And I will make thee like the top of a rock: thou shalt be a place to spread nets upon; thou shalt be built no more: for I the Lord have spoken it (Eze. 26:14).
Tyre was probably the greatest maritime city of antiquity. Its inhabitants, the Phoenicians, traded in all the known world. The prophet speaks of all countries trading in its markets and contributing to its wealth. Then from God comes a message of rebuke and a warning of coming judgment: "Behold, I am against thee, O Tyrus, and will cause many nations to come up against thee....And they shall destroy the walls of Tyrus, and break down her towers; I will also scrape her dust from her, and make her like the top of a rock. It shall be a place for the spreading of nets in the midst of the sea: for I have spoken it, saith the Lord....And they shall lay stones and thy timber and thy dust in the midst of the water" (Eze. 26:3-12).
This was all literally fulfilled. Alexander the Great besieged Tyre, built a great mole from the mainland out to its rocky fortress, scraped the very surface of the earth of the old city--rocks, timber, even dust--and cast it into the sea, thus enabling his army of assault to reach the supposedly impregnable city of the sea.
Those who visit Tyre today may see with their own eyes the fulfillment of this ancient prophecy. It is but a small village, rooted upon the filled-in ground from Alexander's sea wall, and supported largely by fishing. The glory of Tyre has vanished like a troubled dream. It has sunk under the burden of prophecy. It is God's witness. Once a mighty maritime city, ancient Tyre is no longer influential, and its rocky location is used for the drying of fishing nets. To us it says, "When God speaks of nations or of individuals, He speaks the truth."
MEDITATION PRAYER: "Thy testimonies are very sure: holiness becometh thine house, O Lord, for ever" (Ps. 93:5).
Tyre was probably the greatest maritime city of antiquity. Its inhabitants, the Phoenicians, traded in all the known world. The prophet speaks of all countries trading in its markets and contributing to its wealth. Then from God comes a message of rebuke and a warning of coming judgment: "Behold, I am against thee, O Tyrus, and will cause many nations to come up against thee....And they shall destroy the walls of Tyrus, and break down her towers; I will also scrape her dust from her, and make her like the top of a rock. It shall be a place for the spreading of nets in the midst of the sea: for I have spoken it, saith the Lord....And they shall lay stones and thy timber and thy dust in the midst of the water" (Eze. 26:3-12).
This was all literally fulfilled. Alexander the Great besieged Tyre, built a great mole from the mainland out to its rocky fortress, scraped the very surface of the earth of the old city--rocks, timber, even dust--and cast it into the sea, thus enabling his army of assault to reach the supposedly impregnable city of the sea.
Those who visit Tyre today may see with their own eyes the fulfillment of this ancient prophecy. It is but a small village, rooted upon the filled-in ground from Alexander's sea wall, and supported largely by fishing. The glory of Tyre has vanished like a troubled dream. It has sunk under the burden of prophecy. It is God's witness. Once a mighty maritime city, ancient Tyre is no longer influential, and its rocky location is used for the drying of fishing nets. To us it says, "When God speaks of nations or of individuals, He speaks the truth."
MEDITATION PRAYER: "Thy testimonies are very sure: holiness becometh thine house, O Lord, for ever" (Ps. 93:5).
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