Ezekiel 26:19
For thus saith the Lord GOD; When I shall make thee a desolate city, like the cities that are not inhabited; when I shall bring up the deep upon thee, and great waters shall cover thee; For thus saith the Lord GOD; When I shall make thee a desolate city, like the cities that are not inhabited; when I shall bring up the deep upon thee, and great waters shall cover thee;
The verse foretells that Tyre would be made a desolate city like cities not inhabited, overwhelmed and covered by the deep and great waters until utterly wiped out, with its stones and timber and dust cast into the sea to leave only a bare rock for the spreading of nets. The doom was declared because Tyre rejoiced when Jerusalem was destroyed, and it was carried out first by Nebuchadnezzar and afterward by Alexander, who reached the island city by filling the sea with stones and rubbish from the old city. The word spoken nearly twenty-five hundred years ago has been literally fulfilled and remains evident to the present day, for Tyre was cast into the sea and never regained its former importance. Its ruin stands as an illustration of how God brings down pride and judges wickedness, a warning to every modern city and people forgetting and defying God, the same fate meeting proud San Francisco as met thrifty Tyre, with New York, Chicago, and every other place called to heed.
Tyre's Desolation Foretold
Ezekiel 26:19 belongs to the stirring prophecies against the nations in Ezekiel 26 to 28, which give the ruin of Tyre and the lamentation over her destruction. The chapters predict the utter destruction of Tyre and Sidon. The same prophecy is counted as a prophecy against another nation, whose fulfillment is evident in the present day. Tyre's ancient mainland site had been abandoned and its later city stood on an island, and the verse is part of the prophecy about Tyre's desolation. The doom was declared against Tyre because the city rejoiced when Nebuchadnezzar destroyed Jerusalem.
The verse means Tyre would be made a desolate city like cities that are not inhabited, overwhelmed and covered by the deep and great waters. It means utter wiping out of existence, with its stones and timber and dust cast into the sea. What would be left is a bare rock in the midst of the sea as a place for the spreading of nets where fishers dry their nets. The same desolation with the deep and great waters brought over her is set forth as God's judgment making Tyre desolate and uninhabited.
The prophecy describes the work of Nebuchadnezzar in connection with Tyre. He would capture Tyre and from Tyre would conquer Jerusalem. It is also connected with Alexander's later siege and destruction of the island city, which he reached by using stones and rubbish from old Tyre to fill the space between the shore and the island. The word spoken concerning Tyre nearly twenty-five hundred years ago has been literally fulfilled. Its fulfillment is evident in the present day.
The fulfillment came when Alexander destroyed the city again and cast its remains into the sea. After that Tyre never regained its former importance. It became a place where fishermen dried their nets.
Warning to Modern Cities
The prophecy against Tyre, the great commercial city of the world, is an illustration of how God brings down pride. The fate of a city is subject to God's judgment, and Tyre stands as an example of a city punished by God.
Her ruin was a preliminary punishment for open, flaunting, God-defying wickedness. Such ruin is the fruit invited by awful wickedness, and it comes in the mercy of God. The warning of judgment on Babylon and the doom of Tyre serve as a lesson for cities and people who forget and defy God.
Tyre's punishment is connected with the destruction of San Francisco in the earthquake, presenting that earthquake as a warning about the consequences of open, defiant wickedness. The same fate that met Tyre met San Francisco as a modern proud and beautiful Babylon and modern thrifty Tyre, sunken and ruined for her God-defying wickedness, with warning given beforehand to get out.
The warning is not to San Francisco alone but to New York, Chicago, and every other place and people forgetting and defying God. Cities that forget and defy God should heed God's warnings and learn to do right. The lesson must be learned with settled principle to do right and not only impulse to do better.