Ezekiel 28

1Then this message came to me from the Lor:

2“Son of man, give the prince of Tyrethis message from the Sovereign LORD:“In your great pride you claim, ‘I am a god!I sit ona 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.

3You regard yourself as wiser than Danieland think no secret is hidden from you.

4With your wisdom and understanding you have amassed great wealth-gold and silver for your treasuries.

5Yes, your wisdom has made you very rich,and your riches have made you very proud.

6“Therefore, this is what the Sovereign LORD says:Because you think you are as wise as a god,

7Iwill now bring against you a foreign army,the terror of the nations.They will draw their swords against your marvelous wisdomand defile your splendor!

28:2, 3. Daniel, an important official in Nebuchadnezzar's king-dom (14:14), was already renowned for his wisdom. Danielproclaimed that all his wisdom came from God (Daniel 2:20-23)By contrast, the king of Tyre thought that he himself was a god.As truly wise people get closer to God, they recognize their needto depend on him for guidance.28:6-10 The enemy army that attacked Tyre was the Babylonianarmy under Nebuchadnezzar. This attack occurred in 573/572 B C

8They will bring you down to the pit,and you will die in the heart of the sea,pierced with many wounds.

9Will you then boast, ‘I am a god!’to those who kill you?To them you will be no godbut merely a man!

10You will die like an outcast*at the hands of foreigners.I, the Sovereign LORD, have spoken!”

11Then this further message came to me from the LORD:

12“Son of man, sing this funeralsong for the king of Tyre. Give him this message from the Sovereign Lor:“You were the model of perfection,full of wisdom and exquisite in beauty.

13You 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 youand set in the finest gold.They were given to youon the day you were created.

14J ordained and anointed youas the mighty angelic guardian.*You had access to the holy mountain of Godand walked among the stones of fire.

15“You were blameless in all you didfrom the day you were createduntil the day evil was found in you.

16Your rich commerce led you to violence,and you sinned.So I banished you in disgracefrom the mountain of God.I expelled you, O mighty guardian,from your place among the stones of fire.

17Your heart was filled with pridebecause of all your beauty.Your wisdom was corruptedby your love of splendor.So I threw you to the groundand exposed you to the curious gaze of kings.

18You defiled your sanctuarieswith 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 groundin the sight of all who were watching.

LL 28:12-19 Some of the phrases in this passage describing the (28:14), and had access to the holy mountain of God (28:14), but human king of Tyre may describe Satan. Great care must be taken was banished from there (28:16, 17). Ezekiel, therefore, may have to interpret these verses with discernment. It is clear that at times been condemning not only the king of Tyre but Satan, who had Ezekiel describes this king in terms that could not apply toa mere motivated the king to sin. human. This king had been in the Garden of Eden (28:13), had been “ordained and anointed... as the mighty angelic guardian”

19All who knew you are appalled at your fate.You have come to a terrible end,and you will exist no more.”

A Message for Sidon

2020Then another message came to me from the Logo: 2"“Son of man, turn and face the cityof Sidon and prophesy against it.

22Give the people of Sidon this message from the Sover-eign LORD:“I am your enemy, O Sidon,and I will reveal my glory by what I do to you.When I bring judgment against youand reveal my holiness among you,everyone watching will knowthat I am the LORD.

23I 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 everyone will knowthat I am the LORD.

24No longer will Israel's scornful neighborsprick and tear at her like briers and thorns.For-then they will knowthat I am the Sovereign LORD.

Restoration for Israel

2525"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. 6They willlive 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.”