A Proclamation against Tyre and Sidon

[Harvest 1874]

Ezekiel Chapter 26, Part 1

Excerpts for this study come primarily from Brother Frank Shallieu’s studies on the Book of Ezekiel, and from other related Bible Student resources as well as my own personal studies. Understand as Bible Students we are generally one in faith, that is in respects to the first principle doctrines however when it comes to the deep things of the word of God, especially prophecy not yet fully fulfilled we tend to differ on many issues.

Often time Bible Students are accused of being JW’s a very faulty assumption generally made by the ignorant who know very little about Bible Students and/or their true history save what propaganda they have read off the internet, most of which comes from those steeped in bigotry and prejudice at anything or anyone who contradicts the prescribed orthodox beliefs and doctrines, thus not very reliable resources for information.

Jehovah’s Witnesses are governed by a governing body this body determines what they teach and believe, those who don’t toe the line are disciplined and if they are not responsive they can be disfellowship, not only from their fellow brethren but likewise from their families as well. Not that all JW’s adhere to this last part. One of the unique things about JW’s is that you can attend anyone of their Kingdom halls and they will all be teaching the same lessons at the same time, this has both its advantages and disadvantages. It’s great for JW’s who might be visiting friends or relatives away from home and still wish to follow along with their on going studies, but it has the disadvantage in that the class is restricted to a particular study.

Bible Students on the other hand are free not only to think for ourselves, as we have no governing or organized body dictating what we teach and or believe, but likewise each class can decide for themselves what they wish to study at any given time, this is our liberty in Christ Jesus and we will not surrender it to any man-made institution or organization.

Please understand that in preceding with this study it may take some time in-between my post as I have only recently begun a more intensive and thorough study of these particular chapters, parts of them I have studied before, “a little here a little there”, but never as one complete whole study. My other difficulty is that I have other projects which I am working on such as my blog posts so time is a bit scarce, nevertheless I will attempt to do my best for those interested in this subject especially for our new sister KAM.

We will begin with Chapter 26 of Ezekiel

A Proclamation against Tyre

As with many prophecies, this prophecy has a dual application, not only referring to the destruction of literal Tyre, but of greater importance to us, the destruction of symbolic Tyre as well. Tyre symbolically represents ‘Babylon’ typing the kingdom of Satan. Tyre is likewise used as a symbol of evil and the empire of Satan in Isaiah’s prophecy found in Isaiah Chapter 23 as well as in Joel 3:4.

We will begin with our next post.

 

[Harvest 1874]

Ezekiel Chapter 26, Part 1

“Tyre and Sidon were literally sister cities 20 miles apart, just North of Israel on the Mediterranean Sea. They were the two main cities of Phoenicia; Tyre was about 30 miles north of Nazareth. In Matt 15:21 were told that Jesus visited both Tyre and Sidon.​

The people of both cities were Canaanites. They worshipped the same idol God, BAAL, and the Goddess of fertility Ashtoreth. Together it resulted in depraved worship which influenced Israel and the nations around them.” “Tyre consisted of two distinct parts, a rocky fortress on the mainland, called "Old Tyre," and the city, built on a small, rocky island about half-a-mile distant from the shore.”

This chapter is a prophecy against Tyre (In Latin: Tyrus meaning “rock”), a significant maritime city back then which was situated north of Israel on the Mediterranean Sea where Lebanon is today. The prophecy was fulfilled in a remarkable way by Alexander the Great and also earlier when Nebuchadnezzar destroyed Tyrus on the mainland. In other words, Tyre was destroyed twice: (1) Nebuchadnezzar executed judgment to the city on the mainland. (2) Alexander the Great later destroyed the reconstructed Tyre out on a small island. He cleverly captured the city by scraping or bulldozing, as it were, masonry and rubble from the ruins of the first Tyre to use as fill to build a causeway out to the island for his army. Protected by water and boats, the inhabitants of Tyre had been very confident of their secure position.

VERSE 1 “And it came to pass in the eleventh year, on the first day of the month, that the word of the Lord came to me, saying.”

The time setting is the 11th year, first day of the month, of Jehoiachin’s captivity—that is, 606 B.C., the same year that Zedekiah was dethroned and Jerusalem was destroyed. (The account does not state which month, but it was most likely the first.) The siege had been in progress around Jerusalem since the ninth year (almost 1 1/2 years). Although Tyre would not be destroyed for some time, the destruction was described as a past event. Alexander the Great’s destruction of Tyre would occur long after Ezekiel’s decease.

VERSE 2 “Son of man, because Tyre has said against Jerusalem, ‘Aha! She is broken who was the gateway of the peoples; now she is turned over to me; I shall be filled; she is laid waste.”

The word “Aha” is a phrase like saying ‘Aha! That will work’ or ‘Ha! How the mighty have fallen’. It can be used as an exclamation of ridicule or joyful surprise or as an exultation over a fallen rival. (See Psa 35:21, 25; 40:15; 70:3; Isa 44:16; Job 39:25).

The “gates of the people” were the gates of Solomon’s Temple. As the religious center of the nation, Jerusalem was a symbol of Israel. Hence the destruction of Jerusalem was the destruction of the nation. Moreover, Tyre was replenished with the destruction of Jerusalem in that it got additional revenue. Jerusalem was inland, off the trade route, and protected by terrain, whereas Tyre, a trading city and the center of sea trade routes, was known for its harbor. In other words, Tyre became a maritime city because of its location.

In this type, Jerusalem pictures the true Church and Tyre the false Church. (Rome, the capital of Papacy; Tyrus; and Babylon all represent Papacy.) In its early history Papacy tried to get rid of the Jews—to wean them from Jerusalem to Rome. Likewise, true Christians were bitterly persecuted by Papacy. Just as Tyrus said “Aha” and gloated over the destruction of Jerusalem, so Papacy rejoiced over the persecution and death of true Christians, particularly during the Holy (?) Inquisition.

Recall the time setting, its 606 B.C. and Jerusalem one of Tyre’s chief trade rivals has just been eliminated.

The NIV states it thusly, "… 'Aha! The gate to the nations is broken, and its doors have swung open to me; now that she lies in ruins I will prosper.”

The Contemporary English Version states it, “…Jerusalem has fallen! It used to be powerful, a center of trade. Now the city is shattered, and we will take its place."

“I shall be replenished, now she is laid waste; or, "I shall be filled"; with inhabitants, riches, and wealth, with merchants and merchandise, Jerusalem her rival being destroyed; this was what gave her joy; and is a common thing for persons to rejoice at the fall or death of those of the same trade with them; hoping for an increase of theirs by means of it, which yet is sinful.” (Gills Exposition of the Entire Bible)

VERSE 3 “Therefore thus says the Lord God: ‘Behold, I am against you, O Tyre, and will cause many nations to come up against you, as the sea causes its waves to come up.”

Tyre, in fulfillment of verse 3, was sacked and restored numerous times by many nations as one after another like waves eroding the sea shore they came until its final destruction in 1291 A.D. by the Saracens.

VERSE 4 “And they shall destroy the walls of Tyre and break down her towers; I will also scrape her dust from her, and make her like the top of a rock.”
​

In fulfillment of this prophecy, Nebuchadnezzar did capture the mainland city. Then, over 200 hundred years later after it had been rebuilt again, Alexander the Great demolished the old mainland city once again, and with the debris he built a causeway 200 feet wide out to the island city of Tyre. To complete the causeway, Alexander’s army literally scraped the soil off the old city down to bare rock to smooth out the causeway surface. Finally, he erected towers and war engines and conquered the island fortress of Tyre—a remarkable fulfillment of verses 4 and 12 of Ezekiel.

VERSE 5 “It shall be a place for spreading nets in the midst of the sea, for I have spoken,’ says the Lord God; ‘it shall become plunder for the nations.”

Verse 5 describes the menial lot of the former great city following its destruction: The debris of the city having been cast into the water, the soil of Tyre scraped down to the bare rock and thrown into the sea. Fishermen would then use the site of the former great city to spread their nets.

VERSE 6 “Also her daughter villages which are in the fields shall be slain by the sword. Then they shall know that I am the Lord.”

Verse 6, which was not fulfilled in the type, emphasizes the destruction of the Protestant denominations. “And her daughters which are in the field shall be slain by the sword; and they shall know that I am the LORD.” A completely prophetic verse, the symbolisms are as follows. The “field” is the nominal Christian world (Luke 17:31, 36). The “sword” is the sword of truth and enlightenment. The people will see that Protestantism (represented by Tyre’s sister city, Sidon) is similar to Papacy (symbolized by Tyre) and it will be destroyed likewise. This part of the prophecy will be elaborated upon further as we precede in this study.​

 

[Harvest 1874]

Ezekiel Chapter 26, Part 2

Verses 7–14 are a prophecy of the destruction by King Nebuchadnezzar of the first Tyre, when the city was on the mainland.

Actually it appears only verses 7-11 pertain to the destruction of Tyre by Nebuchadnezzar, verses 12-14 appear to be more in regards to some of the other “nations” mentioned in verse 3 that would destroy Tyre beginning with the destruction brought about by Alexander the Great and those aligned with him in 332 B.C. followed by others leading up to its final destruction by the Saracens in 1291 A.D. as verse 14 says it will never be rebuilt after that time.

“Ezekiel began his prophecy by stating that “many nations” would come against Tyre (Verse 3). Then he proceeded to name Nebuchadnezzar, and stated that “he” would build a siege mound, “he” would slay with the sword, and “he” would do numerous other things (Verses 7-11). However, in 26:12, the pronoun shifts from the singular “he” to the plural “they.” It is in verse 12 and following that Ezekiel predicts that “they” will lay the stones and building material of Tyre in the “midst of the waters.” The shift in pronouns is of vast significance, since it shifts the subject of the action from Nebuchadnezzar (he) back to the many nations (they). Many have failed to see this shift and mistakenly apply the utter destruction of Tyre to the efforts of Nebuchadnezzar.” (Apologetics Press, Tyre in Prophecy by Kyle Butt, M.Div.)

Keep in mind here in this study we are more concerned with the antitypical significance of these verses than we are in their literal application, nevertheless being able to visualize the literal helps us to better grasp the symbolic meaning.

VERSE 7 “For thus says the Lord God: ‘Behold, I will bring against Tyre from the north Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, king of kings, with horses, with chariots, and with horsemen, and an army with many people.”

In this picture Nebuchadnezzar is a type of Christ the true “king of kings” (1 Tim 6:15; Rev 17:14) and in due time he will bring against symbolic Tyre, ‘Babylon’ typing the kingdom of Satan “an army with many people” i.e. the Lord’s great army (the discontented masses, i.e. the “sea class”), and Great Babylon will be cast into the sea (the anarchist masses of humanity), and destroyed, never to arise again (Rev 18:21).

Even now the Lord’s Great Army is mustering its forces from the four corners of the earth in preparation for this great battle to come.

“…A people come, great and strong, the like of whom has never been; nor will there ever be any such after them…The earth quakes before them, the heavens tremble; the sun and moon grow dark, And the stars diminish their brightness. The Lord gives voice before His army, for His camp is very great; for strong is the One who executes His word.” Joel 2:2-11

“Nebuchadnezzar, a heathen king, came from the north to destroy Tyre. Cyrus, a heathen king, came from the east, to destroy Babylon. There is a difference in the antitype. The attack from the north on mystic Babylon will come from anarchistic mobs (the “sea class”) and communists (Gog, of the land of Magog, the prince of Rosh, i.e. Russia).

In the attack from the east against mystic Babylon, Jesus and the Church will do the destroying (Rev. 16:12). In other words, the same destruction on the same system is viewed from two different standpoints, both bringing divine judgment: (1) anarchistic mobs on the earth and (2) Jesus and the Church from heaven. The “many people” (verse 7) indicates that the force to destroy mystic Babylon will be varied (labor, Communists, Infidels, Socialists, Anarchists, Nihilists and etc.).”

