Have you ever felt the allure of pride, thinking you are invincible or above others?
Ezekiel 28 provides a sobering reminder of the dangers of pride and the importance of humility before God.
Key Verse: “Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor. I cast you to the ground, I laid you before kings, that they might gaze at you.” – Ezekiel 28:17 (NKJV)
Background Context: Ezekiel 28 contains a prophetic message against the prince and king of Tyre, who symbolize the ultimate fall of pride and arrogance. The passage also includes a lament over the fall of Tyre, drawing parallels between the pride of Tyre’s leaders and the fall of Lucifer. This chapter serves as a powerful illustration of the consequences of pride and self-exaltation.
(Summarized and continued after scripture)
Tyre’s King Overthrown
1The word of the LORD came again to me, saying,
2“Son of man, say to the leader of Tyre, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD,
“Because your heart is lifted up
And you have said, ‘I am a god,
I sit in the seat of gods
In the heart of the seas’;
Yet you are a man and not God,
Although you make your heart like the heart of God—
3Behold, you are wiser than Daniel;
There is no secret that is a match for you.
4“By your wisdom and understanding
You have acquired riches for yourself
And have acquired gold and silver for your treasuries.
5“By your great wisdom, by your trade
You have increased your riches
And your heart is lifted up because of your riches—
6Therefore thus says the Lord GOD,
‘Because you have made your heart
Like the heart of God,
7Therefore, behold, I will bring strangers upon you,
The most ruthless of the nations.
And they will draw their swords
Against the beauty of your wisdom
And defile your splendor.
8‘They will bring you down to the pit,
And you will die the death of those who are slain
In the heart of the seas.
9‘Will you still say, “I am a god,”
In the presence of your slayer,
Though you are a man and not God,
In the hands of those who wound you?
10‘You will die the death of the uncircumcised
By the hand of strangers,
For I have spoken!’ declares the Lord GOD!”’”
11Again the word of the LORD came to me saying,
12“Son of man, take up a lamentation over the king of Tyre and say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD,
“You had the seal of perfection,
Full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.
13“You were in Eden, the garden of God;
Every precious stone was your covering:
The ruby, the topaz and the diamond;
The beryl, the onyx and the jasper;
The lapis lazuli, the turquoise and the emerald;
And the gold, the workmanship of your settings and sockets,
Was in you.
On the day that you were created
They were prepared.
14“You were the anointed cherub who covers,
And I placed you there.
You were on the holy mountain of God;
You walked in the midst of the stones of fire.
15“You were blameless in your ways
From the day you were created
Until unrighteousness was found in you.
16“By the abundance of your trade
You were internally filled with violence,
And you sinned;
Therefore I have cast you as profane
From the mountain of God.
And I have destroyed you, O covering cherub,
From the midst of the stones of fire.
17“Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty;
You corrupted your wisdom by reason of your splendor.
I cast you to the ground;
I put you before kings,
That they may see you.
18“By the multitude of your iniquities,
In the unrighteousness of your trade
You profaned your sanctuaries.
Therefore I have brought fire from the midst of you;
It has consumed you,
And I have turned you to ashes on the earth
In the eyes of all who see you.
19“All who know you among the peoples
Are appalled at you;
You have become terrified
And you will cease to be forever.”’”
Judgment of Sidon
20And the word of the LORD came to me saying, 21“Son of man, set your face toward Sidon, prophesy against her
22and say, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD,
“Behold, I am against you, O Sidon,
And I will be glorified in your midst.
Then they will know that I am the LORD when I execute judgments in her,
And I will manifest My holiness in her.
23“For I will send pestilence to her
And blood to her streets,
And the wounded will fall in her midst
By the sword upon her on every side;
Then they will know that I am the LORD.
24“And there will be no more for the house of Israel a prickling brier or a painful thorn from any round about them who scorned them; then they will know that I am the Lord GOD.”
Israel Regathered
25‘Thus says the Lord GOD, “When I gather the house of Israel from the peoples among whom they are scattered, and will manifest My holiness in them in the sight of the nations, then they will live in their land which I gave to My servant Jacob. 26“They will live in it securely; and they will build houses, plant vineyards and live securely when I execute judgments upon all who scorn them round about them. Then they will know that I am the LORD their God.”’”
Reflection on Ezekiel 28:
- Judgment on the Prince of Tyre: The chapter begins with a prophecy against the prince of Tyre, whose heart was lifted up in pride, claiming to be a god (Ezekiel 28:1-2). God declares that he will be brought down by foreign nations, emphasizing that no one can stand against God’s judgment (Ezekiel 28:6-10).
- Lament over the King of Tyre: Ezekiel then delivers a lament over the king of Tyre, drawing a striking parallel to the fall of Lucifer. The king is described as having been in Eden, adorned with precious stones, and anointed as a guardian cherub until iniquity was found in him (Ezekiel 28:12-15). This highlights the beauty and splendor that led to his pride and downfall.
- The Fall of Pride: Because of his pride and corrupted wisdom, God cast him down from his exalted position (Ezekiel 28:16-17). This serves as a stark warning that pride leads to downfall, no matter how exalted one may seem.
- The Consequence of Arrogance: The chapter concludes with a prophecy against Sidon and a promise of restoration for Israel. This emphasizes God’s ultimate sovereignty and the certainty of His judgment against pride and arrogance (Ezekiel 28:20-26).
Summary Key Points:
- Danger of Pride: The pride of the prince and king of Tyre serves as a powerful warning that pride leads to downfall.
- Sovereignty of God: No matter how exalted one may be, God’s judgment is certain and His sovereignty prevails.
- Call to Humility: We are called to humility, recognizing that all we have and are comes from God, and to guard against the allure of self-exaltation.
Application: Let us examine our hearts for any traces of pride and self-exaltation. May we embrace humility, acknowledging that our beauty, wisdom, and achievements come from God. Let us live in reverence of God’s sovereignty, knowing that He alone exalts and brings down. By cultivating humility, we align ourselves with God’s will and avoid the pitfalls of pride.
Closing Prayer: Heavenly Father, we come before You acknowledging Your sovereignty and our need for humility. Search our hearts and remove any trace of pride and self-exaltation. Help us to recognize that all we have comes from You and to live in a way that honors Your sovereignty. Teach us to walk in humility, trusting in Your wisdom and grace. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you.
John Golda
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