[1] The word of the LORD came again unto me, saying, [2] Son of man, say unto the prince of Tyrus, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thine heart is lifted up, and thou hast said, I am a God, I sit in the seat of God, in the midst of the seas; yet thou art a man, and not God, though thou set thine heart as the heart of God: [3] Behold, thou art wiser than Daniel; there is no secret that they can hide from thee: [4] With thy wisdom and with thine understanding thou hast gotten thee riches, and hast gotten gold and silver into thy treasures: [5] By thy great wisdom and by thy traffic hast thou increased thy riches, and thine heart is lifted up because of thy riches: [6] Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thou hast set thine heart as the heart of God; [7] Behold, therefore I will bring strangers upon thee, the terrible of the nations: and they shall draw their swords against the beauty of thy wisdom, and they shall defile thy brightness. [8] They shall bring thee down to the pit, and thou shalt die the deaths of them that are slain in the midst of the seas. [9] Wilt thou yet say before him that slayeth thee, I am God? but thou art man, and no God, in the hand of him that slayeth thee. [10] Thou shalt die the deaths of the uncircumcised by the hand of strangers: for I have spoken it, saith the Lord GOD.
Verses 1-2 Expanded Bible Comments
| The word of the LORD came again unto me, saying, [2] Son of man, say unto the prince of Tyrus, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thine heart is lifted up, and thou hast said, I am a God, I sit in the seat of God, in the midst of the seas; yet thou art a man, and not God, though thou set thine heart as the heart of God: | |
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| Question | Suggested Answer |
| According to verse 1, who is speaking? | The LORD. |
| Unto whom is he speaking? | Son of Man. |
| To whom is Son of Man to deliver God's message? | "The Prince of Tyrus." |
| What is the heart condition of the "prince of Tyrus?" | "Thine heart is lifted up." He is filled with pride. – "Pride makes you stupid." – Sr. Ramona Hill. Psa. 12:3; Prov. 6:16-17; 8:13; 16:18; Isa. 13:11; James 4:6 |
| What does the prince of Tyrus say about himself? | "I am a God" "I sit in the seat of God, in the midst of the seas." |
| What does God say about the prince of Tyrus? | "Thou art a man, and not God" "Though thou set thine heart as the heart of God." |
Verse 3 Expanded Bible Comments
| Behold, thou art wiser than Daniel; there is no secret that they can hide from thee: | |
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| Question | Suggested Answer |
| Was the prince of Tyrus really "wiser than Daniel?" | No. This is said ironically. |
| "There is no secret that they can hide from thee." Is this really true, and if so, how was this accomplished? | Yes it was true. Have you ever heard of a thing called "the confessional?" |
Verse 4 Expanded Bible Comments
| With thy wisdom and with thine understanding thou hast gotten thee riches, and hast gotten gold and silver into thy treasures: | |
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| Question | Suggested Answer |
| How did the prince of Tyrus become rich? | "By his [worldly] wisdom and .. understanding." |
| What were some of his riches? | "gold and silver" |
| Were these "riches" literal or symbolic? | Yes! They amassed great literal wealth. They corrupted the symbolic vessels of gold and silver. Gold pictures the little flock, and/or the Divine promises. Silver pictures the great company and/or the Truth. |
Verse 5 Expanded Bible Comments
| By thy great wisdom and by thy traffic hast thou increased thy riches, and thine heart is lifted up because of thy riches: | |
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| Question | Suggested Answer |
| This verse gives two means by which this prince increased his wealth. What was the first one? | "By thy great [worldly] wisdom." |
| What was the second? | "By thy traffic hast thou increased thy riches." For more on this see Chapter 27. |
| What effect did these riches have on his heart? | Increased his pride: "thine heart is lifted up because of thy riches." |
| Based upon the above, what are some of the characteristics which should help us to identify exactly who is "the prince of Tyrus?" | Filled with pride.