VERSE 8 “He will slay with the sword your daughter villages in the fields; he will heap up a siege mound against you, build a wall against you, and raise a defense against you.”

The same daughters which were mentioned in verse 6. Not only will Great Babylon specifically the Mother of harlots (Papacy) be slayed, but likewise her children, her harlot daughters who reside in the field (the world) i.e. the various Protestants denominations.

Those who claim that Protestants are not the same as the mother system are left to argue with the Lord who says, “Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? No one!” (Job 14:4)

“… Do you not know that he who is joined to a harlot is one body with her? …” 1 Cor 6:16

“Come down and sit in the dust, O virgin (a most evident false claim to purity) Daughter of Babylon…” Isa 47:1

It should be understood here that although in this final great struggle many will literally perish at the hands of physical weapons of warfare nevertheless Great Babylon’s true death, both Mother and daughters will come by way of the sword of the spirit; it is the truth that will slay them not only as great systems and institutions of error but likewise as individual professing Christians, no longer will any such make the claim of being a Jew (a Christian), a true follower of the Lord, for by then the true “Jews”, “the Israel of God” (Gal 6:16) will have been made manifest to all and all others who say they are Jews (spiritual Israelites), will be proven to be liars and of the synagogue Satan, the Church Nominal. (Rev 2:9; 3:9)

VERSE 9 “He will direct his battering rams against your walls, and with his axes he will break down your towers.”

He that is Christ typified by Nebuchadnezzar will direct his battering rams (strong truths) to pound down and breach the walls of the enemy’s fortress of error.

“Thus says the Lord of hosts: “The broad walls of Babylon shall be utterly broken… (Jer 51:58)

And with axes (a “destroying or shattering weapon” Ezek 9:1, 2, the word of God used for the destruction of errors) he will cut down your towers (your strongholds, organizations and institutions of error, both Catholic and Protestant alike).

“For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal (literal weapons) but (nevertheless) mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.” (2 Cor 10:4, 5)

VERSES 10-11 “Because of the abundance of his horses, their dust will cover you; your walls will shake at the noise of the horsemen, the wagons, and the chariots, when he enters your gates, as men enter a city that has been breached. With the hooves of his horses he will trample all your streets; he will slay your people by the sword, and your strong pillars will fall to the ground.”

“What a dramatic prophecy! When King Nebuchadnezzar’s army inundated Tyre, the noise of the chariot wheels could be heard, causing the inhabitants to be tremendously fearful. A wild melee of confusion—bedlam—resulted. In antitype the people of mystic Babylon will view the anarchistic mobs similarly, with great fear, realizing the confusion means death to the system. The tares will be burned up (Matt. 13:30).”

Horses represent doctrines (whether they be true or false); those who ride upon these horses, the horsemen represent the followers or promoters of those doctrines.

Because of the overwhelming flood of truth (the “noise of the horseman”) revealing the errors of Tyre (Babylon), completely covering and exposing every error propagated there, the gates of the city will be breached, and the walls (the long held errors and doctrines which sustained the apostate church) will be shaken.

And with “the hooves of his horses”, the doctrines sent forth by his horsemen which reveal the errors of Tyre he will trample (overcome, conquer and subdue) “all your streets” all the various pathways in Babylon which lead to one or another of the various sects or institutions of men will be exposed for what they truly are. Likewise he will slay all the nominal professors in Tyre (the “tares”) by the sword of the spirit (the slaying here being the same as that previously mentioned in verse 8), and your “strong pillars” your chief ones, leaders and teachers will fall from their supposedly high ecclesiastical positions to the ground revealing themselves to have been nothing more than the blind guides of the blind, false shepherds deceivers, false teachers.

Continued with next post.

 

[Harvest 1874]

Ezekiel Chapter 26, Part 3

VERSE 12 “They will plunder your riches and pillage your merchandise; they will break down your walls and destroy your pleasant houses; they will lay your stones, your timber, and your soil in the midst of the water.”

Verse 12 as we had suggested at the beginning of our previous post, begins the first of the “many nations” (verse 3) following Nebuchadnezzar who would come against Tyre, in this instance the reference to laying the stones, timbers and the soil of the city in the midst of the water we recognize to refer to Alexander the Great when after destroying the mainland city in 332 B.C. he used the debris to build a bridge or “mole” out to the island city of Tyre.

Mole: a massive work formed of masonry and large stones or earth laid in the sea as a pier or breakwater. (Merriam-Webster Dictionary)

They, “an army with many people” (Verse 7), i.e. the Lord’s great army (of discontents) brought against Tyre (Great Babylon), will plunder her riches and pillage her merchandise, this will have both a literal and symbolic significance.

When the Lord’s great army attacks Babylon they will literally rob and destroy all her “pleasant houses” (places of worship as well as the various properties, and holdings held by the professing church, both Catholic and Protestant alike). In destroying these great organizations and institutions of men they will in affect bring an end to her “merchandise”.

Merchandise: truths, errors, teachings; in this case the doctrines and commandments of men.

“And the merchants of the earth (the “kings of the earth” rulers both civil and ecclesiastical, specifically the clergy, those who make merchandise, i.e. a living or in some manner profit off the Word of God) will weep and mourn over her, for no one buys (accepts) their merchandise (teachings) anymore.” Rev 18:11

“For all tables (all the various dispensaries of spiritual food, the creeds of men) are full of vomit and filthiness, so that there is no place clean (not one without errors).” Isa 28:8

Every vestige of Great Babylon, the very stones and timbers upon which it is built will be cast “in the midst of the water”, into the sea (into the anarchist masses of mankind) to be destroyed and never seen again. (Rev 18:21)

VERSE 13 “I will put an end to the sound of your songs, and the sound of your harps shall be heard no more.”

Verse 13 sounds like Rev 18:22, 23 in regard to the destruction of Papacy, mystic Babylon.

“The sound of harpists (those who are able to harmoniously interpret the word of God), musicians (those who can sing; i.e. proclaim truthfully the tidings of great joy), flutists (character teachers), and trumpeters (prophets, those who give warning, who proclaim the “times and seasons”) shall not be heard in you anymore. No craftsman (teacher) of any craft shall be found in you anymore, and the sound of a millstone (the grinding out of spiritual food) shall not be heard in you anymore. The light of a lamp (the light of the Bible, the truth) shall not shine in you anymore, and the voice of bridegroom and bride shall not be heard in you anymore (because the true Church, the “wise virgins” have all left separating themselves from the false professing church). For your merchants (Clergy, Ministers, Doctors of Divinity) were the great men of the earth (worldly wise), for by your sorcery (your deceptions and lies) all the nations were deceived.”

VERSE 14 “I will make you like the top of a rock; you shall be a place for spreading nets, and you shall never be rebuilt, for I the Lord have spoken,’ says the Lord God.”

As was first stated, “Nebuchadnezzar was the first to come upon the city of Tyre and destroyed it, but the Tyrians, being a naval people, moved to a small island in off the coast. Later, Alexander the Great came through the same country and once again destroyed the main-land city then finding that a sandbar ran from the shore to the island, he took the rubble from the destroyed city and built a causeway to the island where the Tyrians lived. He literally scraped her dust and put it in the sea. From that time on, the ancient site of Tyre has been a place for the spreading of nets, and, even today, fishermen can be seen sitting on its ancient site mending their nets. The prophecy was literally fulfilled.” (The Herald of Christ’s Kingdom, Aug/Sept 1952, “Fulfilled Prophecy”, Page 13, Edited)

And so like a “rock” “a great millstone” once used to grind out food for Christendom (Rev 18:21), Great Babylon typifying the kingdom of Satan is to be cast into the sea (of destruction) never to be found again.

Just as with Jeremiah Chapters 50 and 51 certain details were not fulfilled in the literal destruction of Babylon, so it was with the destruction of Tyre. The unfulfilled details are clues that there is an antitype with Papacy. As both natural and spiritual Babylon were discussed together so too in regards to Natural and spiritual Tyre. The literal cities of Tyre and Babylon are both in ruins today.

Continued with next post.

 

[Harvest 1874]

Ezekiel Chapter 26, Part 4

VERSE 15 “Thus says the Lord God to Tyre: ‘Will the coastlands not shake at the sound of your fall, when the wounded cry, when slaughter is made in the midst of you?”

In antitype the “isles” or “coastlands” are those associated with Papacy, those who do commerce with the system. What happens to the nominal religious systems will portend the destruction of the merchants (the “kings of the earth”, the civil rulers and powers); there will be lamentation.

“The kings of the earth who committed fornication (who aligned themselves with the professing church) and lived luxuriously with her will weep and lament for her, when they see the smoke of her burning, standing at a distance for fear of her torment, saying, ‘Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! For in one hour your judgment has come.” Rev 18:9, 10

“...Union between the church and civil power is out of order, being in the Scriptures termed harlotry.” B261 “...to justify her course, (Papacy) first deceived herself, and then the nations, into the belief that the promised millennial reign of Christ had come, and that Christ the King was represented by her popes, who reigned over the kings of the earth as his vicegerents. The Papal millennial supposedly dated from the crowning of Charlemagne in 799 A.D. to 1799 A.D. the beginning of the “Time of the End”. Her claims were successful in deceiving the whole world.” A268

“In this type the king of Babylon was the instrument of destruction of Tyre (Papacy). Hence the king of Babylon represents ungodly forces (the Lord’s great army) that do the destroying work. In other words, in Scripture and depending on context, Babylon sometimes represents Christendom and sometimes that which destroys Christendom. If Babylon represents the destroying force, then Christendom is pictured by another city, which in this case is Tyre. The distinction shows the care that must be taken in understanding types. We should not be too hasty in our interpretations.”

VERSE 16 “Then all the princes of the sea will come down from their thrones, lay aside their robes, and take off their embroidered garments; they will clothe themselves with trembling; they will sit on the ground, tremble every moment, and be astonished at you.”

As in the French Revolution, the merchants and kings (leaders, rulers, both religious and civil) tried to disguise themselves and their background (their former positions as leaders and rulers), but they were not able to lose their identity, nor shall these. (Zech 13:4, 5)

“And it shall be in that day (the day of trouble) that every prophet will be ashamed (to confess that they have taught lies, as prophets of Satan, ashamed of their creeds) of his vision when he prophesies; they will not wear a robe of coarse hair (the robe of prophets of old) to deceive. But he will say, ‘I am no prophet (such will desire to disavow their previous occupation and try to hide their former occupations), I am a farmer; for a man taught me to keep cattle from my youth (a deceptive ploy but record and the evidences are too strong).’”

Then all the princes (leaders, rulers, both civil and ecclesiastical) of the sea (for the mountains, [governments] will have since been dissolved into the sea of anarchy) will come down from their thrones (their former positions of authority and honor), lay aside their robes (their titles, their offices, their honorable stations), and take off their embroidered garments (false priestly vestments or garments); they will clothe themselves with trembling (with fear, fear that they might be identified for what they truly are [were], a deceiver, a false prophet of Babylon); they will sit on the ground, tremble every moment, and be astonished at you (wondering how this could have happen).”

As for the true saints of God, the foregoing text reveals that some of these saints, “the feet of him” will remain in the flesh this side of the vail well into the beginning of the great conflict which is coming, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we [God's saints] will not fear, Even though the earth [the present order of things, organized society] be removed, And though the mountains [kingdoms, governments] be carried into the midst of the sea [the anarchist masses].” Psa. 46:2

We will continue with Verse 17 with our next post.

 

[Harvest 1874]

Ezekiel Chapter 26, Part 5

VERSE 17 “And they will take up a lamentation for you, and say to you:

“How you have perished, O one inhabited by seafaring men, O renowned city, Who was strong at sea, She and her inhabitants, Who caused their terror to be on all her inhabitants!”

And they, the (former) “princes” (the various leaders, rulers, both civil and ecclesiastical) of the sea (the waters, the peoples, multitudes, nations and tongues, Rev 17:15), will lament at the destruction of the once “renowned city”, the “great city” (Rev 17:18), Babylon the Great whose inhabitants were seafaring men.

