Ittobaal II was the name of the reigning prince of Tyrus when the prophecy in the above passage was issued against him through the Prophet Ezekiel. The whole prophecy against Tyre can be found in Ezekiel 26 through to 28. Tyre was one of the most famous cities of the ancient world and the main seaport on the coast of Phoenicia, where the river Litani enters the Mediterranean Sea. Solomon had many dealings with the city and Jesus visited the area (1 Kings 5: 1, 1 Kings 7: 13-14, Matthew 15: 21-28, Mark 7: 24-31). Isaiah also prophesied against the city in Isaiah 23, likewise Amos and Zechariah in Amos 1: 9-10 and Zechariah 9: 3-4 respectively. The king and the kingdom were severely denounced by God for their pride. These prophecies have been fulfilled through the Babylonians who razed the island city down (sometimes between 606 - 586BC) and Alexander the Great who demolished the island city in 332 BC.
Pride is one of the basic sins of the human race and was the reason why Jesus put unusual emphasis on the motive behind actions and also scorned acts done for show. Pride is a feeling of pleasure or satisfaction that a person gets from doing well or owning or being responsible for something that is excellent or widely admired. The prince of Tyre was proud because of his wisdom and wealth and the treasures and successes of his kingdom. Pride gives us a feeling of self-sufficiency and makes us forget our dependency on God. This is usually as a result of spiritual, social and financial prosperity. It is the successful person who is in danger of forgetting their dependency upon God. This was what brought Lucifer down from his place in heaven (Ezekiel 28: 11-19), cost Nebuchadnezzar his throne for seven years (Daniel 4) and brought the prince of Tyre to his ruins.
It is very easy for us once everything is going well to forget that God is the real source of our successes and prosperity. We tend to think that it is through our strength and intelligence that we have achieved what we have got. We feel a lesser need for God and for things concerning Him. The Bible says, “pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall.” (Proverbs 16:18). It also says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6). What is pride costing you in your life? More importantly, watch that it does not lead to your downfall. You will be surprised at just how many people are waiting for just that to happen.
If you died today, are you absolutely certain that you would go to heaven? You can be! TRUST JESUS NOW
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