Claims to be a God. Claims to sit in the seat of God. Is very [worldly] wise. Knows how to get the secrets of others. Becomes very rich. Increases wealth by means of trade. |
| Do we find shuch a character on the pages of history? | Yes. "The man of sin." See Studies in the Scriptures, Volume 2 Study IX |
Verses 6-7 Expanded Bible Comments
| Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thou hast set thine heart as the heart of God; [7] Behold, therefore I will bring strangers upon thee, the terrible of the nations: and they shall draw their swords against the beauty of thy wisdom, and they shall defile thy brightness. | |
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| Question | Suggested Answer |
| This not a question. It information for clarification only. It always helps to have the information available. | Just a quick note here for clarification. The wording here is "the Lord GOD." The two Hebrew words used together are explained by Professor Strong in the following definitions: [Lord H136] Strong's H136 - [God - H3069]אֲדֹנָי 'ădônây ad-o-noy' An emphatic form of H113; the Lord (used as a proper name of God only): - (my) Lord. Total KJV occurrences: 438 Strong's H3069 In this explanation we are told it is pronounced as H430 which is "el-o-heem'."
The name of God ("Jehovah") normally is Strong's H3068.יְהֹוִה yehôvih yeh-ho-vee' A variation of H3068 (used after H136, and pronounced by Jews as H430, in order to prevent the repetition of the same sound, since they elsewhere pronounce H3068 as H136): - God. Total KJV occurrences: 302 Strong's H3068
יְהֹוָה yehôvâh yeh-ho-vaw' From H1961; (the) self Existent or eternal; Jehovah, Jewish national name of God: - Jehovah, the Lord. Compare H3050, H3069. Total KJV occurrences: 6521 This verse says: Therefore thus saith the JEHOVAH; Because thou hast set thine heart as the heart of el-o-heem' (this may refer to JEHOVAH or to another mighty spiritual being, the language does not require it to be referring to JEHOVAH.) |
| What reason does God give for taking action against the prince of Tyrus? | "Because thou hast set thine heart as the heart of God [el-o-heem']." |
| Who does God bring against the prince of Tyrus? | "Strangers.. the terrible of the nations." |
| What weapon do these "strangers" use? | "Their swords." |
| Against what are these weapons used? | "The beauty of thy wisdom" and "thy brightness." |
Verse 8 Expanded Bible Comments
| They shall bring thee down to the pit, and thou shalt die the deaths of them that are slain in the midst of the seas. | |
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| Question | Suggested Answer |
| To where do these strangers bring the Prince of Tyrus (Christendom?) | To the "pit." While it is true that Sheol is 3 times translated as "pit," this is not one of them. Strong's H7845 We may notice that Professor Strong says that the idea behind this "pit" is "especially a trap."שַׁחַת shachath shakh'-ath From H7743; a pit (especially as a trap); figuratively destruction: - corruption, destruction, ditch, grave, pit. Total KJV occurrences: 23 Can anyone say "secret treaties between European powers prior to WWI?" |
| What is meant by "thou shalt die the deaths of them that are slain?" | 1) The first thing to notice is that this is clearly a death sentence. 2) Next we note that it is not a natural death" "them that are slain." 3) Lastly is the location, they are "slain in the midst of the seas," in the midst of the restless irreligious masses of mankind. [R498] |
Verse 9 Expanded Bible Comments
| Wilt thou yet say before him that slayeth thee, I am God? but thou art man, and no God, in the hand of him that slayeth thee. | |
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| Question | Suggested Answer |
| Who is referred to as "him that slayeth thee?" | From the previous verse it would seem to be someone (individual or group) from the "sea" class. |
| Could this have reference to Napoleon? | Possibly. Certainly this is exactly what did happen as the Pope claimed that God had performed miracles against the French army (under Napoleon,) in an attempt to fool the people and cause them to rise up against Napoleon. – Our thought is, that is where the pope's downfall began, yet we do not think that is what is referred to here, because God's instruction here was to "Son of man, say unto the prince of Tyrus.." (verse 1.) That places the timing of this as at least beginning during the time of Pastor Russell's ministry. |
| What does "the Prince of Tyrus" (pope) want to say to his slayer? | "I am a God (el-o-heem')." – Just who do you think you are to oppose me? |
| What does God tell the prince of Tyrus about his (Tyrus') claim? | "Thou art a man." |
| What effect does this have on the slayer of the prince of Tyrus? | "Thou art man, and no God, in the hand of him that slayeth thee." |
Verse 10 Expanded Bible Comments
| Thou shalt die the deaths of the uncircumcised by the hand of strangers: for I have spoken it, saith the Lord GOD. | |
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| Question | Suggested Answer |
| What is the significance of dying "the deaths of the uncircumcised?" | God gave to Israel through Abraham "the covenant of circumcision." Acts 7:8. If a man wanted to live with the Israelites and become a part of them it was required that he be circumcised. Exo. 12:48 To be uncircumcised was to be an enemy of God. |
| By whom was the prince (pope) of Tyrus (Christendom) to be slain? | "By the hand of strangers." |
| How certain are we that the prince of Tyrus is to be slain? | "For I have spoken it, saith the Lord GOD." |
[11] Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, [12] Son of man, take up a lamentation upon the king of Tyrus, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty. [13] Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created. [14] Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. [15] Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee. [16] By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire. [17] Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee. [18] Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries by the multitude of thine iniquities, by the iniquity of thy traffic; therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of thee, it shall devour thee, and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee. [19] All they that know thee among the people shall be astonished at thee: thou shalt be a terror, and never shalt thou be any more.
