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Ezekiel 27:10-25 (JDV)

beyond the eulogy

Ezekiel 27:10 Men of Persia, Lud, and Put were in your army, serving as your warriors. They hung shields and helmets in you; they gave you splendor.
Ezekiel 27:11 Men of Arvad and Helech were stationed on your walls all around, and Gammadites were in your towers. They hung their shields all around your walls; they perfected your beauty.
Ezekiel 27:12 ” ‘Tarshish was your trading partner because of your abundant wealth of every kind. They exchanged silver, iron, tin, and lead for your merchandise.
Ezekiel 27:13 Javan, Tubal, and Meshech were your merchants. They exchanged necks of men and bronze utensils for your goods.
Ezekiel 27:14 Those from Beth-Togarmah exchanged horses, war horses, and mules for your merchandise.
Ezekiel 27:15 Men of Dedan were also your merchants; many coasts and islands were your regular markets. They brought back ivory tusks and ebony as your payment.
Ezekiel 27:16 Aram was your trading partner because of your numerous products. They exchanged turquoise, purple and embroidered cloth, fine linen, coral, and rubies for your merchandise.
Ezekiel 27:17 Judah and the land of Israel were your merchants. They exchanged wheat from Minnith, meal, honey, oil, and balm, for your goods.
Ezekiel 27:18 Damascus was also your trading partner because of your numerous products and your abundant wealth of every kind, trading in wine from Helbon and white wool.
Ezekiel 27:19 Vedan and Javan from Uzal dealt in your merchandise; wrought iron, cassia, and aromatic cane were exchanged for your goods.
Ezekiel 27:20 Dedan was your merchant in saddle-cloths for riding.
Ezekiel 27:21 Arabia and all the princes of Kedar were your business partners, trading with you in lambs, rams, and goats.
Ezekiel 27:22 The merchants of Sheba and Raamah traded with you. For your merchandise, they exchanged the best of all spices and all kinds of precious stones as well as gold.
Ezekiel 27:23 Haran, Canneh, Eden, the merchants of Sheba, Asshur, and Chilmad traded with you.
Ezekiel 27:24 They were your merchants in choice garments, cloaks of blue and embroidered materials, and multicolored carpets, which were bound and secured with cords in your marketplace.
Ezekiel 27:25 Ships of Tarshish were the carriers for your goods. ” ‘So you became full and heavily loaded in the heart of the sea.

beyond the eulogy

The city of Tyre brought jobs, commerce, and trade to many nations. Knowing what we know from reading the entire chapter, we understand these words as a kind of eulogy. Typically during funerals, we hear about how the person who has died helped others and will be missed. The destruction of Tyre was certainly a case like that. It brought ruin to the economy of many, not to mention the loss of many lives. But justice had been waiting a long time.

When you get beyond the eulogy, what really matters is not how crucial we were to the people around us, but whether or not we were citizens of the coming kingdom.