Ezekiel 12; Psalm 89; Ezekiel 19:1-14; Ezekiel 22:23-31; Ezekiel 25 – 28

Many have read the writings of Ezekiel 28 and “found” an account of Satan – a beautiful angel – falling into sin and being cast out of heaven. The only problem with this interpretation is that it defies the clear statements that Ezekiel is talking about the Prince of Tyre who is rejoicing over Jerusalem’s fall and seeking ways to benefit from her misfortune. In reality, we have a wonderful example of divine sarcasm aimed at a haughty human. Hold that thought, and let’s get some context from everything else going on.

I will sing of the steadfast love of the LORD, forever; with my mouth I will make known your faithfulness to all generations. For I said, “Steadfast love will be built up forever; in the heavens you will establish your faithfulness.” You have said, “I have made a covenant with my chosen one; I have sworn to David my servant: ‘I will establish your offspring forever, and build your throne for all generations.’ Selah.

Psalm 89:1-4

At first glance, the words of Ethan the Ezrahite seem out of place in the waves of bad news about Jerusalem’s fall. Soaking it all in, however, reveals some very timely truths about our covenant-making God. Puppet kings now rule over Judah, a vassal state to the Babylonian Empire. No longer are the divinely-anointed line of David and Solomon ruling in righteousness, but the human hand-picked yes men for Nebuchadnezzar do his bidding. Did Yahweh lie about this covenant?

But now you have cast off and rejected; you are full of wrath against your anointed. You have renounced the covenant with your servant; you have defiled his crown in the dust. You have breached all his walls; you have laid his strongholds in ruins. All who pass by plunder him; he has become the scorn of his neighbors. You have exalted the right hand of his foes; you have made all his enemies rejoice. You have also turned back the edge of his sword, and you have not made him stand in battle. You have made his splendor to cease and cast his throne to the ground. You have cut short the days of his youth; you have covered him with shame. Selah.

Psalm 89:38-45

The great city lay in ruins, the temple of Solomon has been plundered and the people are held captive in a faraway land. The nations around Judah mock her, and the kings of those nations ridicule. God will not be mocked by Israelites or Gentiles. In turn, He will deal with them all – including the Prince of Tyre.

A long succession of prophets, culminating with Jeremiah and Ezekiel lay out the clear case for the broken covenant and where the true fault lies. The people of Israel broke the covenant Yahweh made with them. They did not keep the Law and they turned to false gods. But, that’s the law of Moses and the covenant Yahweh made with Moses … Yahweh made a different covenant with David.

Of old you spoke in a vision to your godly one, and said: “I have granted help to one who is mighty; I have exalted one chosen from the people. I have found David, my servant; with my holy oil I have anointed him, so that my hand shall be established with him; my arm also shall strengthen him. The enemy shall not outwit him; the wicked shall not humble him. I will crush his foes before him and strike down those who hate him. My faithfulness and my steadfast love shall be with him, and in my name shall his horn be exalted. I will set his hand on the sea and his right hand on the rivers. He shall cry to me, ‘You are my Father, my God, and the Rock of my salvation.’ And I will make him the firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth. My steadfast love I will keep for him forever, and my covenant will stand firm for him. I will establish his offspring forever and his throne as the days of the heavens.

Psalm 89:19-29

Looking back, we now know that the covenant with David is fulfilled in Jesus, the King of kings and Lord of lords. Indeed, this descendant of David will rule for all eternity. The kings of Israel and Judah followed their arrogant hearts to their own destruction and the destruction of their nations. Yahweh humbles the arrogant and exalts the humble. Yahweh will not be mocked by Hebrew or Gentile, young or old, prince or pauper. That includes the Prince of Tyre.

References to the garden of Eden, an anointed cherub and a casting out due to sin lead some to see in this prophecy the story of Satan. Keeping in mind how Yahweh has dealt with Pharaohs, kings of Assyria, Israel and Judah look at what this clearly says…

“Son of man, say to the prince of Tyre, Thus says the Lord GOD: “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,’ yet you are but a man, and no god, though you make your heart like the heart of a god—

Ezekiel 28:2

Through Ezekiel Yahweh is prophesying judgment upon the nations around Judah for their arrogance and idolatry. He will not be mocked. In the midst of these is the prophecy against Tyre and her haughty prince. Yahweh employs some good old-fashioned sarcasm to chide him. This is not about Satan, it about a man who thought way too much of himself and then rejoiced in the fall of Jerusalem. Nothing more and nothing less. Enjoy the sarcasm, but don’t miss the point – you reap what you sow, God will not be mocked.

Through Isaiah, Yahweh speaks to the king of Babylon in a similar ways. Notice the use of the word “taunt”…

you will take up this taunt against the king of Babylon: “How the oppressor has ceased, the insolent fury ceased! The LORD has broken the staff of the wicked, the scepter of rulers, that struck the peoples in wrath with unceasing blows, that ruled the nations in anger with unrelenting persecution. The whole earth is at rest and quiet; they break forth into singing. The cypresses rejoice at you, the cedars of Lebanon, saying, ‘Since you were laid low, no woodcutter comes up against us.’ Sheol beneath is stirred up to meet you when you come; it rouses the shades to greet you, all who were leaders of the earth; it raises from their thrones all who were kings of the nations. All of them will answer and say to you: ‘You too have become as weak as we! You have become like us!’ Your pomp is brought down to Sheol, the sound of your harps; maggots are laid as a bed beneath you, and worms are your covers. “How you are fallen from heaven, O Day Star, son of Dawn! How you are cut down to the ground, you who laid the nations low! You said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; above the stars of God I will set my throne on high; I will sit on the mount of assembly in the far reaches of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’ But you are brought down to Sheol, to the far reaches of the pit. Those who see you will stare at you and ponder over you: ‘Is this the man who made the earth tremble, who shook kingdoms, who made the world like a desert and overthrew its cities, who did not let his prisoners go home?’ All the kings of the nations lie in glory, each in his own tomb; but you are cast out, away from your grave, like a loathed branch, clothed with the slain, those pierced by the sword, who go down to the stones of the pit, like a dead body trampled underfoot.

Isaiah 14:4-19

Many interpret this to speak of Satan (Lucifer), too. As with Ezekiel, Isaiah makes it clear he speaks to a specific human king that is mocking the Almighty. He, too, would reap what he has sown.

In all of these passages concerning the fall, exile and return of Judah we must glean the simple and persistent truth that in all of this, Yahweh remains true to His word and His plan. He was faithful at all times to the covenant through Moses, including the destruction and judgment that came when the people broke it. He was and still is faithful to His covenant with David with Jesus reigning today and forevermore. Yahweh was and is faithful to His word to all of mankind and He will not be mocked. We shall all reap what we have sown.

Consider His nature.  Consider His ways.  Strive to love Him more!