Isaiah |
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Isaiah Chapter 23
Tarshish was Spain. This indicates a judgment upon Tyre and Zidon. They were once bustling with trade and commerce but Isaiah predicts their downfall. This prophecy was literally fulfilled by the nation of Babylon. Ships were destroyed and the harbor was destroyed. Zidon was made very weak. Neither of these cities ever rose to become great again until after the seventy year captivity by Babylon. This shows that we can never trust in a great economy or in our riches. We all live by the mercy and grace of God. Pride goes before a fall. Once King Nebuchadnezzar was lifted up in pride thinking he was the king of Babylon and built all his kingdom by his own power. Once we think that way, we are in danger of losing it all. Our only trust and hope is in the Lord. At His word a nation stands or a nation falls.
The city of Tyre was a joyous prosperous city, honorable and enjoyed a great reputation among the nations. They once flourished. Both the destruction by Babylon and natural disasters caused its harbors to be destroyed. We see here part of the problem Tyre had. It was full of pride. As I mentioned above, pride is a sin. It exalts self, causes selfishness. All through the bible we see God condemning pride. Here is says that the Lord purposed this judgment. It causes people to become cruel and harmful to others. It leads to many other sins. For some reason pride opens the door to sins that end up being the very opposite of how the bible teaches us to live. This all starts by departing from God and thinking we can make it on our own without His presence in our lives.
God himself stretched out his hand over the sea and shook the kingdoms. The Lord gave the commandment against the city for destruction.
This verse shows who God appointed to defeat Tyre. The Chaldeans were the Babylonians headed by King Nebuchadnezzar. Babylon was once a people with no strength and mostly barbarous people lived there. Assyria ruled them for many years. They later became so great that they overthrew the Assyrians. They also were the ones God allowed to bring Judah into captivity in later years. Babylon also became great and full of pride fearing not God until the Medes and Persian Empire defeated them. "Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall."
Tyre was later restored after 70 years under Babylon. She then enjoyed the riches that the nation once had.
They build a new city there after they were restored but that city was taken into captivity by Alexander the Great.
This seems to indicate that this place shall have a later day place in the Millennium when Jesus Christ will rule. Verse 17 indicates that it will be a place of prosperity and trade with the other kingdoms of the world. The word fornication though usually means evil though so this could indicate that after being restored to prosperity they became full of sin again but was later restored by repentance and the receiving turning to God in the latter days. My speculation here. There are other bible scholars that believe that many times the scriptures will be speaking of former things but them jump to the latter days to see their latter end. It is a picture of a sinner who is lost but finds Jesus Christ which makes all their sins vanish and the Holy Spirit enters their lives instead. Old things pass away and all things become new. In the new testament in Revelation
We see that God judges a place called Babylon in the latter days. This Babylon is a great nation that makes other nations rich with goods but also influences them to worship idols and reject the God of holiness and truth. Judgment comes severely to this latter day nation. Although the future Babylon is destroyed completely, the nation of Tyre as indicated here seems to be destroyed also but is restored in the latter days under the reign of Christ. It appears to be a place that will provide sufficient clothing and provisions for all as they dwell before the Lord. The wealth will not be stored up to make only a few rich but will be distributed. This type of government will only work under the leadership of Jesus Christ and His power. Many have tried redistribution of wealth by socialism and communism but it has never worked. The reason is that they left God out and tried to enforce it by terror and force. God endorses giving willingly not by Secret Police tactics. We have had many governments both past and present but until the Lord Jesus Himself reigns we will not have a perfect government. I look forward to that time.
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