Verses 11-12 Expanded Bible Comments
| Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, [12] Son of man, take up a lamentation upon the king of Tyrus, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty. | |
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| Question | Suggested Answer |
| (By now, stating the obvious) To whom does the word of the LORD come? | To "Son of man." |
| Upon whom does the "son of man" take up a lamentation? | "The king of Tyrus." |
| Which is of greater rank, a prince or a king? | A king. |
| Was this king wise? | "Full of wisdom." |
| Did he have beauty? | He was "perfect in beauty." |
| Does this sound familiar to another son of a King who rebelled against his father? And what was his end? | 2 Sam. 14:25; 2 Sam. 18:9-10; Deut. 21:22-23 |
Verse 13 Expanded Bible Comments
| Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created. | |
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| Question | Suggested Answer |
| In what famous location did we once find this king? | "In Eden the garden of God" |
| How did this king come into existence? | "Thou wast created." |
| Did this king have some kind of covering? | Yes, a covering of 10 precious stones. |
| Is there any significance to these particular stones? | In Exo. 28:18-20 we have the description of the 12 stones that made up the breastplate of the High-Priest. These were described as being in four rows (3 jewels per row.) We find that the stones that made up this king's covering were the same stones that made up rows 1, 2 and 4 of the breastplate of the High-Priest. None of the stones in row 3 were part of this King's covering. Further, the 10th stone was gold. While gold was not one of the stones of the breastplate of the High-Priest, yet all the stones were set in gold. |
| What might the above information suggest to us about this king's potential role in God's Plan? | This seems to suggest that this King was being prepared for a very high place in God's plan. He certainly was given all that was needed to succeed in a very positive way. |
| What are "tabrets?" | Tambourines. |
| What are "pipes?" | Hand-held wind instrument, like a flute. |
| What is indicated by "the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes?" | In addition to all the other gifts it appears he was given the ability to make beautiful music, to sing songs and give God the glory. |
| Of what significance is "was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created?" | It reminds us that this King was indeed created, he had a beginning. And it appears that he was created to have a special place in the Plan of God. |
Verse 14 Expanded Bible Comments
| Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. | |
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| Question | Suggested Answer |
| Was this individual a man or some form of spirit being? | He was a spirit being, "the anointed cherub that covereth." |
| Where was he originally set? | "Upon the holy mountain of God" |
| Was this a reference to Mount Olympus? | Not quite. - Just making sure we are "on our toes." |
| What is meant by "thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire?" | Let's break this down into two phrases. 1) "Thou hast walked up and down." This comes from a single word, Strong's H1980. Strong's H1980 This, we at first thought, may be of particular interest, something like the phrase "to and fro" through the earth. That phrase is used in connection with God's Holy spirit (Zech. 4:10; Rev. 5:6.) But it turns out not to be so, as is evidenced by Strong's definition and that this word is used 1545 times. It simply indicates having walked or traversed something or some place.