He continues with that theme today. "Cross over to Tarshish; wail, you people of the island. Is this your city of revelry, the old, old city, whose feet have taken her to settle in far-off lands?" (Isaiah 23:6-7) Tyre would be attacked by both Assyria and Babylon but the primary fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy that the people would be taken to settle in far-off lands would occur during the time of Alexander the Great. Alexander sold 30,000 of them into slavery to other nations.
Why will this happen to the ancient seaport city? Isaiah provides the answer. "Who planned this against Tyre, the bestower of crowns, whose merchants are princes, whose traders are renowned in the earth? The Lord Almighty planned it, to bring down her pride in all her splendor and to humble all who are renowned on the earth." (Isaiah 23:8-9)
This is the Lord's judgment. The Tyrians reveled in the works of their own hands, not in the works of the Lord. They worshiped idols, not the one true God. Their idols weren't only the type we typically think of, such as graven images, but they were also the idols of wealth and prestige. They were lifted up in pride over everything they had achieved, not giving any glory to the God without whom they wouldn't even exist. They believed they were too big to fall, but that is not true of any nation. There are many verses in the Bible about how the Lord hates pride and about how He gives grace to the humble. The Lord blesses those who bless Him. The Lord honors those who honor Him. The Lord lifts up those who humble themselves but the Lord humbles those who are lifted up in pride in themselves.
Not only will the Lord humble proud and idolatrous Tyre but, through the judgment He sends upon Tyre, He will humble the proud and idolatrous nations that profited through their trade in this seaport city. This is why Isaiah said in verse 9 that the Lord would bring down the pride of Tyre and "humble all who are renowned on the earth". Tyre made itself prosperous by worldly means and it enabled many other nations and tribes to prosper. But none of them acknowledged God as Lord, and in that sense they were destitute.
The Lord Jesus Christ once asked in a sermon, "What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?" (Mark 8:36) Many idolaters have done well for themselves, materially speaking. Many idolaters have made great names for themselves in a worldly sense. But they've forfeited their souls and there is nothing worth missing out on salvation! The citizens of ancient Tyre thought they had it all but they were like the wealthy apostate church of the end times, about which the Lord Jesus said: "You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked." (Revelation 3:17)
I am not stating that it is a sin to succeed in our careers or to make a good living for our families. The Lord enjoys giving gifts to His children and if we have made any wealth by living according to God's principles, by working hard, and by honoring Him, the Bible is not saying that we are destitute in spirit because we have made some money. The words of Isaiah's prophecy and the words of the Lord Jesus regarding wealth are spoken about those who have made wealth their god. They serve money, not the Lord. They have likely done some ungodly things in order to make their money but even if they haven't, they value money above everything else. This is idolatry.
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