God's Faithfullness

God often speaks truth to us that deals with a future reality. For example He will promise to bring us the right husband. Often we believe Him and cling to His promise, knowing it will be fulfilled. But, I have learned the next step is often in the opposite direction. Seemingly our path will turn so far from the promised goal and be so painful that we struggle to hold on to a wisp of our former faith. In the end, often by surprise, we end up at our destination and see such a full fulfillment that we wonder why we ever doubted. But for a season, the way was dark and rough.

I found a really neat story in the Old Testament that I would like to share. After the time of the captivity of Israel, that included Daniel, the people were returned to the promise land. Several prophets were God's mouthpiece at the time. Two were Zechariah and Ezekiel. The surrounding cities were very irritated with Israel's rebuilding and stirred up trouble for them. God had his prophets speak out against some of these cities. One was Tyre. Ezekiel 28:13 describes the city in this way. "You were in Eden, the garden of God; Every precious stone was your covering..." This was a very powerful city on the shore of the Mediterranean Sea, full of wealth from trading. Ezekiel also tells us in verse 16, "By the abundance of your trade you were internally filled with violence, and you sinned..."

God responds to the pride and sin of this city with a promise of complete destruction. Zechariah 9:3-4 says, "For Tyre built herself a fortress and piled up silver like dust, and gold like the mire of the streets. Behold, the Lord will dispossess her and cast her wealth into the sea; and she will be consumed with fire." In Ezekiel 26, God promises, "And they will destroy the walls of Tyre and break down her towers...and make her a bare rock. She will be a place for the spreading of nets in the midst of the sea...Behold I will bring upon Tyre ...Nebuchadnezzar...He will slay your daughters on the mainland with the sword;... And the blow of his battering rams he will direct against your walls...Also they will make a spoil of your riches and a prey of your merchandise, break down your walls and destroy your pleasant houses, and throw your stones and your timbers and your dust into the water."

Thank you for reading through!!! This is the really fun part. History tells us Nebuchadnezzar came against Tyre and battered through her outer walls. Some of the people escaped to a small island (thus the mention of the mainland). Nebuchadnezzar had no boats and could not go after them. It would seem at this point the word of God was not complete. There had been no complete destruction down to the ground. But God was not done. He then sent Alexander the Great. One of the smartest conquerers ever, he saw the people of Tyre had set stones in the sea so that the island could not be reached by boat without risk of crashing. He decided to build a bridge. What would he use? He had his men gather all the stones of the buildings, all the timbers, everything including the dust which they scraped clean. They took all of these and threw them into the sea to make a bridge. Today the land of ancient Tyre is desolate. There is no resemblance of the prideful, beautiful city it once was. It truly is a bare rock and if you visit, you will see that fishermen from the area use the land as a place to spread their nets after they fish.

The prophecy was complete to the very last utterance. But there is more. The passage in Ezekiel 28: 13-19 spoke to the city of Tyre and to the future destruction of Satan. What assurance to see the promise that God says, "Therefore I have brought fire from the midst of you, It has consumed you, and I have turned you to ashes on the earth in the eyes of all who see you. All who know you among the peoples are appalled at you; you have become terrified, and you will be NO MORE!"

YEA!!! Our side wins in the end!

All of this is to say, we can hold onto that wisp of faith with all our might. There is not a smidgen of God's words that will not come true! What He says He will do, HE WILL DO!