WHEN PRIDE TURNS TO GREED
June 28/29 2014 – Ezekiel 25:1 – 32:32
Lesson Passage Ezekiel 28:1-5,11-13a,14-19
By Charles Lyons, Ph.D.
INTRODUCTION:
These visions were given to Ezekiel in the same year that Jerusalem fell, 586 B.C.. Tyre was located 60
miles northwest of Nazareth and was known as a double city. Part was on an island and the other in a
fertile mainland that was a well-watered plain at the western foot of the Lebanon mountain range.i
Tyre was known as the “Holy Island” because of the way that it rose up out of the sea. The king or prince
resided here and you can understand from a secular perspective how he could be subject to great pride.
He would view his throne as mighty and a tower out of the sea. Pride is certainly a dangerous trait in
anyone, especially a leader.
I.
The Statement Of The Situation
Ezekiel 28:1-5 KJV
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The word of the LORD came again unto me, saying, Son of man, say unto the prince of Tyrus,
Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thine heart is lifted up, and thou hast said, I am a God, I sit in
the seat of God, in the midst of the seas; yet thou art a man, and not God, though thou set thine
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heart as the heart of God: Behold, thou art wiser than Daniel; there is no secret that they can
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hide from thee: With thy wisdom and with thine understanding thou hast gotten thee riches,
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and hast gotten gold and silver into thy treasures: By thy great wisdom and by thy traffick hast
thou increased thy riches, and thine heart is lifted up because of thy riches.”
A. The Prophecy Came From God
There is a clear declaration that this prophecy is coming to Ezekiel from God. Note that the
message is clearly to be delivered to the prince or king of Tyrus. This is important because we
should not think that God is only involved in specific messages to righteous people, but it is a
healthy reminder that those in leadership are directed by God even if they are lost and even if
they don’t listen. Remember Romans 13:1, “Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers.
For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.”
B. The Pride Came From Position
The prince believed, because he was so blessed as prince, that he was in fact God or at least a
god. The One True God was quick to point out that, “…yet thou art a man.” He had a position of
prestige. The physical location of his throne was on an island that arose up out of the sea. From
his throne he could see and be seen for miles.ii
ILLUSTRATION: Consider how often business leaders position their offices in a place of height.
The top offices, on the top floor of the tallest buildings are the domain of leadership sheltered
from the reality of everyday frustrations. It takes character and humility to avoid pride in such
an environment.
When Pride Turns To Greed
June 28/29 2014
C. The Profit Came From Wisdom
God through the prophet says that the Prince is wiser than Daniel. He indicates that the source
of his wealth has come from the wisdom and understanding that he has. It remains important to
remember the source of all wisdom, James 1:5, “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God,
that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.” This secular leader
needed to pull back and realize his wisdom came from God not himself – a lesson we should all
benefit from. Daniel gave glory to God; the Prince took the credit himself. If we are successful,
we may work hard but our health and our understanding comes from the blessings of God.
D. The Prominence Came From Wealth
Wealth in dollars and resources can be significant. However, even a person relatively low in an
organization or in life’s position can be rich in influence. Often there are those who lead without
the title in an organization. They are the “go to person” in an organization. This prince
experienced both wealth and prominence. He was recognized for his power, influence and
authority as ruler. The expression used, “by thy great wisdom and by thy traffick hast thou
increased...” is significant. The word “traffick” comes from a Hebrew word pronounced, rek-oollaw’ which refers to merchandising or trade. In other words this prince was known for his
international commercial trade.
II.
The Sadness of The Situation
Ezekiel 28:11-13 KJV
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Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Son of man, take up a lamentation
upon the king of Tyrus, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Thou sealest up the sum, full
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of wisdom, and perfect in beauty. Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious
stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper,
the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of
thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created.
A. Had Everything Going For Him
This “prince” is the original born into wealth individual. He started with all of the resources,
power and influence that he could have desired. He is said to have had “wisdom.” In addition to
all the understanding and wealth he even looked good. Note the expression, “perfect in
beauty.” The word “perfect” comes from the Hebrew word pronounced, kaw-leel’ which means
entire, the whole of something. The other word, “beauty” is just that, in other words he had
precious stones, wealth, wisdom and he was the perfect example of physical man. He was a
cross between Sean Connery and Arnold Schwarzenegger, or perhaps Donald Trump on a good
hair day.
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B. Had Everything From The Beginning
It was not just a matter of him having everything going for him, but he had it all from the
beginning. This was his way of life. He never experienced a day of wondering how he would
make it. He never lacked for resources, wealth or influence. He had literally experienced the
blessings of “the garden of God.” As Ezekiel described this prince he could best describe his
opulent life by comparing him to Adam in the garden before the fall of man. He is not saying he
literally walked in the Garden of Eden but that he lived a life as rich as life before sin came.
It is also important to note another rich God blessed analogy. The stones that are mentioned are
included in the stones that would have been worn on the breastplate of the high priest. In
addition the expression or reference to the tabrets and pipes refer to tambourine and
decorative jeweled items. These would indicate he has those about him playing music and
perhaps dancing and they are highly decorated for his entertainment or as a sign of his wealth
and position.
III.
