Ezekiel 26:15, commentary and pictures

The verse is part of God's lamentation and sentence against Tyre, foretelling that its violent fall amid slaughter and the cries of the wounded would make the surrounding isles and coastal peoples shake with terror at its sound. That doom was announced because proud Tyre, the great thrifty merchant city of the Mediterranean, rejoiced over Jerusalem's ruin and expected to prosper from it, so God brought down its pride as a lesson to turn to Him. The word spoken nearly twenty-five hundred years ago has been literally fulfilled and is evident today, in Nebuchadnezzar's capture of the city and Alexander's later destruction, until the very place where she stood became a place for the spreading of nets in the midst of the sea. Its fall in slaughter and outcry was the permitted fruit of open, flaunting, God-defying wickedness, showing that cities are accountable to God and may be judged and punished by Him. Tyre's punishment stands as a precedent and warning not to San Francisco in earthquake ruin alone but to New York, to Chicago, and to every other proud modern Babylon and thrifty Tyre forgetting God, that after warnings many times given and laughed at the invited fate comes, and men should be awakened to do right and flee like wickedness before judgment comes.

Tyre's Doom Described

Ezekiel 26:15 is part of the prophecy foretelling the destruction of Tyre, belonging to the prophecies against foreign nations and to the lamentation over Tyre's ruin.
It warns Tyre that its fall, marked by slaughter made in its midst and the cries of the wounded, will make the surrounding islands and coastal peoples shake and tremble at its sound.
That terror spread to surrounding peoples by the city's violent fall is part of God's announced judgment against Tyre.

The doom was announced because after Jerusalem was destroyed Tyre rejoiced at its fall and expected to prosper from its ruin, so it was announced that Tyre would itself fall by Nebuchadnezzar's power and work against the city.
Tyre was the merchant city of the Mediterranean, the great commercial city of the world, proud and thrifty.
God brought down its pride as an illustration to Israel to turn to God, and the shaking of the isles at the sound of her fall is the effect of her utter destruction.

Prophecy Literally Fulfilled

The word spoken concerning Tyre nearly twenty-five hundred years ago has been literally fulfilled. That fulfillment is evident today. What was foretold was that Tyre's fall, amid slaughter made in its midst and the cries of the wounded, would make the surrounding islands and peoples tremble at its sound. This prophecy of Tyre's destruction belongs to the prophecies against other nations.

The chapter particularly describes Nebuchadnezzar's work against the city and his power by which Tyre would fall. He would capture Tyre, and from Tyre would conquer Jerusalem. After Jerusalem was destroyed Tyre had rejoiced at its fall and expected to prosper from its ruin, so its own doom by Nebuchadnezzar's power was announced. The same prophecy also accords with Alexander's later destruction of Tyre.

The chapter predicts Tyre's utter destruction and belongs to the prophecy of its ruin and the lamentation over it. Tyre, the merchant city of the Mediterranean, was foretold to become a place for the spreading of nets in the midst of the sea. She would be utterly wiped out of existence until the very place where she stood would be such a place, and the shaking of the isles at the sound of her fall is the effect of that utter destruction.

Warning to Modern Cities

The fall with slaughter made in the midst, with the cry of the wounded and the shaking of the isles at the sound of it, was a preliminary punishment and the fruit of open, flaunting, God-defying wickedness in a proud and thrifty city. That punishment was permitted in mercy rather than as mere vengeance. Cities are accountable to God and may be judged and punished by Him, with the sound of the fall and the slaughter within making the surrounding coastal peoples tremble. Such destruction stands among the judgments showing God answering grave wrongdoing.

Tyre's punishment is a precedent and warning lesson not to San Francisco alone in earthquake ruin but to New York, to Chicago, and to every other place forgetting and defying God, every proud and beautiful modern Babylon and modern thrifty Tyre. The calamity whose slaughter and cries cause surrounding peoples to tremble belongs among warnings about the judgment of wicked cities applied as lessons for modern cities and people who defy God. After warnings many times given by godly men and laughed at, the invited fate comes, so every place in like wickedness should get out before judgment comes. The judgment should awaken people to do right and not merely prompt a passing impulse to improve.