The Fall of Tyre and Loss of Luxury

Ezekiel 27:25-36

25 "The ships of Tarshish were carriers of your merchandise.
You were filled and very glorious in the midst of the seas.
26 Your oarsmen brought you into many waters,
But the east wind broke you in the midst of the seas.

27 "Your riches, wares, and merchandise,
Your mariners and pilots,
Your caulkers and merchandisers,
All your men of war who are in you,
And the entire company which is in your midst,
Will fall into the midst of the seas on the day of your ruin.

28 The common-land will shake at the sound of the cry of your pilots.
29 "All who handle the oar,
The mariners,
All the pilots of the sea
Will come down from their ships and stand on the shore.

30 They will make their voice heard because of you;
They will cry bitterly and cast dust on their heads;
They will roll about in ashes;

31 They will shave themselves completely bald because of you,
Gird themselves with sackcloth,
And weep for you
With bitterness of heart and bitter wailing.

32 In their wailing for you
They will take up a lamentation,
And lament for you:
What city is like Tyre,
Destroyed in the midst of the sea?

33 'When your wares went out by sea,
You satisfied many people;
You enriched the kings of the earth
With your many luxury goods and your merchandise.
34 But you are broken by the seas in the depths of the waters;
Your merchandise and the entire company will fall in your midst.

35 All the inhabitants of the isles will be astonished at you;
Their kings will be greatly afraid,
And their countenance will be troubled.
36 The merchants among the peoples will hiss at you;
You will become a horror, and be no more forever.'"'"

The lament for Tyre continues with the impact on her shipping trade on the rest of the world.  This included not only the ship captain and crew but also the ship builders and port traders; they all had much to lose when Tyre was judged and found wanting.  As the major port city, the loss was felt among other ships and merchants across the Mediterranean.  Without the major hub of commerce everyone suffered the loss of that great center of their livelihoods, not just those based in Tyre.  The effects of sin reach far and wide like ripples in the sea, taking away business, prosperity, and joy to the cold and dark bottom of the sea.  Likewise  those who follow sinners opposing God and His people in Christ will be pulled down to the depths of the Pit and lose everything of joy and value to their very souls.  Tyre had supplied their wares of luxury and more to so many kings and nations to satisfy their wants and needs, yet in the end that pipeline was broken and the goods they felt entitled to had stopped flowing abruptly.  World trade on the Mediterranean had collapsed and so the onlookers were left unsatisfied at the fall and in their astonishment they began to curse Tyre who once supplied their every want in fear and troubles of trembling.  They turned at the horror of the loss more than the destruction of that great city itself because of their own resulting loss and misery.  Those who fight against God and persecute His people will also have anger and troubles with great fear when the end comes to judge the world in righteousness and they fall with the mighty Babylon whom they had relied upon for trade and pleasures of their expectations of luxury (Revelation 18:2-3) but will only find torment and sorrow (Revelation 18:7) and weep for her destruction (Revelation 18:11-13) and her final judgment as she is taken down to avenge all of God who were abused by her.  Such it was with Tyre and so it will be for the world system set against God and His Christ in the end.  It is time for all to turn to worship God and not idols and turn from immorality to the righteousness found in Christ alone.  Remember the fall of great Tyre and the loss of luxury and so much more from the compromises with the trader of souls for gain.  True gain comes from godly contentment in the Lord and nowhere else.  This is a warning to follow God and not personal gain at the expense of the eternal wealth.