The Pulpit Commentary — Ezekiel — Volume 2 — Section 112

gave him a great "coign of vantage." In this respect he was made after the pattern of God-he was God-like. All that ministered to his needs was within hie reach. Not a thing was denied to him that could meet a want or satisfy a just desire. His home was stored with every form of beauteous vegetation and with every kind of precious gem. And he was priest as well as king. He had access to God at all times. In him crcati?n was snmme~ up, ~n a similar position was the King of Tyrus placed. All materml good was within his reach. There was no temptation to acquire wealth by unlawful means. Tyre and its possessions were to him as a garden, over which he could roam at large. He stood towards men in the stead of God-the dispenser of trnth and justice. He was gifted with robust health and with abundant wisdom. lle had all that heart could wish. He was placed in an Eden of abundance-" in Eden, the garden of God." Like Adam, he was on his trial. II. THE TEMPTATION. To every man temptation comes. If his heart be not set upon the acquisition of spiritual riches-wisdom, holiness, and love-he will desire inordinately the lower good, and will break through lawful restraints in order to possess it. This is the core and essence of temptation. In this way the King of Tyre was tested. He was set up by God to exemplify righteousness, and to administer justice among the people. Nor among his own subjects only, but from his high position- " the mountain of God "-he could have disseminated righteous principles among all the nations with whom Tyre traded. Yet in this respect the king egregiously failed. His love of gain was too great-was excessive. It overmastered his love of righteousness. What advantage he could not gain by fair and legitimate methods he extorted by violence. This is clear from ver. 16, "By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence." If the king personally was not the prime instigator of these deeds, he connived at them through unprincipled or corrupt judges, His prosperity and glory made him vain and arrogant. Temptation came to pluck the forbidden fruit, and the king weakly yielded. IIL THE ClllME. The crime was selfishness, covetousness, avarice. This fa,oured and fortunate man was placed in the possession of abundance. There was one thing he might not do. He might not rob others to enrich himself. The possessions of the foreigner ought to have been as much respected and protected as his own. But the devil whispered in his ear counsels of unrighteous enrichment, and he listened, wavered, succumbed. "Iniquity was found in thee." "Thou hast corrupted thy wisdom; " i.e. thou hast twisted it into cunning and craftiness. " Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries by the mullitude of thine iniquities, by the iniquity of thy traffic." He had imagined that oo higher power than himself would superviAe his deeds. "God is not observant of HUCh things," said his wily tempter. " Thou shalt not surely die." This was his crime. His very brightness-his prosperity-brought him into scenes of new temptation. He might have blessed mankind; but he was set o~ selfish ends, He was in indecent haste to aggrandize self. He trampled on others' right~, on law and order, that he might swell his self-importance. He chafed against th_e idea that he, a .king, was only a subject to a higher sceptre. He would brook no mterfercnce with his proud will. This was his crime. IV. THE BANISHMENT. "I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God • . . . I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee." 'Ihe exclUEion from Eden is here repeated. 'Jhe changes of fortune through which Adam passed, every one, in a measure, passes through also. "I will bring forth a fire from the midst of thee." No heavier punishment can be passed upon a man than banishment from God's favour. Where God is, there is safety; where God is not, there is ruin. Where God is, there is heaven; where he is not, there is hell. To be forsaken of God-this is despair and woe. God departed from Saul, and straightway he began to descend the slippery plane t~at landed him in d~structi_on. Appear9:11ces are very delusive. The eye is easily deceived. Beneath a fair extenor of prospenty there ls often incipitnt decay, yta, corruption hastening ~o final r!cl~ .. " Pri~e goeth ~eforo a fall." If we have made God our foe, not all the alliances and IIltr1guee 1n the um verso can save us from destruction.-D. Vers. 1-10.-The course and doom of arrogance. This prophecy is directed against " the Prince [or,• King'] of 'l'yre" (ver. l), and was doubtlees meant tor him parUcul1uly i cm. xxvm. 1 -26.] THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET EZEKIEL. 115