הָלַךְ hâlak haw-lak' Akin to H3212; a primitive root; to walk (in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively): - (all) along, apace, behave (self), come, (on) continually, be conversant, depart, + be eased, enter, exercise (self), + follow, forth, forward, get, go (about, abroad, along, away, forward, on, out, up and down), + greater, grow, be wont to haunt, lead, march, X more and more, move (self), needs, on, pass (away), be at the point, quite, run (along), + send, speedily, spread, still, surely, + tale-bearer, + travel (-ler), walk (abroad, on, to and fro, up and down, to places), wander, wax, [way-] faring man, X be weak, whirl. Total KJV occurrences: 1545 2) "The stones of fire." By searching for these two words (Strong's H68 - stones, and H784 - fire) we find only three places where these are used consecutively. All are in Ezekiel. This is the first, verse 16 is the next. The third is in Chapter 38:22 (the chapter covering the invasion of Israel by Gog from the land of Magog.) This reminds us of Psa. 18:12-13.We remember that God is "the Father of lights" and the symbolic description of Jesus by John in Revelation: "his feet like unto polished copper, as if they burned in a furnace; .. his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength." (Rev. 1:14-16) In other words, this King of Tyrus had indeed been in the heavenly places with the holy angels and in the very presence of God. |
Verse 15 Expanded Bible Comments
| Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee. | |
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| Question | Suggested Answer |
| Was he created perfect or did he begin as a sinner? | He was perfect. "Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created." |
| What changed? | "Iniquity was found in thee." |
Verse 16 Expanded Bible Comments
| By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire. | |
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| Question | Suggested Answer |
| Did this King of Tyrus really have a "multitude of thy merchandise?" | The simple answer is to re-read chapter 27. |
| What was the result of collecting all that "merchandise" (especially remembering the manner in which it was obtained [again see chapter 27]?) | "They have filled the midst of thee with violence." |
| Did the King of Tyrus please God, did he cheerfully spread his wealth? | No. "Thou hast sinned." |
| What happens to the king of Tyrus because of his sin? | "I will cast thee.. out of the mountain [kingdom] of God." |
| How else is the king of Tyrus described in this verse? | "O covering cherub." |
Verse 17 Expanded Bible Comments
| Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee. | |
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| Question | Suggested Answer |
| Do we know the reason for his fall? | "Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness." Prov. 16:18. |
| What is significant about God's declaration "I will lay thee before kings?" | Because this individual formerly ruled over kings. |
| Based upon the above, what are some of the characteristics which should help us to identify exactly who is "the king of Tyrus?" | Full of wisdom.
Perfect in beauty. In the garden of Eden. The anointed cherub that covereth. Originally set upon the mountain of God. Created perfect. Remained perfect until "iniquity was found in" him. He sinned and became filled with violence. His "heart was lifted up because of thy beauty." Used his wisdom in a very corrupt manner – "thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness." John 8:44 Also consider Isa. 14:12-15. |
| Are we able now to identify "the king of Tyrus?" | Yes. He is "the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan." Rev. 20:2 |
Verse 18 Expanded Bible Comments
| Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries by the multitude of thine iniquities, by the iniquity of thy traffic; therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of thee, it shall devour thee, and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee. | |
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| Question | Suggested Answer |
| What were the King of Tyrus' "sanctuaries?" | A sanctuary is "a consecrated place," and/or "a place of refuge and protection." - Webster. For Satan, his "sanctuaries" were his great masterpiece, Christendom, especially the Anti-Christ system with the pope (prince of Tyrus) as its visible head, and later it included Protestant churches as well. We might also suggest (as possibly a secondary thought) the Lord's people who were within her ("Let both grow together until the harvest." Matt. 13:30) |
