Isaiah 23 - Humbling of Tyre and Zidon

Humbling of Tyre and Zidon

Isa 23:1 The burden of Tyre. Howl, ye ships of Tarshish; for it is laid waste, so that there is no house, no entering in: from the land of Chittim it is revealed to them.

Howl you ships at Tarshish, for this once thriving seaport will be no more. Word has come to them from the Island of Cypress. The prophecy of the heavy calamity and destruction of Tyre. Tyre was to be destroyed; first by Nebuchadnezzar, and afterwards by Alexander the great.

Isa 23:2 Be still, ye inhabitants of the isle; thou whom the merchants of Zidon, that pass over the sea, have replenished.
Isa 23:3 And by great waters the seed of Sihor, the harvest of the river, is her revenue; and she is a mart of nations.

Be still, you who live on the Isle, which were replenished by the merchants of Sidon. The harvest of grain from the Nile came through your port, you are the market for the nations. Tarsus was a great port for commerce. It is a destruction that would come from the Almighty God designed to convince men of the vanity and uncertainty of all earthly glory.

Isa 23:4 Be thou ashamed, O Zidon: for the sea hath spoken, even the strength of the sea, saying, I travail not, nor bring forth children, neither do I nourish up young men, nor bring up virgins.

The seaport of Zidon was humbled, the Isle of Tyre shall not grow or be inhabited. Let the ruin of Tyre warn all places and persons to take heed of pride; for he who exalts himself shall be abased.

Isa 23:5 As at the report concerning Egypt, so shall they be sorely pained at the report of Tyre.

Egypt and Tyre were allies and closely tied economically.

Isa 23:6 Pass ye over to Tarshish; howl, ye inhabitants of the isle.
Isa 23:7 Is this your joyous city, whose antiquity is of ancient days? her own feet shall carry her afar off to sojourn.

Pass over to the port at Tarshish. Things are changed, no more living in plenty and in pleasures. Take yourself from your sure place to walk in a new way. Things that were normal for ages suddenly stop; this life is uncertain. Make the fullest of each day.

The life of faith is to be as a sojourner, not to be too comfortable and content in pleasures. Tyre and Zidon were to be under God's judgment, yet even if we are in God's will, that doesn't mean we are in control of what happens. We may see changes. Changes in our way of life and in our patterns of ease. Remember what Jesus said to Peter:

John 21:18 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not.
John 21:19 This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me.

Isa 23:8 Who hath taken this counsel against Tyre, the crowning city, whose merchants are princes, whose traffickers are the honourable of the earth?
Isa 23:9 The LORD of hosts hath purposed it, to stain the pride of all glory, and to bring into contempt all the honourable of the earth.

The LORD allowed this to happen, because they gloried in self, wealth and pleasures. He would bring into contempt all who seek honor and are not humble before God.

Job 22:29 When men are cast down, then thou shalt say, There is lifting up; and he shall save the humble person.