Isaiah Lesson 31

John, would you open us in a word of prayer, please? Little Ricky, little Ricky, attention, please, we're beginning.

Yeah. Lord, we come to you with hearts that are desiring and grateful to be in your very presence. We're assembled together here in this room, but more importantly, we're assembled together in front of the throne of God.

We know that, Lord, you are interceding for us. We know, Lord, that your Holy Spirit is anointing us. And so, Father, as we continue on in this book of Isaiah, as we continue looking to the various nations and your judgments that are proclaimed, we know, Lord, that you are a holy God, but yet you are a loving God.

And so we look with anticipation for how you will teach us today in Jesus' name. Amen.

Amen. The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy him forever. We're going to begin this lesson with a little exercise from a popular worship song. And when you hear something you like, I want to hear a loud amen.

And when you hear something you don't like, I want to hear a boo. All right. There is something in this song that I find very man-centered. And yeah, we boo that. So when you hear it, I want to hear you boo.

Above all powers, above all kings, above all nature and all created things, above all wisdom and all the ways of man, you were here before the world began. Amen. Above all kingdoms, above all thrones, above all wonders the world has ever known.

Amen. Above all wealth and treasures of the earth, there's no way to measure what you're worth. Amen. Crucified, laid behind a stone, you live to die, rejected and alone. Amen. Like a rose trampled on the ground, you took the fall and thought of me above all.

You took the fall and thought of me above all. Boo! Boo! No, I'm not going there. Okay, tell me in what sense that could be true. Because sometimes with worship lyrics, you're just reading it differently and understand things differently.

How could it be true that he thought of us above all? Agree. I think that the person who wrote it was just trying to make you feel good and personalize it. They weren't meaning to be a heretic. Yeah, in the back.

Oh, you're waving. He knows our need. Very, very good. Yeah. He knows our broken estate and our desperate need of him. That's not what the words say, though. Anybody else want to try to defend this mess?

By glorifying us, he glorifies the Father. Yeah, so the concept of glorification, that's a difficult concept and it's in the golden chain of redemption. To be glorified is to reflect his glory. It's to demonstrate.

Right. It's to recognize his glory. It's not to give him glory. We don't impute to him anything that he lacks. If there were no creation, he would be just as glorious as he is with a creation. But we behold his glory and then we reflect back what he looks like.

Yeah, so I don't see that language of him glorifying us. I see glorification is in the sense of us being made complete in his image, restored to the pre-fall kind of reflection of his image. But here's the part that I object to.

You took the fall and thought of me above all. That idea of God having as his chief, above all, reason for what he does. Us. Now, there are benefits that come to us, but what is the chief end of God? What is his chief goal?

What does he think about? It's his own glory. Now, this is a difficult concept for a humanistic society. Because anybody who claims that God values himself more than others will accuse that God of egoism.

And that egoism carrying a negative connotation would say, well, God could never value himself above all. He has to value others above himself. But this misses the fundamental definition of morality. There is a proportionality in God that what he values corresponds to the way things are.

If God didn't value himself above his creation, he would not be reflecting his own glory. He has to treasure himself out of the very nature of who he is. The difference with us, why we shouldn't be the center of our own universe, but should deflect all glory to God, is because we are derivative from him.

We're recognizing his value, but he himself recognizes his own value.

That's the distinction. I want to say, thought of me, thought of all of us. Yeah, exactly.

Thought of me. It makes you the center of the whole thing. I've always thought of it that way, too.

And Rick? Morality above all. Right. He thought of all of us. Yes. God came into the world to save sinners. But he's personalizing it. But it wasn't just to save sinners. But at the same time, it was also in obedience to the Father.

Yes. Yep. So, and through that obedience to the Father, he was glorified, bringing glory to the Father. And offering us redemption.

Amen. And that glory of the Father is more important than our salvation. Our salvation is unto his glory, to the praise of his glorious grace. Ephesians 1, 6. John? Yeah. Before the fall? Yeah. I think that he said, beyond just good, everything else was good, but Adam and Eve were very good.

