 From 1974 and until he passed away in June of 2005, Frank Caw devoted a considerable amount of time to research and study in Bible prophecy and related philosophical and theological issues. This website is dedicated by his family to his memory and work and is as he presented it at the time of his death. The family of Frank Caw, Jr. would like to thank Tim McHyde of EscapeAllTheseThings.com for hosting his website.
While always insisting on a plain, literal and sensible approach to scriptural exegesis,
he has pieced together many new scriptural insights on a number of extraordinary
prophetic developments that are poised to be fulfilled in our immediate
future!
Thus, it is safe to say that things are not going to happen the way many people think
they will happen.
But, this book will give you the scriptural keys for truly understanding what God has
preordained will happen, and how you can survive the incredible scenario of prophetic
events about to unfold! |
This ministry is dedicated to the loving memory of my
late wife, Debbie, who went to be in the presence of God on October 23, 1997, and who was
so instrumental in helping me to prepare for my ministry during those many long, difficult
years.
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Why The City Of
Tyre Must
Be Rebuilt In Lebanon
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Briefly, we should remind the reader that similar to what we observed in prophecies involving Israel during the “time of the end,” Ezekiel mixed all of his prophetic predictions together, some of which were intended to be fulfilled soon after their proclamation, while others were destined to be fulfilled during the endtimes. Likewise, although many of his prophecies may appear to have been fulfilled sometime in our history, in reality, they still require a future fulfillment because at least one prophetic detail has never been fulfilled. Since this prophetic style was a common practice among the Old Testament prophets, it does, admittedly, make our task more difficult when sorting through the prophecies to find the ones not yet fulfilled completely.
In Ezekiel 26:3, Ezekiel prophesied that Tyre would be destroyed because God would inspire “many nations to come up against thee, as the sea causeth his waves to come up.” In other words, this scriptural passage predicted that waves of invading nations would attack Tyre, and as a result, the city of Tyre would eventually be conquered and destroyed.
The ancient city of Tyre was a major city-state of the Phoenicians, a people famous for their sea trade and technical skills, so it is not surprising that the city of Tyre was a leading commercial center for the known world at that time in history. (See paper entitled, “Is Fulfilled Prophecy Of Value For Scholarly Apologetics?” by John A. Bloom, Ph.D., 1995, which is available on the Internet at: http://www.trinitysem.edu/journal/prophesy.html.) While the ports and temples of Tyre were located on an island section of Tyre, one-half mile off the coast (thus making it almost immune to invasion), the bulk of the city, including its manufacturing and trading facilities and food-sources were all located on the mainland. Because it was virtually impossible to conquer the island segment of Tyre, it required several waves of attacking nations over a period of many centuries before the city of Tyre finally was annihilated and destroyed completely. (Bloom)
This process of invasion and ultimate destruction began with the initial invasion by King Nebuchadnezzar of ancient Babylon, then in later centuries, continued with additional waves of attacks by first, Alexander the Great, then later the Muslim leader Saladin, and then finally — in 1291 A.D. — the Mamluks from Egypt who not only conquered Tyre, but completely destroyed the city as well. (Bloom) This catastrophic development, in turn, led to the area surrounding the former site of Tyre to suffer inter-sect Muslim rivalry, a major earthquake, and a plague, ultimately resulting in the complete abandonment of the whole region for a very long time. (Bloom) It was not until the 1760s that a small fishing village was established on the site of Tyre, thus fulfilling the final aspect of the ancient prophecy by Ezekiel that Tyre would become a place for the spreading of fishnets. (Bloom)
However, other biblical prophecies concerning the city of Tyre involve very dramatic predictions which were never fulfilled! Therefore, a future city of Tyre must be rebuilt in order to fulfill those biblical prophecies. Only then will the oft-repeated prediction that the city of Tyre will be destroyed, forever, finally be fulfilled. Thus, the tremendous wealth and influence of the city pictured in Ezekiel 27 must represent a future fulfillment because ancient Tyre never attained the degree of wealth described in this passage:
Ezekiel 27:1-4, 12, 25, 27, 32-36
1 The word of the LORD came again unto me, saying,
2 Now, thou son of man, take up a lamentation for Tyrus;
3 And say unto Tyrus, O thou that art situate at the entry of the sea, which art a merchant of the people for many isles, Thus saith the Lord GOD; O Tyrus, thou hast said, I am of perfect beauty.
