A Prophecy Against Tyre
God gave Ezekiel a prophecy concerning the nation of Tyre. A prophecy of doom and destruction. Tyre believed it could profit from Israel’s downfall and take advantage of Jerusalem after the people had been taken captive.
The region of ancient Tyre is located in modern-day Lebanon 🇱🇧
In the 11th month of the 12th year on the 1st day of the month the prophecy came to Ezekiel saying:
2 “Son of man, because Tyre has said of Jerusalem, ‘Aha! The gate to the nations is broken, and its doors have swung open to me; now that she lies in ruins I will prosper,’ 3 therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am against you, Tyre, and I will bring many nations against you, like the sea casting up its waves. 4 They will destroy the walls of Tyre and pull down her towers; I will scrape away her rubble and make her a bare rock. 5 Out in the sea she will become a place to spread fishnets, for I have spoken, declares the Sovereign Lord. She will become plunder for the nations, 6 and her settlements on the mainland will be ravaged by the sword. Then they will know that I am the Lord.
~ Ezekiel 26:2-6
What this tells me, as seen in Zechariah 2:8-9, is that anyone who touches the apple of God’s eye will face judgment. From a natural perspective, Tyre’s actions may have seemed logical — a neighbouring nation taking advantage of another nation’s collapse in order to gain land, wealth, and influence. Yet God judged Tyre for its pride, greed, and hostility toward Jerusalem.
From the north I am going to bring against Tyre Nebuchadnezzar[b] king of Babylon, king of kings, with horses and chariots, with horsemen and a great army. 8 He will ravage your settlements on the mainland with the sword; he will set up siege works against you, build a ramp up to your walls and raise his shields against you. 9 He will direct the blows of his battering rams against your walls and demolish your towers with his weapons.
~Ezekiel 26: 7 – 9
The Lord even declares in verse 14 that:
14 I will make you a bare rock, and you will become a place to spread fishnets. You will never be rebuilt, for I the Lord have spoken, declares the Sovereign Lord.
~ Ezekiel 26:14
At first glance, this may seem contradictory because Lebanon still exists today. However, the prophecy specifically concerns the ancient city and power of Tyre and its former glory.
Historically, King Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon besieged mainland Tyre between 585–573 BC, and the coastal city fell. However, Babylon could not fully conquer the island portion of Tyre.
Later, Alexander the Great besieged the island city in 332 BC, destroyed it, and reportedly killed thousands of its inhabitants. In order to reach the island, Alexander used the rubble, timber, and stones from the destroyed mainland city to build a causeway through the sea. In this way, many see the prophecy of Ezekiel 26:12 fulfilled literally:
12 They will plunder your wealth and loot your merchandise; they will break down your walls and demolish your fine houses and throw your stones, timber and rubble into the sea.
~Ezekiel 26:12
Tyre was ultimately stripped of its former splendor and dominance. The island city became connected to the mainland, from then on the island on which Tyre was built was no longer an island but a peninsula.
Modern-day Tyre and Lebanon have never regained the same level of influence, wealth, prominence, and power that ancient Tyre once possessed in Ezekiel’s day. Ancient Tyre was humbled, and its glory faded.
This serves as a reminder that God’s word does not fail. What He speaks comes to pass in His appointed time. It is also a warning to be careful about opposing or dishonoring what is precious to God.
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