Calvary Pandan Bible-Presbyterian Church
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CALVARY PANDAN one of the major sea ports used by many nations to reach into the BIBLE-PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH hinterland of Syria, Assyria, Babylon and other parts of the known world at DHW BIBLE CLASS that time. LESSON 23 Her reputation as a great seaport was well known to all. Fausset ISAIAH described Tyre as “In Phoenicia, E. of CHAPTER 23 the Mediterranean, 20 miles S. of Sidon. Justin says the Sidonians founded Tyre after having been Theme: “Naval Power is no power defeated by the king of Ascalon, 1209 before God!” B.C. according to the Parian marble. A double city, part on the mainland, part THEME VERSE on an island nearly one mile long, and separated from the continent by a Isaiah 23:9 (KJV) “The LORD of hosts strait half a mile broad. Justin (xi. 10) hath purposed it, to stain the pride of records the tradition of the inhabitants all glory, and to bring into contempt all that there was a city on the mainland the honourable of the earth.” before there was one on the island.” [Fausset’s Bible Dictionary, Swordsearcher 6.1]. Naval power has INTRODUCTION always been seen in the olden days as Tyre (means “rock”) was a a specialised power because not many Phoenician port city cum island. It was countries had it, and many countries a formidable city of great influence and depended on it for trade and long history. Half of the city was on the dominance of the Mediterranean Sea coast and the other half was on an as well as the rest of the known world island making Tyre one of the most since two thirds of the world are enviable cities of the ancient world. covered by water. Her strategic location east of the Tyre was a nation of pride and Mediterranean Sea made her a sea distinction in the eyes of man and in port that could reach all of coastal her own eyes. As early as the days of northern Africa including Egypt, as well Joshua, she was already known as a as all the southern cities and nations of strong city when the city was first modern day Europe. Merchant city mentioned in Joshua 19:29. This was how the Bible described her in chapter teaches that no power is verse 11. Indeed she was a city of greater than God’s power no matter merchants with her port so how unique and special man might strategically located for all kinds of think or say in his pride and arrogance. trade and commerce. Inland cities The God of Israel will bring them down were only reached by sea in those and put them in their proper place as days through sea ports and Tyre was DHW LESSON 23 ISAIAH 23 he determines in His absolute message of destruction and ravaging. sovereignty. Not a house would be left standing. Every house would be in ruins so that OUTLINE there would be nothing to enter into 1. The Glory Of A City Is Not even if there is a door. This also Glory! (vv. 1-8); indicates that these houses would be beyond repair. 2. The LORD Is In Absolute Control (vv. 9-12); This message of her ruin would come from the land of Chittim and be 3. New Superpowers Replace The revealed to them. Where is Chittim? Old (vv. 13-16); Albert Barnes rightly explained, “In 4. Tyre Will Be Given To God’s regard to the meaning of the word People (vv. 17-18). "Chittim," the following is the note of Gesenius on this verse: 'Among the three different opinions of ancient and COMMENTARY modern interpreters, according to The Glory Of A City Is Not Glory! which they sought for the land of Glory that does not last for Chittim in Italy, Macedonia, and eternity is not real glory. This was the Cyprus, I decidely prefer the latter, glory of Tyre for hundreds of years. which is also the opinion of Josephus The city prided herself in her existence ("Ant." i. 6, 1). According to this, as a naval power in the Mediterranean Chittim is the island Cyprus, so called Sea. The first word in the burden of the from the Phoenician colony, Kition, LORD to Tyre is “Howl.” This word (Citium), in the southern part of the literally has a wailing tone and it is very island, but still in such a sense, that vocal where the person yells out loud this name Chittim was, at a later in crying. There is nothing to boast or period, employed also in a wider be proud of when man praises you. It sense, to designate other islands and will fade away and worse still you are countries adjacent to the coasts of the lulled into a false sense of superiority Mediterranean, as, e.g., Macedonia that is more fleeting than the morning (Daniel 11:30; 1 Macc. 1:1; 8:5). This dew that fades away before the noon is also mentioned by Josephus. That day sun rises overhead. The right Κιτιον Kition (Citium) was sometimes response is to cry and not to laugh or used for the whole island of Cyprus, be puffed up in pride. The target and also in a wider sense for other audience were the ships of Tarshish, a islands, is expressly asserted by seaport in Spain. The phrase “ships of Epiphanius, who himself lived in Tarshish” probably means ships that Cyprus, as a well-known fact ("Adv. sailed to Tarshish which would refer to Haeres." xxx. 25); where he says, "it is merchant ships from or ships heading manifest to all that the island of Cyprus to Tarshish for trade. The LORD would is called Κιτιον Kition (Citium), for the lay waste to them all. It has a strong Cyprians and "Rhodians" (Ροδιοι Rodioi ) are called "Kitians" Κιτιοι 2 DHW LESSON 23 ISAIAH 23 Kitioi."” The Bible verse that supports Trade with Egypt had been the this interpretation that Chittim most honour of Tyre. By great waters, the likely refers to Cyprus is Ezekiel 27:6 seed of Sihor (referring to the River “Of the oaks of Bashan have they Nile – see Joshua 13:3), the harvest of made thine oars; the company of the the river was Tyre’s revenue as she is Ashurites have made thy benches of a mart of nations. The crops and ivory, brought out of the isles of produce and all kinds of wares and Chittim.” Chittim i.e. Cyprus was the precious metals and stones from the island in the middle of the Great River Nile were brought to Tyre Mediterranean Sea where ships were to be sold. Tyre was a great meeting built. It would be in this place where place for trading by other nations. Her ships were constructed that news strategic location made her a very would be revealed that Tyre a great accessible trade hub for many nations. maritime port city would be ruined. Verse 4 describes Sidon as the “Be still ye inhabitants of the mother of Tyre and Tyre as the isle” was the instruction from God. The daughter. Sidon was commanded by use of the imperative in the verb, “be the LORD to be ashamed and not to still” points to a strong command to be proud of the many cities that she take note of your impending doom. had founded. The reason is that the The isle here has to refer to Tyre sea hath spoken which means that rather than Chittim, as the isle of Tyre Tyre being an island appeared as if was not joined to her city by the shore she has grown out of the sea. The until Alexander the Great built a message comes from the sea that causeway to link the two parts of the gave “birth” to Tyre. Tyre is described city. The inhabitants of Tyre were told here as the strength of the sea by God to be still. To not boast and because of her past might and glory take pride in their present fame and and the fact that she was perched on a fortune as a great seaport, for one day Rock as her name Tyre, implies. The it would all be gone forever though message was that Sidon shall travail today many merchants of Zidon or not nor bring forth children neither do I Sidon (also a costal city on the nourish up young men nor bring up western banks of Israel) passed over virgin. Sidon had taken pride in her the sea and arrived in their ships with colonization and founding of cities and their goods and replenished Tyre. in particular a city like Tyre. There Sidon was also a Phoenician city but would come a time when this would more ancient than Tyre. In fact Tyre cease. Barnes correctly interpreted was a colony of the Sidonians and this verse to mean, “that the city which therefore like a mother or big sister had been the mistress of the they would obviously replenish her. commercial world, and distinguished But a time was coming that even the for founding other cities and colonies, Sidonians whom Tyre had depended was about to lose her importance, and upon for help all these years would no to cease to extend her colonies and longer be able to help. her influence over other countries. 3 DHW LESSON 23 ISAIAH 23 Over this fact, Sidon, the mother and is bringing the destruction upon Tyre! founder of Tyre herself, would be The purpose is made very clear by the humbled and grieved that her LORD that it is to stain i.e.