Ezekiel Chapter 28 – Commentary and Explanation
Let’s dive into one of the most powerful and haunting chapters in the book of Ezekiel – Chapter 28. This one is deep, and I mean deep deep. It's not just about Tyre. It's not just about a king. It's about pride, deception, downfall… and even a mysterious, controversial connection to Satan himself. So, grab your Bible, maybe a coffee too, and let’s walk through this chapter slowly. You’ll see how history, prophecy, spiritual warfare, and personal reflection all crash together in one dramatic swirl.
The Setup: Judging the Prince of Tyre (Verses 1–10)
Ezekiel begins Chapter 28 with a direct word from the Lord against the “prince of Tyre.” That’s not just poetic language—it refers to the human leader, the reigning monarch of the city-state of Tyre during that time. This guy was proud. Really proud. To the point that he thought of himself as a god.
Verse 2 says:
“Because thine heart is lifted up, and thou hast said, I am a God, I sit in the seat of God…”
Yikes. That’s not just arrogance. That’s delusion. This guy had been so impressed with his own power, wisdom, and wealth that he straight-up said, "I'm like God." And right away, the Lord makes it clear—he's not. Not even close. He’s a mere man, pretending to be divine.
And God calls him out:
“Yet thou art a man, and not God, though thou set thine heart as the heart of God.”
Let’s stop here for a moment. How easy it is for people, especially when they get successful, influential, or even spiritually elevated, to start believing the hype. The prince of Tyre started measuring his identity by what he had accomplished, what he had acquired, and how others viewed him. But in God’s eyes, none of that changed the fact that he was just a man. Mortal. Limited. Finite.
This part of Ezekiel 28 feels eerily relevant today. How many leaders—political, corporate, even religious—start seeing themselves as above others? Above accountability? Above correction?
Wisdom Turned to Folly (Verses 3–5)
God doesn’t deny that the prince of Tyre had wisdom. Actually, He sarcastically says in verse 3:
“Behold, thou art wiser than Daniel; there is no secret that they can hide from thee.”
That’s heavy sarcasm. It’s like saying, “Well look at you, Mr. Know-it-all.” But there’s a bitter irony in it. Daniel, the prophet, really did have wisdom from God. But this prince? His “wisdom” was worldly, manipulative, self-centered. He used his cleverness to get rich, make deals, grow trade networks, and build his empire. But what good did all that get him in the end?
It led to pride.
And that pride? It led to his fall.
You know, sometimes we think intelligence or strategy justifies everything. Like if the result is success, then it must be right. But the prince of Tyre is a warning shot for all of us. Wisdom without humility is a dangerous mix. It poisons your soul and blinds you to truth.
God makes it clear in verse 5:
“By thy great wisdom and by thy traffick hast thou increased thy riches, and thine heart is lifted up because of thy riches.”
That’s the root of it. Riches made his heart swell. Wealth distorted his reality. And eventually, it brought about his destruction.
The Judgment Pronounced (Verses 6–10)
So then comes the hammer. Verses 6 through 10 are straight judgment. God declares that foreigners—specifically, ruthless ones—are going to come and lay him low. This prince who thought he was a god is going to die like a man… and not just any death. A brutal, humiliating, public end.
“They shall bring thee down to the pit, and thou shalt die the deaths of them that are slain in the midst of the seas.”
That’s a sobering image. The man who exalted himself to the heavens will be dragged down to the depths. No gods come to his rescue. No wealth can shield him. No wisdom can save him.
And then comes that rhetorical sting from God:
“Wilt thou yet say before him that slayeth thee, I am God? but thou shalt be a man, and no God…”
You can almost hear the divine sarcasm dripping. “Let’s see you act divine when you're bleeding out.” It’s harsh, but it’s true. The prideful always fall. The higher they climb in self-worship, the harder the crash when God humbles them.
Now It Gets Mysterious: The Lament for the King of Tyre (Verses 11–19)
Here’s where things get strange and prophetic and way bigger than just one man. In verse 11, Ezekiel shifts gears. It’s no longer the “prince of Tyre.” It’s now the “king of Tyre.” And the language changes, too. It stops sounding like just a message for a human king, and it starts to sound… otherworldly.
Listen to this in verse 12:
“Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty.”
Verse 13 says:
“Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God…”
Wait. What?
