Monday, October 6, 2014

Isaiah 23:8

Copyright Ó 2014 J. Neely
Isaiah 23:8

8 Who hath taken this counsel [ya`ats] against Tyre [Tsor], the crowning [`atar] city, whose merchants [cachar] are princes [sar], whose traffickers [Kana`an] are the honourable [kabad] of the earth ['erets]?  KJV-Interlinear

8 Who has purposed this against Tyre, the bestower of crowns, whose merchants were princes, whose traders were the honored of the earth?  ESV

The question arises as to who is responsible for the rise of greatness of Tyre?  Who is responsible for its expansion throughout the region? Who is responsible for the greatness and ingenuity and success of the traders who traded worldwide with common folks as well as the royalty of the many lands?

And of course the whole question is raised in order to point to God as the one who is responsible for the phenomenal success of the trading empire that spread throughout many lands and was successful for many, many centuries despite the many empires that rolled through the region from time to time.

Its success continued and even grew despite the many obstacles of history.  Man is not responsible.

In the beginning it is business that is being described, from the origins of Sidon and the many principles of free enterprise that existed throughout the region, and despite the many obstacles or regulations that were imposed by man, in order to make it even better.  It did fine on its own, throughout all of history.

Then Tyre has been described at its end, having disregarded God, Gods principles and turned itself over to the management of man.  There is more anti-business and pro-socialism sentiment throughout the world, than ever before in history.

So, throughout history, for centuries and centuries and centuries, economies thrived under the fundamental principles of the divine establishment.  Principles authored by God.

And then man comes along and tries to make economies better by micro management and government regulation. 

And what happens when the end of history finally arrives?

The economy not only collapses, but it takes everything down with it.  And when an entire world is forced to its knees, then billions are without anything and anywhere to turn.  The suffering for huge populations is horrendous.  Economies cannot restart under human regulation.  And it is all due to the arrogance of people who believe that they can manage something that is far beyond their understanding.

And we have many historical examples of mans failure in communism, in socialism, in the many empires that have tried to control their own destinies, in the many religions that have tried to run their own countries that are, even now, in utter ruin.  And yet people look away, and do not see the failure rate or the ruin that always accompanies this type of government regulation or religious control.

The Bible is a constant reminder that if you disregard the seriousness and objectivity of your daily study, and if your disregard your role in life, a role that God has placed on you, then you and you alone are to blame for the failures of life and history.


And since we have prophecies in writing, then we know that people will never change and that an unbelievable and disastrous end is coming one day.  The only question for you, is ‘Are you going to be a part of that doom?’