Yeah. And it's because they bore his likeness. Now, what does the likeness of God mean? The image of God? Theologians have spoken to this subject, you know, in different ways. Certainly, there is intellect that's beyond the other animals.

There's the ability to emote the highest heights, the deepest depths. But then there is this ability to relate to God, and to understand him for who he is, and pray, and seek his face, and things of that nature.

There's also, I think, in the Genesis 1, 26 to 28, image-bearing, this idea of, like, a vice regency of ruling in his place. So we're bearing his image as the ones who stand on his behalf and rule as his vice regents.

He's the supreme king, but we're appointed to represent him as rulers on earth. That's all in this concept of image-bearing. Yeah. Problem is, though, what happens in the garden? A reversal of rule. Rather than keeping this proper distinction where the glory of God is supreme, man rules as a vice regent under God over the other animals, what do you have?

You have a serpent, a lower beast, exert himself over man, which is the place of God, and what happens with man? The woman leads the man, rather than the man leading the woman. So there's a reversal of leadership and submits to the usurper, which completely reverses the rulership of the universe, and that's why I think the devil is called the God of this age at that particular point, because Adam has submitted himself under that false rulership, and this needs to be undone by Christ.

Genesis 3, 15, crushing the head of the serpent, restoring the order that God originally intended. So all that's good theology. So there's no problem in this song until he said, above all, and I think he said, above all, because he wanted to keep the alliteration of above all powers, above all nature, above all wisdom.

Good, good, praise God, but then thought of me, above all. It just sounded good when he wrote it, but that's bad theology. It's that man-centeredness that's creeped in to evangelicalism. All right, let's go now to, yes, Isaiah 23.

Yeah, all the way up until above all. He thought of me. He did think of me on the cross. He knew me, and he was nailing my sins that he knew to his hands, behind his hands, his blood covering the written code that was against me, and he knew all of that and thought of it on the cross, but it wasn't above all.

It wasn't the main impetus of his dying. Higher than that was his own glory, obedience to the Father. Right. Yeah. Yeah, even before creation. Yeah, the Lamb slain from before the foundation of the world.

The Lamb's book of life written before the foundation of the world. That means our names written before the world was even formed. Okay, so let's look at this. The Lord purposes to glorify himself. Did you hear that?

This is his purpose. We're going to see his purpose is to glorify himself by displaying his glory. He's glorifying both his kindness and his severity. And were it not for his restraint, his severity would be visible all the time.

So today we're going to be looking at the city of Tyre and the severe judgment against the people of Tyre. Before we look into Isaiah's prophecies of the same, somebody read for me Matthew 11, 21, and someone else Acts 21, 3 to 4.

So Matthew 11, 21. Slip your hand up if you don't mind getting that for me. Okay, Bob's got it. Woe to you, Chorazin. Woe to you, Bethsaida. They had seen the miracles of Jesus and yet they weren't responding in faith.

If, however, Jesus had done the same miracles in Tyre and Sidon, what would Tyre and Sidon have done? They would have repented long ago. This is an indication that God will have a remnant people in Tyre and Sidon.

Tyre and Sidon are cities on the coast. Sidon actually began thousands of years before Christ as the primary coastal trading city. Just a few leagues south was another city called Tyre. And this was kind of like a small outpost that was born out of Sidon, but then grew and outgrew its mother.

To the point where Tyre became the leading center of commerce on the Mediterranean Sea. Able to trade down the Nile with Egypt. Able to trade all across into Europe and into Spain. We'll hear of Tarshish in southern Spain.

So Tyre is a coastal city. There will be a remnant people there. In fact, when Paul is on his third missionary journey, closing in on Jerusalem, somebody read for me Acts 21, 3 and 4.

Steve, very good.

