These are the original teaching notes from this passage.
- Burden of Jerusalem…
- Jerusalem is introduced as the Valley of VISION [חִזָּיוֹן]
- Because if ANYONE should have been able to SEE the plan of God – it was them [prophets – Temple]
- Yet they were in a VALLEY – and blind to what was coming…
- Therefore – a day of TROUBLE was coming from the LORD…
- The armies of ASSYRIA would surround the city – their chariots would be at the gates…
- Not because they were MIGHTY – rather because God removed His protection!
- Wrong Answer…
- In response – Jerusalem picked up their WEAPONS [house of the forest]
- They fortified their WALLS – they dug a tunnel to bring WATER into the city…
- What they did NOT do – was turn to the God of all creation…
- The LORD who wanted them to WEEP – MOURN – REPENT…
- Instead they PARTIED – let us eat and drink for tomorrow we die – I Corinthians 15:32
- For this reason – God told them they would NEVER be forgiven [כָּפַר]
- New leadership…
- God commanded Isaiah to go and confront Shebna…
- The one who built tombs for himself – rather than leading the people to the LORD…
- God would remove Shebna – and instead raise up Eliakim [son of Hilkiah] to lead His people…
- He would give him the KEY of David – Revelation 3:7
- And because of him – the BURDEN of the valley of vision [Assyria] would NOT come to pass!
- 1st – Burden of Tyre… vs. 1-9
- 1st – The Burden… vs. 1
- Tyre…
- The burden against Tyre!
- Isaiah continued his BURDENS against the Nations…
- A section of the book that gives TEN burdens from the Lord – Isaiah 13-23
- BURDEN [מַשָּׂא] – a heavy weight or load – a warning to the nations…
- The FINAL of these burdens was against the people of TYRE…
- TYRE [צֹר] – 42x in OT – was the greatest city of the PHOENICIAN empire [Lebanon]!
- They DOMINATED the Mediterranean Sea from 1000-600 B.C.
- They were NOT a military power – they were a maritime ECONOMIC power…
- Trading from Egypt all the way to Spain [and perhaps even England]
- King Hiram of TYRE – supplied cedars from Lebanon for the Temple – I Kings 5:1-11
- And also helped King Solomon build a NAVY – II Chronicles 8:18
- But wicked Jezebel also came from Sidon [Phoenicia] – I Kings 16:31
- Who forced the worship of BAAL [בַּעַל] on the people of Israel [Elijah] – I Kings 18:19
- Timeline…
- TYRE would be a major economic power through FOUR kingdoms…
- Their influence would be felt for the better part of 1000 years!
- FIRST – the king of Assyria [Shalmaneser] besieged TYRE [724-720 B.C.]
- Although they conquered most of Phoenicia – they could NOT conquer TYRE…
- SECOND – the king of Babylon [Nebuchadnezzar] besieged TYRE for THIRTEEN years…
- Around the same time as the fall of Jerusalem [586 B.C.] – Ezekiel 26:2
- He was able to conquer the main city – but the Island portion remined undefeated…
- THIRD – the king of Greece [Alexander the great] came in [332 B.C.]
- He took the ruins of the old city to build a land bridge out to the Island city…
- Alexander then tore the city down and threw everything into the sea!
- Ezekiel 26:3-4 – “They will destroy the walls of Tyre and tear down its towers. I will scrape away its soil and make it a bare rock! It will be just a rock in the sea – a place for fishermen to spread their nets.”
- FOURTH – TYRE established the city of CARTHAGE [North Africa] around [814 B.C.]
- After the fall of the city of TYRE [Babylon] – and Island fortress [Greece]
- CARTHAGE would become a major MILITARY power [rival of Rome]
- ROME would ultimately defeat CARTHAGE in the Punic wars [146 B.C.]
- 2nd – Friends of Tyre… vs. 1-6
- Tarshish… vs. 1
- Wail you ships of Tarshish for it is laid waste – so that there is no house – no harbor.
- From the land of Cyprus it is revealed to them!
- The TRADING ships coming from TARSHISH [Spain] must WAIL [imperative]
- Because [כִּי] they arrived in the port of Cyprus [Island in the Mediterranean]
- And heard the news – TYRE had been destroyed [pual]
- There were NO houses – NO port [מִבּוֹא] for their ships to go into…
- TARSHISH made NOISE [wail] – but could do NOTHING to help!
