We all seek security. We build strong walls around our lives, whether they are financial stability, career security, or even personal boundaries. But what happens when those walls start to shake?
The ancient prophet Ezekiel faced a world where human empires were collapsing. The Jewish people saw their holiest city, Jerusalem, destroyed. Yet, amid this chaos, God delivered a prophecy against a city that seemed completely untouchable: Tyre.
The Context: The Pride of Tyre
In Ezekiel chapter 26, the great city of Tyre—a powerhouse of international trade, famous for its wealth and its seemingly impregnable island fortress—made a fatal mistake. When Jerusalem fell, Tyre didn’t mourn; it rejoiced.
“Aha! The gate to the nations is broken, and its doors have swung open to me; now that she lies in ruins I will prosper.” (Ezekiel 26:2)
Tyre’s sin was commercial arrogance. They saw Jerusalem’s tragedy as their own financial opportunity, prioritizing profit over human compassion and God’s relationship with His people. They believed their walls of stone and their vast fleet of ships made them masters of their own destiny.
The Main Point: The Specifics of God’s Judgment
God’s response comes in the form of a detailed, terrifying military prediction, culminating in verse 9:
“He will direct the blows of his battering rams against your walls and demolish your towers with his weapons.” (Ezekiel 26:9, NIV)
This verse, seemingly a footnote about ancient siegecraft, delivers the entire theological punch of the chapter. Here’s why it matters:
- God Chose the Instrument: God didn’t just promise judgment; he named the executioner: Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon (v. 7). This meant that the mightiest king on earth was merely a tool in the hand of the Sovereign Lord. God is the one directing the blow of the battering ram.
- No Wall Is Too High: Tyre’s walls and towers represented the pinnacle of human security and pride. By specifically mentioning the battering rams and axes, God declared that no matter how strong their defenses, their human efforts would be systematically broken down by a force He controlled.
- The Promise of Utter Ruin: The judgment didn’t stop with Nebuchadnezzar. The entire chapter promises that Tyre would eventually be scraped to a “bare rock” and its stones thrown into the sea. History confirms this was a long, phased process involving “many nations” (v. 3), including Alexander the Great, who literally used the debris of the mainland city to build a causeway to attack the island.
The Takeaway for Today
Ezekiel 26:9 is a resounding declaration that God is absolutely in control of history, nations, and events.
For us, the walls and towers of Tyre represent anything we build our lives upon instead of God: our own stability, our wealth, our reputation, or our pride. When those things feel secure, it’s easy to forget that God can dismantle them with terrifying speed and precision.
The good news is that this sovereignty cuts both ways. The God who justly directed the battering ram against the proud is the same God who is now directing all of history toward the final, gracious redemption offered through Jesus Christ.
The lesson of Ezekiel 26:9 is not just that human defenses will fall, but that only the King who directs the ram is worthy of our complete trust. When our own security fails, we are reminded to put our faith in the One whose authority extends over every empire, every economy, and every fortified wall.
God is still in control.
“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:9, ESV, Emphasis added).
Faith Walk Ministries, Inc. 