# Overview Ezekiel Chapter 28 contains a prophecy against the prince of #Tyre, as well as a lament over the king of Tyre, which has been interpreted as a reference to the spiritual fall of #Satan. The chapter begins with a message from the #LORD to the prophet #Ezekiel, denouncing the arrogance and pride of the prince of Tyre. The prince claims to be a god, sitting in the seat of the gods, but the LORD declares that he is merely a man and that his heart is lifted up because of his wealth and wisdom. The prophecy warns that foreign invaders will bring him down to the pit, and his supposed divinity will be exposed as false. This judgment serves as a reminder of the LORD’s sovereignty over all nations and His opposition to human pride and self-exaltation. Following the judgment against the prince, the chapter transitions to a lament over the king of Tyre, which shifts to a more cosmic perspective. The king is described as being in #Eden, the garden of God, adorned with precious stones, and anointed as a guardian cherub. This imagery is often understood as a symbolic representation of #Lucifer’s fall from grace due to his pride and rebellion against God. The text outlines the king's downfall due to his iniquity and trading practices, resulting in his expulsion and destruction by fire. Finally, the chapter concludes with a prophecy against #Sidon and a promise of restoration for the house of #Israel, where they will dwell securely in their land, free from contempt and fear, demonstrating God's ultimate plan of redemption and peace for His people. ## Theological Insights Ezekiel 28 offers profound theological insights into the nature of pride, judgment, and restoration. The chapter is divided into two main oracles: the one against the prince of #Tyre and the lament over the king of #Tyre, followed by a prophecy against #Sidon and a promise of future restoration for the house of #Israel. 1. **Pride and Judgment**: The oracle against the prince of Tyre (Ezekiel 28:1-10) highlights the dangers of pride and self-exaltation. The prince of Tyre is condemned for claiming to be a god, reflecting the broader biblical theme that pride precedes a fall (cf. [[Proverbs/Proverbs Chapter 16#Verse 18]]). This narrative echoes the fall of #Satan, who, according to Christian interpretation, similarly exalted himself (cf. [[Isaiah/Isaiah Chapter 14]]). The prince's downfall serves as a reminder of God's sovereignty and the folly of equating oneself with God. 2. **The Fall of the King of Tyre**: The lament over the king of Tyre (Ezekiel 28:11-19) is often seen as a symbolic description that transcends the historical king, pointing to the spiritual realm and the fall of a once perfect being. This passage parallels the fall of Lucifer, depicting the king as a figure adorned with every precious stone, placed in Eden, and ultimately cast down due to sin. This can be interpreted as an allegory for the spiritual battle against pride and the inevitable divine judgment against wickedness. 3. **Prophecy Against Sidon**: In Ezekiel 28:20-24, God pronounces judgment against Sidon, emphasizing that the nations surrounding Israel are also subject to God's righteous judgment. This prophecy underscores God's control over all nations and His purpose in using judgment to reveal His holiness and glory. 4. **Restoration of Israel**: The chapter concludes with a promise of restoration and blessing for the house of Israel (Ezekiel 28:25-26). This shift from judgment to promise highlights the covenantal faithfulness of God to His chosen people. Despite Israel's past transgressions and the surrounding nations' hostility, God promises to gather His people, sanctify them, and establish them securely in their own land. This restoration points to the eschatological hope found throughout the Bible, where God gathers His people and dwells among them, fulfilling His promises (cf. [[Jeremiah/Jeremiah Chapter 31]], [[Revelation/Revelation Chapter 21]]). Ezekiel 28, therefore, provides a rich tapestry of theological themes—pride and its consequences, the sovereignty of God over nations, and the hope of redemption and restoration for God's people. These themes are consistent with the broader biblical narrative of sin, judgment, and grace. ## Thematic Connections ### The Fall of Pride and Hubris Ezekiel 28 addresses the pride and downfall of the Prince of #Tyre, drawing thematic parallels to the fall of #Lucifer, as described in passages like [[Isaiah/Isaiah Chapter 14|Isaiah 14:12-15]]. This chapter underscores the biblical theme of the destructive nature of pride and