- Silent Sidon… vs. 2
- Be still you inhabitants of the coastland.
- You merchants of Sidon whom those who cross the sea have filled!
- The merchants of the city of SIDON [40km north of Tyre] was in SHOCK [silent]
- SIDON was the sister city of TYRE [often mentioned together] – Matthew 15:21
- They were left SPEECHLESS – seeing their sister city that sent SHIPS across the sea…
- TYRE who had been RICH [piel] from all of their TRADING – was now GONE!
- Ashamed Sidon… vs. 3-4
- And on great waters the grain of Shihor – the harvest of the River – is her revenue.
- And she is a marketplace for the nations. Be ashamed – O Sidon for the sea has spoken.
- The strength of the sea saying: I do not labor nor bring forth children.
- Neither do I rear young men – nor bring up virgins!
- TYRE used to sell grain from Egypt [Shihor] – transported on the great RIVER [Nile]
- They were the MARKET [buy produce] for the NATIONS [גּוֹיִם]
- Yet now SIDON was ashamed [imperative] of them…
- Because the strength of the sea [fortress of Tyre] had spoken…
- There were NO people left – they had lost ALL of their young men and women!
- This level of complete destruction – NO houses – NO port – NO people…
- Seems to point beyond the days of the Assyrian empire [720 B.C.]
- God warned them of the COMPLETE destruction that was coming…
- The collapse of the city to BABYLON [586 B.C.] – and the Island to Greece [332 B.C.]
- But the fall of TYRE took almost FOUR hundred years!
- God is not quick to judge – He is very patient – hoping there will be repentance…
- He did NOT wipe out TYRE suddenly – He gave them FOUR centuries…
- God is also longsuffering with us – NOT that He will not judge sin…
- But He is patient hoping that many will come to repentance!
- II Peter 3:9 – “The Lord is… longsuffering toward us – not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.”
- Egypt… vs. 5-6
- When the report reaches Egypt they also will be in agony at the report of Tyre.
- Cross over to Tarshish. Wail you inhabitants of the coastland!
- When EGYPT heard [שֵׁמַע] about what happened to TYRE…
- They were also in PAIN [חוּל] because of the LOSS…
- As TARSHISH went back home – and SIDON [coastlands] WAILED!
- It is interesting to see the reaction of the FRIENDS of TYRE…
- TARSHISH wailed – SIDON was silent and ashamed – EGYPT was in pain…
- All of them are effected by the fall of the city – but could do NOTHING to help them!
- Everyone must one day stand before the JUDGEMENT seat of Christ – Revelation 20:12
- Those watching [waiting for their turn] will have different reactions…
- Some might WAIL – because someone they know is NOT getting to heaven…
- Other might be ASHAMED – because they did NOT help [by giving them the Gospel]
- And still others might be in PAIN – because they know they are NEXT…
- But there is NOTHING anyone can do to HELP!
- 3rd – Pride of Tyre… vs. 7-9
- Her glory… vs. 7
- Is this your joyous city whose antiquity is from ancient days.
- Whose feet carried her far off to dwell?
- TYRE was once a great city – full of JOY for centuries [from ancient days]
- Her feet carried her all over the Mediterranean!
- TYRE was and Island city – like an ancient equivalent of SINGAPORE…
- They were NOT a mighty military – they did NOT have lot of land [agriculture]
- What they had was a LOT of MONEY – because they controlled the SEAS…
- They were the financial CROSSROAD of the ancient world!
- Her fall… vs. 8-9
- Who has taken this counsel against Tyre – the crowning city.
- Whose merchants are princes Whose traders are the honorable of the earth?
- The LORD of hosts has purposed it to bring to dishonor the pride of all glory.
- To bring into contempt all the honorable of the earth!
- To this MIGHTY city that ruled the seas – Isaiah asked a question:
- WHO is it that takes counsel AGAINST this royal [crowning] city…
- Whose merchants are so wealthy they are like PRINCES…
- Whose TRADERS [Canaanites] are HONORED throughout the earth…
- The answer – the LORD of Hosts [צְבָאוֹת] is the one who gave [perfect] the counsel…
- To [piel] HUMBLE [חָלַל] all [כֹּל] those who are PRIDEFUL [גָּאוֹן]
- To DISHONOR [hiphil] all [כֹּל] those who are HONORED on the earth!
- Proverbs 16:18 – “Pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall.”
