Isaiah 23:3 (NIV)
3 On the great waters came the grain of the Shihor;
the harvest of the Nile was the revenue of Tyre, and she became the marketplace of the nations.
the harvest of the Nile was the revenue of Tyre, and she became the marketplace of the nations.
Tyre was the main seaport along the Phoenician coast. Part
of the city was built on two rocky islands one-half mile from shore. The ships
of Tarshish were laden with goods and the wealth of the nations.
Nebuchadnezzar captured the mainland city (572 BC), but the
island was not taken until Alexander the Great destroyed it in 332 BC. The city
of Tyre represents a nation that was full of pride in its wealth. She had
become the marketplace for the nations. The Lord brought Tyre low and humbled
“the pride of her glory.” Today, we see the pride and wealth in many nations,
particularly in the United States. As individuals, we can easily be caught up
in the “tyranny of Tyre.” God judges materialism in nations and in our personal
lives. The Lord’s unfailing love, however, draws us to repentance when we see
the tyranny of materialism. There is no silver, gold, or diamond that is more
precious than the Lord.
What is your most valued possession? Whatever comes to mind first
may be the thing that the Lord wants you to lay on the altar. He is a jealous
God and has told us in His Word not to worship anything else above Him:
You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make
for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven or on the earth beneath,
or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I
the Lord your God am a jealous God….
(Deuteronomy 5:7-9) Jesus knew that our possessions could be
like “gods” that occupy our time and our hearts. He told the rich young ruler
that if he wanted to inherit the kingdom, he needed to sell all of his
possessions. The young man walked away.
What possession do you value above God? One easy test to see
if you value something more than God is to look at where you spend your time,
your treasure, and your talent. God is a jealous God, desiring that you have no
other “gods” above Him. Consider today anything you have put before Him.
Thought for today? What do I value above God?
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