4 Thy borders are in the midst of the seas, thy builders have perfected thy beauty.
12 Tarshish was thy merchant by reason of the multitude of all kind of riches; with silver, iron, tin, and lead, they traded in thy fairs.
25 The ships of Tarshish did sing of thee in thy market: and thou wast replenished, and made very glorious in the midst of the seas.
27 Thy riches, and thy fairs, thy merchandise, thy mariners, and thy pilots, thy calkers, and the occupiers of thy merchandise, and all thy men of war, that are in thee, and in all thy company which is in the midst of thee, shall fall into the midst of the seas in the day of thy ruin.
32 And in their wailing they shall take up a lamentation for thee, and lament over thee, saying, What city is like Tyrus, like the destroyed in the midst of the sea?
33 When thy wares went forth out of the seas, thou filledst many people; thou didst enrich the kings of the earth with the multitude of thy riches and of thy merchandise.
34 In the time when thou shalt be broken by the seas in the depths of the waters thy merchandise and all thy company in the midst of thee shall fall.
35 All the inhabitants of the isles shall be astonished at thee, and their kings shall be sore afraid, they shall be troubled in their countenance.
36 The merchants among the people shall hiss at thee; thou shalt be a terror, and never shalt be any more. (KJV)
Although ancient Tyre was a very famous city-state renowned for its world sea trade, it never boasted the incredible display of wealth and riches portrayed in the above biblical scripture. That is why a future Tyre must be rebuilt so that all the kings of the world can become wealthy by the multitude and abundance of her riches and treasures.
Ezekiel 26:15-21
15 Thus saith the Lord GOD to Tyrus; Shall not the isles shake at the sound of thy fall, when the wounded cry, when the slaughter is made in the midst of thee?
16 Then all the princes of the sea shall come down from their thrones, and lay away their robes, and put off their broidered garments: they shall clothe themselves with trembling; they shall sit upon the ground, and shall tremble at every moment, and be astonished at thee.
17 And they shall take up a lamentation for thee, and say to thee, How art thou destroyed, that wast inhabited of seafaring men, the renowned city, which wast strong in the sea, she and her inhabitants, which cause their terror to be on all that haunt it!
18 Now shall the isles tremble in the day of thy fall; yea, the isles that are in the sea shall be troubled at thy departure.
19 For thus saith the Lord GOD; When I shall make thee a desolate city, like the cities that are not inhabited; when I shall bring up the deep upon thee, and great waters shall cover thee;
20 When I shall bring thee down with them that descend into the pit, with the people of old time, and shall set thee in the low parts of the earth, in places desolate of old, with them that go down to the pit, that thou be not inhabited; and I shall set glory in the land of the living;
21 I will make thee a terror, and thou shalt be no more: though thou be sought for, yet shalt thou never be found again, saith the Lord GOD. (KJV)
In the preceding scripture, there can be no question that some of the prophecies represent a futuristic fulfillment involving a future city of Tyre. Admittedly, there are other prophecies in Ezekiel that predicted the city of Tyre would be thrown into the midst of the seas when it was destroyed. But, apparently those prophecies were fulfilled when debris, left over from the destruction of mainland Tyre, was used by Alexander the Great to build a bridge of land out to the island fortress of Tyre. However, in the passage above, it clearly states that the waters of the ocean will come up and cover the city completely, a phenomenon that is entirely different from Tyre falling into the sea as predicted in other biblical prophecies. So, evidently this prophetic prediction has never happened, yet. Nor will it happen until near the time of Armageddon when the islands of the world will crumble into the oceans as a great final earthquake devastates the entire globe:
Revelation 16:17-21
17 And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done.
18 And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great.
19 And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath.
20 And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found.
21 And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great. (KJV)
“When I shall bring thee down with them that descend into the pit, with the people of old time, and shall set thee in the low parts of the earth, in places desolate of old.” It is very likely this scriptural passage concerns a future, modern city of Tyre because it is predicted that Tyre will descend down into “the pit” to join the “people of old time,” i.e., of ancient times.
Ezekiel 26:17, 21
17 And they shall take up a lamentation for thee, and say to thee, How art thou destroyed, that wast inhabited of seafaring men, the renowned city, which wast strong in the sea, she and her inhabitants, which cause their terror to be on all that haunt it!
