Then God warns this human [but satanically inspired] prince that there will be a price to be paid for his pride and arrogance. Because he has squandered his God-given authority [see Romans 13:1], in favor of the riches and power Satan promised him, God then states His promise: to bring strangers into their land with swords drawn against the wisdom and splendor of Tyre. And then comes the final pronouncement against the prince of Tyre: "You are only a man and not God ... You will die the death of the uncircumcised [barbarian/pagans], by the hand of strangers, for I have spoken, says the Lord".
Now, we will turn to the remainder of Ezekiel, Chapter 28, where God addresses the fallen angel who is guiding, directing, and influencing the heart of this human prince. In verse 11, God instructs the prophet Ezekiel to now speak to the king of Tyre, taking up a lamentation [a wailing and mourning, as in deep grief at a funeral]. Keep in mind, that a king would have authority over a prince, and his rule would take precedence. I think we can assume that the prince of Tyre took his orders from the king of Tyre. We will see that God is no longer talking about the sin of the human prince, but the fall of the spiritual power behind him.
God says to this unholy king, "You had the full measure of perfection and the finishing touch [of completeness], full of wisdom and perfect in beauty". God goes on to tell him that every precious stone was his covering, placed there by God, Himself! Here, we get the clear picture of the pre-fallen Satan, the picture of perfection, wisdom, and beauty. And God had adorned him with honor and great glory and splendor. But by telling Satan that "You were in Eden, the garden of God", we know that he has fallen from his high position in Heaven, and he has become the adversary of God and humanity on the earth [Genesis 3].
But the chapter continues to describe the high position that Satan had once occupied in Heaven. God recounts that the timbrels [tamborines] and pipes had been prepared for him from the day he was created. Isaiah 14:11 makes mention of his stringed instruments, suggesting that Satan was involved with the music in Heaven; perhaps that used to worship the Lord. Makes you think about the influence he has had on the music industry here on earth, doesn't it?
I want to point to the specific wording in verse 13; that God tells Satan that his gift of music had been prepared for him "on the day he was created". Although Satan's prideful heart showed him to be arrogant enough to think he could be "like God" -- or equal to the Son of God -- he cannot escape the fact that he was a "created being". He would never compare to the "only begotten Son of God", Jesus Christ. In the Hebrew sense, this indicates that, as the Son of God, Jesus was the sole representative of the Being and Character of God; possessing every attribute of pure Godhead. He did not "become" the Son of God; He just "is", and has been, eternally.
I remember the first time I read Ezekiel 28 and was astounded to discover that Satan had been "the anointed cherub who covers and protects", signifying his position as one of the privileged angelic beings surrounding the throne of God [as mentioned in Ezekiel 1]. And the fact that he was "the anointed cherub", seems to indicate that he could have been the chief guardian of the throne of God, leading to his false [and arrogant] supposition that he could usurp that throne. But again, God reminds him, "I placed you there".
God goes on to tell Satan just how far he has fallen: "you were on the holy mountain of God; in the midst of the stones of fire you walked". This is in reference to the reality of the heavenly Zion, of which earth is a representative. And apparently Satan had freedom to move among the "fiery stones", which could represent the seraphim that surrounded God's throne, who were known as "the burning ones", or "the fiery ones".
Then comes the full significance of God's condemnation of this once honored angelic being ... "You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created until unrighteousness and evil were found in you. Through the abundance of your trade/trafficking, you were internally filled with lawlessness and violence; and you sinned. Therefore I cast you out of the mountain of God, as an unholy and profane thing. I will destroy you, oh covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire".
And then we learn what was found in Satan that caused God to cast him out of Heaven. And it is here that we find the ways in which this fallen angel corrupts mankind in his image ... God declares that his heart became proud and arrogant, and the same competitive spirit that showed in his desire to become equal with the Godhead, appears in his desire to be exalted above all created beings; both angelic and human. But that competitive spirit becomes a rebellious spirit and God indicts him by declaring, "You destroyed your wisdom for the sake of your splendor". And so God once again says that He cast Satan to the ground, exposing him for who he really is, so that all mankind might behold him and discern who he is. And I might add, "if they will".
Then, it seems to me, that God changes His language to indicate what will be His final destruction of Satan and all who choose to follow him. He accuses him of profaning and defiling his temples and refuges [all that honor his sins, including people, places, and things] "by the great quantity of your sins and the enormity of your guilt, by the unrighteousness of your trade [commerce and trafficking]". God then declares that He will bring a fire to consume Satan, so that all the nations might see His power to reduce the fallen angel to ashes. The nations will become horrified at the judgment of Satan because, not only does it point to their own judgment, but the great degree to which Satan has deceived them.
As you can see, Ezekiel 28 truly gives us an accurate picture of how mankind can become corrupted by the power and influence of Satan. It's in the details of Scripture! And it's all laid at the feet of the once proud and honored covering angel. Once you know his characteristics, it's not hard to see his influence and impact in the arrogance, corruption, sin, lawlessness, lies, perversion, and wickedness of men. We can identify the powerful spirit that is behind rebellious leaders. Yet we stand on the Word of God ... they will be destroyed and "come to a horrible and terrifying end, and will forever cease to be". We can trust that God is Sovereign and sitting on His throne. He will bring justice for the righteous and only condemnation and death for the wicked. He is a Holy and Just God. Amen!
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Ezekiel 28:17 Your heart was filled with pride because of all your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor. Therefore, I have cast you down to the ground and exposed you helpless before the curious gaze of kings.
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