The Fall of Tyre

The tenth burden of the LORD by Isaiah is against the island kingdom of Tyre. One of the most ancient cities of the world, Tyre was the home to the Phoenicians. They travelled the high seas worldwide along sea trading routes and made kingdoms strong. Even in the days of Solomon, they travelled the seas and brought back goods from every city they visited worldwide. Their days of renown were numbered and would fall into the sea.

From his home in Jerusalem, the Word of the LORD came to Isaiah concerning Tyre. Once a major trading partner with Judah, they would fall away and be remembered no more. Their dominance in trade would cease. Many nations would mourn their loss, because they also would be affected. Specifically, their island and harbor would be destroyed. The land of Cyprus would hear and mourn. The Sidonians and Egyptians would mourn. All the nations they traded with would mourn.

No more grain from Egypt would be carried by their ships. The sea would rise up against the island stronghold. Even in far away Tarshish wailing would be heard for the fall of Tyre. This jubilant city whose origins are from antiquity, who sojourned across the world, would fall. Who has planned this against Tyre? The city whose origins made kings and whose princes were honored in all the lands would have no king. Who planned this?

The LORD of Hosts has planned the fall of Tyre. His purpose is to defile the pride of all beauty, to despise the honored of the earth. God was going to stretch out His hand over the sea and make the nations tremble. The strongholds of Tyre would be demolished. Even if they passed over to Cyprus they would find no rest. Isaiah declared that it would be the Chaldeans who would erect seige towers and make it a ruin. Then Tyre would be forgotten for 70 years.

At the end of those years, Tyre would once again take up its harp and play again its skillful song. Trade would again resume. Her profit and wages would be set apart to the LORD. It would no longer be stored up and hoarded. It would become sufficient food and choice attire for those who dwell in the presence of the LORD.

Historically, Assyria came in 609 BC and forced their king to flee. Esarhaddon blockaded them in 673 BC and then Ashurbanipal destroyed the mainland counterpart to isolate the island in 663 BC. Nebuchadnezzar built a causeway to the island stronghold in his seige against them between 586-573 BC. Alexander the Great did the same and conquered the island city in 332 BC. It has been besieged at least 11 times historically. The southern half of the island fell into the sea after an earthquake in 551 AD. All of this prophecy has been fulfilled many times. And it may be fulfilled again if it applies to the final Mystery Babylon.