Isaiah 23 - When God Judges Economic Pride

 “When God Judges Economic Pride: The Fall of Tyre and the Sovereignty of God”

Tonight’s lesson focuses on Phoenicia in Isaiah 23.

The Phoenicians were a merchant people whose land approximated what is today known as Lebanon. Their ships plied the Mediterranean coasts, where their many colonies assured them of an abundant supply of the world's wealth. Tyre and Sidon were key cities. Both David and Solomon made use of workers and building materials from Phoenicia (2 Sam 5:11; 1 Kings 5:8-9). King Ahab married the Phoenician princess Jezebel, who promoted Baal worship in Israel (1 Kings 16:29-33).

 Isaiah addressed ships from Spain (Tarshish) that were docked at Cyprus (Kittim), telling their crews to weep and go home (v. 6) because Tyre was no more. Merchants from Spain, the coastlands, and even Egypt would wail because Tyre's great shipping industry was gone and the Mediterranean economy had been devastated. (See Rev 17-18 for a parallel, and note that both Babylon and Tyre are compared to prostitutes [Isa 23:16-17]). The joyful citizens of Tyre would become mourning refugees (v. 7) when Nebuchadnezzar would conquer Phoenicia in 572 B.C. (He did not conquer the island part of Tyre, but Alexander the Great would do it in 332 B.C. See Ezek 26.)

Today we turn to Isaiah chapter 23, a powerful prophecy concerning the fall of Tyre, one of the wealthiest and most influential cities of the ancient world.

Now, to understand this chapter, you must understand this truth:

God is not only concerned with spiritual rebellion—He also judges economic pride, materialism, and the arrogance of success without Him.

Tyre represents: Wealth without God, Commerce without conscience, Success without submission, and as we walk through this chapter, we will see that: God destroys prideful prosperity, God controls global economies, and God restores according to His purpose

I. The Destruction of a Proud Economic Power (Isaiah 23:1–7)

1 The burden of Tyre. Howl, ye ships of Tarshish; for it is laid waste, so that there is no house, no entering in: from the land of Chittim it is revealed to them.

2 Be still, ye inhabitants of the isle; thou whom the merchants of Zidon, that pass over the sea, have replenished.

3 And by great waters the seed of Sihor, the harvest of the river, is her revenue; and she is a mart of nations.

4 Be thou ashamed, O Zidon: for the sea hath spoken, even the strength of the sea, saying, I travail not, nor bring forth children, neither do I nourish up young men, nor bring up virgins.

5 As at the report concerning Egypt, so shall they be sorely pained at the report of Tyre.

6 Pass ye over to Tarshish; howl, ye inhabitants of the isle.

7 Is this your joyous city, whose antiquity is of ancient days? her own feet shall carry her afar off to sojourn.

A. The Cry of Collapse (v. 1) “The burden of Tyre. Howl, ye ships of Tarshish…”

Tire was a maritime trading powerhouse. Ships from Tarshish (likely Spain) carried goods across the known world. When Tyre falls: Trade routes collapse, Wealth disappears, and the world economy shakes. When God judges something, the effects are never isolated.

B. The Silence of Supply (v. 2–3) “Be still, ye inhabitants of the isle…”

Tyre depended on: Zidon (Sidon); Egypt (grain supply via the Nile). This was an international trade network. But now: Supply chains are broken, and commerce is halted. Just like modern economies, when shipping stops, everything stops. Our own crisis with Iran over the trade route through the Strait of Hormuz shows us that.

The Truth is: God can shut down what man depends on most. Anytime He wishes.

C. The Shame of a Sister City (v. 4) “Be thou ashamed, O Zidon…”

Sidon, Tyre’s partner city, now mourns. Why? Because when one part of a corrupt system falls, the rest follows.

D. The Shock of the Nations

(v. 5–7) “As at the report concerning Egypt, so shall they be sorely pained…”

The fall of Tyre becomes international news. People ask: “Is this your joyous city… whose feet carried her afar off to sojourn?”

In other words: “How did something so powerful fall so completely?”

So the question now becomes. Who did this? Was it Babylon? Assyria? No.

Isaiah answers that clearly.

II. The Divine Cause Behind the Judgment (Isaiah 23:8–14)

8 Who hath taken this counsel against Tyre, the crowning city, whose merchants are princes, whose traffickers are the honourable of the earth?

9 The Lord of hosts hath purposed it, to stain the pride of all glory, and to bring into contempt all the honorable of the earth.

10 Pass through thy land as a river, O daughter of Tarshish: there is no more strength.

11 He stretched out his hand over the sea, he shook the kingdoms: the Lord hath given a commandment against the merchant city, to destroy the strong holds thereof.

12 And he said, Thou shalt no more rejoice, O thou oppressed virgin, daughter of Zidon: arise, pass over to Chittim; there also shalt thou have no rest.

13 Behold the land of the Chaldeans; this people was not, till the Assyrian founded it for them that dwell in the wilderness: they set up the towers thereof, they raised up the palaces thereof; and he brought it to ruin.

14 Howl, ye ships of Tarshish: for your strength is laid waste.

A. The Question Asked (v. 8) “Who hath taken this counsel against Tyre…?”

Tyre was: a crowning city trading empire, a source of wealth, who could bring it down?

B. The Answer Given (v. 9) “The LORD of hosts hath purposed it…”

This is the key verse of the chapter. Why did God do it? “to stain the pride of all glory, and to bring into contempt all the honorable of the earth.”

God judges pride—especially when it is dressed in success.

C. The Loss of Identity (v. 10–12)

10 Pass through thy land as a river, O daughter of Tarshish: there is no more strength

11 He stretched out his hand over the sea, he shook the kingdoms: the Lord hath given a commandment against the merchant city, to destroy the strong holds thereof.

