Ezekiel Chapter 28, Part 2

Lamentation for the King of Tyre

VERSE 11 and 12 “Moreover the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Son of man, take up a lamentation for the king of Tyre, and say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “You were the seal of perfection, Full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.”

Note the distinction between “King” and “prince” (Verse 2). The “King” of Tyrus is Satan, whereas the “prince” of Tyrus is Papacy, Satan’s masterpiece.

“The “prince” of Tyre speaks the words of Antichrist (Ezek 28:1-10; Dan. 7:8, 25; 2 Thess. 2:3-4), but the real power behind Tyre (Babylon the Great) is the “King” of Tyre Lucifer/Satan himself (Ezek 28:12-19).

When originally created, Lucifer was a glorious spirit being, beautiful to behold and perfect. As an archangel, one of the two morning stars (Job 38:7; Rev. 22:16), he was “full of wisdom,” that is, wily and very wise. “Thou sealest up the sum [you are complete], full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty.” (AV Version) In other words, as expressed in the superlative, when Lucifer was created, he was not just perfect but he had beauty and wisdom in abundance.

“…Full of wisdom…” In other words complete in wisdom, filled with the totality or sum (the full measure or capacity) of knowledge and understanding which is possible for this particular grade of angelic being.

“…perfect in beauty.”— I.e. perfect in holiness.

So beautiful, so bright was this angel that he was called Lucifer, which means, “Light bearer”. He was likewise referred to as “the Son of the morning” (Isa 14:12) this most likely because he was one of the very first angels made.

There were only two “morning stars” ever created, the first of which was, “the beginning of the creation of God” (Rev 3:14), our Lord Jesus Christ, the only direct creation of God, the “Bright and morning star” (Rev 22:16), the second morning star was Lucifer who was likewise a created being, however NOT a direct creation, but rather one who was subsequently created by God through the means of the Logos, our Lord.

Looking at the antitype we note the following from Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible which gives a good suggestion:

“The man of sin”, who takes upon himself the power of making rules and canons for faith and practice: full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty; a most accomplished man for parts and person in his own conceit: antichrist assumes to himself a perfect knowledge of the Scriptures, and sets up himself as an infallible judge of controversies; and glories in the splendor and order of his church, and the government of it.”

VERSE 13 “You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone was your covering: The sardius, topaz, and diamond, Beryl, onyx, and jasper, Sapphire, turquoise, and emerald with gold. The workmanship of your timbrels [tambourines] and pipes [flutes] was prepared for you on the day you were created.”

“Eden the garden of God” is heaven. Just as Adam was created a beautiful, perfect human being in a paradise spot here on earth, so on a larger scale, Lucifer was created a glorious spirit being in the great heavens. Stated another way, there was a spiritual Eden in heaven as well as a physical Eden here on earth. Both Lucifer and Adam were created perfect and subsequently sinned and fell.

How do we know for sure that this “garden of God” spoken of here refers to a spiritual Eden?

Well for starters Verse 13 states that: “You were in Eden, the garden of God… on the day you were created,” and since we know that Lucifer being one of the morning stars was most likely created prior to the rest of the angelic host who along with himself would at some future date “shout with joy” (Job 38:7) at the creation of the earth, the future home of man, it is self-evident that this could not have referred to the Garden of Eden on earth as the earth was not yet in existence when Lucifer was created.

The description of a spirit-being in terms of human comprehension involves the brilliance of precious stones, the melodic capabilities of instruments of music.

“Every precious stone was thy covering.” There were ten precious stones in all (gold being the tenth), “ten” being a picture of completion. Ornamentation and beauty and various perfections and personality traits are represented by the stones. Lucifer had them in abundance.

“The workmanship of your timbrels [tambourines] and pipes [flutes] was prepared for you…” The harmony of thy faculties, their perfect balance and accord was created in him. God left him a marvel to behold so his fall cannot be laid to God.

VERSE 14 “You were the anointed cherub who covers; I established you; you were on the holy mountain of God; you walked back and forth in the midst of fiery stones.”