As literal Tyre was a city inhabited by a seafaring people, a people who made their living off the sea, so too in antitype do many of the inhabitants of mystic Babylon “gain their living by sea” (Rev 18:18 ASV)

“The merchants … who became rich by her, will stand at a distance for fear of her torment, weeping and wailing, and saying, ‘Alas, alas, that great city that was clothed in fine linen, purple, and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls! For in one hour such great riches came to nothing.’ Every shipmaster (Trader in religion, denominational heads or leaders), all who travel by ship (those who book their passage to heaven through membership in the church nominal), sailors (seamen: crewmembers of one denomination or another who may or may not perform some specific duty or function in the Church, viz. Deacons, Sunday school teachers, Choir members, Counselors or etc.), and as many as trade on the sea (make their living by trying to evangelize the masses), stood at a distance and cried out when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, ‘What is like this great city?’ They threw dust on their heads and cried out, weeping and wailing, and saying, ‘Alas, alas, that great city, in which all who had ships (business, commerce, specifically religious commerce, individual religious groups, denominations and etc.) on the sea, became rich by her wealth! For in one hour she is made desolate.” (Rev 18:15-19)

The great city once “was strong in the sea”, an island surrounded and supported by the sea (the people), “she and her inhabitants, who caused their terror to be on all her inhabitants!” Applying a literal translation to this text we might suggest the following as taken from (Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers).

"Fear" (terror) is here used in the sense of that which causes fear; and the meaning is, that the power of Tyre was so feared that every Tyrian was respected for her sake, just as at a later day every Roman bore about with him something of the majesty of Rome, or, as now, the citizen of a great Power is respected among foreigners for his country's sake.

The New Living Translation states it thus, “Your people, with their naval power, once spread fear around the world”.

The symbolic significance of this would be that:

Your people once held a position as a religious power or authority (seamen). Babylon having at one time been “a golden cup”, a receptacle of divine truth in the hands of the Lord (Jer 51:7), but alas that cup is now full of abominations (false doctrines) and filthiness of her fornication" (Rev. 17:1-6), which she has used to “spread fear” (fear of hell, of eternal torment) on “all her inhabitants” (those who reside in mystic Babylon, who profess her doctrines) as well as the rest of the world (the heathen, non-believers and etc.).

VERSE 18 “Now the coastlands tremble on the day of your fall; yes, the coastlands by the sea are troubled at your departure.”

All who do commerce with Great Babylon both the “kings of the earth” who committed fornication (the great ones of the earth, the various rulers and political leadership. The church-state relationship constitutes spiritual fornication on the part of the civil ruler-ship and harlotry on the part of the woman.), and the “merchants of the earth” (those who profit from the system in any way. A comprehensive term, “merchants” includes financiers, craftsmen, architects, contractors, clothiers—any engaged with the professed Church in commercial enterprise, particularly those with some ability to trade in spiritual things to their own profit; becoming Cardinals, Bishops, Deans, Canons, Priests etc., in her organizations who became rich off her) all of these will “weep and wail” when they see Great Babylon go down. (Rev 18:3, 9, 15)

VERSE 19 “For thus says the Lord God: ‘When I make you a desolate city, like cities that are not inhabited, when I bring the deep upon you, and great waters cover you.”

“Water, the resource of Tyre, made her a great maritime power, but ironically, the very resource that made her great caused her downfall and destruction. The same was true of the river Euphrates and literal Babylon, and the same will be true in the antitype. The “waters” (peoples) will turn against Papacy, an international system. The harlot, that great city Babylon, the “mother of harlots,” sits upon the waters, but the waters (her support) will dry up (Rev 16:12, 19; 17:1, 5). Both typically and antitypically, the “waters” that are the protection will become an avenue of destruction.”

Literally speaking this prophecy came true, the sea did indeed encroach upon Tyre the island being partially submerged over time as can be seen in the following diagram.

​

However as alluded to the symbolic significance of the Lord’s statement: “when I bring the deep upon you, and great waters cover you”, and its fulfillment is of far greater importance to us than is the literal mentioned here.

We will take a look at this in our next post.

 

[Harvest 1874]

Ezekiel Chapter 26, Part 5

We continue once again with,

VERSE 19 “For thus says the Lord God: ‘When I make you a desolate city, like cities that are not inhabited, when I bring the deep upon you, and great waters cover you.”

The Lord will indeed bring the deep (the “sea”) upon Great Babylon, and it will completely cover her, this is what is implied in Rev 18:21 at the final demise of the “great city”.

“Then a strong angel took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying, "So will Babylon, the great city, be thrown down with violence, and will not be found any longer.” NASB

Angel: a “messenger” or “agent”, whether spirit or human, animate or inanimate; any agency or event which the Lord may choose to use to convey a message.

The following excerpt was taken from the New Albany Notes on Revelation, Page 227.


AND A STRONG ANGEL: There are only three “strong angels” in Revelation besides this one. (See 5:2 and 10:1) Each one represents a time of revolution -- a major upheaval in the affairs of men. (Whether or not a literal angel was in charge of each of these events seems not important.)

The first is the fall of Israel at the time of the establishment of Christianity.

The second is the French Revolution and the beginning of the “Time of the End.”

The third is the trouble which becomes Armageddon. It is the revolution (the “great earthquake” mentioned in Rev 16:18), which Chapter 17 pictures as the beast which comes out of the abyss and devours the harlot.


And a strong angel TOOK UP A STONE: How fraught with meaning is this little group of words! The prophecy of Isaiah 23 is such a strong parallel to Rev 18. How much more meaningful, then, to learn that Tyre (Strong’s # 6865) means a stone or a rock! The Roman Catholic Church claims to be the rock on which Christ built. It claims Peter (stone) as its first Pope. It is the counterfeit of the True Rock which is Christ.

The angel “takes up” a stone. Rev. 13, 16, and 17 all suggest a brief RISE for Papacy before its fall.

Isaiah 23 shows the same when, after the 70 years, she again goes to play the harlot. (We will explain this in more detail in a subsequent thread)


And a strong angel took up a stone LIKE A GREAT MILLSTONE: This stone (Tyre) is not just like any stone, but like a Great Millstone: the world’s largest and oldest grinder of “food” for Christendom. (See Matt. 24:41.)


And a strong angel took up a stone like a great millstone AND THREW IT INTO THE SEA: A millstone is a very large and heavy rock. It does not fall or sink slowly. The sea (the people, the strange beast of 17:16) swallows her up with one big gulp.


And a strong angel took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea SAYING, THUS: There is no mistaken picture here. The angel wants to be certain that we get the simile (analogy). He’s not talking now of a slow consuming like Dan 9:26 (KJV) suggests. He says “Thus” -- just like the plunging stone.


And a strong angel took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea saying, thus BABYLON, THE GREAT CITY: -- the one the kings (Verse 10), the merchants (Verse 16), and the lesser economic forces (Verse 19) all acknowledge as the epitome of their former respect.


And a strong angel took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea saying, thus Babylon, the great city WILL BE THROWN DOWN WITH VIOLENCE: The angel is still being graphically specific. “Thrown down” seems bad enough; but he adds “with violence.” The Greek means rushing impetuosity. It should be an awesome display!


AND WILL NOT BE FOUND ANY LONGER: This day is yet (hopefully soon) to come. It is the fulfillment of Rev 19:20. No one will need to ask if it has been fulfilled. Isaiah 23:18 shows the transition. All of her wealth and influence will be transferred to the rightful ROCK.

Thus will God “bring the deep”, the “sea class”, (the restless anarchist masses) down upon the “great city” Tyre (a.k.a. Babylon the Great), and the “great waters” will completely cover every visage of her destroying everything. “The wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt” Isa 57:20

VERSE 20 “Then I will bring you down with those who descend into the Pit, to the people of old, and I will make you dwell in the lowest part of the earth, in places desolate from antiquity, with those who go down to the Pit, so that you may never be inhabited; and I shall establish glory in the land of the living.”

The “pit” which is mentioned here is comparable to the “lake of fire” in Rev 19:20; 20:10 (in which the beast, the false prophet and the dragon were cast), both picturing complete, permanent destruction of all these baneful systems.

“I shall set glory in the land of the living”; that is, Jehovah will set glory in the New Jerusalem, the new heavens (Rev. 21:2; 2 Pet. 3:13). Papacy will be utterly destroyed, and in its stead will be the glory of the Kingdom.

The glory that was once given to the corrupt city, the “great city” Babylon the Great, now dead, will thenceforth be given to the rightful recipients, the holy city, the New Jerusalem (the Church, the body of Christ). Rev 21:2

VERSE 21 “I will make you a terror, and you shall be no more; though you are sought for, you will never be found again,’ says the Lord God.”

Although the nominal religious systems will never come into existence again, their “terror” or horrible memory will never be completely expunged. Their destruction will forever be an object lesson.

Thus we conclude Chapter 26 of Ezekiel and will proceed on to Chapter 27 in our next post.

 

[Harvest 1874]

Ezekiel Chapter 27, Part 1

Lamentation for Tyre

VERSE 1 and 2 “The word of the Lord came again to me, saying, “Now, son of man, take up a lamentation for Tyre.”

The previous chapter was proclaimed to be a Proclamation against Tyre while Chapter 27 is designated a Lamentation for Tyre.

A proclamation is a public or official announcement, especially one dealing with a matter of great importance: a decree, order, edict, command, rule, ruling, announcement, declaration.

A lamentation is an expression of sorrow, mourning, or regret: an act or instance of lamenting a song of lamentation.

“Like Chapter 26, this chapter is a prophecy of the destruction of the city of Tyre (or that power or government) because of past actions, particularly their attitude toward Israel during the 70 years of captivity (See Verse 2 in our study of Chapter 26). Ezekiel 27:1–25 is a word picture of the tremendous wealth of both Tyre and the papal system.” Both were built upon the resources of other nations.

VERSE 3 “and say to Tyre, ‘you who are situated [sit or dwell] 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.’”

“The Gateway to the Sea”

Even as literal Tyre was situated at the entrance to the sea, a great merchant seaport for merchandise, flowing both in and out from amongst the many coastal nations so too symbolic Tyre (Babylon the Great) claims to be the merchant (ecclesiastical ruler) of the sea (the people), the one and only gateway to God.

“The name Babylon originally signified God’s gateway; but afterward, in derision, it came to mean mixture or confusion. In the book of Revelation this name is applied specifically to the church nominal, which, from being the gate-way to glory, became a gate-way to error and confusion, a miserable mixture composed chiefly of tares, hypocrites — a confused mass of worldly profession in which the Lord’s jewels are buried, and their true beauty and luster hidden.

In symbolic prophecy, the term Babylon is applied at times only to the Church of Rome, called ‘Babylon the Great, the Mother of Harlots.’ The name could apply only to her for centuries, so long as she was the only mixed system and would tolerate no others; but (during the Reformation) other ecclesiastical systems, not so great as the ‘mother,’ nor yet so wicked, nor so radically wrong, sprang up out of her, through various attempted though imperfect reforms.

Errors, tares and worldliness in these also largely predominating, the name Babylon is used as a general or family name for all the nominal Christian systems, and now includes not only the Church of Rome, but all Protestant sects as well; for, since Papacy is designated the mother system, we must regard the various Protestant systems which descended from her as the daughters — a fact very generally admitted by Protestants, and sometimes with pride.” C154

"The fact that Christendom (comprised of both Mother and daughter systems) does not accept the Bible term ‘Babylon,’ and its significance, confusion, as applicable to her, is no proof that it is not so. Neither did ancient Babylon claim the Bible significance— confusion. Ancient Babylon presumed to be the very ‘gate of God’; but God labeled it, Confusion (Gen. 11:9): and so it is with her antitype to- day. She calls herself Christendom, the gateway to God and everlasting life; while God calls her Babylon—confusion.” D25, D26.