So as Paul's sailing into the mainland, coming from Cyprus, heading into Syria, that coastal city is called Tyre. And what does he discover there? The disciples. That means there is a church there in the time of Paul.

A remnant of true believers who are worshiping God. In fact, they're spirit-led in warning him. Were they right to warn him not to go to Jerusalem? Yes, they were. And yet it was God's plan for him to go and suffer.

They were to warn him of that suffering. And then later, as he goes into Caesarea, he says, why are you breaking my heart? I'm willing not just to be bound, but even to die with Christ. And so he goes on as he was intended to go.

So this is this coastal city. It is also a place of great severity, as we'll read about today. In Romans 11, 22, we're told consider both the kindness and the severity of God. Why should we consider both the kindness and severity of God?

Because in displaying grace, kindness towards sinners like us, he shows his character, his loving kindness. How glorious he is and how loving he is. But we're also to consider the severity of God. Because in the severity of God, we see his holiness.

We see how powerful he is. That he is judgmental towards sin is an aspect of his goodness. He is so good, so morally pure, that he does not let sin go unpunished. He is severe towards the sinner. Romans 9, 17 and 9, 22 to 23 say the same thing.

So let's read now Isaiah chapter 23, verses 1 to 6. John, when you're ready, could you read that for us?

The Oracle concerning Tyre, whale-ho ships of Tarshish. For Tyre is destroyed without house or harbor. It is reported to them from the land of Cyprus. Be silent, you habitants of the coastland, you merchants of Sidon.

Your messengers crossed the sea and were on many waters. The grain of the Nile, the harvest of the river was her revenue. And she was the market of nations. Be ashamed, O Sidon, for the sea speaks the stronghold of the sea.

Saying, I have neither traveled, travailed, nor given birth. I have neither brought up young men nor reared virgins. When the report reaches Egypt, they will be in anguish at the report of Tyre. Pass over to Tarshish, whale, O inhabitants of the coastland.

Okay, the concept here, if you see the news of the destruction of Tyre, spreading all the way south to Egypt, all the way across the Mediterranean Sea to Tarshish in southern Spain. All of the world hearing the news and they're weeping and wailing because they know that this commercial city is how they procure so much of their goods.

This is their wealth. This is their trading partner. And the fall of it means their economy is coming to a grinding halt. But notice what Tyre has also exported to the world. Their own fame. The glory of Tyre is in view.

This is a people that the world knows about. They're prideful. They're known. And so they will wail and weep. They're taking glory for themselves. And now God is going to humble them. Whale, O ships of Tarshish, for Tyre is laid waste.

From the land of Cyprus, that's that island off of Greece and Turkey, it is revealed to them. Be still, O inhabitants of the coast. The merchants of Sidon, that's that sister city, who cross the sea have filled you.

And on many waters, your revenue was the grain of Shihor. That's what they want. They like the trade. The peoples of the world love to see a prosperous Tyre because it benefits them. And they're famous for their trade.

Now, verse 7 will make explicit what I'm arguing here.

Yeah, read that for us, John. In this year you jubilant city, whose origin is from antiquity, whose feet used to carry her to colonize distant places.

Is this your exultant city? The concept here is a prideful boasting in who they are, in their fame. The prideful inhabitants of Tyre have fled. The second part of verse 7 says, whose feet carried her to settle far away.

Now, the historical reference for this particular verse and for this whole concept here today is debated. The Bible knowledge commentary holds that this is the Assyrians that we have seen all throughout.

Matthew, Henry, and some others think that this is the Chaldeans who are mentioned in the passage. So the difference would be approximately 70 years. In either case, it's 70 years. So listen, in 700, the Assyrians, 701, the Assyrians came and began to wreck Tyre.

But they never fully captured it. They did set up one of their puppet rulers to be over it. And they had some victories against Tyre. But Tyre was able to withstand out on the sea. It wasn't total fault.

