Topical Encyclopedia Tyre, an ancient Phoenician city located on the Mediterranean coast, is frequently mentioned in the Bible for its wealth, commerce, and idolatrous practices. The city was renowned for its skilled artisans, maritime prowess, and as a hub of trade, but it was also noted for its spiritual and moral decline, often characterized by superstitious practices and idolatry.Biblical References and Historical Context Tyre's significance is highlighted in several biblical passages, where it is often depicted as a city of great wealth and influence but also of spiritual corruption. In Ezekiel 28:2-3 , the prophet Ezekiel delivers a message from the Lord to the ruler of Tyre: "Son of man, say to the ruler of Tyre that this is what the Lord GOD says: 'In the pride of your heart you say, "I am a god; I sit on the throne of a god in the heart of the sea." But you are a man and not a god, though you regard your heart as that of a god. Behold, you are wiser than Daniel; no secret is hidden from you.'" This passage underscores the arrogance and self-deification of Tyre's leadership, a reflection of the city's broader spiritual state. The city's inhabitants were known for their superstitious practices, which were intertwined with their idolatrous worship. Tyre's pantheon included deities such as Melqart, Astarte, and Baal, and their worship often involved rituals and ceremonies that were contrary to the worship of Yahweh, the God of Israel. The prophet Isaiah also speaks against Tyre, highlighting its impending judgment due to its pride and reliance on wealth and idolatry (Isaiah 23:8-9): "Who planned this against Tyre, the bestower of crowns, whose merchants are princes, whose traders are renowned in the earth? The LORD of Hosts planned it, to defile all its glorious beauty, to disgrace all the renowned of the earth." Spiritual and Moral Implications The superstitious nature of Tyre's inhabitants is emblematic of a broader spiritual malaise that afflicted many ancient Near Eastern societies. Their reliance on idols and divination practices was a direct violation of the first commandment, which calls for exclusive worship of the one true God (Exodus 20:3): "You shall have no other gods before Me." The biblical narrative consistently portrays such practices as leading to moral decay and divine judgment. In the New Testament, Jesus references Tyre in His teachings, using it as a cautionary example of unrepentance and spiritual blindness. In Matthew 11:21-22 , Jesus declares, "Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I tell you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you." This comparison underscores the severity of Tyre's spiritual condition, yet also highlights the possibility of repentance and redemption. Cultural and Religious Influence Despite its spiritual shortcomings, Tyre's cultural and economic influence was significant in the ancient world. The city's artisans and craftsmen were highly sought after, and its trade networks extended across the Mediterranean. However, this prosperity often led to a false sense of security and self-sufficiency, which the prophets warned against. The superstitious practices of Tyre serve as a reminder of the dangers of deviating from the worship of the true God. The biblical narrative consistently calls for a return to faithfulness and warns against the allure of wealth, power, and idolatry, which can lead to spiritual ruin. Tyre's account is a testament to the enduring truth that true wisdom and security are found not in human achievements or superstitions, but in a right relationship with God. Torrey's Topical Textbook Jeremiah 27:2,3,9Thus said the LORD to me; Make you bonds and yokes, and put them on your neck, Torrey's Topical Textbook Library Preparation for Advent Syria at the Beginning of the Egyptian Conquest Intercourse of Jesus with the Pagans and the Samaritans. The Power of Assyria at Its Zenith; Esarhaddon and Assur-Bani-Pal General Index to Socrates' Ecclesiastical History. The Last Days of the Old Eastern World The Ecclesiastical Writers. By "The Fathers" we Understand the ... The Medes and the Second Chaldaean Empire Book ii. Jerome Answers the Second, Third, and Fourth Propositions ... Period iii. The Dissolution of the Imperial State Church and the ... Resources How do we know that the Bible is the Word of God, and not the Apocrypha, the Qur'an, the Book of Mormon, etc.? | GotQuestions.orgWhy is so much of the world still unevangelized? | GotQuestions.org What are the names of Satan? | GotQuestions.org Tyre: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus Subtopics Tyre: Called: The Crowning City Tyre: Called: The Daughter of Tarshish Tyre: Called: The Daughter of Zidon Tyre: Called: The Renowned City Tyre: Celebrated For: Its Beauty Tyre: Celebrated For: Its Commerce Tyre: Celebrated For: Its Wealth Tyre: Celebrated For: Strength and Beauty of Its Ships Tyre: Christ was Followed by Many From Tyre: Christ: Alluded to the Depravity of Tyre: Christ: Depended for Provision Upon Galilee Tyre: Christ: Paul Found Disciples At Tyre: Christ: Visited the Coasts of Tyre: City of Besieged by Nebuchadnezzar Tyre: City of Heals the Daughter of the Non-Jewish, Syrophenician Woman Near Tyre: City of Jesus Goes to the Coasts of Tyre: City of Multitudes From, Come to Hear Jesus, and to be Healed of Their Diseases Tyre: City of On the Northern Boundary of the Tribe of Asher Tyre: City of Pleasant Site of Tyre: City of Prophecies Relating To Tyre: City of The Hostility of Herod Agrippa I Toward Tyre: City of To be Judged According to Its Opportunity and Privileges Tyre: David and Solomon Formed Alliances With Tyre: Inhabitants of Mercantile Men Tyre: Inhabitants of Proud and Haughty Tyre: Inhabitants of Sea-Faring Men Tyre: Inhabitants of Self-Conceited Tyre: Inhabitants of Superstitious Tyre: Kingdom of Hiram, King of Tyre: Kingdom of Sends Material to David for his Palace Tyre: Often Confederated Against the Jews and Rejoiced in Their Tyre: Prophecies Respecting: All Nations to be Terrified at Its Destruction Tyre: Prophecies Respecting: Envy Against the Jews a Cause of Its Destruction Tyre: Prophecies Respecting: Inhabitants of, to Emigrated to Other Countries Tyre: Prophecies Respecting: Its Inhabitants to be Sold As Slaves, As a Recompence For Tyre: Prophecies Respecting: Its Restoration to Commercial Greatness After Seventy Years Tyre: Prophecies Respecting: Its Second Destruction by the Macedonians Tyre: Prophecies Respecting: Never to Recover Its Greatness Tyre: Prophecies Respecting: Pride a Cause of Its Destruction Tyre: Prophecies Respecting: The King of Babylon to be Rewarded With the Spoil of Egypt Tyre: Prophecies Respecting: The Ruins of the First City to be Employed in Making A Tyre: Prophecies Respecting: To be Destroyed by the King of Babylon Tyre: Prophecies Respecting: To be Scraped As the Top of a Rock, and to be a Place For Tyre: Prophecies Respecting: To Lie Waste and be Forgotten for Seventy Years Tyre: Prophecies Respecting: To Participated in the Blessings of the Gospel Tyre: Propitiated the Favour of Herod Tyre: Soldiers of, Supplied by Persia Tyre: Supplied: A Master-Builder for the Temple Tyre: Supplied: Seamen for Solomon's Navy Tyre: Supplied: Stones and Timber for Building the Temple Tyre: Supplied: Timber for Rebuilding the Temple and City Tyre: The Jews Condemned for Purchasing from the People of, on The Related Terms Nebuchadrez'zar (31 Occurrences) Misrephothmaim (2 Occurrences) |
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