Humbling of Tyre and Zidon
Isa 23:1 The burden of Tyre. Howl, ye ships of Tarshish; for it is laid waste, so that there is no house, no entering in: from the land of Chittim it is revealed to them.
Howl you ships at Tarshish, for this once thriving seaport will be no more. Word has come to them from the Island of Cypress. The prophecy of the heavy calamity and destruction of Tyre. Tyre was to be destroyed; first by Nebuchadnezzar, and afterwards by Alexander the great.
Isa 23:2 Be still, ye inhabitants of the isle; thou whom the merchants of Zidon, that pass over the sea, have replenished.
Isa 23:3 And by great waters the seed of Sihor, the harvest of the river, is her revenue; and she is a mart of nations.
Be still, you who live on the Isle, which were replenished by the merchants of Sidon. The harvest of grain from the Nile came through your port, you are the market for the nations. Tarsus was a great port for commerce. It is a destruction that would come from the Almighty God designed to convince men of the vanity and uncertainty of all earthly glory.
Isa 23:4 Be thou ashamed, O Zidon: for the sea hath spoken, even the strength of the sea, saying, I travail not, nor bring forth children, neither do I nourish up young men, nor bring up virgins.
The seaport of Zidon was humbled, the Isle of Tyre shall not grow or be inhabited. Let the ruin of Tyre warn all places and persons to take heed of pride; for he who exalts himself shall be abased.
Isa 23:5 As at the report concerning Egypt, so shall they be sorely pained at the report of Tyre.
Egypt and Tyre were allies and closely tied economically.
Isa 23:6 Pass ye over to Tarshish; howl, ye inhabitants of the isle.
Isa 23:7 Is this your joyous city, whose antiquity is of ancient days? her own feet shall carry her afar off to sojourn.
Pass over to the port at Tarshish. Things are changed, no more living in plenty and in pleasures. Take yourself from your sure place to walk in a new way. Things that were normal for ages suddenly stop; this life is uncertain. Make the fullest of each day.
The life of faith is to be as a sojourner, not to be too comfortable and content in pleasures. Tyre and Zidon were to be under God's judgment, yet even if we are in God's will, that doesn't mean we are in control of what happens. We may see changes. Changes in our way of life and in our patterns of ease. Remember what Jesus said to Peter:
John 21:18 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not.
John 21:19 This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me.
Isa 23:8 Who hath taken this counsel against Tyre, the crowning city, whose merchants are princes, whose traffickers are the honourable of the earth?
Isa 23:9 The LORD of hosts hath purposed it, to stain the pride of all glory, and to bring into contempt all the honourable of the earth.
The LORD allowed this to happen, because they gloried in self, wealth and pleasures. He would bring into contempt all who seek honor and are not humble before God.
Job 22:29 When men are cast down, then thou shalt say, There is lifting up; and he shall save the humble person.
Harlotry and Holiness
Isa 23:10 Pass through thy land as a river, O daughter of Tarshish: there is no more strength.
Isa 23:11 He stretched out his hand over the sea, he shook the kingdoms: the LORD hath given a commandment against the merchant city, to destroy the strong holds thereof.
Isa 23:12 And he said, Thou shalt no more rejoice, O thou oppressed virgin, daughter of Zidon: arise, pass over to Chittim; there also shalt thou have no rest.
Isa 23:13 Behold the land of the Chaldeans; this people was not, till the Assyrian founded it for them that dwell in the wilderness: they set up the towers thereof, they raised up the palaces thereof; and he brought it to ruin.
Isa 23:14 Howl, ye ships of Tarshish: for your strength is laid waste.
The Chaldeans . . . Assyria: The mainland city of Tyre was defeated by both the Assyrians and the Babylonians. They were used by God to bring the city to ruin.
Ezek 26:3 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Tyrus, and will cause many nations to come up against thee, as the sea causeth his waves to come up.
Ezek 26:4 And they shall destroy the walls of Tyrus, and break down her towers: I will also scrape her dust from her, and make her like the top of a rock.
Ezek 26:5 It shall be a place for the spreading of nets in the midst of the sea: for I have spoken it, saith the Lord GOD: and it shall become a spoil to the nations.
Ezek 26:6 And her daughters which are in the field shall be slain by the sword; and they shall know that I am the LORD.
Isa 23:15 And it shall come to pass in that day, that Tyre shall be forgotten seventy years, according to the days of one king: after the end of seventy years shall Tyre sing as an harlot.
I had thought that the description from Ezekial, was carried forward to this day, but Isaiah continues the prophecy, after the end of seventy years shall Tyre sing as an harlot. A precise time is given for her restoration.
Tyre would once again be a thriving port of commerce. The whore sings, the heart was after strange gods, in which she rejoiced and merchandise, the love of money.
The city of Tyre was particularly known for the production of a rare sort of purple dye, produced from the murex shellfish, known as Tyrian purple. This color was, in many cultures of ancient times, reserved for the use of royalty, or at least nobility. The lumber of Lebanon, textiles, gold, sugar and other commodities were shipped through this port city.
Isa 23:16 Take an harp, go about the city, thou harlot that hast been forgotten; make sweet melody, sing many songs, that thou mayest be remembered.
What are these songs? In the US during the fourth of July celebrations, two TV stations were singing the songs that represented America. One station sang rock and roll music, the other played patriotic music, some with Christian words, representing our Christian roots. The roots of rock and roll were sexual, carnal, the roots of our Christian heritage were spiritual. Spiritual harlotry is the worship of lusts and things and the god of this world. Some say that rock and roll made our country great. Lusts of the flesh leads to adultery, fornication and idotatry. The "new" culture wishes to remove our Christian roots. They join with the harlot cities of the world who sing for the arrival of the false man of peace. Now these are my thoughts, so you can take them or leave them.
Isa 23:17 And it shall come to pass after the end of seventy years, that the LORD will visit Tyre, and she shall turn to her hire, and shall commit fornication with all the kingdoms of the world upon the face of the earth.
Once again the money flows through the city called a harlot. Spiritual Babylon was called the harlot, because of the false gods which they worshipped and their love of the worlds pleasures. Even Jerusalem at one time was called a harlot, because of her works of darkness.
Isa 1:21 How is the faithful city become an harlot! it was full of judgment; righteousness lodged in it; but now murderers.
Spiritual adultery is removed by seeking the true God and obeying his word.
Jer 3:14 Turn, O backsliding children, saith the LORD; for I am married unto you: and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion:
Jer 3:15 And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.
Isa 23:18 And her merchandise and her hire shall be holiness to the LORD: it shall not be treasured nor laid up; for her merchandise shall be for them that dwell before the LORD, to eat sufficiently, and for durable clothing.
The LORD would allow the harlot city to continue, her merchandise and her hire, would be called holiness? How could this be? Because the LORD saw it as a means to bless his people. Merchandise, to provide food and clothing for them who dwell before the LORD.
Mat 6:30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?
Mat 6:31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
Mat 6:32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
Mat 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
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