“O Tyre, you have said, ‘I am perfect in beauty.’

The system is merchant to people of many coastlands. She has brought her teachings to all the Christian nations, proudly announcing 'I am perfect in beauty.'

“I sit a queen; I am not a widow, and shall see no sorrow” (Rev 18:7) “I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing…” (Rev 3:17)

“For over a century the mother Church and her daughters have had a comfortable and prosperous living. This Laodicean adequacy and complacency (“Because thou says, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing”—Rev. 3:17) is also reflected in the papal Church viewing herself as “a queen, and…no widow.” Her claim of not being a widow is predicated upon the supposed unbroken chain of apostolic succession of her popes (acting as head of the Church), who have survived despite the loss of temporal dominion.

Her further boast that she “shall see no sorrow” reveals the Babylonian spirit of pride and vain security while under long-term siege before sudden destruction. The order from God, “so much torment and sorrow give her,” pertains to the pouring of the plagues, particularly the seventh, which will be delivered with energy and conviction yet in the spirit of meekness, aided and directed by the Lord’s grace.” (Keys of Revelation, Page 465-466)

Isaiah Chapter 47 verses 5, 7-11 is of significance here as describing the arrogant attitude and demeanor of the professing church just prior to God’s rendering judgement upon it. We will take a short look at it in our next post.

 

[Harvest 1874]

Ezekiel Chapter 27, Part 2

Continued from previous post.

Isaiah Chapter 47

Verse 5 “Sit in silence, and go into darkness (“darkness” and “silence” are descriptions of Sheol, the unconscious condition of death), O daughter of the Chaldean's [Papacy, Mystic Babylon]; for you shall no longer be called The Lady of Kingdoms (Presently Papacy is called the Catholic or universal Church, i.e., the church of many nations).”

Verse 7 “And you said, ‘I shall be a lady forever,’ So that you did not take these things to heart, nor remember the latter end of them.”

“Papacy says, “I shall be a lady forever.” She boasts that the gates of hell shall not prevail against her and that Peter’s rock confession about Christ represents Peter as the first pope in the Roman Catholic Church (Matt. 16:18). The claim is that the papal system will endure forever and that (papal) Rome is the “eternal city.”

Verse 8 “Therefore hear this now, you who are given to pleasures, who dwell securely [confidently], who say in your heart, ‘I am, and there is no one else besides me; I shall not sit as a widow, nor shall I know the loss of children’”

“Thou that art given to pleasures that dwells carelessly.” The Catholic Church and its clergy have over time amassed riches, honors, and adoration.

“I am, and none else beside me” is another boast of Catholicism. The Catholic Church has claimed in the past to be the one and only true church; only in the last 50 or 60 years has this claim been softened. Now, in the ecumenical spirit, the Catholic Church speaks of Protestants as her fratelli separati, her “separated brethren.”

“I shall not sit as a widow; neither shall I know the loss of children.” This, still another boast, is quoted in Rev 18:7, “She saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow.”

Verse 9 “But these two things shall come to you in a moment, in one day: The loss of children, and widowhood. They shall come upon you in their fullness [completeness] Because of the multitude of your sorceries, for the great abundance of your enchantments.”

“The suddenness of Papacy’s humiliation is emphasized. “But these two things shall come to thee in a moment in one day, the loss of children, and widowhood: ... and desolation shall come upon thee suddenly.” This chapter is too emphatic to apply only to literal Babylon. The fall of literal Babylon in the type was preceded by a siege, but the actual destruction took place in a matter of hours when the river Euphrates was diverted.

Two things will happen to Papacy suddenly, “in a moment”: (1) the loss of children and (2) widowhood. Papacy’s death is not mentioned in these three verses, but that will also occur suddenly. What these verses are saying is that before Papacy’s death, she will be defrocked, taken down from the throne, and humbled like a slave grinding at the millstone. Consider Samson, who was blinded and then used to turn the millstone. Delilah (Catholicism) caused the eyes of Samson (the blinded masses) to be put out, and in past ages the Catholic Church kept the masses in ignorance. Just as Papacy was instrumental in the cruelty of the Inquisition, so retribution will come on that system. Before death will come humiliation. In other words, there will be enough time prior to her death for her to feel shame: silence, darkness, and grinding at the millstone (Verses 2 and 5). No longer will the people support her.

“The loss of children and widowhood ... shall come upon thee [Papacy] in their perfection [in full measure].” In other words, Papacy will lose all of her children (the Protestant churches). Papacy is not a widow today, for she is still recognized by the nations. Representatives of the Vatican even address the United Nations. The hour of strong power is yet future.

The loss of children and widowhood will occur suddenly; that is, in a very brief period of time, the world will witness these developments. Rev 18:8 is related and yet a little different: “Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judges her.” Rev 18:8 and Isa 47:9 both indicate suddenness: sudden death and the sudden loss of children and widowhood, respectively.

In regard to “loss of children,” the other church systems will become disenchanted and try to disassociate themselves from Papacy. But they, too, will be cast alive into the lake of fire and brimstone (gehenna). Catholicism (the beast), Protestantism (the false prophet), and civil power (the dragon) will unite in the hour of power, but after that, the great city Babylon will break up into three parts. Of these three parts, the Lord will deal quickly with two of them; Catholicism and Protestantism will be destroyed forever. The dragon will be dealt with later. Thus the kings and merchants of the earth will stand afar off, witnessing the burning of the religious systems (Rev. 18:9–11).

Papacy will experience retribution for her past atrocious acts. During the Inquisition Papacy tortured and executed true Christians, but prior to execution their children were raped or killed in front of them. Here Papacy is seen to suffer the loss of her children (they will be put to death too, symbolically) and she will be forsaken by her friends and lovers (kings and merchants), leaving her a “widow.”

Isaiah 47 and Revelation 18 present two different aspects. Isaiah 47 emphasizes the experience of Papacy; i.e., she will witness the “loss of [her] children” and “widowhood” before her destruction. Revelation 18 emphasizes the experience of the kings and merchants who witness the destruction; i.e., how they will react to the destruction of Papacy.

Papacy’s humiliation and desolation will come because of “the multitude of thy sorceries, and for the great abundance of thine enchantments,” and because “thou hast trusted in thy wickedness: [and] thou hast said, none sees me.”

Verse 10 “For you have trusted in your wickedness; you have said, ‘No one sees me’; your wisdom and your knowledge have warped you [misled you]; and you have said in your heart, ‘I am, and there is no one else besides me.’”

“Papacy is known for its diplomacy, for keeping a foot on both sides of the fence until the victor is apparent; then Papacy supports the victor solely. If one side caves in, Papacy has enough representation on the other side to appear as the champion of the successful side. Diplomacy is having a forked tongue; it is speaking out of both sides of the mouth at the same time. This type of political savvy has enabled Papacy to weather the storms of centuries, but it will be to no avail when the Time of Trouble comes upon that system.”

Verse 11 “Therefore evil shall come upon you; you shall not know from where it arises. And trouble shall fall upon you; you will not be able to put it off. And desolation shall come upon you suddenly, which you shall not know.”

“Therefore shall evil come upon thee; [and] thou shalt not know from whence it rises.” This is startling! Papacy will not know whence the trouble arises. “Thou shalt not be able to put it off: and desolation shall come upon thee suddenly, which thou shalt not know.” The picture of the Medes coming in suddenly and unexpectedly under the city gates of Babylon presents one aspect. King Belshazzar was put to death the very night that Daniel was explaining the handwriting on the wall to the overconfident king and entourage, who were having a drunken orgy and drinking from the gold and silver Temple vessels. Daniel’s message was “Mene, mene, tekel, upharsin”: “God has numbered the kingdom and finished it. You are weighed in the balances and found wanting. Your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians.” (The Book of Isaiah)

In our next post we will return to Verse 4 of Ezekiel Chapter 27

 

[Harvest 1874]

Ezekiel Chapter 27, Part 3

VERSE 4 “Your borders are in the midst of the seas. Your builders have perfected your beauty.”

I believe the Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary states it well.

“Tyre itself, in consonance with her sea girt position (i.e. being surrounded by the sea), separated by a strait of half a mile from the mainland, is described as a ship built of the best material, and manned with the best mariners and skillful pilots, but at last wrecked in tempestuous seas (Ezek 27:26)."

“Your home is the sea. Your builders made you like a beautiful ship.” (Good News Translation)

Keep in mind what a “ship” symbolizes:

“…Alas, alas, that great city, in which all who had ships (business, commerce, specifically religious commerce, individual religious groups, denominations and etc.) on the sea, became rich by her wealth! …” (Rev 18:19)

“In the spiritual picture, Tyre represents Papacy, the leading power in Christendom (the biggest and oldest “ship”), Satan’s masterpiece of deception and counterfeiting. Proof of this representation is as follows: Tyre (1) had a boastful attitude, (2) derived its revenues from the seas (waters/ peoples), and (3) was an international city with goods coming from all nations. Babylon and the river Euphrates in Revelation Chapter 16 correspond to Tyre and the seas. Both cities were situated on the waters (peoples), having control and acquiring wealth thereby.”

“Your builders have perfected your beauty.”

Notice HOW the builders perfected her beauty the builders of Papacy used the resources of all the other nations.

That is to say Papacy acquired its wealth, talent, and man power from the surrounding nations, much of which was donated (?) by its loyal subjects and or seized and confiscated from any whom the church deemed heretics throughout the age.

VERSE 5 and 6 “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.”

Tyre was world-renowned for its ships. Chapter 27 tells the origin of the various raw materials needed to construct the ships. Incidentally, the residents of Tyre were sometimes called Phoenicians depending on the period of history.

The “boards” or “planks” of which the hull of the ship, its deck and etc. was constructed came from Senir (Mount Hermon). The cedars of Lebanon, noted for their stature, were used for ship masts. The ships oars were made of oak from Bashan (“Bashan” was across the Jordan River to the north), and the Ashurites—the most skillful workmen summoned from Assyria constructed the (rowing) benches of ivory inlaid in the best boxwood from Cyprus and Macedonia.

Tyre was like the capital of a mariner people. The materials and craftsmen came from many locations; hence Tyre was an international power.

VERSE 7 “Fine embroidered linen from Egypt was what you spread for your sail; Blue and purple from the coasts of Elishah was what covered you.”

The ancients embroidered their sails often at great expense, especially the Egyptians. “Blue and purple from the coasts of Elishah (Greece) was (the awning) which covered you.”

VERSE 8 “Inhabitants of Sidon and Arvad were your oarsmen; your wise men, O Tyre, were in you; they became your pilots.”

Tyre afforded employment to neighboring peoples. Sidon and Arvad provided mariners; that is, they were the crew. But those who steered and guided the ships and made decisions (the “pilots”) were from Tyre itself.

The correspondences to Papacy are remarkable, for orders (direction) comes from Rome, the centralized authority, and decisions are made in Rome, whereas cardinals, priests, etc., (“oarsmen”) are scattered around the world and help propel the ship, propagate its doctrines.

Oarsmen: There was a time before the art of sailing was perfectly understood when oarsmen were the primary means by which vessels were propelled. In type these “oarsmen” would represent those who help propel the ship (the church), who propagate and teach its doctrines.

VERSE 9 “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.”

“The Book of Genesis gives the origin, the progenitors, of some of the peoples listed in Verses 9–15. However, we should keep in mind that Ezekiel, in speaking of these various parties, was talking of contemporaneous peoples. And we should not confuse Ezekiel 27 with Ezekiel 38 and 39. The latter are prophecies of conditions thousands of years hence. Some of the nations referred to in Ezekiel 38 and 39 were not in existence at the time Ezekiel wrote. In speaking of things way future, Ezekiel was limited to using the peoples of his time.

These verses paint a picture of a great power, just as the wealth of the nations was brought to Tyre, so Papacy has been given great gifts of lands, buildings, art, jewels, etc.”

