Topical Bible: Tyre: Prophecies Respecting: Pride a Cause of Its Destruction

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Topical Encyclopedia

Tyre, an ancient Phoenician city located on the Mediterranean coast, was renowned for its wealth, commerce, and strategic maritime position. Throughout biblical history, Tyre is frequently mentioned, particularly in the context of its interactions with Israel and its eventual downfall as prophesied by several prophets. A recurring theme in these prophecies is the pride of Tyre, which is identified as a significant factor leading to its destruction.

Pride and Wealth of Tyre

Tyre's prosperity and influence were largely due to its thriving trade and skilled artisans. The city was a hub of commerce, dealing in luxury goods and precious materials. This wealth fostered a sense of pride and self-sufficiency among its inhabitants. The prophet Ezekiel vividly describes Tyre's opulence and the pride that accompanied it: "By your great skill in trading you have increased your wealth, but your heart has grown proud because of it" (Ezekiel 28:5).

Prophetic Warnings

The prophets Isaiah and Ezekiel, among others, delivered stern warnings to Tyre, highlighting its pride as a precursor to divine judgment. Isaiah prophesied against Tyre, foretelling its downfall due to its arrogance and self-glorification: "The LORD of Hosts has planned it, to defile all the glorious beauty, to disgrace all the renowned of the earth" (Isaiah 23:9). This passage underscores the divine intention to humble Tyre and demonstrate that its glory was not self-derived but subject to the sovereignty of God.

Ezekiel's prophecies are particularly detailed, portraying Tyre as a city that exalted itself to the status of a deity: "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 the heart of a god" (Ezekiel 28:2). This hubris, equating itself with divine status, was a direct affront to God and a primary reason for its impending judgment.

Destruction Foretold

The consequences of Tyre's pride were severe. Ezekiel prophesied that many nations would come against Tyre, leading to its ultimate destruction: "They will destroy the walls of Tyre and demolish her towers. I will scrape the soil from her and make her a bare rock" (Ezekiel 26:4). This imagery of desolation serves as a stark reminder of the fate that awaits those who elevate themselves above their rightful place.

Historical Fulfillment

The prophecies concerning Tyre's destruction were fulfilled through a series of historical events, including sieges by Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon and later by Alexander the Great. These fulfillments serve as a testament to the accuracy of biblical prophecy and the consequences of prideful defiance against God.

In summary, the biblical narrative concerning Tyre emphasizes the dangers of pride and the certainty of divine judgment against those who exalt themselves. Tyre's account is a powerful reminder of the biblical principle that "Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall" (Proverbs 16:18).

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Ezekiel 28:2-6
Son of man, say to the prince of Tyrus, Thus said the Lord GOD; Because your heart is lifted up, and you have said, I am a God, I sit in the seat of God, in the middle of the seas; yet you are a man, and not God, though you set your heart as the heart of God:
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

The Twelve Minor Prophets.
... in its course, over Syria, Philistia, Tyre, Edom, Ammon ... way of duty, adding glorious
promises respecting the future ... not given the date of his prophecies, but it ...
/.../barrows/companion to the bible/chapter xxiii the twelve minor.htm

The Greater Prophets.
... is made out by separating Sidon from Tyre to which ... The prophecies that follow naturally
fall into two ... with some very remarkable revelations respecting the time ...
/.../barrows/companion to the bible/chapter xxii the greater prophets.htm

Period iii. The Critical Period: AD 140 to AD 200
... following: Having redeemed from slavery at Tyre, a city ... says, also, that even the
prophecies were derived ... Respecting this God, he makes those allusions, when ...
/.../a source book for ancient church history/period iii the critical period .htm

The Later Hebrew Histories.
... in a prophecy against the King of Tyre, in which ... is vague and general like the rest
of the prophecies. ... Zachary Taylor, who died in 1850, respecting a certain ...
/.../gladden/who wrote the bible/chapter vi the later hebrew.htm

Book ii. Jerome Answers the Second, Third, and Fourth Propositions ...
... things, and their talk is nothing but pride: [4699] "But ... should turn a commandment
into a cause of transgression. ... I am to infer His wishes respecting ourselves ...
/.../jerome/the principal works of st jerome/book ii jerome answers the.htm

The Medes and the Second Chaldaean Empire
... of Judah and the submission of Tyre; the successes ... and even the haughtiest monarchs
refer with pride to victories ... a summary of all the prophecies delivered by ...
/.../chapter iiithe medes and the.htm