Ezekiel 26:3
therefore thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I am against you, O Tyre, and will bring up many nations against you, as the sea brings up its waves.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The image of the sea bringing up its waves isn't just about a lot of enemies; it highlights how God will unleash a relentless, overwhelming force against Tyre, not just once, but in successive, unstoppable assaults that will completely erode their power and foundations. This isn't a single battle, but a prolonged, inevitable destruction mirroring the persistent power of the ocean against a rocky shore.
Tyre, a wealthy island city, has rejoiced at the fall of Jerusalem, seeing it as an opportunity to increase their own prosperity. In response, God declares His opposition to Tyre, vowing to bring a vast coalition of nations against them, like the relentless and overwhelming waves of the sea crashing against their shores. This judgment isn't just about the immediate Babylonian conquest but foreshadows a long history of invasions that will ultimately lead to Tyre's complete destruction.
Tyre was a powerhouse, a wealthy trading city. But their success bred something dangerous in their hearts. What makes God declare, 'I am against you'?
The Divine Stance
The phrase 'I am against you' (Ezekiel 26:3) is a thunderclap from God. It’s not just a statement of disapproval; it’s a declaration of active opposition. This wasn't a minor spat. Tyre, a prosperous Phoenician city, had rejoiced at the fall of Jerusalem, seeing it as an opportunity to expand their own trade and wealth. They reveled in the misfortune of others.
But God saw their joy as a deep offense. Their prosperity had led to arrogance and a disregard for His people. When God says He is 'against' a nation or a person, it signals a divine judgment that is coming. It means His power, His justice, and His might will be aligned to bring about their downfall.
God compares the nations coming against Tyre to the sea's waves. What does this powerful imagery tell us about the nature and inevitability of His judgment?
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Waves of Nations
Ezekiel uses a vivid comparison: God will bring many nations against Tyre 'as the sea brings up its waves.' This isn't just about a single enemy like Babylon, though that's the immediate threat. It speaks to a repeated, overwhelming, and relentless force.
Tyre, built on an island and confident in its defenses, would be battered by wave after wave of hostile armies until its destruction.
Understand the original words
Adonai YHWH · Hebrew Noun phrase
A designation for the Creator-King of Israel, emphasizing His absolute authority and sovereign lordship over all creation and history. It combines the personal covenant name of God with the title indicating His supreme rule.
hineni 'alayikh · Hebrew Verb phrase
The divine declaration of judgment, positioning the Almighty in direct opposition to an entity due to its pride, sin, or resistance to His purposes. It signals that God has set Himself as an adversary against those who exalt themselves against His people or His will.
Tyre's pride in Jerusalem's fall prompted Ezekiel's prophecy, but the judgment described wasn't a single event. It encompassed Nebuchadnezzar's lengthy siege and continued through various conquests over centuries, fulfilling God's declaration of relentless opposition.
c. 586 BC
Fall of Jerusalem
The destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians, a catastrophic event that brought joy to Tyre.
c. 585 BC— this verse
Ezekiel's Prophecy Against Tyre
God's word comes to Ezekiel, denouncing Tyre's exultation over Jerusalem's fall and declaring judgment.
585-573 BC
Nebuchadnezzar's Siege of Tyre
The Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar lays siege to the island city of Tyre for thirteen long years, eventually conquering its mainland settlements but failing to take the main island.
332 BC
Alexander the Great Captures Tyre
Alexander the Great conquers the island city after a determined seven-month siege, famously building a causeway to reach it.
c. 1st - 4th Century AD
Roman Rule and Christian Influence
Tyre becomes a significant Roman port city and an early center of Christianity, though its past glory begins to fade.
AD 1291
Mamluk Conquest of Tyre
The Mamluks capture Tyre, marking the end of significant Crusader presence in the city and a further decline in its importance.
This passage uses a similar metaphor of the sea and its waves to describe the unstoppable advance of Egypt's army, mirroring the overwhelming force God unleashes against Tyre.
Daniel 7:2-3These verses also depict nations rising up against each other, with the sea serving as a backdrop for turbulent, chaotic conflict, echoing the divine judgment coming upon Tyre.
Revelation 17:15Here, the 'many waters' where the Harlot sits are explicitly explained as 'peoples, multitudes, nations, and languages,' connecting directly to God bringing 'many nations' against Tyre as a destructive force.
Isaiah 23:10This prophecy against Tyre speaks of her being subdued and losing her strength, highlighting the divine opposition and the end of her maritime power that Ezekiel foretells.
ellicottEzekiel 26:3: "Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Tyrus, and will cause many nations to come up against thee, as the sea causeth his waves to come up."
(3) Many nations. —The prophet here, at the outset, glances down through the ages of Tyre’s future history. He has in mind not merely the conquest by Nebuchadnezzar, of which he will speak more particularly presently ( Ezekiel 26:7-11 ), but all the successive conquests until the proud city should be reduced to utter…
pulpitEzekiel 26:3: "Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Tyrus, and will cause many nations to come up against thee, as the sea causeth his waves to come up."
Verse 3. - As the sea causeth, etc. We note the special appropriateness of the comparison to the position of the island city.
The image of the sea bringing up its waves isn't just about a lot of enemies; it highlights how God will unleash a relentless, overwhelming force against Tyre, not just once, but in successive, unstoppable assaults that will completely erode their power and foundations. This isn't a single battle, but a prolonged, inevitable destruction mirroring the persistent power of the ocean against a rocky shore.
Tyre, a wealthy island city, has rejoiced at the fall of Jerusalem, seeing it as an opportunity to increase their own prosperity. In response, God declares His opposition to Tyre, vowing to bring a vast coalition of nations against them, like the relentless and overwhelming waves of the sea crashing against their shores. This judgment isn't just about the immediate Babylonian conquest but foreshadows a long history of invasions that will ultimately lead to Tyre's complete destruction.
Tyre, a wealthy island city, has rejoiced at the fall of Jerusalem, seeing it as an opportunity to increase their own prosperity. In response, God declares His opposition to Tyre, vowing to bring a vast coalition of nations against them, like the relentless and overwhelming waves of the sea crashing against their shores. This judgment isn't just about the immediate Babylonian conquest but foreshadows a long history of invasions that will ultimately lead to Tyre's complete destruction.
"therefore thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I am against you, O Tyre, and will bring up many nations against you, as the sea brings up its waves." — The image of the sea bringing up its waves isn't just about a lot of enemies; it highlights how God will unleash a relentless, overwhelming force against Tyre, not just once, but in successive, unsto…
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