Pride and God's Purpose

 Read Isaiah 23.

Tyre and Sidon were two of the most important trading centers in the Mediterranean at the time.  Buying and selling with nations from Egypt to Spain, these merchants of Phoenicia became extremely wealthy.  The people deemed themselves self-sufficient and sensed no need of God.  Like many port cities, they had also become places known for carousing and open sin.  But their "pompous pride" and self-glorification were to come to an end.

To be sure, the Assyrians were marching in their direction.  The trade fell to the control of the Assyrian Empire for the 70 years, exactly as prophesied here, from 700 B.C. to 630 B.C.  However, behind the visible threat was the power of the invisible God.  There is a question in verse 8 with the answer in verse 9.  "Who has purposed this" destruction of these great cities?  "The LORD of hosts has purposed it."

A heart full of pride, the sense of self-sufficiency, and the actions of living life the way one wants are the very reasons Jesus was nailed to the cross.  Those form one of the key Biblical definitions of sin.

Isaiah later wrote, "Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.  But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.  All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned--every one--to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all." (Isaiah 53:4-6)

Though we are not told how, at the end of the chapter there will be a brief time of restoration of commerce.  But this time the prosperity will be dedicated, or holy, to the LORD.  And, isn't that what God is after all along?  His desire is for everything and everyone in His creation to bring Him glory.