So there will be a reference later on to 70 years. It could be that the occupation of the Assyrians from 700 to 630 is in view here. Or it could be slightly after that, from 605, when the Babylonians, the Chaldeans come, and they also destroy Tyre and occupy.

And that would then go from 605 to 536. If it's the second case, like Matthew, Henry holds, then it's concurrent to what happened to Jerusalem. When Jerusalem falls, they fall. When they go into captivity for 70 years, likewise, Tyre is in captivity for 70 years.

So it's possible. In either case, whether it's the Assyrian onslaught or the later Babylonian one, this is the city of Tyre falling under a world empire. Rich. 330s. We'll get to 332. We'll get to that later.

This anticipates that. And we'll see that. This is referring to an earlier invasion. They're going to be rebuilt after the 70 years, only to fall again. So Ezekiel prophecies of Tyre, and we'll get to that in a minute.

So we are in verse 8 and 9, John.

Who has planned this against Tyre, the bestower of crowns, whose merchants were princes, whose traders were the honored of the earth? The Lord of hosts has planned it to defile the pride of all beauty, to despise all the honored of the earth.

I think the fundamental reason that evangelicalism in America has become so man-centered is because we spend so little time in the prophets. If we were reading Isaiah and Ezekiel and the minor prophets, we would not be a man-centered people.

This absolutely exalts God as the one whose purpose is being fulfilled in all the earth. Even in judgment. Even in the wicked conquering the wicked. Whether it be the Assyrians or the Chaldeans conquering Tyre, it's the wicked conquering the wicked.

And yet, whose purpose is being fulfilled? God, it says. Look at verse 8. Who has purposed this against Tyre? The answer is given. The Lord of hosts has purposed it to defile the pompous pride of all glory.

See, they are stealing glory from God. And so he sends the wicked people to wield like a rod. Again, this is Isaiah 10, compatibilism. Assyria does not so intend in their heart, but God purposes to judge using the rod of his strength.

Here is Assyria or Babylon. Now, let's look at Isaiah 48, 11. Somebody from among us would raise your hand and let me know if you would read Isaiah 48, 11. Okay, Rick, if you would. Take your time. This may be the theme of the book of Isaiah.

Very much the theme of the prophets. The glory of God. That he does not share his glory with another. For my own sake. Just a second. For my own sake, I do it. For how should my name be profane? This is the exaltation of Yahweh, not sharing glory with the prideful of the earth.

Steve. He did. He humbled Nebuchadnezzar. Daniel chapter 4. And then restored his mind after seven years. And what does Nebuchadnezzar do? When he emerges, he confesses the sovereignty of God. God's absolute control.

That no one resists his will. In heaven above or on earth below. All of that, yeah, is an indication of his glory. Okay, so he's going to humble them. They're prideful. That's the problem.

Verses 10 to 12, John. Overflow your land like the Nile, O daughter of Tarshish. There is no more restraint. He has stretched his hand out over the sea. He has made the kingdoms tremble. The Lord has given a command concerning Canaan to demolish its strongholds.

And he has said, you shall exalt no more, O crushed virgin daughter of Sidon. Arise, pass over to Cyprus. Even there you will find no rest.

All right. Well, this is the picture of restraint being lifted. And this is one of the fundamental misunderstandings of our culture. Our culture assumes that people are generally good. And that things go on as day after day with so much blessing.

God must be pleased with people, by and large. Everything is fine with God. What they fail to realize is that God does have wrath against sin. And when he's not displaying that wrath, it is merely because of his own restraint.

He is restraining evil. I've said this many times from the pulpit. If it were not for the restrainer of evil, you and I would not make it home from this Bible study. The wickedness of man is so much greater than we realize.

The wickedness of man would murder you on your way home for being a Christian. You wouldn't make it. But in the common grace of God, he sustains this earth by restraining the total depravity of the human heart all the time.

And this is perfectly consistent with 2 Thessalonians 2, verse 7. Why is it that the tribulation doesn't come now and the lawless one is not revealed? It's in your notes. Somebody want to read for me?

