The Daily Fountain Devotional of the Church Of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) 10 September 2023 – Tyre, A Nation That Had Riches But Abandoned God
Click HERE to Read Previous MESSAGES
TOPIC: Tyre, A Nation That Had Riches But Abandoned God
READ: Ezekiel 27:1-26 (NKJV)
- The word of the LORD came again to me, saying,
- “Now, son of man, take up a lamentation for Tyre,
- “and say to Tyre, ‘You who are situated at the entrance of the sea, merchant of the peoples on many coastlands, thus says the Lord GOD: “O Tyre, you have said, ‘I [am] perfect in beauty.’
- Your borders [are] in the midst of the seas. Your builders have perfected your beauty.
- They made all [your] planks of fir trees from Senir; They took a cedar from Lebanon to make you a mast.
- [Of] oaks from Bashan they made your oars; The company of Ashurites have inlaid your planks [With] ivory from the coasts of Cyprus.
- Fine embroidered linen from Egypt was what you spread for your sail; Blue and purple from the coasts of Elishah was what covered you.
- “Inhabitants of Sidon and Arvad were your oarsmen; Your wise men, O Tyre, were in you; They became your pilots.
- Elders of Gebal and its wise men Were in you to caulk your seams; All the ships of the sea And their oarsmen were in you To market your merchandise.
- ” Those from Persia, Lydia, and Libya Were in your army as men of war; They hung shield and helmet in you; They gave splendor to you.
- Men of Arvad with your army [were] on your walls [all] around, And the men of Gammad were in your towers; They hung their shields on your walls [all] around; They made your beauty perfect.
- ” Tarshish [was] your merchant because of your many luxury goods. They gave you silver, iron, tin, and lead for your goods.
- “Javan, Tubal, and Meshech [were] your traders. They bartered human lives and vessels of bronze for your merchandise.
- “Those from the house of Togarmah traded for your wares with horses, steeds, and mules.
- “The men of Dedan [were] your traders; many isles [were] the market of your hand. They brought you ivory tusks and ebony as payment.
- “Syria [was] your merchant because of the abundance of goods you made. They gave you for your wares emeralds, purple, embroidery, fine linen, corals, and rubies.
- “Judah and the land of Israel [were] your traders. They traded for your merchandise wheat of Minnith, millet, honey, oil, and balm.
- “Damascus [was] your merchant because of the abundance of goods you made, because of your many luxury items, with the wine of Helbon and with white wool.
- “Dan and Javan paid for your wares, traversing back and forth. Wrought iron, cassia, and cane were among your merchandise.
- “Dedan [was] your merchant in saddlecloths for riding.
- “Arabia and all the princes of Kedar [were] your regular merchants. They traded with you in lambs, rams, and goats.
- “The merchants of Sheba and Raamah [were] your merchants. They traded for your wares the choicest spices, all kinds of precious stones, and gold.
- “Haran, Canneh, Eden, the merchants of Sheba, Assyria, [and] Chilmad [were] your merchants.
- “These [were] your merchants in choice items — in purple clothes, in embroidered garments, in chests of multicolored apparel, in sturdy woven cords, which were in your marketplace.
- “The ships of Tarshish were carriers of your merchandise. You were filled and very glorious in the midst of the seas.
- Your oarsmen brought you into many waters, But the east wind broke you in the midst of the seas.
THE MESSAGE:
Our reading today focusses on a one-time great city called Tyre. It was in the height of its prosperity that God ordered prophet Ezekiel to take up a Lamentation for Tyre. Tyre was located on a promontory, that is, a place extending out into the sea. This city stood at the east end of the Mediterranean, convenient for trade by land into all the Levant, so that she became a merchant of the people for many isles. Her borders were in the heart of the sea (verse 4). In our text today, about thirty-four nations traded with Tyre in thirty-five kinds of merchandise including silver, iron, ivory, gold, precious stones, etc. Tyre was in the then world the centre for business.
However, the city, despite God-given wealth and riches had no regard for God; instead the inhabitants worshipped their heathenish idols, practiced witchcraft, were corrupt and trusted in lies and falsehood, and also became proud for her beauty, location and great buildings. They forgot that the earth and fullness therein are God’s. By God’s standard, righteousness exalts a nation, not wealth and riches. Their refusal to retain God in their knowledge earned them reprobate minds. God decided to make Tyre a desolate city and predicted through Ezekiel that great waters shall cover her (verse 19). God gives one power to get wealth; when riches increase, never put your trust in them but in God. In Tyre, we see the vanity and uncertainty of the riches and pleasures of the world. All is surely vanity! First seek the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added to you.
PRAYER: God help us put our trust in You and not in the uncertainty of riches in Jesus’ name. Amen.