The “Elders of Gebal and its wise men”, represent the older leaders, men of experience and wisdom, these were appointed as “caulkers” to make the ship watertight, to keep the sea out, or as the old saying goes, “a ship is safe as long as the ship is upon the sea, but not if the sea is in the ship.”

The antitypical “caulkers” (cardinals, priests, theologians) were appointed by the “shipmasters” (the heads or leaders of the church, specifically the Pope) to keep the “sea” (the unrestrained masses, the non-believing or heathen world, undesirables) out of the ship, to prevent leaks (so-called doctrinal heresies) from entering the ship.

“All the ships (sects, denominations) of the sea (waters, peoples, nations) and their oarsmen (ministers, preachers, supporters) were in you to market (to trade or sell, propagate) your merchandise (wares, doctrines, teachings).”

VERSE 10 “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.”

“They of Persia, and of Lud, and of Phut, were in thine army, thy men of war”. As the Tryrians were a trading people, they hired foreign troops into their service, to fill their garrisons, defend their city, and fight for them in time of war; and these were of various nations, and the most famous for military skill and valour; as the Persians, a people well known, and famous for war in the times of Cyrus, and before, and well skilled in shooting arrows; and they of Lud, or the Lydians, a people in Greece, renowned for war before the times of Croesus their king, as well as in his time; and they of Phut, the Lybians, a people in Africa, skilful in drawing the bow (Isa 66:19).

“…they hanged the shield and helmet in thee”; in their garrisons and towers, or places of armory; which were defensive weapons, the one for the body, the other for the head; this they did in times of peace, when there was no occasion to use them, or when they were off their guard, and not on duty; see Sol 4:4, “they set forth thy comeliness”; it being an honor to the Tyrians to have such soldiers in their service. The Targum is, "they increased thy splendor;'' added to their glory.” (Gills Exposition of the Entire Bible)

Papacy likewise hired (i.e. conscripted) the armies of the various Kings of Europe to protect and fight its battles during the inquisitions.

VERSE 11 “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.”

The term “Gammadims” is used only once in Scripture and its meaning is uncertain. Young’s Concordance defines the term as meaning pygmies, warriors, giants, etc., but the definitions are just a guess. How well built this ship was! Tyre’s very wise ambassadors and pilots correspond to St. Jerome, Ignatius, and others of Papacy. By reason of its riches, Papacy has attracted many great minds.

“The Gammadims were in thy towers”.--No people of this name is known, and it is extremely unlikely that the responsible posts upon the watch-towers would have been entrusted to foreigners. The word occurs only here, and is probably not a proper name, but should be translated brave men.” (Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers)

These probably relate antitypically to the Swiss Guards of Papacy (an especially elite guard for the pope) to protect him and it.

We will continue with our next post.

 

[Harvest 1874]

Ezekiel Chapter 27, Part 4

VERSE 12 “Tarshish was your merchant because of your many luxury goods. They gave you silver, iron, tin, and lead for your goods.”

“Tarshish” is Spain in this context. Tyre traded all around the Mediterranean basin, and Spain was known for its mineral wealth.

VERSE 13 “Javan, Tubal, and Meshech were your traders. They bartered human lives and vessels of bronze for your merchandise.

“They bartered human lives.” Slave traffic was a primary staple of the time. Spiritually speaking, trading with “human lives” corresponds to Rev 18:13, for the Babylonish whore, the Roman Catholic Church, has made merchandise of the souls of men.

VERSE 14-24 “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, [f]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.”

“All of these places existed in the days of the prophet, and each was noted for particular goods. It is not important to look for an antitype here. The narrative is simply showing a worldwide maritime power that corresponds to the universal Roman Catholic Church.”

VERSE 25 “The ships of Tarshish [Babylon] were carriers of your merchandise. You were filled and very glorious in the midst of the seas.”

Again “Tarshish” was Spain. With its mercantile fleet, Spain controlled the Straits of Gibraltar at that time.

Antitype: The Roman Catholic Church has likewise been engaged in worldwide commerce. Businesses, craftsmen, cathedrals, robes, incense, etc., are all part of a universal religious empire with natural dealings that have resulted in the prosperity of many people. Rev 18:11–16 shows that when the system goes down, the kings and merchants who benefited financially from the Roman Catholic Church will mourn.

Spiritually speaking we could say, the “ships”, (the various religious entities which do commerce, which deal in religious affairs, i.e. the various sects, denominations and etc.) have been the conveyance method for the merchandise (the doctrines) of the apostate church.

“Verse 25 begins a new section, and glides back into the original metaphor of the ship, as was described in Verses 4-9, the ships of Tarshish are used here generically for merchant-ships. The catalogue of the commerce ends with Verse 24, and the more poetic imagery reappears. It was, as centering in herself all that they brought to her that the merchant-city was “very glorious in the midst of the waters.” (Pulpit Commentary)

“The ships of Tarshish did sing of thee in thy market: and thou was replenished, and made very glorious in the midst of the seas.” (As taken from the Authorize Version)

“Sing of thee”—personification; thy great merchant ships were palpable proofs of thy greatness. Others translate from a different Hebrew root, "were thy (mercantile) travelers." Fairbairn translates, "Were thy walls." But the parallelism to "thou was glorious" favors English Version, "sing of thee." (Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary)

This last tends to give the correct thought. The great merchant ships (the various denominations) were palpable proofs of the greatness of Tyre (of Mystic Babylon), that is to say the very fact that they did commerce with her, bought and sold her merchandise (taught her doctrines) gave evidence of her supposed glory.

VERSE 26 “Your oarsmen brought you into many waters, but the east wind broke you in the midst of the seas.”

Verse 26 is prophetic; it begins to paint a picture of doom. In the type the “wind” coming from the east brought destruction to Tyre twice, once at the hand of Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon and once by Alexander the Great of Greece. Babylon was to the east, and Alexander approached came from the east.

The “oarsmen” brought Tyre into stormy waters. Accordingly, the multitude of merchants (the “kings of the earth” rulers both civil and ecclesiastical) and the wealth (prosperity) they brought to Tyre (Papacy) caused it to get out of control. The oarsmen (those who teach and propagate the doctrines of Papacy) overextended themselves in their quest of greater commerce.

That is to say in their enthusiasm to promote and teach the doctrines of Papacy the oarsmen brought the ship far out to sea and into turbulent waters; in contact with many nations (waters, peoples) of diverse and conflicting beliefs, many calling for more freedoms, especially religious.

In antitype the “east wind” represents the “kings of the east,” that is, the glorified Church, who will divert the waters (the support of the people) from mystic Babylon (Rev. 16:12).

Continued with next post.

 

[Harvest 1874]

Ezekiel Chapter 27, Part 5

VERSE 27 “Your riches, wares, and merchandise (teachings, doctrines), your mariners and pilots (teachers, leaders, the clergy), your caulkers (older more experienced leaders) and merchandisers (the “kings of the earth” rulers both civil and ecclesiastical), All your men of war (supporters) who are in you, and the entire company which is in your midst (those who bare the mark of the beast or the number of his name), will fall into the midst of the seas (will be overwhelmed by the raging anarchist masses, the sea class) on the day of your ruin.”

“…Thus with violence (in the anarchy of the great time of trouble) the great city Babylon shall be thrown down, and shall not be found anymore.” (Rev 18:21)

The New Living Translation sums it up best, viz.

“EVERYTHING IS LOST--your riches and wares, your sailors and pilots, your ship builders, merchants, and warriors (the whole system). On the day of your ruin, everyone on board sinks into the depths of the sea.”

“Everyone on board” will go down with the ship, that is to say everyone still in the system, still in Great Babylon, who felled to heed the Lord’s injunction to come out of her at the appropriate time. This includes the “entire company”, all who may or may not be active members but who are nevertheless believers, supporters and proliferators of the doctrines of Papacy (Catholicism) all of whom bare the mark of the beast and or the number of his name.

Some of these are merely believers in the doctrines of the church, who have made a public profession but who are not active in supporting the church or in propagating its doctrines, thus they bare the mark only upon the forehead (which represents intellectual consent to the teachings and doctrines of the church), others who take a more active role, giving support with their influence and means are marked both in the forehead and upon the right hand (the right hand of cooperation, with our hands we render service, the right hand representing our best efforts).

A mark is a seal or sign of allegiance, and all who bare the mark of the beast or the number of his name will share not only in her sins, but will receive of her plagues, her sufferings, “torment and sorrow” (Rev 18:4, 7) on the day of her ruin.

VERSE 28 “The common-land will shake at the sound of the cry of your pilots.”

The “common-land” (the “field” mentioned in Chapter 26 Verse 6) represents the nominal Christian world (Luke 17:31, 36). Waves and ripples (repercussions) will extend out to the common-land and to her (the Mother of Harlots) “daughter villages” the Protestant churches.

“And her daughters which are in the field shall be slain by the sword; and they shall know that I am the LORD.” (Ezek 26:6)

Protestantism will not escape what is coming; it is just as guilty as Papacy and will likewise be destroyed in the great storm which is coming. Having followed suit and copied the first beast who committed fornication with the kings of the earth, Protestantism set itself up as an image of the beast and in so doing “caused all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads” (Rev 13:16) just as those who were members of the first beast (Papacy) were required to do.

VERSE 29 “All who handle the oar (who have propelled and supported the great nominal church systems), the mariners (seamen: crew-members of one denomination or another), and all the pilots of the sea (teachers, leaders those who steer the ship) will come down from (abandon, disembark) their ships (various denominations) and stand on the shore.”

Having been cast out of their ships in which heretofore they had prided themselves all the various leaders and teachers in Babylon will stand at a distance and “weep and wail” when they see the smoke of their once prized system, Babylon the Great burning. “…Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! For in one hour your judgment has come.” Rev 18:10

VERSE 30-32 “They will make their voice heard because of you; they will cry bitterly and cast dust on their heads; they will roll about in ashes. They will shave themselves completely bald because of you, Gird themselves with sackcloth, and weep for you with bitterness of heart and bitter wailing. In their wailing for you they will take up a lamentation, and lament for you: ‘what city is like Tyre, Destroyed in the midst of the sea?”

Verses 30–32 prophetically describe the wailing and mourning that took place when the city of Tyre was destroyed. The antitype will be similar. In regard to the fall of literal Babylon, Cyrus and his army entered the city through the dry bed of the river that had been the source of revenue, protection, and commerce. Thus the very river that had enriched Babylon was the means of its downfall. The principle was the same with Tyre. Moral deterioration occurred because of affluence; riches corrupted the system.

When mystic Babylon (Papacy) falls, the people will desert the system. The desertion is shown by the continued symbolism of ships. All of the rowers and pilots on the ships deserted their posts. Those on board came up on deck and raced for land as fast as possible.

Note in Revelation how they are all found “standing at a distance for fear of her torment”, attempting to distance themselves from the very corrupt system in which they themselves supported and or directed.

“They threw dust on their heads and cried out, weeping and wailing, and saying, ‘Alas, alas, that great city, in which all (the “pilots” the various leaders and teachers in Christendom) who had ships (commerce, specifically religious commerce, individual religious groups, denominations and etc.) on the sea became rich by her wealth! For in one hour she is made desolate.’” Rev 18:19

VERSE 33 “When your wares went out by sea, you satisfied many people; you enriched the kings of the earth with your many luxury goods and your merchandise.”

As the fall of literal Tyre adversely affected many from an economic standpoint, so it will be with the fall of Papacy. (Once again compare with Rev 18:9-19)

VERSE 34-36 “But you are broken by the seas in the depths of the waters; your merchandise and the entire company will fall in your midst. All the inhabitants of the isles will be astonished at you; their kings will be greatly afraid, and their countenance will be troubled. The merchants among the peoples will hiss at you; you will become a horror, and be no more forever.”

Tyre will “be no more forever.” Likewise, Papacy will go down like a millstone never to rise again (Rev. 18:21). By a comparison with its days of former glory, the Tyre of today is nothing; its power and opulence are gone.