- PRIDE [גָּאוֹן] is devastating – it was the FIRST sin – Isaiah 14:11
- DESTROYED [שָׁבַר] comes from the root verb – to be SHATTERED…
- Those who CHOSE to walk in PRIDE – will always be BROKEN…
- AND [וְ] – because they have an ARROGANT spirit [honored on earth]
- They will FALL [כָּשַׁל] – from the root verb to be weak legged and unable to stand!
- PRIDE that makes us have an ARROGANT spirit – has a cumulative effect…
- It BREAKS us – to that we learn that we cannot STAND on our own…
- It cause us to be HUMBLE so that we can receive the Grace of God!
- I Peter 5:5 – “God resists the proud – but gives grace to the humble.”
- 1st – The Burden… vs. 1
- 2nd – Destruction of Tyre… vs. 10-18
- 1st – The command… vs. 10-14
- No restraint… vs. 10-11
- Overflow through your land like the River O daughter of Tarshish – there is no more strength!
- He stretched out His hand over the sea. He shook the kingdoms.
- The LORD has given a commandment against Canaan to destroy its strongholds!
- The people of TARSHISH [Spain] – no [אִין] longer had any restraint [מֵזַח]
- They could flow like the NILE river – TYRE was no longer there to hold them back…
- Because the LORD had stretched out His hand over the sea and shaken KINGDOMS…
- The LORD had given the command against the MERCHANTS [כְּנַעַן]
- And their STRONGHOLD [walled city] – had been destroyed!
- We assume this to be the FIRST fall of TYRE to the ASSYRIANS [720 B.C.]
- No escape… vs. 12
- And He said: You will rejoice no more O you oppressed virgin daughter of Sidon.
- Arise – cross over to Cyprus. There also you will have no rest!
- Virgin [unconquered] daughter of Sidon [title of Tyre as they came from Sidon]
- The LORD told them they would REJOICE no more…
- Instead they must [imperative] FLEE from their destruction to the Island of Cyprus…
- But even there they would NOT find [imperfect] any rest…
- Why would they find no REST – because there PROBLEMS would go with them!
- The problem with running away from our PROBLEMS…
- Is that no matter where we go – we are still there…
- And it turns out our real PROBLEM is us – so they follow us wherever we go!
- Example of Babylon… vs. 13-14
- Behold – the land of the Chaldeans – this people which was not.
- Assyria founded it for wild beasts of the desert.
- They set up its towers. They raised up its palaces – and brought it to ruin.
- Wail you ships of Tarshish! For your strength is laid waste!
- God used the example of the land of Babylon [Chaldeans]
- The ASSYRIAN empire rebuilt the city of Babylon [towers and palaces]
- Only to then bring it to RUINS – a place for the wild animals to dwell…
- In the same way the LORD was the one who built up TYRE…
- And God would also be the one to TEAR it down – bring it to RUINS…
- So the ships of TARSHISH would WAIL [imperative] – NO port for their ships!
- People who have money often assume they have EARNED their riches…
- They boast how they went to college – got a good education…
- Worked hard so they would be successful in their career…
- And now as a result of all THEIR hard work – they have wealth to show for it!
- There is nothing wrong with having a good work ethic – we should work hard…
- But we do NOT get the credit for anything we accomplish in life…
- Because everything we have we received from God – so it is NOT ours to glory over…
- Our intellect – our family – our genetics – were all given to us…
- We have NOTHING that we have NOT received – so ALL the credit goes to God!
- I Corinthians 4:7 – “What do you have that God has not given you?”
- 2nd – Seventy years… vs. 15-17
- Forgotten… vs. 15
- Now it shall come to pass in that day that Tyre will be forgotten seventy years.
- According to the days of one king!
- In that DAY [בַּיּוֹם] the city of TYRE will be FORGOTTEN [niphal] for SEVENTY years…
- It will be as [כִּ] the days of one KING [or one kingdom]
- We assume this is the SECOND fall of TYRE to the BABYLON [586 B.C.]