2 Thessalonians 2, 7. Go ahead, Neva. Thanks. Mm-hmm. Neva's gonna get it. Very good. And Neva, would you read it too? We only read it partly. Who is he? The Holy Spirit who uses the church as salt and light in the world as a preservative.

But ultimately, it's God himself, the Spirit, who has been restraining the evil of the world. When he lifts that restraint, do you think there's already an Antichrist ready to take off when God lets him?

How far would have Hitler gone had God not restrained him with the army of the United States of America? If he had the A-bomb, you don't think he'd use it? He would have used it. And do you think Stalin would have stopped?

They say the day before Stalin died, he was plotting another, essentially a pogrom, a holocaust of the Jewish people. He died because God restrained the full extent of what Stalin would have done. And Stalin was probably responsible for nearly 100 million deaths.

This wicked man. And even today, there are wicked men on the earth that, if unrestrained, would carry out the full extent of the Antichrist program. But he who restrains will one day be taken out of the way.

We don't realize the common grace of how God is restraining evil all the time. But it says here in verse 10, Cross over your land like the Nile, O daughter of Tarshish. There is no restraint anymore. God is going to let them be wiped out by the wicked Assyrians.

They're going to flee to Cyprus, not even get much respite there, go all the way to Tarshish. They are being judged. God is no longer restraining. Verse 13 through 18.

Behold the land of the Chaldeans. This is the people which was not. Assyria appointed it for desert creatures. They erected their siege towers. They stripped its palaces. They made it a ruin. Wail, O ships of Tarshish, for your stronghold is destroyed.

Now it will come about in that day that Tyre will be forgotten for 70 years, like the days of one king. At the ascend of 70 years, it will happen to Tyre as in the song of the harlot. Take your harp. Walk about the city, O forgotten harlot.

Pluck the strings skillfully. Sing many songs that you may be remembered. And it will come about at the end of 70 years that the Lord will visit Tyre. Then she will go back to her harlot's wages and will play the harlot with all the kingdoms on the face of the earth.

And her gain and her harlot's wages will be set apart to the Lord. It will not be stored up or hoarded, but her gain will become sufficient food and choice attire for those who dwell in the presence of the Lord.

Okay, verse 13 is a clue to who did this. Who done it? Was it Assyria or the Chaldeans? The Dallas guys will say it was Assyria. Why? Because it says behold the land of the Chaldeans. That could reference how the Chaldeans were wiped out.

If you remember the table of judgment beginning all the way back, I think it's chapter 13. The first nation wiped out, 14, were the Babylonians. And then as you travel in west from there, the Medes, you have the Ammonites, you have Valley of Vision, you have many different people groups.

The Arabs and the sons of, what was her name? The other, what's the other one that Abraham married? Keturah. The sons of Keturah. We saw that last week. They're moving in and conquering everybody. So it would make sense that this is also the Assyrian onslaught in 700 that will last for 70 years.

Now, you could say behold the land of the Chaldeans. In other words, it's the Chaldeans who are coming to do this. And in fact, they do it too. So in either case, Tyre is wiped out by both. Not fully.

That doesn't happen until Alexander the Great. So there's going to be, though, a 70-year judgment and then a restoration. Now, when they come back, what are they compared to after the 70-year judgment?

What's the analogy? A prostitute. And what is she doing? She's parading herself. She's playing the harp. She's wooing men. Makes sweet melody. Now, I don't think this refers necessarily to just the actual practice of harlotry.

It is an analogy. She's back to her old ways. She's the harlot of the nations. She is idolatrous in the sense of a spiritual adultery. She's back to her prideful ways and she's rebuilding. Very interesting.

So you see from verses 13 to 18, look at 17 actually. At the end of 70 years, the Lord will visit Tyre and she will return to what? Her wages and will prostitute herself with all the kingdoms of the world on the face of the earth.

