Introduction
What
makes us today any different from the people of Tyre, Gaza, Damascus, or
Israel? In the three previous Bible studies from the book of Amos, we learned
Damascus, Gaza, and Israel worshiped false gods - idols. Damascus battled
against Israel and stole their land, and thought no one was strong enough to
seek revenge against them. They could do as they pleased. Damascus, as the
capital city, represented the whole nation of Aram and God spoke judgment
against them for threshing Gilead, His people, with implements of iron. We
today do similar things when we hurt people with our words or take something of
theirs that does not belong to us.
The city
of Gaza was part of Philistia. Throughout the Bible we read they often caused
battles with the whole nation of Israelites because of wanting more land or
taking the possessions and people of the region. Gaza, as one of the chief
cities, represented the entire nation of Philistia in Amos’ prophecy. God
pronounced judgment against them for taking the Promised Land from His children.
More than that, He pronounced judgment on Philistia for kidnapping and selling
the Israelites as slaves to other nations, often using Edom as the
intermediary. Today we either know or have heard of people who were kidnapped
and sold as slaves (human trafficking) or we pay and treat people so poorly that
we in essence treat them as slaves. We might denigrate them, make them do the
worst jobs, call them names or speak unkindly about them, and/or pay them a
wage with which they cannot live.
This
week in our study of Tyre, we will read of a nation who was like a brother to
the Israelites, but who stabbed them in the back. A common way of saying this is that Tyre was two-faced, seeming to be on Israel's side, but taking opportunity to
betray them.
·
Do you recall a time when someone
you thought was a friend betrayed your trust, or you found out they spoke badly
about you to someone else?
·
Do you remember ever treating a
person this way?
(http://www.katapi.org.uk/images/Maps/DivKingdom785HR.jpg)
Who was Tyre?
Tyre was
a port city of the Phoenicians. The Greeks gave the Phoenicians their name because
of what they made and supplied. Phoenicians were famous for their dyes, especially
purple, which came from mollusk shells. The Greek name Phoinikes means “purple people.” The cloth the Tyrians dyed made
them very prosperous.
“Tyre”
comes from the Hebrew word tsor meaning
“rock.” It was a Phoenician port city on the Mediterranean Sea west of Dan,
which was on the northern border of Israel. Tyre was mostly an island city
though it consisted of two parts. The island was its main trade center. Mainland
Tyre, called Old Tyre, was about a half mile from the island. Tyre, the island,
had walls reaching as high as 200 feet above the sea on the east. The placement
of the trade center and the high walls around it made it very difficult to win
a battle and gain entry into it. Today the city of Tyre is part of Lebanon.
Amos
used Tyre, the main city of Phoenicia, to represent the whole nation of
Phoenicia in his prophecy against them. Just as God judged the entire nations
of Aram and Philistia, He judged against the whole nation of Phoenicia. Besides
Amos, Isaiah 23:1-18, Jeremiah 25:22, Ezekiel 26:2-4, Joel 3:4-8, and Zechariah
9:1-4 record God’s judgments against Phoenicia.
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The Charge against Tyre
Amos
prophesied against Tyre, and by reference, the entire nation of Phoenicia in
Amos 1:9-10. As we read and study these verses, we should examine the charge, history,
judgment by God, and the fulfillment of God’s judgment against Tyre and
Phoenicia. Besides this, we should reflect upon ourselves to determine if we,
too, are guilty of similar sins for which we need to confess and earnestly
repent and return to a right relationship with God.
In verse
nine, Amos spoke God’s charge against Tyre. He said,
“Thus says the LORD, ‘For three transgressions of Tyre and for four I will not revoke its punishment because they delivered up an entire population to Edom and did not remember the covenant of brotherhood.’”
We must
first remember the starting portion of verse nine is part of the prophetic form of
which we learned in our second study called Amos
and the Judgment of Damascus. “For three transgressions and for four”
points out two main things. In biblical numerology three plus four is seven and
seven represent completeness. The Phoenicians carried a complete measure of
their guilt. They betrayed their covenant with Israel several times without
questioning it. The second meaning of this prophetic form brings the
implication they have sin multiplied upon sin and God will surely execute His
punishment on them. God had looked away before, but now He pronounced His
judgment on them and it would occur.
·
God is merciful and wants each of
us to return to a right relationship with Him; that’s why He waits before His judgment/punishment
occurs.
·
Have you repeatedly done
something the Lord does not like or told you not to do and not gone to Him
asking forgiveness and renewing your relationship with Him?
