And it shall come to pass in that day, that Tyre shall be forgotten seventy years, according to the days of one king: after the end of seventy years shall Tyre sing as an harlot.
Verses 15-18 refer, three times, to Tyre being in captivity for seventy years.
- It is the same approximate time frame as was Judah
- It was the same conquering country as was Judah
- It was in the same approximate region as was Judah
- It would have been approximately the same time of return as was Judah
I see them as a sort of “control group.” God had a particular reason for judging Judah in this manner. I do not see the exact reasons for Tyre. (Though the passage leans heavily on Tyre‘s reputation for dishonesty, worldliness, and lust for gain.) One nation is called the people of God. The other is a neighboring Gentile nation. Tyre was not unfriendly to Israel, but it was the King of Tyre that God used to describe for us the character of Satan.
Interestingly Tyre comes up once again as a contrast many decades later when Jesus said,
Matthew 11:21-22 (KJV)
Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.
But I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you.
Paul’s ministry found much more reception in the Gentile regions of Tyre and beyond. Though she was profligate in many ways, God’s Word concerning her was, “her hire shall be holiness to the Lord…for them that dwell before the Lord …”
Jerusalem was destroyed in 70 AD. Tyre has been inhabited almost continuously. God’s mercy extends to all nations. We live in a time when God’s focus is on the Gentile world. There is coming a day, I believe very soon, when God will once again focus attention on Israel.
To my readers:
Thank you! It is a great joy to me to know you read the thoughts and lessons God has given me in His word. I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to leave comments.
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