Isaiah 23:18

And her merchandise and her hire shall be holiness to the LORD: it shall not be treasured nor laid up; for her merchandise shall be for them that dwell before the LORD, to eat sufficiently, and for durable clothing. HER MERCHANDISE AND HER HIRE SHALL BE HOLINESS TO THE LORD - her traffic and gains shall at last (long after the restoration mentioned, in ) be consecrated to Yahweh. Eusebius, 'History,' 10:, Isaiah 4:1, says, 'When the Church of God was founded in Tyre, much of its wealth was consecrated to God, and was brought as an offering to the Church for the support of the ministry.' Jesus Christ visited the neighbourhood of Tyre (): Paul found disciples there ...

18._But her merchandise and her hire shall be holiness to the Lord. _This was another instance of the divine compassion towards Tyre. Though she had been restored, yet she was not converted to God, but continued to follow dishonest practices, so that she justly deserved to be ruined. And indeed she was again punished severely, when Alexander took the city by storm; but still the kingdom of Christ, as Luke informs us, was erected there. (Acts 21:4.) This verse ought therefore to be viewed as contrasted with the former, as if he had said, “_And yet _the merchandise of Tyre shall be consecrated to God.” Here we have an astonishing proof of the goodness of God, which penetrated not only into this abominable brothel, but almost into hell itself. The restoration of Tyre ought thus to be regarded as a proof of the goodness of God; but the former favor was small in comparison with the se

15-18 The desolations of Tyre were not to be for ever. The Lord will visit Tyre in mercy. But when set at liberty, she will use her old arts of temptation. The love of worldly wealth is spiritual idolatry; and covetousness is spiritual idolatry. This directs those that have wealth, to use it in the service of God. When we abide with God in our worldly callings, when we do all in our power to further the gospel, then our merchandise and hire are holiness to the Lord, if we look to his glory. Christians should carry on business as God's servants, and use riches as his stewards....

AND HER MERCHANDISE - The prophecy here does not mean that this would take place immediately after her rebuilding, but that subsequent to the seventy years of desolation this would occur. SHALL BE HOLINESS TO THE LORD - This undoubtedly means, that at some future period, after the rebuilding of Tyre, the true religion would prevail there, and her wealth would be devoted to his service. That the true religion prevailed at Tyre subsequently to its restoration and rebuilding there can be no doubt. The Christian religion was early established at Tyre. It was visited by the Saviour Matthew 15:21, and by Paul. Paul found several disciples of Christ there when on his way to Jerusalem Acts 21:3. It suffered much, says Lowth, under the Diocletian

EXPOSITION ISAIAH 23:1 THE BURDEN OF TYRE. We hero reach the last of the "burdens"—the concluding chapter of the series of denunciatory prophecies which commenced with Isaiah 13:1. It is an elegy "in three stanzas, or strophes" (Cheyne)—the first extending from Isaiah 13:1 to Isaiah 13:5; the second, thence to Isaiah 13:9; and the third from Isaiah 13:10 to...

AND HER MERCHANDISE, AND HER HIRE,.... Or, "but her merchandise", c. not the same as before or, however, not as carried on at the same time, but many ages after, even in the times of the Gospel; for this part of the prophecy respects the conversion of the Tyrians, in the first ages of Christianity; this is prophesied of elsewhere, Psalms 45:12 and was fulfilled in the times of the apostles, Acts 11:19 and so Kimchi and Jarchi say this is a prophecy to be fulfilled in the days of the Messiah m; and then the trade of this people, and what they got by it, SHOULD BE HOLINESS TO THE LORD; that is, devoted, at least, great part of it, to holy uses and service; that is, in defraying of all expenses in carrying on the worship of God, for the maintenance of Gospel ministers, and for the supply and su

CHAPTER 23 The Burden of Tyre 1. _Tyre's great disaster (Isaiah 23:1)_ 2. _The complete overthrow (Isaiah 23:6)_ 3. _Tyre's future restoration and degradation (Isaiah 23:15)_ Tyre typifies the commercial expansion and glory of the world. Behind this commercial glory stands Satan, the god of this age. Read Ezekiel 28:11. Nebuchadnezzar carried out judgment upon Tyre Ezekiel 29:17. A revival of Tyre is also predicted. We call attention to a statement in the beautiful Forty-fifth Psalm, a millennial Psalm. When the Kin

ISAIAH 23. ORACLE ON TYRE. The date and authorship are alike very uncertain. If by Isaiah, the occasion may be the siege of Tyre by Shalmaneser about 727- 722 (p. 59), the historicity of which, however, is questioned by some, or Sennacherib's invasion in 701. The text of 13 is very suspicious, and its interpretation very uncertain, or it might have helped to fix the date. Isaiah 23:15 is probably a post-exilic appendix. Isaiah 23:1 is perhaps best referred to Nebuchadnezzar's siege of Tyre, 585- 577 (p. 61). The ships of Tarshish (Isaiah 2:16 *) are on their way back to Tyre, and after they have left Kittim, _i.e._ Cyprus (Numbers

HOLINESS. hallowed. SUFFICIENTLY. abundantly....

The appendix. Tyre shall be forgotten for seventy years; afterwards she shall resume her commercial activity, but its profits shall be dedicated to Jehovah's people....