“As Tyre’s own colonies had once stood in relationship to herself and to the sanctuary that was in her midst, so now she will stand in relation to the Temple of the true God. . . . It is the same thought that we find expressed elsewhere in Scripture; ‘The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall bring presents,: the kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts’ (Ps. 72:10)Such gifts were really brought to the Lord himself, and we may see a true fulfillment of the prophecy, though not an exhaustive one, in the action of the wise men bringing gifts to Jesus.” (E. J. Young, The Book of Isaiah, Vol. 2, pp. 141–142).
“[T]he judgment of Tyre includes overturning her merchants because they had become proud about their economic achievements and consequent power: ‘The Lord of hosts has purposed to bring down all the pride of the glorious ones and to disgrace every glorious thing on the earth’ (Isa. 23:9 LXX). . . . Tyre’s economic self-idolatry was the cause of its eventual judgment. . . . The point is that the chief purpose of humanity, according to the Apocalypse, is to glorify God and to enjoy him, not to glorify oneself and enjoy one’s own achievements.” (G. K. Beale, The Book of Revelation, NIGTC, pp. 921–922).
The next 101 Bible Study, meeting Friday, June 21, at 6:30 p.m. in the Astoria area, focuses on Isaiah 40. You are invited! Call 971/238-6101 for location.
