24th March 2025

24th March 2025


Pray (ACts)


Read (Ezekiel 28 focus v1-5)


Message (Alan Burke) 


I know some people who well to say the least have an over inflated view of their own importance. A wee test to see if you’re one of them although I suspect you’re not if you’re reading this devotion but if you’re brave you could ask someone you know to answer these questions on your behalf. Do you see if any of these character traits are in you, exaggeration, entitlement, no empathy, jealous, envious, inability to take criticism, the need for validation? Ok those maybe sound like the sister in law or your next door neighbour but what about do they seem themselves as a god? Maybe their world revolves around them but the real world doesn’t. 


As we come to this prophetic judgment against the king of Tyre he had put himself in the place of the Lord God himself and the Lord would have no more of it. The Lord God in response to the ways of the king of Tyre would bring his downfall. The king of tyre or the price as he is spoke of at this stage in the prophecy is not mentioned by name and it doesn’t really matter who he is, after all he is long gone now and just a name in the history books. What does matter is what the Lord says about him in this prophecy and the judgement that came because of his sin. Looking at what were are told here the arrogance of this man is clear, he thought he was a god on the throne of a god in the heart of the seas (v2). 


But the Lord confronts him with how he was a man, not a god no matter what he thought, nor was not wiser than Daniel. Daniel is a man who in every way contrasted the ruler of Tyre, he was anything but a presumptuous arrogant man. Daniel didn’t put him in the place of the Lord God as the ruler of Tyre instead he submitted to his rule even though he risked his very life in doing this, he may have been a fool by the worlds standards but he was wise before God.


What we learn of the ruler of Tyre in these opening verses is that he is proud, arrogant, greedy, views himself as a god and wiser than God. He’s the kind of person that if you ever met you’d wonder how they could get in and out through the door because his head was so big. The ruler of Tyre had an inflated estimation of himself brought about by his position and his wealth, wealth that is because of his skill in trading, he was a shred businessman but it is a wealth that had made his heart grow proud, he was a man who needed no one or nothing from anyone this was the sin of Tyre’s king. 


Paul wrote to Timothy 17 Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. 18 Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. (1 Ti 6:17–18). We are rich beyond measure, do we do good, are we rich in good deeds, are we generous willing to share? Christ calls us if we know him, have known his great love towards us to use what we have for the benefit and the sake of the kingdom of God. Is this something that we are doing, it is something you are doing? The ruler of Tyre had amassed great wealth, it was his confidence but he couldn’t take it with him, even if he had been placed in a gold coffin it would be no use, he had foolishly put his hope in his wealth and his own power that would come to naught. What about us, where is our hope, in things that cannot save us or in Christ? If it is in Christ do we show it with how we live and how we give. 


Pray (acTS)


Sing


WSC
Q39 What is the duty which God requireth of man?
A. The duty which God requireth of man, is obedience to his revealed will.
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