Ezekiel 28

[Carbon]

Who is this prince of Tyre?


Ezekiel 28: 1The word of the Lord came to me:2"Son of man, say to the prince of Tyre, Thus says the Lord God: "Because your heart is proud, and you have said, ‘I am a god, I sit in the seat of the gods, in the heart of the seas, ’yet you are but a man, and no god, though you make your heart like the heart of a god —



Is it an actual person?

 

[Hazelelponi]

i believe the king was an historical person; likely Ithobaal III (or Ethbaal III), king of Tyre during Ezekiel’s time (circa 590-570 BC).

However, I also see a typological model which mirrors unregenerate fallen man, pointing us to our need for Christ, the victorious Adam. For example, the king’s fall mirrors unregenerate humanity’s rebellion, pride, and enmity with God.

I also see the king’s “precious stones” (v. 13) as echoing the high priest’s breastplate (Exodus 28:17-20), symbolizing a corrupted divine calling, echoing unregenerate humanities failure to glorify God in worship of Him (thought and deeds) as we were created to do while the poetic imagery (Eden, cherub) symbolizes humanity’s fall.

When we juxtapose the prince with Jesus, it points us to humanities need for salvation in Christ, by highlighting our total depravity. I also might read too much into the text, though I don't think this is what I'm doing here.

I think it's appropriate to use this king as typological for fallen unregenerate man, as it shows us what we look like and what we are actually doing before God when God's will and God's Glory is not the first or foremost consideration in our minds and hearts, spilling over into action.

As Jesus says, man cannot serve two master's. We are either with Him or against Him. If against, our end is judgement, but if we submit to God's Grace, we will be saved from our iniquity and our sins, and ultimately, from the wrath of God.

I love the Old Testament Scriptures, especially the prophets. They always have typological layers like this to learn from and consider.

P.S. I don't know what the Church formally teaches here. I simply usually just read the prophets the way I read them.Its usually just naturally in line with typical teachings but I'm not sure I've actually seen a reformed teaching on this topic.

 

[Carbon]

i believe the king was an historical person; likely Ithobaal III (or Ethbaal III), king of Tyre during Ezekiel’s time (circa 590-570 BC).

However, I also see a typological model which mirrors unregenerate fallen man, pointing us to our need for Christ, the victorious Adam. For example, the king’s fall mirrors unregenerate humanity’s rebellion, pride, and enmity with God.

I also see the king’s “precious stones” (v. 13) as echoing the high priest’s breastplate (Exodus 28:17-20), symbolizing a corrupted divine calling, echoing unregenerate humanities failure to glorify God in worship of Him (thought and deeds) as we were created to do while the poetic imagery (Eden, cherub) symbolizes humanity’s fall.

When we juxtapose the prince with Jesus, it points us to humanities need for salvation in Christ, by highlighting our total depravity. I also might read too much into the text, though I don't think this is what I'm doing here.

I think it's appropriate to use this king as typological for fallen unregenerate man, as it shows us what we look like and what we are actually doing before God when God's will and God's Glory is not the first or foremost consideration in our minds and hearts, spilling over into action.

As Jesus says, man cannot serve two master's. We are either with Him or against Him. If against, our end is judgement, but if we submit to God's Grace, we will be saved from our iniquity and our sins, and ultimately, from the wrath of God.

I love the Old Testament Scriptures, especially the prophets. They always have typological layers like this to learn from and consider.

P.S. I don't know what the Church formally teaches here. I simply usually just read the prophets the way I read them.Its usually just naturally in line with typical teachings but I'm not sure I've actually seen a reformed teaching on this topic.

Good points.

Personally, I believe it is talking about both the king of Tyre and Satan himself.

Who else would it be where scripture says: You were in Eden, the garden of God; verse 13.

Or

verse 14 You were the anointed cherub

To name a couple of verses.

 

[makesends]

Who is this prince of Tyre?


Ezekiel 28: 1The word of the Lord came to me:2"Son of man, say to the prince of Tyre, Thus says the Lord God: "Because your heart is proud, and you have said, ‘I am a god, I sit in the seat of the gods, in the heart of the seas, ’yet you are but a man, and no god, though you make your heart like the heart of a god —



Is it an actual person?

Yes, though the theme is repeated through OT history with several kings used to punish Israel—that they exalt themselves, when they are mere tools in God's hand.

 

[Josheb]

i believe the king was an historical person; likely Ithobaal III (or Ethbaal III), king of Tyre during Ezekiel’s time (circa 590-570 BC).

However, I also see a typological model which mirrors unregenerate fallen man, pointing us to our need for Christ, the victorious Adam. For example, the king’s fall mirrors unregenerate humanity’s rebellion, pride, and enmity with God.....................................

 

[John Bauer]

Under a redemptive-historical hermeneutic, Ezekiel 28 is understood as a microcosm of human pride and fall, recapitulating the fall of Adam and prefiguring the doom of all anti-God power. The king of Tyre is like Adam, placed in Eden and cast out. He is like Satan, exalted and then cast down. He is like Babel, reaching upward and being brought low. Reformed theologians such as Vos, Ridderbos, and Beale have long noted how scripture uses types and symbols to interweave the historical and the cosmic. Here, Eden is not a geographical reference but a typological one, a symbol of divine privilege squandered through arrogance.