The Pulpit Commentary — Ezekiel — Volume 2 — Section 68

were merohante. Th111 she was like our "nation of shopkeepers." 3. By seafaring, The early commerce of Syria was carried on by Midlanites over the desert (Gen. xxxvii. 28); but the later and more profitable commerce was over the waters west- ward, round the coast of the Mediterranean and to as far as Cornwall in Britain, perhaps even to the distant Azores. Like Venice In the Middle Ages, like Spain later, like the Netherlands after the Reformation, like England to-day, Tyre in ancient times was the mistress of the sea. Hence a certain cosmopolitan character. 4. With constructive art. The vast foundations of Baalbec tell of the building powers of 'fyre. Solomon's temple was a grand specimen of Tyrian architecture, built with Tyri.an art. We do not equal those great builders in originality. But inventive genius and manufacturing energy are characteristic of our race. Thus the material splendour of Tyre has passed to England. II. THE FATE OF TYRE A WARNING FOR ENGLAND, The splendour and prosperity of Tyre did not save her from ruin. Can we see in her fall any hint of a similar danger threatening our own country? Consider both its immediate cause and the providential necessity that lay behind, 1. The immediate cause. Tyre was overthrown by Babylon (ver. 7). She was not able to withstand the terrific onward march of the Eastern power. She was strong at sea, but feeble ashore. She was not a military 1>_ower. She proves that wealth will not protect from ruin, but will rather invite it. The wealth of London is a temptation to the invader. Prosperity is not its own security. 2. The providential necessity. W ea.Ith enervates, and no doubt Tyre was weakened by luxury. But behind such natural operations God, the Judge of all the earth, saw the Bin of Tyre. She was greedy and selfish (ver. 2). Co=erce does not always win friends. By competition it stirs up jealousy. When deceptive or over- reaching, it rouses the antagonism of those 011 whom it preys. Tyre was a most wicked city. Her very religion was shamefully immoral. Though the temple of Jehovah was built by Tyrian artists, the worship of J ehovsh was not accepted by the Tyrian citizens. Like Tyre, we may build a temple for others, and never worship in it our- selves. We may patronize religion, and be none the better for it. We may send the gospel to the heathen, and become pagans at home. The temple they built for the Jews did not save the 'l'yrians. Nothing can save England but the uprightness and the personal religion of her people. Ver. 2 (last clanse, "I shall be replenished, now she is laid wasle").-.An unworthy anticipation. The destruction of Jeruso.lem afforded delights to 'l'yre, because the mercenary Tyrians imagined that they would gain by the loss of the Jewish capital. 'l'his wo.s an unworthy anticipation, and the event proved that it was founded on a delusion. Tyre did not ultimately profit by the ruin of Jerusalem. I. IT IS WICKED TO HOPE FOR GAIN THROUGH THE DISTRESS OF OTHERS, Tyre should have sympathized with her old ally in the time of adversity. But her commercial greed bears down all thoughts of friendship and all feelings of commiseration. She only looks at the direful event as an opportunity for enlarging her trade. Nations are guilty of this wickedness when they exult in the downfall and misery of their neighbours, expecting to reap a harvest of gain for themselves. Thus while two peoples o.re in the agonies of war, a third may he delighted at the opporbunity of coining wealth by seizing the ground for commerce which the belligerents have been forced to relinquish, It may come more nearly home to us to see the same greedy spirit in the shopkeeper who inwardly rejoices over the bankruptcy of his rival, believing that now the custom will be all in his own hands. The same miserable, mercantile selfishness is even witnessed in ecclesiastical regions, when one Church takes pleasure in the misfortunes of a neighbouring Church, expecting thus to have griGt brought to its mill. In this case there is far less excuse, for Christians profess brother- hood, and e. true Church exists for the glory of God, not for tho pomp and nggrandize- ment of its members. God is not glorified when one Church fattens on the wreck of another Church. II. THIS UNWORTHY ANTICIPATION IS DOOMED TO ULTIMATE FAILUI\E. Tyro did not gain by the overthrow of Jerusalem; on the contrary, she was swept away by the same besom of destruction that she had greedily rejoiced to see turned ngainst her ancient ally. We are members one of another. What is hurtful to ono part of the body injures the  70 'l'BE BOOK OF THE PROPHET EZlllKIEL. [oH. xxvt. 1-21.