self-exaltation, a recurring motif throughout Scripture. Just as the Prince of Tyre is condemned for his arrogance and self-deification, so too are others who exalt themselves against God, such as [[Daniel/Daniel Chapter 4|Nebuchadnezzar]]. ### Judgment and Restoration The chapter also carries the theme of divine judgment followed by restoration, a common thread in the prophetic books. This theme can be linked to the broader narrative of Israel’s exile and eventual restoration, as foretold in [[Jeremiah/Jeremiah Chapter 29|Jeremiah 29:10-14]] and [[Ezekiel/Ezekiel Chapter 36|Ezekiel 36:24-28]]. God's judgment on Tyre serves as a warning of the consequences of sin, while also pointing to His ultimate plan to restore and redeem. ### The Sovereignty of God Ezekiel 28 emphasizes God's sovereignty over nations and rulers, a theme echoed in passages like [[Daniel/Daniel Chapter 2|Daniel 2:21]], where God is recognized as the one who sets up and deposes kings. The chapter affirms that no earthly power can withstand God's decrees, reinforcing the biblical narrative that God is the ultimate authority over all creation. ### The Contrast Between Earthly and Divine Wisdom The chapter contrasts the supposed wisdom and wealth of Tyre with the true wisdom and riches that come from God. This theme resonates with the teachings found in [[Proverbs/Proverbs Chapter 3|Proverbs 3:13-18]] and [[James/James Chapter 3|James 3:13-18]], where heavenly wisdom is portrayed as pure and peaceable, in contrast to the earthly wisdom that leads to strife and destruction. ### The Role of Prophecy in Enacting God's Will Ezekiel’s prophetic pronouncement against Tyre highlights the role of prophecy in declaring and enacting God’s will. Similar to other prophets like [[Isaiah/Isaiah Chapter 13|Isaiah]] and [[Jeremiah/Jeremiah Chapter 25|Jeremiah]], Ezekiel's words serve as both a warning and a declaration of God's intent, illustrating how prophecy functions as a tool for divine communication and fulfillment. ## Prophetic Fulfillments ### The Lamentation for Tyre and its King In [[Ezekiel/Ezekiel Chapter 28]], the lamentation against the king of #Tyre is a profound depiction that has been interpreted by some Christian scholars as a prophetic foreshadowing of the fall of #Satan. The king of Tyre is described with a grandeur that surpasses any earthly king, highlighting his pride and eventual downfall. This narrative echoes the themes of pride and hubris found in other scriptures such as [[Isaiah/Isaiah Chapter 14|Isaiah 14:12-15]], where the fall of #Lucifer is depicted. This alignment suggests a dual prophecy that not only speaks to the historical fall of Tyre but also to the spiritual rebellion and subsequent judgment of Satan. ### The Promise of Restoration for Israel While much of [[Ezekiel/Ezekiel Chapter 28]] focuses on judgment against Tyre, it concludes with a promise of restoration for the house of #Israel. This promise is a fulfillment of earlier prophecies found in the book of [[Ezekiel/Ezekiel Chapter 11|Ezekiel 11:17]] and [[Ezekiel/Ezekiel Chapter 20|Ezekiel 20:42]], where God pledges to gather His people from the nations and bring them back to their land. This restoration theme is further echoed in the New Testament, as seen in [[Romans/Romans Chapter 11|Romans 11:26-27]], where Paul speaks about the ultimate salvation and restoration of Israel, fulfilling God's covenant promises. ### God's Sovereignty Over Nations The judgment pronounced against Tyre and its king in [[Ezekiel/Ezekiel Chapter 28]] underscores God's sovereignty over all nations, a theme echoed throughout the prophetic books. This aligns with passages such as [[Daniel/Daniel Chapter 4|Daniel 4:17]], where it is declared that "the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will." The prophetic declarations in Ezekiel reveal that no earthly power is beyond God's control, affirming His ultimate authority as seen in the New Testament in [[Revelation/Revelation Chapter 19|Revelation 19:16]], where Jesus is proclaimed as "King of kings and Lord of lords." ## Verses - **Ezekiel 28:1** - "Then this message came to me from the Lord:" - **Ezekiel 28:2** - "“Son of man, give the prince of Tyre this message from the Sovereign Lord: ‘In your great pride you claim, “I am a god! I sit on a divine throne in the heart of the sea.” But you are only a man and not a god, though you boast that you are a god." - Note: The pride of the #prince of #Tyre is also seen in [[Isaiah/Isaiah Chapter 14]] with the fall of #Lucifer. - **Ezekiel 28:3** - "You regard yourself as wiser than Daniel