Ezekiel Chapter 26

Verses 7–14 are a prophecy of the destruction by King Nebuchadnezzar of the first Tyre, when the city was on the mainland.

Actually it appears only verses 7-11 pertain to the destruction of Tyre by Nebuchadnezzar, verses 12-14 appear to be more in regards to some of the other “nations” mentioned in verse 3 that would destroy Tyre beginning with the destruction brought by Alexander the Great and those aligned with him in 332 B.C. followed by others leading up to its final destruction by the Saracens in 1291 A.D. as verse 14 says it will never be rebuilt after that time.

“Ezekiel began his prophecy by stating that “many nations” would come against Tyre (Verse 3). Then he proceeded to name Nebuchadnezzar, and stated that “he” would build a siege mound, “he” would slay with the sword, and “he” would do numerous other things (Verses 7-11). However, in 26:12, the pronoun shifts from the singular “he” to the plural “they.” It is in verse 12 and following that Ezekiel predicts that “they” will lay the stones and building material of Tyre in the “midst of the waters.” The shift in pronouns is of vast significance, since it shifts the subject of the action from Nebuchadnezzar (he) back to the many nations (they). Many have failed to see this shift and mistakenly apply the utter destruction of Tyre to the efforts of Nebuchadnezzar.” (Apologetics Press, Tyre in Prophecy by Kyle Butt, M.Div.)

Keep in mind here in this study we are more concerned with the antitypical significance of these verses than we are in their literal application, nevertheless being able to visualize the literal helps us to better grasp the symbolic meaning.

VERSE 7 “For thus says the Lord God: ‘Behold, I will bring against Tyre from the north Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, king of kings, with horses, with chariots, and with horsemen, and an army with many people.”

In this picture Nebuchadnezzar is a type of Christ the true “king of kings” (1 Tim 6:15; Rev 17:14) and in due time he will bring against symbolic Tyre, ‘Babylon’ typing the kingdom of Satan “an army with many people” i.e. the Lord’s great army (the discontented masses, i.e. the “sea class”), and Great Babylon will be cast into the sea (the anarchist masses of humanity), and destroyed, never to arise again (Rev 18:21).

Even now the Lord’s Great Army is mustering its forces from the four corners of the earth in preparation for this great battle to come.

“…A people come, great and strong, the like of whom has never been; nor will there ever be any such after them…The earth quakes before them, the heavens tremble; the sun and moon grow dark, And the stars diminish their brightness. The Lord gives voice before His army, for His camp is very great; for strong is the One who executes His word.” Joel 2:2-11

“Nebuchadnezzar, a heathen king, came from the north to destroy Tyre. Cyrus, a heathen king, came from the east, to destroy Babylon. There is a difference in the antitype. The attack from the north on mystic Babylon will come from anarchistic mobs (the “sea class”) and communists (Gog, of the land of Magog, the prince of Rosh, i.e. Russia).

In the attack from the east against mystic Babylon, Jesus and the Church will do the destroying (Rev. 16:12). In other words, the same destruction on the same system is viewed from two different standpoints, both bringing divine judgment: (1) anarchistic mobs on the earth and (2) Jesus and the Church from heaven. The “many people” (verse 7) indicates that the force to destroy mystic Babylon will be varied (labor, Communists, Infidels, Socialists, Anarchists, Nihilists and Racists etc.).”

VERSE 8 “He will slay with the sword your daughter villages in the fields; he will heap up a siege mound against you, build a wall against you, and raise a defense against you.”

The same daughters which were mentioned in verse 6. Not only will Great Babylon specifically the Mother of harlots (Papacy) be slayed, but likewise her children, her harlot daughters who reside in the field (the world) i.e. the various Protestants denominations.

Those who claim that Protestants are not the same as the mother system are left to argue with the Lord who says, “Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? No one!” (Job 14:4)

“… Do you not know that he who is joined to a harlot is one body with her? …” 1 Cor 6:16

“Come down and sit in the dust, O virgin (a most evident false claim of purity) Daughter of Babylon…” Isa 47:1

It should be understood here that although in this final great struggle many will literally perish at the hands of physical weapons of warfare nevertheless Great Babylon’s true death, both Mother and daughters will come by way of the sword of the spirit; it is the truth that will slay them not only as great systems and institutions of error but likewise as individual professing Christians, no longer will any such make the claim of being a Jew (a Christian), a true follower of the Lord, for by then the true “Jews”, “the Israel of God” (Gal 6:16) will have been made manifest to all and all others who say they are Jews (spiritual Israelites), will be proven to be liars and of the synagogue Satan, the Church Nominal. (Rev 2:9; 3:9)

VERSE 9 “He will direct his battering rams against your walls, and with his axes he will break down your towers.”

He that is Christ typified by Nebuchadnezzar will direct his battering rams (strong truths) to pound down and breach the walls of the enemy’s fortress of error.

“Thus says the Lord of hosts: “The broad walls of Babylon shall be utterly broken… (Jer 51:58)

And with axes (a “destroying or shattering weapon” Ezek 9:1, 2, the word of God used for the destruction of errors) he will cut down your towers (your strongholds, organizations and institutions of error, both Catholic and Protestant alike).

“For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal (literal weapons) but (nevertheless) mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.” (2 Cor 10:4, 5)

VERSES 10-11 “Because of the abundance of his horses, their dust will cover you; your walls will shake at the noise of the horsemen, the wagons, and the chariots, when he enters your gates, as men enter a city that has been breached. With the hooves of his horses he will trample all your streets; he will slay your people by the sword, and your strong pillars will fall to the ground.”

“What a dramatic prophecy! When King Nebuchadnezzar’s army inundated Tyre, the noise of the chariot wheels could be heard, causing the inhabitants to be tremendously fearful. A wild melee of confusion—bedlam—resulted. In antitype the people of mystic Babylon will view the anarchistic mobs similarly, with great fear, realizing the confusion means death to the system. The tares will be burned up (Matt. 13:30).”

Horses represent doctrines (whether they be true or false); those who ride upon these horses, the horsemen represent the followers or promoters of those doctrines.

Because of the overwhelming flood of truth (the “noise of the horseman”) revealing the errors of Tyre (Babylon), completely covering and exposing every error propagated there, the gates of the city will be breached, and the walls (the long held errors and doctrines which sustained the apostate church) will be shaken.

And with “the hooves of his horses”, the doctrines sent forth by his horsemen which reveal the errors of Tyre he will trample (overcome, conquer and subdue) “all your streets” all the various pathways in Babylon which lead to one or another of the various sects or institutions of men will be exposed for what they truly are. Likewise he will slay all the nominal professors in Tyre (the “tares”) by the sword of the spirit (the slaying here being the same as that previously mentioned in verse 8), and your “strong pillars” your chief ones, leaders and teachers will fall from their supposedly high ecclesiastical positions to the ground revealing themselves to have been nothing more than the blind guides of the blind, false shepherds deceivers, false teachers.

Continued with next post.