“The anointed cherub who covers (overshadows, protects, a caretaker),” Lucifer was charged with protecting the original pair in Eden’s garden, but he usurped power over them through deception.

As an “anointed cherub,” that is, as an archangel (a chief angel or messenger), Lucifer was companion and brother to the Logos (THE chief angel), as it were, but the spirit of jealousy, vainglory, and pride in personal glory went to his head. The Logos, or Michael, had all of the same qualities but in the sense of good character. The fact that Lucifer was “anointed” means he had an office—a very high (appointed) office or position. As an archangel, Lucifer would have had certain privileges above those of the other angel’s one of these the ability to roam the heavens freely.

The “holy mountain of God” is another reference to “Eden the garden of God” in heaven.

Lucifer and the Logos were both archangels. Let us consider them one at a time.

The following texts prove that Lucifer was an archangel:

1) Lucifer was an “anointed cherub who covers” and a “covering cherub” (Ezek. 28:14, 16).

2) Isaiah called him, “O Lucifer, son of the morning!” (Isa. 14:12).

3) Lucifer fell as “lightning” (as a “bright shiner,” Greek astrape) from heaven (Luke 10:18).

The following texts prove that the Logos was an archangel:

1) Jude called him “Michael the archangel” (Jude 9).

2) Jesus returned at his Second Advent with the “voice of the archangel” (1 Thess. 4:16).

3) Michael was “one of the [two] chief princes [plural],” that is, the Logos and Lucifer (Dan. 10:13).

4) Job said, “When the morning stars [plural] sang together [the Logos and Lucifer], and all the [other] sons of God shouted for joy” (Job 38:7).

Lucifer was “born” into his role when he was created. He and Michael were both created as “adult” spirit beings, not babes, and were endowed with these benefits. Spirit beings do not age and grow old as humans do. Adam, too, was created as an adult, being an adult when only one day old. Having great brain-power (wisdom) capabilities, Michael and Lucifer were young only in experience. Michael loved God and daily communed with Him, thus imbibing in the Father’s spirit. He was fully submissive to the Father’s will and always trying to learn from Him (Prov. 8:30). Lucifer, on the other hand, used his great talents for vainglory (personal glory).

How did Lucifer walk (wander) “back and forth (or up and down) in the midst of fiery stones”?

What exactly are the “fiery stones”?

 There are two ways of looking at this.

The first is that the “fiery stones” or “stones of fire” refer to the angelic beings themselves, bright ones (flashing jewels reflecting the attributes of God).

Compare Jude 1:13 where a comparison is made between the ungodly (wolfs in sheep’s clothing), the people of Sodom and Gomorrah and the fallen angels of whom he states are:

“… Raging waves of the sea, foaming up their own shame; wandering stars for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.”

“Foaming up their own shame” They unabashedly are in open sin and not ashamed. “Wandering stars” — Satan was a wandering star who wandered among “the stones of fire” or stars surveying his own opportunities and developing pride which in the end will lead to his destruction in second death – “the blackness of darkness forever.”

This last statement concerning Satan’s (Lucifer at the time) wanderings could be taken in two ways; it could imply that he was found wandering amongst the various orders of angelic beings (bright ones) hatching his own plans and schemes or it could mean he was found wandering the burning stars of the heavens in midst of which he traveled, wandering from Jehovah God, and thus developing his own ambitions.

Had he not wandered so much among the “stones of fire,” (the stars of the universe) and been more attentive to his Father, Jehovah God, as was the Logos may perhaps neither pride no ambition would have been found within his heart. Thus, he would not have sinned and would have had no desire to tempt the first human pair.” (Satan and Second Death)

“Lucifer had not only the ability to travel the universe (amongst the “fiery stones”), but likewise the various planes of existence. Hence he walked both vertically (among the planes of being) and horizontally (among the planets and stars). He could travel from the “top” (the upper most plane of existence upon which he was created) all the way “down” to the lowest plane of existence, the human plane materializing as a human being.

Continued with next post.