When we
look at the words Amos used to convey God’s charge against Phoenicia, we learn better
what Amos spoke. Our word “revoke” comes from the Hebrew word shuwb meaning to withdraw or turn back.
God would not withdraw His judgment against Tyre/Phoenicia. Amos used the word cagar that we translate as “delivered
up” to mean the Tyrians imprisoned and delivered to someone else something of
value. Later in this verse we learn what that thing of value was. Amos said
they delivered up an entire population to Edom. They sent people into captivity
as slaves. The Tyrians did like the Philistines; they kidnapped and sold people
into slavery. They, too, used Edom as the middleman for selling slaves like the
Philistines. We will understand this better in the next section when we read about
the history of the Phoenicians’ interactions with the Israelites.
One
thing is different in the charge against the Phoenicians when compared to the charge
against the Philistines. Amos said the Phoenicians did not remember their “covenant
of brotherhood.” The Phoenicians did not recall or consider their covenant. Amos
used a word common to the Israelites. Remember, he spoke these prophecies to
Israel about the other nations so they could hear God’s judgment against the
nations and recognize their own sinfulness while considering that of the
neighboring nations. Amos used the word beriyth
meaning “covenant.” Covenants were a pledge, alliance, or treaty between
two people or nations. The Israelites covenanted with Jehovah, too, and were repeatedly
unfaithful to Him. The covenant between the Israelites and Phoenicia was so
close they considered themselves brothers. This covenant of brotherhood made
the charge against the Phoenicians worse than the one against the Philistines.
The Phoenicians were almost “blood kin” to the Israelites, and they betrayed
them; worse, they sold them into slavery. The betrayal between brothers hurts
more than between acquaintances; it cuts deeper because the trust was absolute.
Examples of this type of betrayal occur in the records of Joseph’s brothers selling
him to slave traders, and Jacob receiving Esau’s birthright through trickery.
·
Have you ever experienced this
level of betrayal?
·
Have you ever betrayed a family
member or someone who was as close as a brother?
(https://timothymarksteward.files.wordpress.com/2015/12/covenant.jpg?w=672&h=372&crop=1)
The History of Tyre
Old
Testament writers recorded the brotherhood interactions between the Israelites
and Tyre. In 2 Samuel 5:11, we read of King Hiram of Tyre supplying cedar logs,
carpenters, and stonemasons for David to build his house. First Kings 5:1 teaches
us King Hiram sent servants to Solomon at his anointing reminding him of his
friendship with the house of David. In 1 Kings 5:2-11 the chronicler recorded
Hiram sent cedar and juniper logs along with servants and Solomon thanked him
by sending food and olive oil. Later in their relationship, the writer of 1
Kings 9:11-14 & 27 recorded Hiram sent cedars, cypress, and gold to build
Solomon’s palace and temple. Solomon thanked him by giving him possession of
twenty Galilean cities. When Hiram saw the cities, though, he scoffed. He was
not pleased. Most importantly, we must note King Hiram called Solomon his brother
in verse thirteen. Hiram admitted to a relationship with the Israelites that
was as close as blood brothers. The interactions between King Hiram and the
kings of the Israelites received further notation in 1 Kings 10:22, 1
Chronicles 14:1, 2 Chronicles 8:18, and 2 Chronicles 9:10. Phoenicia and Israel
had a close brotherly relationship.
If that
is so why do we later read Tyre of Phoenicia and Philistia worked together? Writers
in the Old Testament mentioned them together as sinning against God so they
might have worked together and sold slaves to Edom as Phoenicia had done. The
Psalmist recorded Philistia, Edom, and Tyre worked together against God and
made a covenant with each other in Psalm 83:5-7. Jeremiah 47:4 says Gaza worked with
Tyre and Sidon, the two chief cities of Phoenicia. Ezekiel 27:13 says the
grandsons of Noah - Javan, Tubal, and Meshech - who were the forefathers of the
people of the north (Phoenicia) sold men. Joel 3:4-8 records Phoenicia and
Philistia sold the sons of Judah and Jerusalem to the Greeks. Tyre and the
nation of Phoenicia broke the covenant of brotherhood they had with Israel as we note in each of
these accounts. Many times they sold the captured Israelites as slaves to the Edomites who were distant
blood relatives of the Israelites through Esau, Jacob’s brother.