The Significance of The Situation
Ezekiel 28:14-19 KJV
14
Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy
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mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. Thou wast
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perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee. By the
multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast
sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee,
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O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire. Thine heart was lifted up because of thy
beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the
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ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee. Thou hast defiled thy
sanctuaries by the multitude of thine iniquities, by the iniquity of thy traffick; therefore will I
bring forth a fire from the midst of thee, it shall devour thee, and I will bring thee to ashes upon
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the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee. All they that know thee among the people
shall be astonished at thee: thou shalt be a terror, and never shalt thou be any more.
A. You Are Anointed
This passage is grievous yet powerful. Here is the leader who was anointed. We know that
powers, authorities and people in leadership are appointed by God. This one according to the
passage, “14Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so…” is clearly
identified, that regardless of his heart, was appointed and empowered by God. He is being
compared to the cherubim on top of the Ark of The Covenant symbolic of the Spirit of God. It
may also be a comparison to the cherubims with the flaming swords at Eden to guard the tree of
life. This is more likely since there are other references in the passage to the garden.
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B. You Are Well Placed
That the prince of Tyre is well positioned is clear both historically and in this passage. Note
Ezekiel 28:14, “I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God…” obviously he held
the throne and the position of power by Divine Providence. All of us are called to places of
service as believers, further we are to recognize that our purpose in serving God will be where
he has placed us. This prince or ruler of Tyre was called, placed and yet did not appreciate the
purpose on his life.
C. You Are Corrupted By Blessings
With the position of power and the blessings of God the prince of Tyre became corrupt. Note
the passage in verse 15, 16 and 17:
15
Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was
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found in thee. By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee
with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the
mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones
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of fire. Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom
by reason of thy brightness:…
The expression, “till iniquity was found in thee,” shows us that it was discovered by God that the
prince of Tyre was operating in the flesh and pride. He was also shown to be corrupted by both
the influence he enjoyed through the trade of his business and the decadence that came with it.
In addition, please observe that his physical prowess and handsomeness corrupted his actions
and thoughts by pride.
D. You Are An Example
Finally, he was not simply corrected, but perhaps because of his leadership role and extended
influence he would be made an example. The judgment that came on him would be used as an
example to warn other leaders that they are not above being judged by God. Others, of many
ranks and influence, would discover that even a person so lifted up in power could be brought
low. Note the passages:
Verse 17
“…I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee.”
Verse 18 and 19
“…therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of thee, it shall devour thee, and I will
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bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee. All they that
know thee among the people shall be astonished at thee: thou shalt be a terror, and never
shalt thou be any more.”
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It becomes clear that if a mighty and blessed ruler is subject to God’s judgment we should all
realize that we are subject to God’s correction. Perhaps most important we should recall that
those God loves and knows best He holds to account both because of His love for us, the impact
we have on others and the special relationship He has with us, His children. Note:
Proverbs 3:12
“For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.
Hebrews 12:6
“For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.”
CONCLUSION:
The blessings of God are many and full of variety. However, it remains to us how we use these blessings.
They can become a source of blessing to touch others or our downfall as we become obsessed with our
material resources.
There are numerous examples available to us of men and women who “had it all” and yet became
selfish and corrupt and died sad often forgotten lives. Judgment comes if not in this life certainly
eternally. Perhaps it would be refreshing to close by looking at a life that never forgot that his blessings
and opportunities were from God.
If you ever spent time on the east coast of the United States you probably have heard of John
Wanamaker. If you have ever shopped you appreciate, often without knowing it, John Wanamaker. He
was a business man who began a store, followed by stores and a very large department store. At the
time of his death in 1922, the London Daily Times called him the most remarkable man in America.
He standardized pricing of products; there was a time most products had to be haggled over to establish
the price at the time of the sale. He established guarantees; if you’re not satisfied with your purchase
bring it back. How prosperous? He employed 13,000 employees at one time. His Philadelphia store was
a twelve-story building on 49 acres. On one Monday before Christmas they had 94,658 sales slips, each
with several items listed. He believed in education and started a college, university and business schools.
He served as the Postmaster General of The United States, as well as a writer and sought after speaker.
His greatest accomplishment? He was saved at age 15 and made that his priority. As a young adult he
became seriously ill and was advised by his doctor to leave where he was, change his climate and get
rest. He soon wrote to his parents the following message, “I hope with renewed energy to engage in the
service of the Lord. I ask for your prayers that I may be a humble and faithful child of God. My health has
been in a great measure restored and shall, the Lord willing soon return. I hope with renewed energy to
engage in the service of the Lord. In conclusion I ask an interest in your prayers that I may be a humble
and faithful child of God.”
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John Wanamaker supervised the distribution of hundreds of New Testaments. He enlisted and trained
more than 40 young men as Sunday School teachers. He personally sponsored over three hundred tent
meetings. He believed in Sunday School. He started a group with 27 students that later grew to a three
branch school that had over 5,000 pupils in attendance each week. He was passionate about souls. His
favorite Bible verse was John 5:24 “He that heareth my word and believeth on Him that sent me hath
everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death unto life.” John
Wanamaker serves as an example of a prosperous business man who saw the value of serving God. That
is what happens when pride does not turn to greed. Let this be our daily decision with whatever
resource God trusts us with.
i
Halley, Henry H., Halley’s Bible Handbook (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1965) 330,331
ii
Spence, H.D.M., and Exell, Joseph S., The Pulpit Commentary Volume 12 (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers,
2011) 101-105
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