“Their kings” will not just mourn—they will be “greatly afraid.” Moreover, “their countenance will be troubled.” The wording indicates the picture is changing to the antitype. Not only will riches be endangered, but more than that, the “kings” class associated with Papacy (the clergy) will realize their destruction is next. After the religious systems fall, the civil governments will go down.

“The merchants among the people shall hiss at you.” The very merchants who were employed by the Church will turn and “hiss” at it. The lamentation will turn to bitterness. “They will make their voice heard because of you…” (Verse 30) They will be heard complaining and blaming their troubles on the religious leaders.

The international system will go down, taking all the wealth and employment with it: corporations, real estate, builders, etc. Verse 34 is a reminder of Samson. The Temple of Dagon was supported by two pillars, picturing the two divisions of the religious world: Papacy and Protestantism. When Samson pulled down the two pillars, the house collapsed. When Roman Catholicism and her daughters go down, all of Christendom will fall.

Thus we conclude Chapter 27 and will move on to Chapter 28 with our next post.

 

[Harvest 1874]

Ezekiel Chapter 28, Part 1

Proclamation against the King of Tyre

VERSE 1 and 2 “The word of the Lord came to me again, saying, “Son of man, say to the prince of Tyre, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “Because your heart is lifted up, And you say, ‘I am a god, I sit in the seat of gods, In the midst of the seas,’ Yet you are a man, and not a god, Though you set your heart as the heart of a god.”

Some are under the impression that the “prince of Tyre” is Satan and in a typical sense he is, that is in that he is the controlling element behind the seen, the great architect of the Antichrist, Papacy whose head is the pope. However upon a little further study it will be seen that there is a distinction made between the “King of Tyre” and the “prince of Tyre”.

“This verse nevertheless still sounds like Isaiah 14:13, 14, which does refer to Satan.

“For you have said in your heart: ‘I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation on the farthest sides of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.’”

What is the distinction? Ezekiel 28 is showing that the spirit of Papacy is the spirit of Satan himself; his spirit is reflected in HIS system. Satan and Papacy have the same ambitions.

However there are a number of reasons why the “prince of Tyrus” is Papacy, the man of sin, and not Satan:

1. The nations will destroy the “prince” (Verses 7 and 9).

2. The “prince” is described as a “man” (Verse 2).

“I am a god; I sit in the seat of gods (plural)…”

3. The “prince” sits in the seat of God (compare 2 Thess 2:3-4).

“Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away (the rebellion or apostasy) comes first, and the man of sin (the Antichrist) is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God (the Church), showing himself that he is God.”

4. Papacy is Satan’s “seat” (compare Rev. 2:13).

“I know that you live in the city (Mystic Babylon the Great) where Satan has his throne (his “seat” of power and influence, the Papacy), yet you have remained loyal to me. You refused to deny me even when Antipas, my faithful witness, was martyred among you there in Satan's city.” (New Living Translation)

The prince of Tyrus sits “in the midst of the seas.” Rev 17:1 states that the “great whore” sits on “many waters.” In both instances, the “waters” refer to peoples. In the Book of Ezekiel, Papacy is represented as the city of Tyre and the prince of Tyre. In the Book of Revelation, Papacy is addressed as a woman, a beast, and the city of Babylon.

Let us take a quick look at Ferraris’ Roman Catholic Ecclesiastical Dictionary and see how Papacy itself once viewed the Pope.

“The Pope is of such dignity and highness that he is not simply a man but, as it were, God, and the vicar (representative) of God…Hence the pope is crowned with a triple crown, as king of heaven, of earth and of hell. Nay, the pope’s excellence and power are not only about heavenly, terrestrial and infernal things, but he is also above angels, and is their superior; so that if it were possible that angels could err from the faith, or entertain sentiments contrary thereto, they could be judged and excommunicated by the pope…

He is of such great dignity and power that he occupies one and the same tribunal with Christ; so that whatsoever the pope does seems to proceed from the mouth of God…The pope is, as it were, God on earth, the only prince of the faithful of Christ, the greatest king of all kings possessing the plenitude of power; to whom the government of the earthly and heavenly kingdom is entrusted."

Here we can easily see that it is the office of the Pope who is referred to in symbol as the Prince of Tyre, for no one else of mankind makes this claim for themselves, even as we read from the Catholic dictionary.

NOTE: As we had pointed out once before under another thread we refer NOT to individual Catholics, nor to the popes themselves, it is the great antichrist system itself devised by the Adversary that we speak out against as an apostasy and fraud (counterfeit), so too the “office” of the pope. Many mistakenly assume we are against Catholics and that is not true, nor are we against Protestants. What we are against is the great system of error, Mystic Babylon the Great, the Adversaries masterwork in which he has kept many of the Lord’s true children in bondage and servitude for centuries.

“…Yet you are a man, and not a god, though you set your heart as the heart of a god.”

Thou art a man — Thou art man made, man ordained and not of God, not divinely ordained even though thou set thine heart (fix the desire) to pose before the people as divinely ordained.

VERSE 3 “Behold, you are wiser than Daniel! There is no secret that can be hidden from you!”

“Behold, you are wiser than Daniel!” that is you think you are wiser than Daniel. You supposed that through divine inspiration, the confessional, and the universal clergy spy system, there is nothing in heaven or earth which you don’t know?

It is a well-known fact that Papacy has an international, a worldwide, spy network with representatives throughout the so-called Christian world. The United States restored diplomatic relations with the Vatican in the 1980s. One particular reason for the restoration was to obtain information that even the CIA does not have access to.

“There is no secret that they can hide from thee [Papacy].” Just as Daniel, the number two person in the Babylonian Empire, the interpreter of dreams, was wiser than the other wise men and no secret troubled him, so Papacy, the international underground system, has “no secret” because of its many informers (Dan. 4:9). Papacy however is not wiser than Daniel in true wisdom that is that wisdom which comes from above.

Continued with next post.

 

[Harvest 1874]

Ezekiel Chapter 28, Part 2

VERSE 4 and 5 “With your wisdom and your understanding you have gained riches for yourself, and gathered gold and silver into your treasuries; by your great wisdom in trade you have increased your riches, and your heart is lifted up because of your riches.”

Tyre, a seaport city, had a mercantile fleet that brought riches. Papacy, too, has great riches. Just as it is with a human being who acquires great wealth, so it is with the papal system. With the riches comes a feeling of power, influence, and pride. Examples of Papacy’s “treasures” are manuscripts, paintings, sculptures, icons, architecture, and jewels. Many have donated personal fortunes to the system, adding to its wealth. Although the Vatican has little ground, its power is enormous.

“With your wisdom and your understanding you have gained riches for yourself”, or better stated, “With your (perverted) wisdom and understanding (of evil, deceit, and deceptive practices) you have acquired great riches for yourself.”

“Your heart is lifted up because of your riches”, that is through the good salesmanship of your worthless merchandise (teachings, doctrines) you have heaped up wealth (Rev. 3:17) and have become proud because of material wealth, doctrines and membership.

VERSE 6 “Therefore thus says the Lord God: “Because you have set your heart as the heart of a god.”

Once again this verse sounds like Satan, who aspired to mount the sides of the north so he could be like God (Isa. 14:13, 14). The characteristics of Satan can clearly be seen in the papal system.

Because thou hast set thyself up in pride to be the Vice-gerent of God, and assumed all the titles of His appointed King.

VERSE 7 “Behold, therefore, I will bring strangers against you, the most terrible of the nations; and they shall draw their swords against the beauty of your wisdom, and defile your splendor.”

“In the near future, following the hour of power, God will bring “the most terrible of the nations” against Papacy, that is, a communistic, atheistic element (Gog from the land of Magog). This reference to the Babylonians in the past with literal Tyre is a reference in the future to a non-Christian, foreign element. The destruction will be literal; the Vatican will be sacked and destroyed just before Jacob’s Trouble. God will then put hooks in the jaws of Gog, turning the forces back from destroying Europe to go down against Israel (Ezek. 38:4). In other words, Russia will invade Europe and despoil the Vatican. Then, through certain circumstances, the attention of Gog will be turned backward to Israel.”

VERSE 8 “They shall throw you down into the Pit, and you shall die the death of the slain In the midst of the seas.”

This verse reminds us once again of Mystic Babylon’s end as spoken in Rev 18:21 of which Tyre is a type:

“Then a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone (the world’s largest and oldest grinder of “food” for Christendom) and threw it into the sea (into the anarchist masses), saying, “Thus with violence the great city Babylon shall be thrown down, and shall not be found anymore (having descended into the pit, dishonored oblivion and death).” Compare with Ezek 26:20

Not only will the apostate church meet its end in the pit, but so likewise the great architect of this most baneful and deceitful system, Satan himself is to meet this same end, “… you shall be brought down to Sheol (Hell, the grave), to the lowest depths of the Pit.” Isa 14:15

VERSE 9 “Will you still say before him who slays you, ‘I am a god’? But you shall be a man, and not a god, in the hand of him who slays you.”

“Wilt thou yet say before him that slays thee, I am God? When thou art in the enemies' hands, and just going to be put to death, wilt thou then confidently assert thy deity, and to his face tell him that thou art God? Surely thy courage and thy confidence, thy blasphemy and impiety, will leave thee then; a bitter sarcasm this! and so the pope of Rome, the anti-christian beast, when taken, and just going to be cast into the lake of fire along with the false prophet, will not have the impudence to style himself God, or to call himself Christ's vicar on earth: but thou shalt be a man, and no god, in the hand of him that slays thee; that is, thou shalt appear to be a poor, weak, frail, mortal, trembling, dying man, when got into the hand of the enemy, and he is just going to put an end to thy life; where will be then thy boasted deity?” (Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible)

The pope claims to represent God. When the pope is slain and the Vatican is completely destroyed, as well as all the other churches, it will appear as if God has failed in protecting His (supposed) representative Church. All will see then that they are man-made institutions and not ordained of God.

VERSE 10 “You shall die the death of the uncircumcised by the hand of aliens; for I have spoken,” says the Lord God.’ ”

“You shall die the death of the uncircumcised” that is as a godless heathen, wicked, unclean.

“Babylon, Christendom, has had a long probation of power, and has had many opportunities both to learn and to practice righteousness...and by her authority the true embryo kingdom of heaven (composed only of the saints, whose names are written in heaven) has suffered violence. She has hated them and persecuted them...they were hated without a cause;...and she and her daughters, still blind, are ready still to persecute...all who are loyal to God...” D51, 52

Thus the doom of Babylon, Christendom will be sudden, violent and complete is thus forcibly stated: “Thus, with violence, shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all.”

“Therefore her plagues will come in one day [suddenly]—death and mourning and famine. And she will be utterly burned with fire [symbolic fire — destructive calamities], for strong is the Lord God who judges her.” Rev 18:8

We will continue with verse 11 in our next post.

 

[Harvest 1874]

Ezekiel Chapter 28, Part 3

Lamentation for the King of Tyre

VERSE 11 and 12 “Moreover the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Son of man, take up a lamentation for the king of Tyre, and say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “You were the seal of perfection, Full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.”

Note the distinction between “King” and “prince” (Verse 2). The “King” of Tyrus is Satan, whereas the “prince” of Tyrus is Papacy, Satan’s masterpiece.

“The “prince” of Tyre speaks the words of Antichrist (Ezek 28:1-10; Dan. 7:8, 25; 2 Thess. 2:3-4), but the real power behind Tyre (Babylon the Great) is the “King” of Tyre Lucifer/Satan himself (Ezek 28:12-19).

When originally created, Lucifer was a glorious spirit being, beautiful to behold and perfect. As an archangel, one of the two morning stars (Job 38:7; Rev. 22:16), he was “full of wisdom,” that is, wily and very wise. “Thou sealest up the sum [you are complete], full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty.” (AV Version) In other words, as expressed in the superlative, when Lucifer was created, he was not just perfect but he had beauty and wisdom in abundance.