How does
this affect Israel’s sin? Why did Amos prophesy God’s judgment against
Phoenicia to Israel? While Solomon was king and the Israelites were a united
kingdom, Solomon enslaved his own kindred, the Israelites, with hard work to
build his palace and God’s temple. He mistreated them and created a yoke too
heavy for them to bear. Because of this, the Israelites of the north and east
rebelled and refused to anoint Solomon’s son, Rehoboam, as king over the twelve
tribes of Israel. Ten tribes chose Jeroboam I, Solomon’s servant. This caused
the division of the nation of Israel into two kingdoms. Solomon’s treatment of his relatives
caused a division in his nation. The Israelites were guilty of enslaving people
by extraordinarily heavy work burdens. Solomon drove the people to build his
palace and the temple. He did not have mercy for his people during that time.
Their neighboring
nations, even one that was as close as a brother, and people within their own
nation enslaved the Israelites. These people enslaved them because of the
person or nation’s power and authority and because of their greed. Being
enslaved or driven hard by a nation or unknown person is bad enough, but being
pushed too hard or enslaved by a close person or relative is a betrayal. A
covenant or bond between friends and family should encourage and strengthen us;
it should give us heart to stand strong and firm with hope.
·
Do we push people unnecessarily to
do things because we want something? Are we being unmerciful and unkind?
·
Does our desire to rise to the
top or need for recognition in the community as a worthy leader cause us to
step on and mistreat people?
(https://appliedfaithorg.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/saida-b81a1.jpg)
The Judgment of Tyre
With
verse ten, Amos pronounced God’s judgment against Tyre. He quoted the LORD
saying,
“So I will send fire upon the wall of Tyre and it will consume her citadels.”
Just as
Amos pronounced God’s judgment on Damascus and Gaza, he relayed a similar judgment
on Tyre and the nation of Phoenicia. Two
parts make up this judgment. Let’s consider them through a study of the Hebrew
words.
Just as
before, God said His fire-the supernatural flame that comes from Him, His
anger and wrath-would blast upon Tyre. God would send it-let it loose-upon their
wall. The wall the Phoenicians counted as their greatest weapon against
enemies, God would destroy as if it were just dust. He is greater than their
greatest thinkers, architects, and engineers. God is greater than the
Phoenicians or their false gods. Numbers 21:28 and Isaiah 26:11 record God’s
wrath as fire, too. God’s fire consumes and destroys completely those against
whom He focuses it. His fire would completely destroy the people of Phoenicia.
They would no longer be a people called Phoenicia because there would be no
Phoenicia. The subjugating nations would disperse the people who used to call
themselves Phoenicians. Those captives would acclimate to their new homes so
they would not call themselves Phoenicians any longer. That is utter
annihilation of a nation.
The
second part of God’s judgment said the fire/wrath of God would “consume her [Tyre’s
and Phoencia’s] citadels.” The 200 foot high wall surrounding the island of Tyre
would crumble. God’s fire would completely consume their citadels-the
fortresses and palace-upon the high rocky island and the mainland town of Old Tyre. His power, might, and
omniscience would destroy them.
·
Do we do things we think God
won’t see and with which we can get away? Do you know when you do those things that
they are wrong?
·
God sees everything you do. He
knows when you have walked away from the right and moral path. As the loving
Father and Creator of each person, His punishment/discipline will come against
the one who sins against Him and His laws-the right and moral path.
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifN10zJFimyrIRnnaChNPaB7C2cHSpm89gIJxgXDcVftr_VvUdIoRrnlcSalqH1_Gb8E8a1Uide8F0pTe-0XmUwvdzfmCP1Ilui8ypkVzSqx16Ba8jDAeU5ckjkAy7r1xCNZf2woB8B5I/s1600/Tyre+Ancient.jpg)
The Fulfillment of God’s
Judgment against Tyre
As we
learned in the judgments against Damascus and Gaza, three main empires ruled
and overtook the nations of the near and middle-east during Old Testament times
between 930 BC and 140 BC. These empires were the Assyrian Empire, the
Neo-Babylonian Empire, and the Macedonian Empire. The first was a ruthless,
killing, war machine who took few hostages, but either sold or dispersed
throughout their kingdom the people they allowed to live. The second empire,
the Neo-Babylonians, also known as the Chaldean Empire, took select people of the
defeated nations into captivity and dispersed them throughout their empire. Alexander
the Great led the Macedonian Empire to expand its borders after the
Neo-Babylonian Empire declined in power. God’s judgment on Tyre and the nation of Phoenicia
occurred through the Neo-Babylonian and Macedonian Empires.
