Page 64 - Way of Life Encyclopedia of the Bible Christianity. Based on the King James Bible

BIBLE

up” (v. 3). Shock will succeed shock, till she is utterly was spoken, and had seen no fulfillment, it was not
desolate; “and they shall destroy the walls of Tyrus, forgotten; and the event declared that it was His word
and break down her towers; I will also scrape her dust whose judgments, though they may linger long, come
from her, and make her like the top of a rock” (v. 4). surely, and fall at last with resistless might.
Previous to the fall of their ancient city, the Tyrians had I have dwelt upon this instance simply as an example
removed the bulk of their treasure to an island in their of the kind of evidence we are able to bring forward.
possession, half a mile from the shore. Taught now by Indubitable though the prophecy is, I press for no
bitter experience, they resolved to trust themselves no conclusion from its fulfillment. It is of the utmost
more within walls, which had not round them the importance, in this inquiry, to place it beyond the
defense of a watery girdle. Tyre was mistress of the possibility of doubt that we are dealing with veritable
sea, and could defend herself there. The old city was prophecies, and that the prediction is separated from
therefore deserted, and no attempt was made to the event by such an interval as must exclude the
rebuild it after the Babylonia army had retired. So far possibility of human foresight. It could be proved
the prophecy had been fulfilled, but only so far. Tyre satisfactorily to most minds that the book of Ezekiel
was overthrown and spoiled; the noise of her songs was in existence long before the time of Alexander; but
had ceased; the sound of her harps was no more heard still doubt might creep in. The suggestion might be
(v. 13); the great and joyous city was abased and made that this particular prediction was added, or
desolate. But the ruins still stood. The words which amended, by a later hand.
declared that the stones and the timber should be cast We shall therefore limit the present inquiry to those
into the sea, and the very dust be scraped from the prophecies, regarding whose pre-existence to the
city’s site, had not been fulfilled; and it seemed most events of which they speak, there can, in no mind, be
improbable that they ever would be. What could the any doubt whatever. I enter into no argument as to the
words mean? Nebuchadnezzar had taken a full age of the O.T. Scriptures. I ask no admission to be
vengeance, but he had never thought of this. Even in made in regard to the antiquity of any one of the
his case, furious though he might be at the long- prophetical books.
continued resistance, it would have been the very We shall come down to a time later than any that has
frenzy of revenge. Who then would be found to wreak been named for their origin, and our argument shall
such unheard of vengeance upon the unoffending stand or fall by the prophecies which have been
ruins? fulfilled since then. Everyone is satisfied that all the
More than 240 years rolled on, and there was no Books of the O.T. were in existence before the time of
answer. For two and a half centuries those words of our Lord. It is also known, that since that time, the O.T.
Scripture seemed a vain menace. Then the fame of has been in a twofold custody.
Alexander’s swift and all-conquering career sent a thrill It has been in the hands of both the Jews and
of alarm through the East. The Tyrian ambassadors, Christians, between whom there could be no collusion.
who hastened to meet him, were favourably received. There is therefore absolute certainty that the
It seemed as if this storm cloud were about to pass prophecies are as old as the coming of Christ, and that,
harmlessly over them, but suddenly the conqueror as they existed then, we possess them now. If then we
expressed a desire to worship within their city. They take only such predictions as have been fulfilled at, or
knew only too well what that request meant. since, the beginning of the Christian era, every doubt
Alexander would not enter alone; and, once there, will be removed and every cavil prevented in regard to
those who came as worshipers would remain as the interval between the prophecy and the event; and
masters. The Tyrians resolved to abide the issue of war, within these limits we shall confine our present
rather than tamely hand over their city to the argument.
Macedonian king. Alexander’s army marched to the
seashore, and there, with half a mile of blue waters We have spoken of Tyre. There is one part of the
between them and it, stood the city they had come to prophecy which falls within the limits we have now set
attack. How could it be taken? Alexander’s plan was ourselves. We read Eze. 26:13-14: “I will cause the
speedily formed. He determined to construct a solid noise of thy songs to cease; and the sound of thy harps
causeway through the sea, over which his forces might shall be no more heard . . . Thou shalt be BUILT NO
advance to the assault. And now this word, which had MORE.”
waited so long, was at last LITERALLY FULFILLED. This sentence of the divine judgment stands as a
The walls, and the towers, and the ruined houses, and challenge to all time. It has been unanswered, save by
palaces, and temples, of the ancient city were pulled the silence of generations. It is unanswered still. Palae-
down, and the stones and the timber of Tyre were laid Tyrus, the continental Tyre, which was captured by
“in the midst of the water.” Her mounds of ruins were Nebuchadnezzar, and the ruins of which were cleared
cleared away; and so great was the demand for away by Alexander, has NEVER BEEN REBUILT. The
material in this vast undertaking, that the very dust site remains today without even a mound to mark it,
seems to have been scraped from the site and laid in and has to be determined solely by the notices in
the sea. Though centuries had passed after the word ancient writers which give its distance from the island
Tyre (John Urquhart, The Wonders of Prophecy).

64 Way of Life Encyclopedia of the Bible & Christianity