| How were they "defiled?" | They were defiled "by the multitude of thine iniquities." |
| Is there any further indication of how they were "defiled?" | "By the iniquity of thy traffic." |
| What does this lead God to do? | "Therefore will I bring forth a fire." |
| What shall this "fire" do? | "It shall devour thee." |
| In this verse God declares he will bring one more thing to pass. What is it? | "I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth." |
| Who sill see it? | "In the sight of all them that behold thee." |
Verse 19 Expanded Bible Comments
| All they that know thee among the people shall be astonished at thee: thou shalt be a terror, and never shalt thou be any more. | |
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| Question | Suggested Answer |
| Who are "they that know thee among the people?" | This may refer to those people within the Anti-Christ system who really knew that this was NOT the true church of Jesus Christ, but went along anyway. Perhaps people like John Tetzel of whom we read: "under Leo X... His chief agent for the sale of indulgences in Germany was one John Tetzel. The notorious vices of Tetzel did not prevent him from being selected as the bearer of these pardons to other purer souls, and no extravagance seemed to him too great, so that it brought money to his coffers." B327:2 |
| What is their reaction? | "The people shall be astonished at thee." |
| What is meant by "thou shalt be a terror?" | Please see Chapter 27 verse 36. |
| To what exalted position is "the King of Tyrus" ultimately placed? | Squat, zilch, nothing. "Never shalt thou be any more." |
[20] Again the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, [21] Son of man, set thy face against Zidon, and prophesy against it, [22] And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Zidon; and I will be glorified in the midst of thee: and they shall know that I am the LORD, when I shall have executed judgments in her, and shall be sanctified in her. [23] For I will send into her pestilence, and blood into her streets; and the wounded shall be judged in the midst of her by the sword upon her on every side; and they shall know that I am the LORD. [24] And there shall be no more a pricking brier unto the house of Israel, nor any grieving thorn of all that are round about them, that despised them; and they shall know that I am the Lord GOD.
Verses 20-21 Expanded Bible Comments
| Again the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, [21] Son of man, set thy face against Zidon, and prophesy against it, | |
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| Question | Suggested Answer |
| To whom does "the word of the LORD" come, and what is the significance of that? | To "the son of man." Among other things, this tells us that this prophecy is delivered during the days of the Seventh Messenger. |
| Who is the target of this prophecy? | "Zidon." |
| What is the meaning of Zidon? | Strong's H6721 We see the connection with fishing.צִידֹן צִידוֹן tsı̂ydôn tsı̂ydôn tsee-done', tsee-done' From H6679 in the sense of catching fish; fishery; Tsidon, the name of a son of Canaan, and of a place in Palestine: - Sidon, Zidon. Total KJV occurrences: 23 |
| Who (or what) is pictured by "Zidon?" | While the descriptions given of "the prince of Tyrus" and of "the king of Tyrus" in this chapter make it very easy to identify them, that is not the case with Zidon. This does not mean that the Lord has left us without information in His Word. In the New Testament, Jesus referred to both Tyre and Sidon (Zidon) together telling his listeners that it would be more tolerable for these cities than it would be for the cities of Chorazin and Bethsaida in the day of judgment because of the mighty works he had done in those cities. They sinned against greater light than did Tyre and Sidon. These two cities of Lebanon (Tyre is about 22 miles south of Sidon) might be called sister cities.
