S) "26 Your rowers have brought you
Into great waters;
The east wind has broken you
In the heart of the seas.
27 Your wealth, your wares, your merchandise,
Your sailors and your pilots,
Your repairers of seams, your dealers in merchandise
And all your men of war who are in you,
With all your company that is in your midst,
Will fall into the heart of the seas
On the day of your overthrow."
Ezekiel 27:26-27 (NASB)
O) What is striking about this arrangement, is the contrast to vv. 3-9, where so many of these same things (and people) were listed as amazing characteristics of Tyre. Their wealth and diverse trade were unmatched. They had the best sailors, rowers, and ship-crafters. Their army was proven, and the sea was theirs! And when it came time that the LORD would humble them, how did He do it? He did it by negating, nullifying, and erasing all of the things that made Tyre so great.
A) Without a doubt, if I was Tyre hearing this from Ezekiel firsthand, this should be taken as a grave warning. In the here-and-now, this can still be taken as a warning, albeit a parabolic one (after all, I have no ships, employees, wealth, etc.). But I think the greater message to us, two millennia later, is to understand the awesome sovereignty of the Lord GOD. He will not, will not, share His glory. In chapter 28, we see that the king of Tyre considered himself a god. So, how does the One True God respond? By breaking off every single thing that fed the pride of Tyre. God humbles the haughty with the very things that make them haughty, to prove His power and make the act unmistakable. I suppose, as will all realizations of God's true character, my response is still to make myself humble. But, make no mistake, the above verse is not about Tyre, it is not about my pride, it is about His sovereignty.
P) Father, there is none more powerful, none more wise, none greater that You. Everything good that I have, I confess that it all came from You, just as You've said in James 1:17. I would always rather be humbled than lose ground in our relationship, Father. So, if ever I become haughty, please discipline me as Your son. By the Holy Spirit inside of me, please show me the areas that are becoming proud, so that I can humble myself. Let Your sovereign will be done in my life, though. May my life be used for Your glory, however You decide is best. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.
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