Journal Through the Bible: Week 83 Friday

Ezekiel chapter 28

Wilt thou yet say before him that slayeth thee, I am God? but thou shalt be a man, and no God, in the hand of him that slayeth thee. Verse 9

Does God issue any commands?

• God told Ezekiel to speak to the prince of Tyrus and deliver the message God had for him about his pride. (As I read it I question whether God is being somewhat sarcastic when He talks of the prince's wisdom or if He is saying that the prince truly is a man of business sense that he turned into a god complex.)
• God told Ezekiel to take up a lamentation for the king of Tyrus. (The lamentation makes it sound as if the king is the personification of Lucifer, the anointed cherub who became Satan, who had seen all the beautiful creation of God including the Garden of Eden.) 
• God told Ezekiel to prophesy against the people of Zidon (the people of Jezebel).

Does God make any promises?

• Because of his pride and arrogance, God would bring the terrors of other nations down upon him and he would die the deaths of those killed at sea.
• God pronounced a judgment by fire upon the king of Tyrus, Satan, who was lifted up because of his beauty. God said he would cast him to the ground and kings would look at him. See also Isaiah 14:16
• God promised to execute judgment upon Zidon and that they would know that He is the LORD. They would no longer be a snare to Israel after the return of the remnant.
• God promised safety for the remnant that returned to Israel out of captivity and they would know that He is the LORD.

Does this chapter teach anything about Jesus?

• God pronounces judgment upon Satan. Other scriptures tell us that it is Jesus that defeated Satan on the cross and assured that the battle was won. Other scriptures tell us that Jesus will completely defeat Satan when He casts him into the lake of fire. Even this chapter says that the judgment is by fire.

Does this chapter teach anything about yet-future events?

• God speaks of the future judgment of Satan in the lamentation verses. He says that all the kings of the nations will look at him. Isaiah 14:16 tells us that all will gaze intently at him and be amazed that this is the one that caused all the trouble in the kingdoms of the world. God says in this chapter that Satan will be judged by fire and then he will be no more.