In
Jeremiah 27:1-11, God told the people of Tyre and Sidon that Nebuchadnezzar,
king of the Neo-Babylonians, would attack them and take them into captivity.
From 585-572 BC, Nebuchadnezzar besieged the mainland settlement of Old Tyre
and Sidon. Most of the people of the mainland city of Old Tyre abandoned it for
the safety of the island trade center. After that, the remaining people of Old Tyre
and Sidon surrendered to Nebuchadnezzar. Because Nebuchadnezzar had no way to
make a half mile long ramp from the mainland to Tyre’s island trade center, he
could not besiege it or enter its gates. The Neo-Babylonian empire reigned
626-539 BC.
In 332
BC, historical annals record Alexander the Great of Macedon determined to gain
entry to the island city of Tyre with its 200 foot high walls that were about
twenty feet thick. Alexander’s army used the rubble from the decimation of the
mainland town of Old Tyre to fill the waterway between the mainland and the
island of Tyre. This made a ramp by which Alexander’s troops could cross and
besiege the walls of Tyre’s trading center. Alexander breached the city wall,
and either killed or enslaved its inhabitants. Ezekiel 26:7 prophesied this. Ezekiel 27 and 28 told of its occurrence and that it would cause Tyre’s worldwide trade
to cease. Ezekiel 29 told of Sidon’s destruction, too. The last occurred through the
Persian ruler, Artaxerxes, who caused them to submit to him. The people known
as Phoenicians were no more after these empires warred against them.
·
What wars are you battling? Are
they in your life to get your attention and encourage you to return to God?
·
What do you need to do to return
to a right relationship with God?
o
Are you willing to forgo using
other people to get ahead or make more money?
o
Will you covenant with God to
follow in His ways and seek His guidance?
Relevance
The
people of Tyre relied upon its trade, wealth, and wall to protect them. Though
they had a covenant of brotherhood with the Israelites, they traded it away to
get ahead thinking nothing could stop them. They thought themselves
unbreachable and untouchable. They relied on their wits, their walls, and their
false gods to keep them safe.
God showed
the Phoenicians and the Israelites He is greater than each of these things. He
will exact His wrath on people who go against His children. God requires
justice and so judges and punishes those who go against Him or His people, even
if His children need the punishment. He is a loving Father and does not let His
children stray too far or too long without corrective measures.
Tyre and
Phoenicia carried the guilt of enslaving and selling the Israelites. They broke
their covenant with Israel. Phoenicia worshiped false gods, too. The Israelites
understood this and may have rejoiced that God would avenge them. Still, upon
hearing Amos’ prophecies, Israel should have reflected upon their own actions,
words, and attitudes and recognized their own sin. They caused their brethren
to carry heavy burdens. They enslaved people to enrich themselves and so disobeyed
God’s commandments, their covenant with Him. They broke covenant with God and
with their brothers and sisters.
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Conclusion
Amos’
prophecies do not just affect Israel and the other seven nations. They should
affect us still today. God created us as He did them. We sin just as they did.
As we strive to get ahead and be the best, we need to consider how we should do
that. Do we think the ends justify the means?
Life is
not about getting to an end goal, but about the journey. The journey comprises
relationships with people around us and with the One True God, the God of
creation. If we ignore or abuse the relationships we have with other people, we
break covenant with our brothers and sisters, doubly so if those brothers and
sisters are fellow believers.
Israel was
to be a shining light that taught the surrounding nations about the One True
God, Jehovah. Their sinfulness dimmed that light. Their sin was greater because
they knew God’s laws and were in a covenant relationship with Him, yet they
broke that covenant. As fellow believers in Jesus Christ, when we cause the
light of the Gospel to dim because of our sin, we become like Israel in the Old
Testament. Our lives should reflect and show the light of Jesus to the world.
Our sins keep that from happening. We know God’s laws, love, mercy, and grace,
but still concern ourselves more with the end goal than the journey. When doing
that we dim the light of the Gospel and keep people from seeing God as He truly
is. Amos spoke the prophecies of God to Israel for these reasons. We still hear
God’s voice speaking to us for these same reasons.
·
Can the people and nations around
you see the glory, love, grace, and mercy of God shining through you?
·
Do you need to turn back toward God
and confess and repent earnestly?
We each must look
into ourselves and make decisions about these.
Will
you come or return to a covenant relationship with God through Jesus Christ?
Will you become a shining light of the Gospel
to the people and nations around you?
(https://biblicalproof.files.wordpress.com/2011/09/let-the-light-of-the-glorious-gospel-of-christ-so-shine.jpg)