- And that during the REIGN of BABYLON – the city of TYRE was forgotten [70 years]
- Much like the SEVENTY years of the captivity of Judah – Jeremiah 25:11
- This does present some problems with the TIMELINE…
- Because BABYLON fell to Medo-Persia in 539 B.C. [586 – 539 = 47 years]
- But the RISE of the Nebuchadnezzar came in 605 B.C. [fall of Egypt] – Jeremiah 46:2
- And the first exiles returned to Jerusalem around 536 B.C. [70 years]
- As is often the case – the details here are AMAZING…
- This was written presumably before the FIRST fall of TYRE…
- Yet Isaiah details the SECOND fall – and will go on to hint at the THIRD…
- Because our God is the one who sees the END from the BEGINNING – Isaiah 46:10
- He is the God who does ALL things according to the counsel of His will – Ephesians 1:11
- The Song… vs. 15-16
- At the end of seventy years it will happen to Tyre as in the song of the harlot:
- Take a harp – go about the city you forgotten harlot.
- Make sweet melody – sing many songs. That you may be remembered!
- At the end of the SEVENTY years – TYRE will sing [imperfect] the SONG of the HARLOT [זָנָה]
- The HARLOT must [imperative] take the HARP and sing about the FORGOTTEN city [niphal]
- Sing [imperative] LOTS [רָבָה] of songs with sweet music…
- Because it is the only way she can be [niphal] REMEMBERED [זָכַר]!
- A prostitute who is OLD – past her PRIME – has a hard time getting work…
- So she has to get creative in order to get CUSTOMERS [sing songs]
- In the same way the once mighty commercial city of TYRE…
- Would have to get creative to try and stir up business again!
- No change… vs. 17
- And it shall be at the end of seventy years that the LORD will deal with Tyre.
- She will return to her hire – and commit fornication.
- With all the kingdoms of the world on the face of the earth!
- [Sequential] at the end of the SEVENTY years the LORD would visit TYRE…
- But TYRE would NOT change – she would still commit FORNICATION [זָנָה]
- With ALL [כֹּל] of the KINGDOMS of the earth!
- Revelation 17:2 – “Whom the kings of the earth committed fornication. The inhabitants of the earth were made drunk with the wine of her fornication!”
- TYRE is just like the Great Harlot of Revelation…
- All of the KINGS the earth will commit SPIRITUAL fornication with her…
- In the OT and NT – both Israel and Church are likened to the BRIDE of God…
- And when a BRIDE is not faithful to her husband – she commits FORNICATION…
- When we are not faithful to the Lord – we are guilty of SPIRITUAL adultery!
- We live in world that would love to try to get us to live for something others than Jesus…
- We can go to church on Sunday – but what really matter in life is MONEY…
- But we are called to live for Jesus every day – we are to be FAITHFUL to Christ!
- 3rd – The choice… vs. 18
- Set apart…
- Her gain and her pay will be set apart for the LORD – it will not be treasured nor laid up.
- Her gain will be for those who dwell before the LORD to eat sufficiently and for fine clothing!
- [Sequential] BUT [וְ] is shall be [perfect] that her PAY [prostitute earnings]
- Will be set apart [קֹדֶשׁ] to the LORD – TYRE will not be able to use them…
- Instead they will be given to those who DWELL with the LORD…
- So that the GODLY can have food and fine clothing!
- Although the city did make a resurgence during the Medo-Persian empire…
- The people moved everything onto the Island – and built a wall all the way around it…
- But the GOOD times would NOT last long – Alexander the Great came to the city [332 B.C.]
- He offered to make peace with the city – but they killed him ambassadors…
- So he built a causeway so that he could roll out siege weapons to break down the walls…
- Thousands were killed – the rest sold as slaves – and the city was torn down!
- Mighty works…
- Matthew 11:21 – “For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes!”
- Jesus would use the cities of TYRE and SIDON as examples…
- They were NOT good cities – and were ultimately destroyed…
- But if they had seen the POWER of Jesus shown in Chorazin and Bethsaida [Galilee]
- They would have REPENTED in sackcloth and ashes [humility] long ago…
- Yet it will be BETTER [ἀνεκτός] for TYRE and SIDON on the Judgement Day!
- Luke 12:48 – “When someone has been given much – much will be required in return.” [NLT]
- God is patient in our lives – He is trying to teach us to live for Him…
- He is willing to WAIT – He is willing to let our lives fall apart…
- There is NOT much He will not do to try and convince us to turn to Him…
- He was willing to destroy the city of Tyre at least THREE times [Old testament]
- He went further to send Jesus to give us salvation [New Testament]
- But it is our choice – we have to decide if we want to reject or believe!
- 1st – The command… vs. 10-14