIBULATION PERIOD.
§ READ REV 18:1-5, 9-11
· THIS PASSAGE IS TALKING ABOUT THECONSOLIDATION OF THE KINGDOM OF THE ANTI-CHRIST WHEN THE ECONOMIC SYSTEM OF THE WORLD, THERELIGIOUS SYSTEM OF A ONE-WORLD RELIGION, AND THE WORLD POLITICAL SYSTEM ARE IN THE HANDSOF THE ANTI-CHRIST. JESUS CHRIST WILL RETURN AT HIS SECOND COMING AND DESTROY THISCONSOLIDATED WORLD SYSTEM. IT WILL BE SIMILAR TO THE DESTRUCTION OF TYRE BUT MUCH WORSE.THE DESTRUCTION OF TYRE AND THE ECONOMIC DEPRESSION AFTER IT WILL SEEM LIKE A MONOPOLYGAME IN CONTRAST TO THE DESTRUCTION OF THE WORLD ECONOMIC SYSTEM LED BY THE ANTI-CHRIST.
¨ THERE IS ONE MORE DETAIL ABOUT TYRETHAT HAS NEVER BEEN FULFILLED. IT IS EZE 26:19.
Ø IT SAYS THE LAND OF TYRE WILL BECOMPLETELY COVERED BY WATER. THAT EVENT WILL OCCUR AT THE SECOND COMING OF JESUS CHRISTWHEN HE PUTS HIS FOOT ON THE MOUNT OF OLIVES AND CAUSES A GREAT EARTHQUAKE. THATEARTHQUAKE WILL REARRANGE LAND MASSES AND SEAS ON THIS PLANET. THAT IS WHEN EZE 26:19 WILLBE FULFILLED.
· NOTICE REV 18:4 WHERE GOD TELLS HISPEOPLE TO COME OUT OF HER MY PEOPLE.
¨ CHRISTIANS SHOULD ESTABLISH GODLYPRIORITIES REGARDING MONEY AND WEALTH.
Ø DISCUSSION: WHAT ARE GODLY PRIORITIESREGARDING MONEY AND WEALTH?
TYRES TRADING PARTNERS (EZE27:12-25)
| NAME | LOCATION | MERCHANDISE |
| TARSHISH | COAST OF SPAIN ? | SILVER, IRON, TIN, LEAD |
| GREECE | MODERN GREECE | SLAVES, BRONZE TOOLS |
| TUBAL | EASTERN TURKEY | SLAVES, BRONZE TOOLS |
| MESHECH | CENTRAL TURKEY | SLAVES, BRONZE TOOLS |
| BETH TOGARMAH | EASTERN TURKEY | WORK HORSES, WAR HORSES, MULES |
| RHODES | MODERN RHODES | IVORY TUSKS, EBONY |
| ARAM | SYRIA OR JORDAN | TURQUOISE, PURPLE FABRIC, EMBROIDERED WORK, FINE LINEN, CORAL, RUBIES |
| JUDAH | SOUTHERN ISRAEL | WHEAT, OLIVE OIL, BALM, CONFECTIONS, HONEY |
| ISRAEL | NORTHERN ISRAEL | WHEAT, OLIVE OIL, BALM, CONFECTIONS, HONEY |
| DAMASCUS | SYRIA | WINE, WOOD |
| DANITES | ADEN ? | WROUGHT IRON, CASSIA BARK FOR PERFUME, CALAMUS (HERB) |
| GREEKS FROM UZAL | YEMEN | WROUGHT IRON, CASSIA, CALAMUS |
| DEDAN | ARABIA | SADDLE BLANKETS |
| ARABIA | ARABIA | LAMBS, RAMS, GOATS |
| KEDAR | ARABIA | LAMBS, RAMS, GOATS |
| SHEBA | SOUTHERN ARABIA | SPICES, PRECIOUS GEMS, GOLD |
| RAAMAH | SOUTHERN ARABIA | SPICES, PRECIOUS GEMS, GOLD |
| HARAN, CANNEH, EDEN, SHEBA, ASSHUR, KILMAD | MESOPOTAMIA | BLUE FABRIC EMBROIDERED WORK, MULTICOLORED RUGS |
HOMEWORK
EZEKIEL 28
THIS IS A SELF-STUDY. PLEASE DO NOT SEND HOMEWORKANSWERS TO THE TEACHER FOR CORRECTION.
v APPLICATION OF EZE 26 AND 27:
Ø WHAT CHANGES DO YOU NEED TO MAKE INYOUR ATTITUDE TOWARD MONEY AND THE ACCUMULATION OF WEALTH?
Ø WHAT CHANGES DO YOU NEED TO MAKE INYOUR ATTITUDE TOWARD YOUR JOB?
Ø PRAY AND ASK GOD TO HELP YOU MAKE HIMTHE TOP PRIORITY IN YOUR LIFE.
v PREPARATION FOR EZE 28
Ø READ EZE 28:1-10 THE PROUD RULER OF TYRE
§ WHAT CHARACTER QUALITIES DESCRIBE THERULER OF TYRE?
Ø READ EZE 28:11-19 THE ULTIMATE PROUD RULER
§ HOW CAN YOU TELL THAT EZEKIEL IS NOTTALKING ABOUT THE KING OF TYRE?
§ WHO DO YOU THINK EZEKIEL IS TALKINGABOUT?
Ø READ EZE 28:20-24 JUDGMENT ON SIDON
Ø READ EZE 28:25-26 ISRAELS FUTURE RESTORATION
v MEMORY VERSE: REV 12:10