With all this in mind, what is pictured by Zidon? If Tyrus pictures Christendom, especially the Roman Catholic portion of it ("prince of Tyrus," the pope, and "the king of Tyrus," Satan) who then would be pictured by Zidon? Our suggestion is that it pictures the Protestant portion of Christendom. Still part of Christendom but not as fully engaged. |
| Is this prophecy favorable to Zidon or unfavorable? | Unfavorable. |
| What does it mean to "set thy face against Zidon?" | Be firmly focused, determined to carry out my instructions. Compare Eze. 3:8. |
| Just a quick observation here. The phrase "set thy face" occurs 11 times in the Old Testament, all in Ezekiel. – ALL of them involve "son of man." |
|
Verse 22 Expanded Bible Comments
| And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Zidon; and I will be glorified in the midst of thee: and they shall know that I am the LORD, when I shall have executed judgments in her, and shall be sanctified in her. | |
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| Question | Suggested Answer |
| What are the probabilities that what is said here would come to pass? | Nothing can be more sure. "Thus saith the Lord GOD." – Luke 16:17 |
| What is the attitude of "the Lord GOD" towards Zidon? | "I am against thee, O Zidon" |
| How will God "be glorified in the midst" of Zidon? | Be carrying out the judgments He declared against them, thus proving that He always tells the truth. |
| "They shall know that I am the LORD." How? | Because they will recognize that it is the LORD who has done this. |
| When will this take place? | "When I shall have executed judgments in her." |
| What else is to take place in Zidon? | God "shall be sanctified in her." |
| What does that mean? | To be sanctified means to be made holy. Those in Zidon, who did not before believe God, will now recognize that He is the one who did this. The thought here is that the LORD will be sanctified in their eyes. |
Verse 23 Expanded Bible Comments
| For I will send into her pestilence, and blood into her streets; and the wounded shall be judged in the midst of her by the sword upon her on every side; and they shall know that I am the LORD. | |
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| Question | Suggested Answer |
| What is meant by "I will send into her pestilence?" | Definition of "pestilence" – According to Webster: "a contagious or infectious epidemic disease that is virulent and devastating – especially : bubonic plague." God sends the plagues upon Zidon. |
| What is meant by "and blood into her streets?" | "The life of all flesh is in the blood." Gen. 9:4; Lev. 17:11,14; Deut. 12:23; John 6:53. (Streets) Strong's H2351 From the above and also from looking up how this word for streets is used, and especially noting "the law of first mention," this would seem to be referring not to streets on the inside, but rather to streets or highways outside the city. For example: the angels took Lot "and set him without (H2351) the city."
See also Gen. 6:14 [First time H2351 is used];
Gen. 19:16; Exo. 29:14; 37:2חֻץ חוּץ chûts chûts khoots, khoots (Both forms feminine in the plural); from an unused root meaning to sever; properly separate by a wall, that is, outside, outdoors: - abroad, field, forth, highway, more, out (-side, -ward), street, without. Total KJV occurrences: 164 In other words, this seems to be saying that even those coming into the city would be slain. The roads leading into antitypical Zidon (organized Protestantism) would be bloodied. |
| "The wounded shall be judged in the midst of her." Who are "the wounded," where are they judged and why are they judged? | Who: Those who are close enough to the Protestant part of Christendom so as to be wounded by the plagues (pestilence) God brings against her. Where: These are located "in the midst of her." Why: These are judged as being "in the midst of her (Babylon)" which as been judged to be so completely our of harmony with the Lord that she has "become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird." Rev. 18:2 |
| How is it that they are judged "by the sword upon her on every side?" | Please read D164:1. Thus the Truth (sword) about her condition is indeed "upon her on every side." |
| How does this result in "they shall know that I am the LORD?" Also, who are "they?" | Did "they" know? Do "they" know now (2024?) The following quote from the Encyclopedia Britannica would seem to say, yes they do (even if they do not all want to admit it.) "Protestantism since the early 20th century Mainstream Protestantism World War I broke Europe’s waning self-confidence in the merits of its own civilization and, because it was fought between Christian nations, weakened worldwide Christianity. The seizure of power by a formally atheist government in Russia in 1917 brought negative pressure on Christendom and sharpened the social and working class conflicts of western Europe and the United States. During the following 40 years the Protestant churches in Europe suffered inestimable losses in adherents and formal influence." |
Verse 24 Expanded Bible Comments
| And there shall be no more a pricking brier unto the house of Israel, nor any grieving thorn of all that are round about them, that despised them; and they shall know that I am the Lord GOD. | |
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| Question | Suggested Answer |
| What is to be eliminated regarding Israel? | "There shall be no more a pricking brier unto the house of Israel." |
