Isaiah, Prophet of Salvation, Book 4, part 8

Isaiah 23:5-7 says,

⁵ When the report reaches Egypt, they will be in anguish at the report of Tyre. ⁶ Pass over to Tarshish; wail, O inhabitants of the coastland. ⁷ Is this your jubilant city, whose origin is from antiquity, whose feet used to carry her to colonize distant places?

When Egypt and Tarshish heard the report of the overthrow of Tyre, they were “in anguish” and wailed, because their great benefactor had died. Tyre’s sailors were among the best in the world and were the ones who had been transporting supplies throughout the Mediterranean and even past Tarshish (Spain) to Britain, Ireland, and Scandinavia. There is clear evidence that they even crossed the Atlantic on mining expeditions. Certainly, they colonized many places.

Whose Plan is This?

Isaiah 23:8 says,

⁸ Who has planned [ya’ats, “to advise, give counsel, command”] this against Tyre, the bestower of crowns, whose merchants [sakhar] were princes [sar], whose traders [kenah’an, “Canaanites”] were the honored [kabod,” heavy”] of the earth?

The prophet uses figurative language to describe Tyre, whose sakhar were sar. We see here the common literary tool of similar words or words beginning with the same sound. So also the kenah’an were kabad. Tyre’s traders were the “kingmakers,” the wealthy men who held the real power behind the crowns, and the heavyweights of the earth.

Yet Tyre was to be overthrown, not by those kingmakers, but by God Himself. The prophet asks, “Who has planned this against Tyre?” Who has plotted successfully against such powerful men? The answer is given in Isaiah 23:9,

⁹ The Lord of hosts has planned it, to defile the pride [ga’ohn, “pomp, majesty, elevation”] of all beauty, to despise [kalal, “despise, curse, dishonor”] all the honored [kabad] of the earth.

The prophet makes it clear that God Himself has overthrown Tyre. The same spirit of Tyre today will be overthrown as well, including all the wealthy kingmakers who direct the political and judicial systems from behind the scenes and who, by the law of the sea, have usurped authority over all the people without their knowledge.

Overflowing Tyre

Isaiah 23:10, 11 continues,

¹⁰ Overflow your land like the Nile [yeh’ore], O daughter of Tarshish, there is no more restraint. ¹¹ He has stretched His hand out over the sea, He has made the kingdoms tremble; the Lord has given a command concerning Canaan to demolish its strongholds.

Tyre was to be overflowed, even as the Nile and its canals (yeh’ore) overflowed the land each year. This is another reference to the city being overflowed by the waters of the sea when Alexander cast the entire mainland city into the sea to build his causeway to the island. From a judicial standpoint, where the judgment always fits the crime, Tyre ruled the sea and oppressed the people by the law of the sea; therefore, God would judge Tyre accordingly.

From a prophetic standpoint, it tells us that Mystery Babylon—in its commercial capacity—will also be judged for ruling the people by maritime law. Today, as maritime law has overflowed the land, so also will the land, wealth, and possessions of the kingmakers be overflowed. That is the divine plan. As this occurs, “the merchants of the earth will weep and mourn” (Revelation 18:11) because international trade has ceased. Among their cargoes that are no longer bought and sold are “slaves and human lives” (Revelation 18:13), or more literally, “the souls of men” (KJV).

Tyre Oppressed and Violated

Isaiah 23:12 says,

¹² He has said, “You shall exult no more, O crushed [ashaq, “pressed upon, oppressed, forcibly violated”] virgin daughter of Sidon. Arise, pass over to Cyprus; even there you will find no rest.”

Cities that had never been conquered were often called “virgins.” So Tyre, after its conquest, was called a “crushed virgin daughter of Sidon.” It is a vivid picture of a violent rape, because the judgment fits the crime. Babylon gave its wine (false teaching) to the nations, and “the kings of the earth have committed acts of immorality with her” (Revelation 18:3). Hence, the judgment of God is to “give back to her double according to her deeds” (Revelation 18:6). This is in accordance with the law in Exodus 21:23-25 and 22:4.

Hence, the day is coming—and now is upon us—when Babylon/Tyre is being judged by God Himself. He is the One who has planned this, and He is the One executing that plan. The chaos of the overthrow is not directed against God’s people but is designed to set them free from the oppression of the heavyweight kingmakers who rule secretly by the power of their wealth.