推罗王与他背后的撒但
以西结书二十八章11至19节
11耶和华的话临到我说:
12“人子啊,你为推罗王作起哀歌说:‘主耶和华如此说:你无所不备,智慧充足,全然美丽。
13你曾在伊甸神的园中,佩戴各样宝石,就是红宝石、红璧玺、金钢石、水苍玉、红玛瑙、碧玉、蓝宝石、绿宝石、红玉和黄金,又有精美的鼓笛在你那里,都是在你受造之日预备齐全的。
14你是那受膏遮掩约柜的基路伯,我将你安置在神的圣山上,你在发光如火的宝石中间往来。
15你从受造之日所行的都完全,后来在你中间又察出不义。
16因你贸易很多,就被强暴的事充满,以致犯罪,所以我因你亵渎圣地,就从神的山驱逐你。遮掩约柜的基路伯啊,我已将你从发光如火的宝石中除灭。
17你因美丽心中高傲,又因荣光败坏智慧,我已将你摔倒在地,使你倒在君王面前,好叫他们目睹眼见。
18你因罪孽众多,贸易不公,就亵渎你那里的圣所。故此,我使火从你中间发出烧灭你,使你在所有观看的人眼前变为地上的炉灰。
19各国民中,凡认识你的都必为你惊奇。你令人惊恐,不再存留于世,直到永远。’”
信息分享
推罗王认为自己很了不起,所以心骄气傲。他的城池日益强大,成为当时商务的领袖。它有最强大的船队,可以远航至其他国家不能到达的地方。然而,这种骄傲自大的罪,不论是出现在人或灵界的受造物身上,都是神所憎恶的。
至于撒但,也是因为骄傲而堕落。他本在天使中居首,他却并不满足,想升得更高。第13至14节勾划了他显赫优越的地位及特权,可惜在第15至17节却指出他的堕落。
以赛亚书十四章13至14节将他的意念揭露出来:「我要高举我的宝座在神众星以上……我要与至上者同等。」以西结补充说「你心中高傲」(17节),于是神就回应:「我已将你摔倒在地。」基督也曾经说过:「我曾看见撒但从天上坠落,像闪电一样。」(路十18)
骄傲带来的结局,实在十分可悲;但却是我们更大的功课。我们很容易看自己过于所当看的,我们会因为自己的恩赐、事奉或生活其他方面而变得骄傲。保罗怎样教导我们呢?他说:「不要看自己过于所当看的……却要看得合乎中道。」(罗十二3)我们岂不是经常犯了骄傲的罪吗?神岂不是因此而不能使用我们吗?如果是这样,我们必须为此认罪,并且努力追求,作神在基督里要我们去作的人。
THE KING OF TYRE AND THE ONE BEHIND HIM
Ezekiel 28: 11-19
11 Moreover the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
12 “Son of man, take up a lamentation for the king of Tyre, and say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD:
“You were the seal of perfection,
Full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.
13 You were in Eden, the garden of God;
Every precious stone was your covering:
The sardius, topaz, and diamond,
Beryl, onyx, and jasper,
Sapphire, turquoise, and emerald with gold.
The workmanship of your timbrels and pipes
Was prepared for you on the day you were created.
14 “You were the anointed cherub who covers;
I established you;
You were on the holy mountain of God;
You walked back and forth in the midst of fiery stones.
15 You were perfect in your ways from the day you were created,
Till iniquity was found in you.
16 “By the abundance of your trading
You became filled with violence within,
And you sinned;
Therefore I cast you as a profane thing
Out of the mountain of God;
And I destroyed you, O covering cherub,
From the midst of the fiery stones.
17 “Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty;
You corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor;
I cast you to the ground,
I laid you before kings,
That they might gaze at you.
18 “You defiled your sanctuaries
By the multitude of your iniquities,
By the iniquity of your trading;
Therefore I brought fire from your midst;
It devoured you,
And I turned you to ashes upon the earth
In the sight of all who saw you.
19 All who knew you among the peoples are astonished at you;
You have become a horror,
And shall be no more forever.”’”
Message
The king of Tyre thought he had so much of which he could be proud. His city was powerful and was the leader of the commercial world of that day. Its fleet was the strongest and sailed further than any others. But the sin of pride is hated by God whether it is in man or angelic being.
In the case of Satan, it was pride which was his undoing. Not content with the wonderful position he had among the angels in heaven, he wanted more. In verses 13-14 there is a word picture of a remarkable being with tremendous privileges. Then come the sad words of verses 15-17 describes his fall.
In Isaiah 14 we are given his thoughts put into words. “I will raise my throne above the stars of God...I will make myself like the Most High...” Ezekiel adds (v.17), “Your heart became proud,” Then follows the reaction of God, “I threw you to the earth.” Christ said, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.”(Luke 10:18)
It is tragic to think what pride could do. But it is a major lesson for us. We can easily think more of ourselves than we should. We can become proud of our gifts, of our service for Christ, or of other areas in our lives. What did Paul say? “Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but think of yourself with sober judgment...” (Romans 12:3) Have we often been guilty of the sin of pride? Is that why God can’t use us as He wants to? If so let us confess our sin and seek to be more like what God wants us to be in Christ.

