Book of Ezekiel: Chapter 27
Chapter 27 continues the message about the city of Tyre. This city, built on an island just off the coast, was a prideful land. Its riches gained from its plentiful harbor and trading industry aided in its arrogance. This arrogance is the cause of its fall.
This chapter is written in the style of a funeral lament. The poetic verses lend itself to verbal recitation. God is delivering through Ezekiel a performance piece about how God will reign down His judgment upon the pride filled city.
In particular, God chooses the metaphor of a great ship to describe Tyre. He speaks of how it was made of the finest of materials and how they carried the most sought after of goods. Men traveled from great distances in order to have the chance to do business with Tyre.
But God explains that this great beauty leads Tyre to its demise. Behind the great beauty of Tyre is its ugly interior of pride and arrogance. This pride causes Tyre to mock Jerusalem’s fall and thus leads to its own judgment.
Key Verse:
“Now you are a wrecked ship, broken at the bottom of the sea. All your merchandise and crew have gone down with you.” ~ Ezekiel 27:34 NLT
Questions to ponder:
- What comment does Jesus make about the city of Tyre in Matthew 11:22?
- How can one avoid pride and arrogance causing one to become shipwrecked?
