Ezekiel 26-28, 32
Together with Ezekiel 25 from yesterday, today’s reading speaks of God’s judgment upon the nations surrounding Israel. Even the bit that seems to center on Israel (Ezekiel 28:24-26, in which the LORD declares that Israel will dwell securely) is really a promise to squash all Israel’s neighbors. Of all these nations, Tyre gets the most ink. As with Ammon, Moab, Edom, and Philistia, the LORD condemns Tyre for its treatment of Jerusalem, for gloating over Jerusalem’s destruction and for seeking to profit from Jerusalem’s demise. (Ez. 26:2) So the LORD declares that, starting with Babylon (Ez. 26:7), He will send wave after wave of foreign nations to destroy Tyre. (Ez. 26:3-7) Historically, these nations would include the Persians, the Greeks under Alexander and the Seleucids, and the Romans. Once the world’s dominant center of commerce, Tyre would never again rise to any level of greatness.
The LORD’s attention turns from the city-state of Tyre to its leadership, in particular, the “prince” of Tyre (Ez. 28:2) and the “king” of Tyre (Ez. 28:12). Whether these two terms are meant to refer to the same individual is a bit unclear. The “prince” proclaims himself to be a god, but the LORD says otherwise, very clearly stating that he is a man, mortal like any other. (Ez. 28:2,6-10) The “king”, on the other hand, does not sound like a mere mortal. The LORD describes him as a guardian cherub, adorned with jewels in Eden, the garden of God and walking on the holy mountain of God in the midst of the stones of fire. (Ez. 28:13-14) What all that means has been debated for centuries, but unless the LORD is using a high level of hyperbole or sarcasm, it seems (to me) difficult to conclude that we are still talking about a man. Hence, many conclude that the “king” is a fallen angel, perhaps even Satan himself, or some other ruler, authority, power, or spiritual force of evil in the heavenly places. (Eph. 6:12)
Here’s some of what Origen has to say:
These statements from the prophet Ezekiel concerning the [King] of Tyre must relate to an adverse power, and they prove in the clearest manner that this power was originally holy and blessed, and that he fell from this state of blessedness and was cast down into the earth “from the time that iniquity was found in him” and that his fallen condition was not due to his nature or creation. We consider therefore, that these statements refer to some angel, to whom had been allotted the duty of supervising the Tyrian people, whose souls also were apparently committed to his care.
Origen, from On First Principles 1.5.4
However one chooses to interpret the description of the “king” of Tyre, it is clear that the leadership of the city is filled with pride that is driven by wealth and beauty (or splendor) (Ez. 28:5,17), resulting in violence and greed for yet more wealth. (Ez. 28:16)
Does that sound remotely familiar?