What does that mean? She's prosperous again. She's prideful again. Now, hold on for one second. This is where Alexander the Great will come in. At this point in time, Tyre is restored. But it's not forever.

Why would God bring her back? Look at verse 18. Her merchandise and her wages will be holy to the Lord. Or as the King James says, holiness to the Lord. How could that be? Is the product of economic commerce inherently evil?

It is not. In fact, when Christians participate in the marketplace, God is providing for us. The mammon of this earth is only filthy lucre when we begin to commit adultery with it. When we become prideful in trust and riches.

God provides for us as we do business with Tyre. Jerusalem will achieve much of the rebuilding of the city and the building of the temple even through Tyre. Receiving shipments in from Lebanon. Tyre will be the center of commerce.

And God has good purposes for the remnant people. Brothers and sisters, we need to excel in commerce. I think it's good to work hard. And I listen to Michael Foster. Anybody else listen to him? The guy we saw at the Builders Summit.

He talks about how the church has really failed men. Because we say that the only thing that is manly is to teach a Bible study. But that's not the only thing that's manly. Or womanly. There are ways that we can serve God that involve our hands.

To go and work for a farmer. To work a 12-hour day close to the sod and God. As the old expression was in the Puritan days. Is worship. And it's good. You see, the commerce, if it's done to the glory of God.

If you do everything for the glory of God. Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might. Do everything to the glory of God. That includes work.

Yeah. Yeah, absolutely.

So that explains verse 18. The merchandise and wages will be holy to the Lord. It will not be stored or hoarded. But her merchandise will supply abundant food and fine clothing for those who dwell before the Lord.

There's still a remnant people that benefit from the commerce of this earth. We have to participate in the economy. And do all things for the glory of God. Okay, you know what I'm going to do? I'm going to just break here rather than doing chapter 24.

Chapter 24, I wanted to see the continuity. Because what we get there is the destruction of all the earth. It's when God finally lifts his hand of restraint in the period of tribulation. And I'm going to point out the reason I wanted to tie it together.

Because this is a break in the text. We're finishing the judgment, the oracles against the nations. And then 24 to 27 will be another sermon that Isaiah preaches. But it ties in from 23 to 24. Because just as Tyre is wrecked, God will one day wreck the whole earth.

I just wanted to show you something that happens that corresponds to this. In verses 1 to 13 of chapter 24. And we'll read the whole thing next week. But right now you'll see it is a picture of the tribulation.

But look at verses 14 to 16. John, could you read 24, just 14 to 16? They raise their voices.

They shout for joy. They cry out from the west concerning the majesty of the Lord. Therefore, glorify the Lord in the east. The name of the Lord, the God of Israel. In the coastlands of the sea, from the ends of the earth, we hear songs.

Glory to the righteous one. But I say, woe to me. Woe to me. Alas for me. The treacherous deal treacherously. And the treacherous deal very treacherously.

What do the righteous do in the tribulation when God is wrecking the world? Look at verse 14. They lift up their voices. They sing for joy. Isn't that amazing? It cannot be that God's highest aim in this world is the uplifting of humanity.

Not if you read the book of Revelation. Look at Revelation 18 .20. Yeah, just a second.

We spent time earlier today in Psalm 68. Yes. It starts out in verse 1, Psalm 68. Let God arise. And I'm going to reread that in just a minute. Let God arise. His enemies be scattered and let those who hate them flee before him.

Down to verse 3. But the righteous be glad. Let them exalt before God. Yes, let them rejoice with gladness. So what we've got in the world today is arrogance on the part of the evil. But then let me read those first three words again.

Let God arise. 68.

Yeah. That's a good word. Delighting, even in God's judgment. So in Revelation 18 .20, take it back a verse. Verse 19. The people of earth are throwing dust on their heads as they wept and mourned. Crying out, alas, alas for the great city where all who had ships at sea grew rich by her wealth.