This is where scholars have debated for centuries. Many believe that the figure being addressed here is no longer just the human king of Tyre but a supernatural being behind him—some say Satan himself.
The reference to Eden? That makes sense if we’re talking about the serpent, not a Phoenician ruler.
Let’s look at verse 14:
“Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God…”
A cherub? That’s a heavenly being, not a man. A guardian angel-like figure. Verse 15 says this being was “perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee.”
That’s the fall of Lucifer right there, if you ask me.
God had created this being glorious, beautiful, wise, majestic. But pride crept in. The same sin that brought down the prince of Tyre brought down this “king” behind the scenes. It's not just history. It’s spiritual war.
Lucifer and Tyre: A Dual Meaning
So here's the deal—this passage is doing two things at once. It’s addressing the real, historical fall of Tyre’s king. But it’s also drawing back the curtain to show the demonic pride that fuels all rebellion against God. It’s a pattern. The king of Tyre may have thought he was calling his own shots, but in reality? He was mirroring the fall of Satan.
Both were full of beauty. Both were filled with pride. Both fell.
Verse 17:
“Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness…”
That’s a powerful line. It wasn’t that beauty or wisdom was bad in itself. It was that this being started to worship the gift instead of the Giver. It’s that classic temptation—we begin to idolize ourselves, our gifts, our talents. Before long, we forget we’re just stewards. Not owners.
Then comes the fall:
“I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee.”
There it is again—the reversal. The high made low. The glorious turned shameful. That’s the core message of this entire chapter.
Destruction of Tyre Foretold (Verses 20–24)
After that deeply spiritual and symbolic detour, Ezekiel zooms back out to focus again on the broader region. Verses 20 through 24 are about Sidon, Tyre’s sister city, another powerful place that’s in God’s crosshairs.
“Behold, I am against thee, O Zidon…”
Just like Tyre, Sidon is judged for idolatry, pride, and corruption. God promises to send pestilence and blood into her streets. He’ll be glorified in judgment.
But there’s also a shift in tone here—it’s not just destruction for the sake of it. Verse 24 talks about how this judgment is part of God's larger redemptive plan. The goal is that Israel will no longer be a laughingstock or suffer scorn from their neighbors.
It’s justice, but with purpose.
Hope for Israel (Verses 25–26)
And finally, we close on a hopeful note. Yes, really.
In verses 25 and 26, God reminds His people that He hasn't forgotten them. The chapter ends with a promise of restoration. Israel may have been scattered, but they will one day return to their own land, live safely, and rebuild.
“They shall dwell safely therein, and shall build houses, and plant vineyards…”
Despite all the judgment, despite all the chaos, God always preserves a remnant. There is always hope tucked inside the storm. Always grace after the fire.
So What Can We Learn from Ezekiel 28?
Alright, let’s bring it home. This chapter is thick with meaning. Let’s unpack a few key lessons we can carry into our own lives:
1. Pride is deadly.
Whether you’re a king, a CEO, a pastor, or just someone quietly successful—pride will always be the beginning of the fall. Stay humble. Check your heart. Give God the glory.
2. Wisdom without worship is empty.
You can be brilliant, strategic, insightful… but if your wisdom doesn’t come under the fear of the Lord, it’ll eventually work against you.
3. Beauty and blessing can be dangerous.
Not because they’re evil, but because they can so easily become idols. Satan fell because he was obsessed with his own beauty. The king of Tyre fell the same way. Let’s be careful with the good things we’ve been given.
4. There’s always a spiritual layer.
What looks like politics or economics or leadership on the surface often has a spiritual component underneath. The devil still loves to use prideful men to accomplish his work.
5. God always judges, but He also always restores.
Even in His harshest moments, God leaves the door open for redemption. He brings down the wicked, yes—but He lifts up the humble. He restores the faithful. He remembers His promises.
Final Thoughts
Ezekiel 28 might feel like an ancient chapter about some long-gone kingdom… but it’s not. It's a mirror. A warning. A wake-up call. A peek behind the spiritual curtain.
We see in it the story of Satan’s fall, yes. But we also see a reflection of ourselves. We’re all tempted to let pride creep in. We all sometimes want to be in control. To play god. To build our own kingdoms.
But God is patient. And just. And holy. He tears down what we build in pride, but He rebuilds what we give to Him in surrender.
So let’s surrender. Today.
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