False Security

      Most often we neglect hard scripture as if it pertains to us very little. Everything in the Bible is there for a reason. People let ancient history scare the holiness out of them! The purpose can be sought and learned, despite the history lesson. Today's commentary is about false security. It's about the isolated and protected city of Tyre but it is more about people who believe that they are safe when they are not!

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... Is this your joyous city, whose antiquity is of ancient days? her own feet shall carry her afar off to sojourn... 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... 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. (Isa 23:1,7,11 & 17)

     Tyre was an ancient city of Phoenicia on the coast of the Levant just north of Israel in what is now Lebanon. The city was built about a mile off the coast on a huge rock and was totally encompassed by the sea. It was like a castle with only one "gate" and surrounded by a natural moat. It could only be entered by sea. It was impenetrable because those who attempted to accost it were themselves vulnerable from the open sea. As all the nations around it were defeated, and utterly destroyed by all the empires which arose, Tyre remained safe. Isaiah warned of it's destruction long before it was destroyed. That was laughable: Tyre was too safe to sink.
     Nothing or no one is safe. Although Tyre was defeated by the Persians, it was destroyed by the Greeks. As Alexander the Great conquered the world, he just would not let Tyre go unscathed. His armies spent years building a land bridge to the island, and not prepared for onslaught, Tyre was the first time ever utterly defeated. Alexander was patient and persistent but he did make the safe city unsafe, and finally faithful Tyre fornicated with the kingdoms of the world after the Greek Empire tampered with her virginity. She then belonged to Alexander, and there was no turning back. She was a used woman, and now is just another Islamic whore which has been tampered with by every kingdom since its fall. Once majestic and pure, Tyre indeed is a fallen woman!
   
     What's Tyre have to do with us? What did it have to do with Israel? Tyre is symbolic of both Judiasm and Christianity. The Jews thought themselves safe so many times, but time and time again, Israel was destroyed. Just as the Macabbbees returned Israel to prominence, there came the Romans. Centuries after Tyre - the city built on solid rock - was destroyed, the very foundation of the world - Jerusalem fell. The Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem where once was Ornan's threshing floor, was the epicenter of creation as Jews believe. Like Tyre, Israel was destroyed even though the rock on which it was built was spiritually solid at one time. Now warriors have chipped away that rock until it's just a remnant of what it once was.
     Israel, although it was safe, was destroyed 70 years after the birth of Jesus. In Isaiah 23:15 Tyre was to commit harlotry with other kingdoms. Jerusalem did just that! When Herod's Temple was destroyed, it was used for harlotry of all sorts, even having statues of other gods and a homosexual prostitute! Since then, Jerusalem has been the harlot of many nations and empires. (Since 1948 the nation of Israel was returned to the Jews. God was true to His Word. He would never leave nor forsake them; 1 Kings 8:57).
     Note that neither Tyre nor Israel were ever left by God. By not trusting God for safety, evil empires destroyed them. Neither Tyre nor Israel had fidelity to God and both flirted with other gods. They were free to be unsafe if they didn't mind becoming vulnerable to destruction. Alexander the Great is symbolic of Satan. Likewise, Caesar's forces violated Jerusalem. Caesar is symbolic of the Beast and proclaimed himself a god!
     Why all the history? Why did Isaiah prophecy the future? Was it just for Tyre and a warning to Israel or does it have deeper meaning? Discerning Christians should realize that Tyre is a lesson to us!
     I know people who feel safe from Hell because they have been "good". Their perceived goodness would be laughable to God if it was not so pitiful (Isa 64:6). Good people are far from safe! They too will be destroyed. When judgment comes, God will say, "I never knew you" (Mat 7:23). Their "goodness" are as works of iniquity!
     Another group of people who feel safe are atheists. Not only did God not know them but they didn't know God. They feel safe because for them, safety is in themselves and there is no adversary. They shall be destroyed like Tyre.
     Another group who will fall who claim to be built on the solid Rock. Their "city" is built on the Rock - Jesus. However, they are deceived. It's not the actual Rock on which their faith is built but sinking sand. They believe that God will keep them safe but not trust Him to do so. If it could be, they are half-Christians, sort of brothers to Christ with another father. They believe in Jesus but fail to serve him. They live in God's "city" but do little to keep it strong. Of course, the shield of faith is the protection  to defeat the fiery darts of their "Alexander" - the Devil (Ephes  6:16).
     Rather than relying on a false shield as the citizens of Tyre depended on turbulent waters, Christians are to use the shield of faith in Jesus. In other words, like Moses did in battle with the Amorites, Christians are to look to the cross for safety. Having their own self-defense is too little for the principalities we engage daily!
     The last group, perhaps, are those who believe in eternal security, what John Calvin called the preservation of the saints. Remembering that God never left the people of Tyre nor Israel but they failed to depend on Him, they were destroyed. Israel was brought back to safety because they have a few who were faithful (antithetical to Sodom). Tyre is almost non-existent to this day. Sure it's still a small city on the coast off Lebanon but it is no longer powerful nor important. In the end, only New Jerusalem will exists. Tyre will ultimately be destroyed forever!
     For Christians, it was said, "I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee" (Heb 13:5).That promise was and is always true. God would never leave Israel but they didn't depend on Him; neither did Tyre. Their safe feeling was on themselves. Sure, the Israelites gave lip-service to God but they forsook God. That applies to Christians as well. He will never leave nor forsake us, but we are free to not be servants to Him at any time. We serve God by choice not because we are in bonds. Jesus's death on the cross for us freed those who trust Jesus from bondage.
     Tyre didn't make a decision to leave God. They didn't have Him in the first place. That is the condition of many "Christians". They have false-security. On the other hand, Israel believed themselves secure; they had been faithful to God too long to fall. Their  faith was false as was their religion. They fell! By grace God will restore some of them but most will perish forever.
     There are Christians who believe their fortress cannot fall. They feel secure because of their belief in God. However, just as the secure people of Tyre felt secure and did have a degree of safety, adversaries still shot fiery darts at them. They scoffed but eventually one fiery dart was fatal. That's the same for Christians unless God is their Mighty Fortress. The shield of faith must be maintained at all times and reinforced by the Sword of the Word.
     The story of Tyre is similar to the one of Job. Tyre was not trusting and was destroyed. Job, the epitome of faith, was attacked by Satan's fiery darts and remained faithful. God was his fortress, and like Israel, Job was restored. Christians have tribulation. If they don't they must already belong to the adversary. Even those built on solid rock and have a hedge of safety about them are sill vulnerable if they are not sober and vigilant:

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: (1 Pet 5:8)

     Alexander was the lion which devoured Tyre. They had a sense of false security believing that they were on solid rock and in safety by the waters around them. That water was not the hedge which protected Job. Neither was it Living Water which protects us! We must do things to keep safe! We must be vigilant and sober and read the Word to grow faith. Tyre did nothing and were destroyed. If Christians do nothing with their faith it will wither and die. Regarding the gift of faith, we must treat it as a treasure for faith is what will bring us from safety to saved!