12 And he said, Thou shalt no more rejoice, O thou oppressed virgin, daughter of Zidon: arise, pass over to Chittim; there also shalt thou have no rest.

“There is no more strength.” Tyre loses its Power, its influence, and its control. God says: “Thou shalt no more rejoice…” When success replaces dependence on God, judgment follows.

D. The Role of World Powers (v. 13–14)

13 Behold the land of the Chaldeans; this people was not, till the Assyrian founded it for them that dwell in the wilderness: they set up the towers thereof, they raised up the palaces thereof; and he brought it to ruin.

14 Howl, ye ships of Tarshish: for your strength is laid waste.

“Behold the land of the Chaldeans…” God used: Assyria, Babylon. But they were just tools. God is always behind the scenes of history.

So Tyre falls. The system collapses. Their pride is judged, but here’s the next question: Is this the end?

III. The Duration of the Judgment (Isaiah 23:15–17)

15 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.

16 Take an harp, go about the city, thou harlot that hast been forgotten; make sweet melody, sing many songs, that thou mayest be remembered.

17 And it shall come to pass after the end of seventy years, that the Lord will visit Tyre, and she shall turn to her hire, and shall commit fornication with all the kingdoms of the world upon the face of the earth.

A. Seventy Years of Forgetfulness (v. 15) “Tyre shall be forgotten seventy years…”

This matches: The Babylonian captivity timeline Tyre would be silenced, forgotten, and removed from influence.

B. The Strange Illustration (v. 16) “Take an harp, go about the city…”

Tyre is compared to a forgotten harlot trying to regain attention. This represents: Desperation, loss of former glory, and an attempt to rebuild its reputation

C. The Return of Activity (v. 17) “The LORD will visit Tyre…”

After 70 years: Trade resumes. Commerce returns, but something has changed. Tyre comes back, but not the same. And this leads us to the most surprising part of the chapter.

IV. The Redirection of Wealth for God’s Purposes (Isaiah 23:18)

18 And her merchandise and her hire shall be holiness to the Lord: it shall not be treasured nor laid up; for her merchandise shall be for them that dwell before the Lord, to eat sufficiently, and for durable clothing.

A. Wealth Transformed. “Her merchandise and her hire shall be holiness to the LORD…”

This is incredible. The same wealth that once fed pride and fueled arrogance will now be set apart for God.

B. Provision for God’s People “for them that dwell before the LORD”

God redirects wealth to support His work and sustain His people.

C. A Prophetic Glimpse

This points forward to the Millennial Kingdom. Then the Nations will bring their wealth to God and His people.

Compare: Isaiah 60:5–9 and Revelation 21:24

5 Then thou shalt see, and flow together, and thine heart shall fear, and be enlarged; because the abundance of the sea shall be converted unto thee, the forces of the Gentiles shall come unto thee.

6 The multitude of camels shall cover thee, the dromedaries of Midian and Ephah; all they from Sheba shall come: they shall bring gold and incense; and they shall shew forth the praises of the Lord.

7 All the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered together unto thee, the rams of Nebaioth shall minister unto thee: they shall come up with acceptance on mine altar, and I will glorify the house of my glory.

8 Who are these that fly as a cloud, and as the doves to their windows?

9 Surely the isles shall wait for me, and the ships of Tarshish first, to bring thy sons from far, their silver and their gold with them, unto the name of the Lord thy God, and to the Holy One of Israel, because he hath glorified thee.

Revelation 21:24 And the nations of those who are saved shall walk in its light, and the kings of the earth bring their glory and honor into it.

God is not opposed to wealth, but He demands that it not replace Him, that it may ultimately serve Him.

I have copied and pasted from The Bible Exposition Commentary: Old Testament © 2001-2004 by Warren W. Wiersbe. Which sums up the past 11 Chapters that we have been studying.

“Our trek through these eleven chapters has taught us some important lessons. First, God is in control of the nations of the world, and He can do with them what he pleases. Second, God especially hates the sin of pride. (See Isa 13:11; 16:6; 23:9; and Prov 8:13.) When nations turn from the living God to trust their wealth and their armaments, God must show them that He is the only sure refuge. Third, God judges the nations for the way they treat each other. Judah was the only nation mentioned that had God's law, yet God held the other ten Gentile nations accountable for what they did. "For as many as have sinned without law will also perish without law" (Rom 2:12, NKJV). Finally, God always gives a word of promise and hope to His people. Babylon will fall, but God will care for Judah (Isa 14:1-3,32). Moab will not accept sanctuary from Jerusalem, but God will one day establish the Messiah's throne there (16:5). Assyria and Egypt may be avowed enemies of the Jews, but one day the three nations will together glorify God (19:23-25).

Therefore, no matter how frightening the national or international situation may become, God's children can have peace because they know Almighty God is on His throne. The nations may rage and plot against God, but "He who sits in the heaven shall laugh" (Ps 2:4, NKJV).”

When the Lord of heaven and earth is your Father, and you gladly wear Christ's yoke, you have nothing to fear (Matt 11:25-30). Therefore, be comforted!

3 Key Lessons from Isaiah 23:

1. God Judges Economic Pride: No nation, company, or individual is too big to fall. Proverbs 16:18 Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.

2. God Controls the Systems of the World: Trade, power, wealth, all are under His authority.

3. God Can Redeem What Was Misused: Even corrupted systems can be redirected for His glory.

Ask yourself: Is my trust in God, or in financial security?

Has success made me dependent or independent of Him? Am I using what I have for His glory? Tyre fell not because it was wealthy, but because it was proud. And in the end, we are reminded: Everything we have is either used for God’s glory or will be humbled by His hand.