“…Full of wisdom…” In other words complete in wisdom, filled with the totality or sum (the full measure or capacity) of knowledge and understanding which is possible for this particular grade of angelic being.

“…perfect in beauty.”— I.e. perfect in holiness.

So beautiful, so bright was this angel that he was called Lucifer, which means, “Light bearer”. He was likewise referred to as “the Son of the morning” (Isa 14:12) this most likely because he was one of the very first angels made.

There were only two “morning stars” ever created, the first of which was, “the beginning of the creation of God” (Rev 3:14), our Lord Jesus Christ, the only direct creation of God, the “Bright and morning star” (Rev 22:16), the second morning star was Lucifer who was likewise a created being, however NOT a direct creation, but rather one who was subsequently created by God through the means of the Logos, our Lord.

Looking at the antitype we note the following from Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible which gives a good suggestion:

“The man of sin”, who takes upon himself the power of making rules and canons for faith and practice: full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty; a most accomplished man for parts and person in his own conceit: antichrist assumes to himself a perfect knowledge of the Scriptures, and sets up himself as an infallible judge of controversies; and glories in the splendor and order of his church, and the government of it.”

VERSE 13 “You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone was your covering: The sardius, topaz, and diamond, Beryl, onyx, and jasper, Sapphire, turquoise, and emerald with gold. The workmanship of your timbrels [tambourines] and pipes [flutes] was prepared for you on the day you were created.”

“Eden the garden of God” is heaven. Just as Adam was created a beautiful, perfect human being in a paradise spot here on earth, so on a larger scale, Lucifer was created a glorious spirit being in the great heavens. Stated another way, there was a spiritual Eden in heaven as well as a physical Eden here on earth. Both Lucifer and Adam were created perfect and subsequently sinned and fell.

How do we know for sure that this “garden of God” spoken of here refers to a spiritual Eden?

Well for starters Verse 13 states that: “You were in Eden, the garden of God… on the day you were created,” and since we know that Lucifer being one of the morning stars was most likely created prior to the rest of the angelic host who along with himself would at some future date “shout with joy” (Job 38:7) at the creation of the earth, the future home of man, it is self-evident that this could not have referred to the Garden of Eden on earth as the earth was not yet in existence when Lucifer was created.

The description of a spirit-being in terms of human comprehension involves the brilliance of precious stones, the melodic capabilities of instruments of music.

“Every precious stone was thy covering.” There were ten precious stones in all (gold being the tenth), “ten” being a picture of completion. Ornamentation and beauty and various perfections and personality traits are represented by the stones. Lucifer had them in abundance.

“The workmanship of your timbrels [tambourines] and pipes [flutes] was prepared for you…” The harmony of thy faculties, their perfect balance and accord was created in him. God left him a marvel to behold so his fall cannot be laid to God.

Continued with next post.

 

[Harvest 1874]

Ezekiel Chapter 28, Part 4

VERSE 14 “You were the anointed cherub who covers; I established you; you were on the holy mountain of God; you walked back and forth in the midst of fiery stones.”

“The anointed cherub who covers (overshadows, protects, a caretaker),” Lucifer was charged with protecting the original pair in Eden’s garden, but he usurped power over them through deception.

As an “anointed cherub,” that is, as an archangel (a chief angel or messenger), Lucifer was companion and brother to the Logos (THE chief angel), as it were, but the spirit of jealousy, vainglory, and pride in personal glory went to his head. The Logos, or Michael, had all of the same qualities but in the sense of good character. The fact that Lucifer was “anointed” means he had an office—a very high (appointed) office or position. As an archangel, Lucifer would have had certain privileges above those of the other angel’s one of these the ability to roam the heavens freely.

The “holy mountain of God” is another reference to “Eden the garden of God” in heaven.

Lucifer and the Logos were both archangels. Let us consider them one at a time.

The following texts prove that Lucifer was an archangel:

1. Lucifer was an “anointed cherub who covers” and a “covering cherub” (Ezek. 28:14, 16).

2. Isaiah called him, “O Lucifer, son of the morning!” (Isa. 14:12).

3. Lucifer fell as “lightning” (as a “bright shiner,” Greek astrape) from heaven (Luke 10:18).

The following texts prove that the Logos was an archangel:

1. Jude called him “Michael the archangel” (Jude 9).

2. Jesus returned at his Second Advent with the “voice of the archangel” (1 Thess. 4:16).

3. Michael was “one of the [two] chief princes [plural],” that is, the Logos and Lucifer (Dan. 10:13).

4. Job said, “When the morning stars [plural] sang together [the Logos and Lucifer], and all the [other] sons of God shouted for joy” (Job 38:7).

Lucifer was “born” into his role when he was created. He and Michael were both created as “adult” spirit beings, not babes, and were endowed with these benefits. Spirit beings do not age and grow old as humans do. Adam, too, was created as an adult, being an adult when only one day old. Having great brain-power (wisdom) capabilities, Michael and Lucifer were young only in experience. Michael loved God and daily communed with Him, thus imbibing in the Father’s spirit. He was fully submissive to the Father’s will and always trying to learn from Him (Prov. 8:30). Lucifer, on the other hand, used his great talents for vainglory (personal glory).

How did Lucifer walk (wander) “back and forth (or up and down) in the midst of fiery stones”?

What exactly are the “fiery stones”?

There are two ways of looking at this.

The first is that the “fiery stones” or “stones of fire” refer to the angelic beings themselves, bright ones (flashing jewels reflecting the attributes of God).

Compare Jude 1:13 where a comparison is made between the ungodly (wolfs in sheep’s clothing), the people of Sodom and Gomorrah and the fallen angels of whom he states are:

“… Raging waves of the sea, foaming up their own shame; wandering stars for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.”

“Foaming up their own shame” They unabashedly are in open sin and not ashamed. “Wandering stars” -- Satan was a wandering star who wandered among “the stones of fire” or stars surveying his own opportunities and developing pride which in the end will lead to his destruction in second death – “the blackness of darkness forever.”

This last statement concerning Satan’s (Lucifer at the time) wanderings could be taken in two ways; it could imply that he was found wandering amongst the various orders of angelic beings (bright ones) hatching his own plans and schemes or it could mean he was found wandering the burning stars of the heavens in midst of which he traveled, wandering from Jehovah God, and thus developing his own ambitions.

Had he not wandered so much among the “stones of fire,” (the stars of the universe) and been more attentive to his Father, Jehovah God, as was the Logos may perhaps neither pride no ambition would have been found within his heart. Thus, he would not have sinned and would have had no desire to tempt the first human pair.” (Satan and Second Death)

“Lucifer had not only the ability to travel the universe (amongst the “fiery stones”), but likewise the various planes of existence. Hence he walked both vertically (among the planes of being) and horizontally (among the planets and stars). He could travel from the “top” (the upper most plane of existence upon which he was created) all the way “down” to the lowest plane of existence, the human plane materializing as a human being.

Continued with next post.

 

[Harvest 1874]

Ezekiel Chapter 28, Part 5

VERSE 15 and 16 “You were perfect in your ways from the day you were created, till iniquity was found in you. By the abundance of your trading (Merchandise, lies and deceit) you became filled with violence within, and you sinned; therefore I cast you as a profane thing Out of the mountain of God; and I will destroy you, O covering cherub, from the midst of the fiery stones.”

“One of the brightest and most beautiful of the angelic hosts was Lucifer. Like all of God's creatures, he was perfect from the day that he was created, but iniquity began to creep into him

He was "lifted up because of his beauty" (Ezek. 28:17). He became proud and selfishly ambitious, seeking to live like Jehovah himself (Isa. 14:12-14). By this we could understand that he sought the worship of man, which rightly belongs only to God. Thus he became rebellious against God, and planned how he might divert man's worship to himself. From that time Lucifer became "that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan" (Rev. 20:2).” The Herold of Christ’s Kingdom, Oct 1955, Page 17

“Lucifer was intended to be an angel of blessing, but he corrupted himself and became, instead, "a serpent by the way, a viper by the path, that bites the horse’s heels so that its rider shall fall backward." (Gen. 49:17)

What induced Lucifer's fall?

Apparently circumstances coupled with ambition. God had stated: "It is not good that the man shall be alone: I will make a help meet [suitable] for him" (Gen. 2:18).

Upon the woman's creation, Lucifer likely recognized a pair of propagating and intelligent dependents were in his care. If he could be their master instead of God, then he could, among other things, "be like the Most High" (Isa. 14:14). The conception of such ideas gave birth to the sin of rebellion. Here the rebellion was developed in the mind of Lucifer. Similarly, our Lord during the forty days in the wilderness was presented with terms or conditions whereby he could also rebel. Jesus refuted each of the suggestions as inappropriate, thus incurring no blemish to his perfection. But the seeds of rebellion were conceived in Lucifer's mind. Their growth was rapid and the stain of iniquity became complete. Lucifer: "son of the morning," had fallen into sin.” The Herold of Christ’s Kingdom, Sept/Oct 1995, Page 28

“Your rich commerce led you to violence, and you sinned. So I banished you in disgrace from the mountain of God. I expelled you, O mighty guardian, from your place among the stones of fire.” The New Living Translation

Satan having become defiled (corrupt) was cast out of the “mountain of God”, the heavenly kingdom, no longer welcomed in the presence of God or to stand amongst the “stones of fire”, the holy angels. Our Lord witnessed this event: “I saw Satan fall (from high glory, privilege and position to his present attitude of chief adversary of God) like lightning (a “bright one” an “angel of light”) from heaven.” (Luke 10:18) Compare Matt. 28:3; Dan. 10:6; 1 Cor. 15:8

Thence forth Satan has been confined to the earth’s atmosphere or *tartatoo, where he remains until this day, the “prince of this world (age)”, the “prince of the power of the air”, awaiting his final destruction at the end of the millennial age.

*The Greek word “tartatoo” occurs only once and very closely resembles the word “tartarus” from Greek mythology. It was the name for a dark abyss or prison. It seems the word refers more to an act than to a place in that God degraded the angels. “For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved to judgment…” (2 Peter 2:4)

Continued with next post.

 

[Harvest 1874]

Ezekiel Chapter 28, Part 6

VERSE 17 “Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor; I cast you to the ground, I laid you before kings that they might gaze at you.”

Lucifer became the epitome of pride. His beauty and wisdom went to his head. "Pride goes before destruction and a haughty heart before a fall." His wisdom became perverted wisdom. “The fear [reverence] of the LORD [Jehovah] is the beginning of [true] wisdom,” and obedience is the end (or completion) of wisdom (Prov. 9:10).

“I cast you to the ground” -- The judgment here, is of Jehovah God, which will result in his being cast to the ground, powerless.

“I laid you before kings that they might gaze at you” – It is supposed that at the end of the millennial age during the “little season” (Rev. 20:3) that Satan will materialize in the flesh as he leads the goat class in open rebellion against “the camp of the saints” (the new earth or established earthly government lead by the ancient worthies), AND “the beloved city”, (the New Jerusalem, the new heavens or spiritual ruler-ship headed by Christ and the Church glorified). Of course they can only physically challenge God’s new government as it is establish through Israel here on earth. The spiritual government invisible to their eyes is beyond their reach. (Rev 20:9)

Satan's death and destruction will be witnessed by mankind so that it will be known that there shall never be permitted to come into existence another being that would bring again evil and the horrors of the past.

VERSE 18 “You defiled your sanctuaries by the multitude of your iniquities, by the iniquity of your trading; therefore I brought fire from your midst; it devoured you, and I turned you to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all who saw you.”

“You defiled your sanctuaries.” “Satan defiled the position or office that he had. Hence he was demoted to earth’s atmosphere where he has been a deceiver ever since, and the other fallen angels are with him. In tartaroo Satan has not manifested any repentance; in fact, he has gotten worse. In Eden he used words to deceive, but as time went on, he got so defiled that cruelty and violence developed as well as sexual aberrations, as manifested in the days of Noah.

