TYRE

The Phoenicians were known for their command of the sea. Their craftsmen ably built great ships from the forest of the land and their seamen taught the world how to navigate the known world in search of riches. Meanwhile their fishermen fed the nation in abundance and all Phoenicia prospered.
 
Tyre was an ancient Phoenician city, founded on a small island lying about one half mile from the mainland. It was considered impregnable because of its high sheer cliffs, deep water and violent waves and winds that made any type of ship-based siege machinery unstable. Tyre grew wealthy and arrogant. Its growth spilled onto the mainland shore where the suburb covered several square miles. Tyre’s dominance of maritime trade was unrivaled—the Mediterranean Sea was theirs.
 
Jerusalem was located a little more than one hundred miles inland and remained an important city for inland trade as caravans passed through en-route to the Red Sea and lands to the south. They would find refuge within its protective walls but not without cost. Judah’s kings were forced to pay heavy tribute to Egypt and then to Babylon and the caravans were a source of income. Unfortunately, the more toll charged by Jerusalem meant less profit for Tyre.
 
As Tyre’s wealth grew, their spiritual condition suffered. This was exposed by Ezekiel 28:16-18, “By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: … Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness’…Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries by the multitude of thine iniquities, by the iniquity of thy traffick;…” The king of Tyre considered himself a god, as no mortal could be so blessed.
 
Joel tells of their hostility toward Judah in 3:5, 6 “Because ye have taken my silver and my gold, and have carried into your temples my goodly pleasant things: The children also of Judah and the children of Jerusalem have ye sold unto the Grecians, that ye might remove them far from their border.”
 
The reason for their eventual demise, however is given in Ezekiel 26:2, 3 “Tyre said concerning Jerusalem, 'Aha, the gate of the peoples is broken; it has swung open to me. I shall be replenished, now that she is laid waste,’ therefore thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I am against you, O Tyre,…” (ESV) Their greed was condemning but it was their delight in the misfortunes of God’s people that brought down this mighty city.
 
--Joe Bluemel