| What does that mean? | pricking Strong's H3992 Strong's H3992 brier Strong's H5544מָאַר mâ'ar maw-ar' A primitive root; to be bitter or (causatively) to embitter, that is, be painful: - fretting, picking. Total KJV occurrences: 4 Strong's H5544 pendulous Webster:סַלּוֹן סִלּוֹן sillôn sallôn sil-lone', sal-lone' From H5541; a prickle (as if pendulous): - brier, thorn. Total KJV occurrences: 2 "Synonyms of pendulous 1 archaic : poised without visible support 2 a: suspended so as to swing freely branches hung with pendulous vines b: inclined or hanging downward pendulous jowls 3: marked by vacillation, indecision, or uncertainty" This sounds similar to the conversion of Saul of Tarsus. In telling Felix and King Agripa the account of his conversion when he was on the road to Damascus, Paul tells them: "I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest." Acts 26:14-15 Saul of Tarsus was that kind of a pain to the Lord's followers. He thought he was doing the will of God, but there was something within him that told him this was wrong, thus our Lord's statement, "it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks."This verse seems to be saying that this kind of persecution will be removed from the Lord's people ("the house of Israel.") Please see also Num. 33:55. |
| Next it speaks of those that surround "the House of Israel" and says "nor any grieving thorn of all that are round about them." | While the previous phrase appears to speak of those who think they are doing God's service in persecuting the saints (John 16:2,) this expression speaks of others who are causing trouble (who may be more culpable because these are not like Saul of Tarsus who thought he was doing God's service) but not of the class just mentioned. |
| What is the attitude of this group towards the Lord's people? | These are those "that despised them." |
| How do we understand the last phrase of the verse. To whom does it apply, and when? - "They shall know that I am the Lord [H136 - ădônây] GOD [H3069 - yehôvih]." | |
[25] Thus saith the Lord GOD; When I shall have gathered the house of Israel from the people among whom they are scattered, and shall be sanctified in them in the sight of the heathen, then shall they dwell in their land that I have given to my servant Jacob. [26] And they shall dwell safely therein, and shall build houses, and plant vineyards; yea, they shall dwell with confidence, when I have executed judgments upon all those that despise them round about them; and they shall know that I am the LORD their God.
Verse 25 Expanded Bible Comments
| Thus saith the Lord GOD; When I shall have gathered the house of Israel from the people among whom they are scattered, and shall be sanctified in them in the sight of the heathen, then shall they dwell in their land that I have given to my servant Jacob. | |
|---|---|
| Question | Suggested Answer |
| What is different in this last section of the chapter [vss 25-26] from the previous sections (vss 1-10, Prince of Tyrus; vss 11-19, King of Tyrus; vss 20-24, Zidon?) | In each of the previous sections God gave instructions to "Son of man" for him to declare that God was against them. That is NOT the case here. God simply states what will take place. |
| When will "the house of Israel.. be sanctified in them in the sight of the heathen?" | "When I [the Lord GOD] shall have gathered the house of Israel from the people among whom they are scattered." |
| What does God say will happen to them at that time? | "Then shall they dwell in their land that I have given to my servant Jacob." |
| Does this apply literally or symbolically? Please explain. | This is a literal fulfillment. It specifically mentions them dwelling "in their land that I have given to my servant Jacob." This cannot refer to the new creation for they are not new creatures by being descendants of Jacob and their inheritance has nothing to do with the land. |
Verse 26 Expanded Bible Comments
| And they shall dwell safely therein, and shall build houses, and plant vineyards; yea, they shall dwell with confidence, when I have executed judgments upon all those that despise them round about them; and they shall know that I am the LORD their God. | |
|---|---|
| Question | Suggested Answer |
| Who is "they?" | Natural Israel. |
| In what manner or condition will they be in the land? | "They shall dwell safely therein." |
| When in this condition, what will they do there? | They "shall build houses, and plant vineyards." |
| What is the difference between "they shall dwell safely therein" and "they shall dwell with confidence?" | It is the same Hebrew word in both cases. Strong's H983 בֶּטַח beṭach beh'-takh From H982; properly a place of refuge; abstractly safety, both the fact (security) and the feeling (trust); often (adverbially with or without preposition) safely: - assurance, boldly, (without) care (-less), confidence, hope, safe (-ly, -ty), secure, surely. Total KJV occurrences: 42 |
| Why will they feel confident that they are safe? | Because "I have executed judgments upon all those that despise them round about them." |
| Just who are "all those that despise them round about them?" | Currently (2024 AD) their immediate neighbors are Arabs, Muslims. |
| What will they realize at that time? | Eventually they will have to acknowledge that they have the wrong God, that Jehovah is GOD. "They shall know that I am the LORD their God." |