Satan became defiled “by the iniquity of his trading”. In other words, what he was doing defiled him. He became more and more corrupt in his ways, yet his powers did not diminish.

Satan was not confined to tartaroo until the Flood. For 1,656 years he was allowed relative liberty in regard to mankind, and during that time he had no desire to return to heaven. His love and interest were here on earth. He and the other fallen angels left their first estate, came down here, materialized in human form, and married women. Apparently, they did not realize, until the Flood, that they could no longer return to heaven. They were enjoying living here, but when the Flood came, they dematerialized and found themselves locked in tartaroo.”

According to the previous verse when Satan meets his final demise it will be made public for the entire world to witness:

“I brought fire from your midst” -- Here, the destruction of Satan is pictured. A fire comes from within his being -- a spontaneous combustion.

“I turned you to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all who saw you.”-- Satan is consumed and reduced to ashes in the sight of mankind who are observing this phenomenon.

"Affliction shall not rise again a second time."

VERSE 19 “All who knew you among the peoples are astonished at you; you have become a horror, and shall be no more forever.”

Those who “know” Satan at that time will be in a proper heart condition and thus regard him as abhorrent (a horror). In contrast, those who go up against the camp of the saints will regard Satan as a champion of their cause (Rev. 20:9).

Through Satan’s manipulations, Jesus, the righteous One, was made a spectacle when put to death on Calvary. In retribution, Satan will be made a spectacle when he is destroyed. Since this event will probably be filmed, it would be appropriate for Satan to be put to death in a physical form. God will not be seen on film, but to see a materialized physical form of a superior being (Satan) is a different matter. Satan will be destroyed forever—with no possibility of a re-occurrence

“You have become a horror” -- Satan was the original terrorist and interrogator (as in the inquisition) and among heathen religions such as Mohammedanism, where you are not permitted to join Christianity lest you have your limbs chopped off. Here he is made a horror or terror.

“And shall be no more forever” -- "The Devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire." (Rev 20:10) "The Lake of fire is the Second Death." (Rev 20:14) The fate of Satan is that he will be eternally destroyed obliterated from existence.

We will continue with Verse 20 in regards to the Proclamation against Sidon in our next post.

 

[Harvest 1874]

Ezekiel Chapter 28, Part 7

Proclamation against Sidon

VERSE 20-22 “Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Son of man, set your face toward Sidon, and prophesy against her, And say, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “Behold, I am against you, O Sidon; I will be glorified in your midst; And they shall know that I am the Lord, When I execute judgments in her and am hallowed in her.”

Chapter 28 should have ended with verse 19, for verse 20 starts a prophecy against Sidon. Keep in mind that the original manuscripts were not divided into Chapters or verses, nor was there any punctuation, commons, periods and etc. these are all modern inventions. Thus it’s easy to see how the transcribers of our modern translations could have made this mistake.

“This prophecy will have both a (literal as well as a symbolic) future fulfillment against Sidon, the modern name for Zidon. A maritime power like Tyre, the city is on the Mediterranean coast near the site of Tyre in Lebanon. Tyre, Sidon, and Beirut are strongholds of different factions of Muslim power that hate Israel. Although a past destruction was experienced, the future one will be recognized as a judgment from God (“they shall know that I am the LORD, when I shall have executed judgments in her, and shall be sanctified in her”). The judgment will occur about the time of Jacob’s Trouble.”

Sidon means “fishing”, whose ancient ancestors were probably the descendants of Zebulun one of Joseph’s sons blessed by Jacob.

“Zebulun shall dwell by the haven of the sea; He shall become a haven for ships, and his border shall adjoin Sidon.” Gen 49:13

“His boarder shall adjoin Sidon”, This seems to be referring more to Tyre then to Sidon, but it should be recalled that Tyre was once a colony of Sidon, however the daughter soon outstripped the mother, and as early as Isaiah’s time the elder city was viewed as an appendage of the younger.”

As Tyre antitypically represented Papacy (the Mother of Harlots), more particularly Catholicism even so Sidon Tyre’s sister city represents Protestantism, “her daughter villages which are in the fields” (See Ezek 26:6 in our study), the “daughters” of the great whore. And as the mother was called "Babylon," (Rev 17:5) her daughters--so like their mother--bear also the family name, and as such will share the same fate.

"Names were formerly given as expressions of character or work…The name Babylon, applied by the Spirit to the Church of Rome expresses her character, for Babylon means mixture --confusion. This union of the Woman (church) with the Beast (empire) constitutes the spiritual harlotry of which she is guilty. "But the name (Babylon) applies to her entire family; her daughters inherit both her nature and name, for she is a 'mother of harlots' and her works they do."

VERSE 23 “For I will send pestilence upon her (Sidon), and blood in her streets; the wounded shall be judged in her midst by the sword against her on every side; then they shall know that I am the Lord.”

“For I will send pestilence (a plague) upon her…” This remains us of the Lord’s statement in Revelation Chapter 18 where it is stated that the Lord has allotted certain plagues to come upon Babylon (both Mother and daughters), and all who remain in her and or who are in allegiance with her (Verse 4).

"As the day of trouble draws on, ecclesiasticism will endeavor to use its power and influence more and more to secure its own political welfare, by its control of the turbulent elements of society; but in the crisis of the near future the lawless element will spurn all conservative influence and break over all restraints, the red hand of Anarchy will do its dreadful work, and Babylon, Christendom, social, political and ecclesiastical, shall fall. “Therefore [says the inspired writer — i.e., because she will violently struggle for life and power] her plagues will come in one day [suddenly] —death and mourning and famine. And she will be utterly burned with fire [symbolic fire -- destructive calamities], for strong is the Lord God who judges her.” (Rev 18:8) The Herald of Christ’s Kingdom October 1920

Upon the prophetic page we may clearly read the doom of Babylon, Christendom; and it is none the less clearly expressed in the signs of the times.

“That her destruction will be sudden, violent and complete is . . . forcibly stated:—`And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus, with violence, shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all.’ (Rev. 18:8, 21; Jer. 51:63, 64, 42, 24-26)

And yet that it was to undergo a gradual consuming process is shown by Daniel (7:26)—`But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and destroy it unto the end.’ The Papal dominion (and much of the abject reverence of the people for ecclesiasticism in general)…was broken down at the beginning of the Time of the End—1799; and, though the subsequent process of consumption has been slow, there have been occasional signs of apparent recovery, which never seemed more flattering than at present, the assurance of Papacy’s final destruction is positive, and its death-struggle will be violent. First, however, she must attain more of her old-time prestige, which will be shared with a confederated association of her daughters. Together they will be lifted up, that together they may be violently thrown down. (S.I.T.S. Volume 4, Page 37)

When the great time of trouble comes the same restless “sea class” (the anarchist masses) that brings about the destruction of Papacy will likewise destroy the Protestants systems as well, and as such there will be much “blood in her streets”.

“‘Thus saith the Lord, Behold I will raise up against Babylon, and against them that dwell in the midst of them that rise up against me [all in sympathy with Babylon], a destroying wind; and I will send into Babylon, fanners that shall fan her (instigators, trouble makers, the anarchist masses who fan the fires of the trouble soon coming), and shall empty her land: for in the day of trouble they shall be against her round about...Destroy ye utterly all her host.’ Jer. 51:1-3

“‘And I will render unto Babylon [to the Papacy specially], and to all the inhabitants of Chaldea [or Babylonia — Christendom — to all the nations of the so-called Christian world] all their evil that they have done in Zion in your sight, saith the Lord.’ (Jer. 51:24)

“As we call to mind the long train of evils by which Babylon has oppressed and worn out the saints of the most High (the true Zion), and how it is written that God will avenge his own elect, and that speedily; that, according to their deeds, he will repay recompense to his enemies; that he will render unto Babylon a recompense (Luke 18:7, 8; Isa. 59:18; Jer. 51:6), we begin to realize that some fearful calamity awaits her. The horrible decrees of Papacy—the reproach and reward of which Protestantism also is incurring by her present compromising association with her—for the burning, butchering, banishing, imprisoning and torturing of the saints in every conceivable way, executed with such fiendish cruelty in the days of her power by the arm of the State, whose power she demanded and received, await the full measure of just retribution; for she is to receive `double for all her sins.’ And the nations (of Christendom) which have participated in her crimes and guilt must drink with her that bitter cup.” (D38)

Continued with next post.

 

[Harvest 1874]

Ezekiel Chapter 28, Part 8

VERSE 24 “And there shall no longer be a pricking brier or a painful thorn for the house of Israel from among all who are around them, who despise them. Then they shall know that I am the Lord God.”

This applies to both Literal Israel and Spiritual Israel. First in regards to literal Israel the “pricking brier” and the “painful thorn” has been the Arab nations who surround them on every side, but more particularly the Palestinians.

Listen to the Word of God on the matter:

“O God, keep not silence; hold not thy peace, and be not still, O God: For behold, thy enemies make a tumult (an uproar); and they that hate thee lift up their heads (in defiance). They take crafty counsel (conspire together) against thy people, and consult against thy treasured ones: They say, Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation, and let the name of Israel be mentioned no more. For they have consulted together with one heart: they have made an alliance together against thee. The tents of Edom (Christendom) and the Ishmaelite’s, Moab and the Hagarite’s; Gebal, and Ammon, and Amalek; Philistia, with the inhabitants of Tyre; Asshur also is joined with them: they are an arm to the sons of Lot. (The Arab nations) Selah.” (Psa 83:1-8)

“Thus says the Lord God: “Because the Philistines (the Palestinians) dealt vengefully and took vengeance with a spiteful heart, to destroy (through various means including the use of terrorism), because of the old hatred” therefore thus says the Lord God: “I will stretch out my hand against the Philistines (the Palestinians), and I will cut off the Cherethites and destroy the remnant of the sea coast. I will execute great vengeance on them with furious rebukes; and they shall know that I am the Lord, when I lay my vengeance upon them.” (Ezek 25:15-17)

“And you, son of man, prophesy to the mountains of Israel, and say, ‘O mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord! Thus says the Lord God: “Because the enemy (the Arabs) has said of you, ‘Aha! The ancient heights have become our possession,’ therefore prophesy, and say, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “Because they made you desolate and swallowed you up on every side (The Golan Heights to the north, the West Bank to the west, the Gaza Strip to the south), so that you became the possession of the rest of the nations, and you are taken up by the lips of talkers and slandered by the people” (Those ridiculing Israel for its stance against the Palestinians),

Therefore, O mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord God! Thus says the Lord God to the mountains, the hills, the rivers, the valleys, the desolate wastes, and the cities that have been forsaken, which became plunder and mockery to the rest of the nations all around therefore thus says the Lord God: “Surely I have spoken in My burning jealousy against the rest of the nations and against all Edom (Christendom), who gave My land to themselves as a possession, with wholehearted joy and spiteful minds, in order to plunder its open country.” ’

“Therefore prophesy concerning the land of Israel, and say to the mountains, the hills, the rivers, and the valleys, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “Behold, I have spoken in My jealousy and My fury, because you have borne the shame of the nations.” Therefore thus says the Lord God: “I have raised My hand in an oath that surely the nations that are around you (the Arab nations) shall bear their own shame.” Ezek 36:1-7

“Woe unto the inhabitants of the sea-coast, the nation of the Cherethites! (Palestinians) The word of Jehovah is against you, O Canaan, land of the Philistines: I will destroy thee, that there shall be no inhabitant.” (Zep 2:5)

Likewise, “I have heard the reproach of Moab (Arabs), and the insults of the children of Ammon (Arabs), wherewith they have reproached my people, and magnified (encroach) themselves against their borders. Therefore, [as] I live, saith Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel, Moab shall certainly be as Sodom, and the children of Ammon as Gomorrah, overrun with weeds, and salt-pits, and a perpetual desolation; the remnant of my people shall spoil them, and the residue of my nation shall possess them.” (Zep 2:8, 9)

Thus there shall no longer be a pricking brier or a painful thorn for the literal house of Israel.

Continued with next post.