For in a single hour she has been laid waste. You see the stripping away of everything that can be shaken. You see the people of earth losing the goods of this world. But look at verse 20. Rejoice over her, oh heaven, and you saints and apostles and prophets.

For God has given judgment for you against her. The chief end of man cannot be the glorification of himself. That's what the world thinks it is. All of the man-centered ideologies that we see, built on rights, built on the human as the center of the world, are vain.

It is the vain glory of man. A small, minor, created being exalting himself to the place of God, just like Satan did. A very interesting passage, and we'll close with this, related to Tyre. After they were punished for 70 years and they were humbled, they came back like a prostitute and did the very same things.

And from 536, if it was the Babylonian conquering, all the way until Alexander in 332. They, for 300 years, are prospering again. So prideful are they that Ezekiel 28 begins to address the king of Tyre.

And he speaks about how prideful the king of Tyre is and how he's going to be brought low. But as Ezekiel speaks to the king of Tyre, he begins to address not just the king himself, but the spirit that animates that pride.

You guys remember this passage? This, like Isaiah 14, Ezekiel 28, Isaiah 14, are the two passages that speak about the fall of Lucifer. He begins to speak to Satan. So, Satan was so possessing the king of Tyre that the prophet Ezekiel could speak to the king, and then speak to the spirit within the king, who's over the king, and then transition back to speaking to the king of Tyre again.

Very interesting passage. And the problem is the problem of pride. That's what caused the fall of Lucifer. Let me just read a couple words because I do have a couple minutes here. Ezekiel 28, this is about the king of Tyre.

This coastal city, verse 1 says, The word of the Lord came to me, son of man, say to the prince of Tyre, thus says the Lord, because your heart is proud and you have said, I am a God. I sit in the seat of the gods in the heart of the seas.

So prideful. Now, look ahead to verse 11. The Lord is going to continue to speak judgment, but now he's speaking not just to the king of Tyre, but to the spirit that animates him. Son of man, raise a lamentation over the king of Tyre and say to him, thus says the Lord God, you were the signet of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.

You were in Eden, the garden of God. Every precious stone was your covering. Sardius, topaz, and diamond. Beryl, onyx, and jasper. Sapphire, emerald, and carbuncle. And crafted in gold were your settings and your engravings.

On the day that you were created, they were prepared. You were an anointed guardian cherub. I placed you. You were on the holy mountain of God in the midst of the stones of fire you walked. You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created till unrighteousness was found in you.

And now the parallel again to Tyre as a place. In the abundance of your trade, you were filled with violence in your midst and you sinned. So I cast you as a profane thing from the mountain of God. And I destroyed you, oh guardian cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire.

Your heart was proud because of your beauty. You see that? You corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor. And he's transitioning back now and continues to refer to the king of Tyre. So the idea here is behind the king of Tyre was a prideful spirit which mirrored and was in fact animated by Satan himself.

The devil who fell from the garden of Eden and from his abode in heaven where he walked among the fiery stones. So in closing, the point of Isaiah 23 is to remind us to glorify God in all things. Don't steal glory from him.

He doesn't share glory with another. In Psalm 50 21, it says these things you have done and I have been silent. You thought that I was one like yourself, but now I rebuke you and lay the charge before you.

God has been merciful to the world. That's because he restrains his judgment, not because the earth deserves anything from him. The pride of man will one day be humbled. So let's live like a people who are God-centered in how we think.

The world demands things of God. Let's be a people that glorifies God in humble thanksgiving. Thanking God for his restraint. John, would you close us in prayer?

Lord God, you have given us your insight and peeled back your vision on reality. That a city like Tyre that had so much of its own and was so self-assured and felt that they were perhaps even indestructible.

You are the sovereign God. While you are kind, you are yet holy and just. Father, we are blessed in so many ways. We should not take them for granted or ascribe them to ourselves. But always, always realize that what we are, what we have are gifts from you for your glory.

Let our focus be to give glory to God. We pray in Jesus name. Amen. Amen. Amen.