and think no secret is hidden from you." - Note: #Daniel's wisdom is noted in [[Daniel/Daniel Chapter 1]] and [[Daniel/Daniel Chapter 2]]. - **Ezekiel 28:4** - "With your wisdom and understanding you have amassed great wealth—gold and silver for your treasuries." - **Ezekiel 28:5** - "Yes, your wisdom has made you very rich, and your riches have made you very proud." - **Ezekiel 28:6** - "“Therefore, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Because you think you are as wise as a god," - **Ezekiel 28:7** - "I will now bring against you a foreign army, the terror of the nations. They will draw their swords against your marvelous wisdom and defile your splendor." - **Ezekiel 28:8** - "They will bring you down to the pit, and you will die in the heart of the sea, pierced with many wounds." - Note: The imagery of being brought down to the pit is echoed in [[Isaiah/Isaiah Chapter 14]] regarding the fall of #Babylon. - **Ezekiel 28:9** - "Will you then boast, ‘I am a god!’ to those who kill you? To them you will be no god but merely a man!" - **Ezekiel 28:10** - "You will die like an outcast at the hands of foreigners. I, the Sovereign Lord, have spoken!”" - **Ezekiel 28:11** - "Then this further message came to me from the Lord:" - **Ezekiel 28:12** - "“Son of man, sing this funeral song for the king of Tyre. Give him this message from the Sovereign Lord: ‘You were the model of perfection, full of wisdom and exquisite in beauty." - **Ezekiel 28:13** - "You were in Eden, the garden of God. Your clothing was adorned with every precious stone—red carnelian, pale-green peridot, white moonstone, blue-green beryl, onyx, green jasper, blue lapis lazuli, turquoise, and emerald—all beautifully crafted for you and set in the finest gold. They were given to you on the day you were created." - Note: #Eden is also mentioned in [[Genesis/Genesis Chapter 2]]. - **Ezekiel 28:14** - "I ordained and anointed you as the mighty angelic guardian. You had access to the holy mountain of God and walked among the stones of fire." - **Ezekiel 28:15** - "“You were blameless in all you did from the day you were created until the day evil was found in you." - **Ezekiel 28:16** - "Your rich commerce led you to violence, and you sinned. So I banished you in disgrace from the mountain of God. I expelled you, O mighty guardian, from your place among the stones of fire." - **Ezekiel 28:17** - "Your heart was filled with pride because of all your beauty. Your wisdom was corrupted by your love of splendor. So I threw you to the ground and exposed you to the curious gaze of kings." - **Ezekiel 28:18** - "You defiled your sanctuaries with your many sins and your dishonest trade. So I brought fire out from within you, and it consumed you. I reduced you to ashes on the ground in the sight of all who were watching." - **Ezekiel 28:19** - "All who knew you are appalled at your fate. You have come to a terrible end, and you will exist no more." - **Ezekiel 28:20** - "Then another message came to me from the Lord:" - **Ezekiel 28:21** - "“Son of man, turn and face the city of Sidon and prophesy against it." - Note: #Sidon is also mentioned in [[Isaiah/Isaiah Chapter 23]]. - **Ezekiel 28:22** - "Give the people of Sidon this message from the Sovereign Lord: ‘I am your enemy, O Sidon, and I will reveal my glory by what I do to you. When I bring judgment against you and reveal my holiness among you, everyone watching will know that I am the Lord." - **Ezekiel 28:23** - "I will send a plague against you, and blood will be spilled in your streets. The attack will come from every direction, and your people will lie slaughtered within your walls. Then you will know that I am the Lord." - **Ezekiel 28:24** - "No longer will Israel’s scornful neighbors prick and tear at her like briers and thorns. For then they will know that I am the Sovereign Lord." - **Ezekiel 28:25** - "“This is what the Sovereign Lord says: The people of Israel will again live in their own land, the land I gave my servant Jacob. For I will gather them from the distant lands where I have scattered them. I will reveal to the nations of the world my holiness among my people." - Note: The promise of return to the land is also seen in [[Jeremiah/Jeremiah Chapter 30]] and [[Isaiah/Isaiah Chapter 11]]. - **Ezekiel 28:26** - "They will live safely in Israel and build homes and plant vineyards. And when I punish the neighboring nations that treated them with contempt, they will know that I am the Lord their God.”" - Note: The promise of safety and prosperity is echoed in [[Amos/Amos Chapter 9]].