May 12, Ezekiel 28
"Will you still say, 'I am a god,' in the presence of those who kill you, though you are but a man, and no god, in the hands of those who slay you?" - Ezekiel 28:9
The Bible is clear in both Old and New Testaments that God hates pride. It is equally clear that God will not tolerate the worship of any god besides himself. In Chapter 28, the fourth chapter addressed to Tyre, the Lord gave Ezekiel strong words addressed to the king of Tyre.
The massive wealth of international commerce had made the king of Tyre a powerful figure in the days of Ezekiel. He tested positive for pride, and his would be a fatal case of the malady that is so common to the rich, famous and powerful people of the world. He boldly proclaimed himself to be a god, and his island city the seat of the gods. But God saw and despised the pride in his heart and reminded him with a message from Ezekiel of his real status. He imagined himself to be a god, but he was really only a man. He thought he was wiser than Daniel, reputed in Babylon to be the wisest man in the world. His wealth, prominence and power made him think too highly of himself. God told him that the invaders would take him and kill him. God asked him if he would still claim to be a god when he was helpless in the hands of his assassins. God had spoken; it was certain. The self-appointed god would die a brutal death. He was not a god after all.
Next, God cited the ultimate example of pride preceding a fall in the case of Satan himself. Calling him "the king of Tyre" (that is the father of the prince), he showed the lesser prideful king/prince of Tyre how Satan had exalted himself in pride. This anointed cherub of God on the mountain of God was blameless until the unrighteousness of pride arose in him. Because of that pride, God cast Satan away and would finally destroy the once glorious cherub because of his pride. If God didn't suffer Satan to behave in such an arrogant way, he surely would not tolerate it in a little human being.
The chapter concludes with a strong contrast between a prophecy of death for Sidon (a sister city of Tyre) and a promise of restoration for Israel. In both cases, the destruction and the restoration would be manifestations of God's glory and holiness. Both the wrath and the blessings would cause the people involved to know that God was the LORD.
The prophesied doom of Sidon came to pass. Some of the things God promised Israel looked ahead to the times of Messiah, and were fulfilled when Jesus came and set up his kingdom. But Israel did not listen to and obey God, and forfeited most of the rich promises they could have enjoyed if they had turned to God and been faithful to him.
How many times have we read the promises of blessings or curses God gave through the Law and the prophets? God made conditional (“If”) promises to his people. Whey they loved and served him only, they would be blessed. The threatened curses were underwritten by the same sure faithfulness of God's word.
God wants to be merciful. His greatest desire is to forgive sin that separates people from him. The cross of Christ is the greatest demonstration of how far God was willing to go to save us from our sins. We should pay close attention to these examples of blessings and curses. If we take the lessons they teach personally, we will be eager to love and obey God. We surely do not want to receive the alternative curse of his wrath.
Copyright © 2024 by Michael B. McElroy. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Today in God's Word—May 2024
East Tallassee Church of Christ
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