I will bring you to a horrible end and you will be no more. You will be sought, but you will never again be found, declares the Sovereign LORD. – Ezekiel 26:21

Today’s Scripture Reading (May 19, 2014): Ezekiel 26

The city of Tyre holds a special place mythology. It is said to be the birthplace of Europa, a Phoenician princess who was kidnapped by Zeus. The earliest mention of Europa is in Homer’s “Iliad” which is usually dated to the 8^th century B.C.E. But the mention of Tyre as the birthplace of Europa (the mythical character from which Europe takes its name) shows that the city was at one time a place of some prominence. But very little is known of ancient Tyre. The town continues to exist today, but it has never regained the glory that the city of enjoyed at the time that the Illiad was written. However, it wasn’t Nebuchadnezzer that destroyed the ancient city. The one responsible for the ultimate destruction of Tyre was Alexander the Great.

Ezekiel predicts the destruction of Tyre. According to the Biblical texts, ultimately the city’s destruction, along with several others, was due to the people of these opposing cities cheering at the destruction of Jerusalem. But the destruction of Tyre was special and was to be a warning against others.

In reality the destruction of Tyre was special. The city actually existed on an Island with a section of the city on the mainland. It was the mainland portion of the city that was responsible for trade and it kept the island city supplied. But Alexander destroyed the mainland portion and then used the stone from the destroyed city to build a ramp from the mainland to the Island. Because of the artificial ramp, Alexander was able to attack the Island overland without the use of boats. After Alexander destroyed the island city, the artificial ramp was never removed. The result was that Tyre was made into a peninsula instead of an island.

But in keeping with the prophecy, while a new city of Tyre exists on the spot of the ancient city, the mainland portion has never been rebuilt, and there are extremely few artifacts from ancient times. In many ways it is as if the city had never existed.

The destruction of Tyre did set in motion conditions that would make the city of Carthage as a Mediterranean power in Northern Africa. It is thought that it was to Carthage that the survivors of Tyre ended up fleeing. But whatever the reason, the city of Tyre never has recovered – and the ancient city has never really been rediscovered.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Ezekiel 27