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ISAIAH, CHAPTER 23 … THINGS I DIDN’T SAY

January 24, 2019 by Dr. Mike Bagwell

The Phoenician cities of Tyre and Sidon (the latter mentioned as “Zidon” in verse 2) have been slated for destruction, by Almighty God nonetheless! According to Isaiah 23:1-14 anyway.

But(and what a contrast today’s Text is when juxtaposed with yesterday’s Text) …

“And it shall come to pass in that day, that Tyre shall be forgotten seventy years, according to the days of one king: after the end of seventy years shall Tyre sing as an harlot. Take an harp, go about the city, thou harlot that hast been forgotten; take sweet melody, sing many songs, that thou mayest be remembered. And it shall come to pass after the end of seventy years, THAT THE LORD WILL VISIT TYRE, and she shall turn to her hire, and shall commit fornication with all the kingdoms of the world upon the face of the earth. And her merchandise and her hire shall be holiness to the LORD: it shall not be treasured nor laid up; for her merchandise shall be for them that dwell before the LORD, to eat sufficiently, and for durable clothing.” Isaiah 23:15-18

Here we have another 70 year block of time! As in Jeremiah 25:11 … “And this whole land (Judah) shall be a desolation, and an astonishment; and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years.” Also Daniel’s expression “70 weeks” (literally “seventy weeks of years”) comes to mind, Daniel 9:24.

Tyre “forgotten” (destroyed) for seventy years. (The approximate life of one of her Kings.)

Then at the conclusion of those seventy years … Tyre is back! (History says this actually happened! With different commentators ascribing her “absence” to various periods of time.) But she’s no better spiritually … “After the end of seventy years shall Tyre sing as an harlot. Take an harp, go about the city, thou harlot that hast been forgotten; make sweet melody, sing many songs, that thou mayest be remembered.” Self perpetuation is critically important to the vain inhabitants of the world. She longs to be remembered, that “world history” thing. (This “poem” is one that makes fun of an old harlot who is no longer beautiful or seductive … but must “play and sing” to draw any customers!)

Then naturally Tyre is back to her old ways, buying and selling and making money! “And it shall come to pass after the end of seventy years, that THE LORD WILL VISIT TYRE, and she shall turn to her hire, and shall commit fornication with all the kingdoms of the world upon the face of the earth.” Isaiah 23, our Text, verse 17. She is located west of the Holy Land and directly on the Mediterranean Coast … a perfect place to conduct commerce with the then-known world. Buying and selling and trading! (Isaiah here is comparing godless commerce, love of money … to “prostitution,” leaving God out of all one’s activities.)

Then something amazing happens! But only after the Lord has visited Tyre! “And her merchandise and her hire shall be holiness to the LORD.” Can you imagine? Is this Nation converted? Or has (at least) a little nucleus of people there been saved?

She no longer hordes her money, vast as the supply may have been! “It (her massive wealth) shall not be treasured nor laid up.” So says God! Isaiah in 23:18b, word for word. (Not for her own use, anyway!)

Rather … her resources will be dedicated to God! Here it is, King James Version: “For her merchandise shall be for them that dwell before the LORD, to eat sufficiently, and for durable clothing.” Wow, Isaiah 23:18, the rest of the verse.

Wow!

Filthy Tyre … now (at least some of her people) on the “Lord’s side!”

Supporting the Lord’s Work!

Tyre generously provided materials for the building of Solomon’s Temple, if you recall! David’s Palace, too!

2 Samuel 5:11 … “And Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar trees, and carpenters, and masons: and they built David an house.”

1 Chronicles 14:1 agrees! “Now Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and timber of cedars, with masons and carpenters, to build him an house.”

Solomon too!

1 Kings 9:11 … “Now Hiram the king of Tyre had furnished Solomon with cedar trees and fir trees, and with gold, according to all his desire.”

Wow!

Yes, Isaiah 23:15-18 has a historical fulfillment. Definitely! But it also has (I believe) a future fulfillment. When the wealth of the world will flow to Jerusalem during the Millennium, during the Reign of Jesus Christ on earth there … as per Isaiah 60:5. “Then thou (Israel) shalt see, and flow together, and thine heart shall fear, and be enlarged; because THE ABUNDANCE OF THE SEA shall be converted unto thee, THE FORCES OF THE GENTILES shall come unto thee.” 

Wow!

By the way, during Jesus’ first earthly Ministry people from Tyre got saved! Mark 7:26 … “The woman was a Greek, a Syrophenician by nation; and she besought him that he would cast forth the devil out of her daughter.” Praise the Lord! (Phoenicia, the Land of Tyre!)

Fruit, spiritual fruit … from Tyre!

Truly … “God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that WHOSOEVER believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16

And I say, “Amen!”

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

(If you are having “trouble” with Tyre, ungodly as she has been, “supporting” God’s people … the wicked aiding the good … just remember Egypt! The Exodus … “And the children of Israel did according to the word of Moses; and they borrowed of the Egyptians jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment: and the LORD gave the people favour in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they lent unto them such things as they required. And they spoiled the Egyptians.” Exodus 12:36-37)

Wow!

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