21 I will make thee a terror... (KJV)
Although the ancient city of Tyre was renowned for its sea trade and commerce, it was never a towering military power which created fear and terror in people throughout the world, or even in Europe and Asia Minor. In fact, as we noted previously, down throughout history, ancient Tyre was subjected to frequent military invasions by powerful neighboring countries who always were anxious to exploit Tyre’s commercial and geopolitical importance. So, obviously this must be a reference to a future, rebuilt city of Tyre which will become the political capital of a new world leader, i.e., Antichrist, about whom the whole world will say: “Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?”
Ezekiel 27:36
36 The merchants among the people shall hiss at thee; thou shalt be a terror, and never shalt be any more. (KJV)
Ezekiel 26:21
21 I will make thee a terror, and thou shalt be no more: though thou be sought for, yet shalt thou never be found again, saith the Lord GOD. (KJV)
The above two prophecies state, specifically, that the city of Tyre will never be “found again,” i.e., extant, after undergoing a final, devastating destruction by God. Although there is only a fishing village located there now, something far short of the splendor and grandeur and influence of ancient Tyre, nevertheless, something is still there. Since a small city or village can be found there currently, contrary to the precise wording of the above scriptures, these predictions must achieve a future fulfillment some day. Because there must come a time when absolutely nothing can be found there, and it will happen when the former “island” segment of Tyre is annihilated in the final great earthquake that will shake the whole world.
Zechariah 9:1-8
1 The burden of the word of the LORD in the land of Hadrach, and Damascus shall be the rest thereof: when the eyes of man, as of all the tribes of Israel, shall be toward the LORD.
2 And Hamath also shall border thereby; Tyrus, and Zidon, though it be very wise.
3 And Tyrus did build herself a strong hold, and heaped up silver as the dust, and fine gold as the mire of the streets.
4 Behold, the Lord will cast her out, and he will smite her power in the sea; and she shall be devoured with fire.
5 Ashkelon shall see it, and fear; Gaza also shall see it, and be very sorrowful, and Ekron; for her expectation shall be ashamed; and the king shall perish from Gaza, and Ashkelon shall not be inhabited.
6 And a bastard shall dwell in Ashdod, and I will cut off the pride of the Philistines.
7 And I will take away his blood out of his mouth, and his abominations from between his teeth: but he that remaineth, even he, shall be for our God, and he shall be as a governor in Judah, and Ekron as a Jebusite.
8 And I will encamp about mine house because of the army, because of him that passeth by, and because of him that returneth: and no oppressor shall pass through them any more: for now have I seen with mine eyes. (KJV)
In the above passage, please note that Tyre builds itself a strong hold, and heaps up huge amounts of gold and silver in its coffers. Yet, it is said that God smashes her into the sea, and destroys her with fire (at the time of Armageddon when the 7th Trumpet-Vial plague will unleash an incredible, cataclysmic earthquake that will destroy all the mountains and islands and cities throughout the world). At that point in time, God will “encamp” about His “house” in Jerusalem as a direct response to the invading army of the Antichrist, i.e., “him that passeth by.” But then afterwards, it is said that no “oppressor” shall invade and persecute Israel again. Obviously this passage requires a future fulfillment so that a rebuilt city of Tyre can acquire the incredible wealth and power, predicted in this scripture, before it is destroyed violently and suddenly as described.
Ezekiel predicts that the city of Tyre will be destroyed forever. Yet Isaiah 23 describes this very same destruction, but then predicts that Tyre will be rebuilt 70 years afterwards so that it can provide food and clothing “for them that dwell before the Lord” in Jerusalem forever. Although these predictions appear to involve an outright contradiction, it is actually only a matter of complexity. As mentioned earlier, Tyre historically was always a city of two sections; part of it was located on the “island” area that was linked to the mainland in ancient times by a gigantic dirt-mound, and the remaining part was located on the actual mainland. So, it is the “island” segment of Tyre that will be destroyed forever (during the great final earthquake that will occur during Armageddon when all the islands and mountains of the world will be destroyed). Isaiah even confirms this conclusion by stating that Tyre will be destroyed near the time when the country of Egypt will be destroyed, i.e., just prior to the time when the Battle of Armageddon begins (Dan. 11:40-45).
Isaiah 23:1, 5-9, 11, 13, 15, 17, 18
1 The burden of Tyre. Howl, ye ships of Tarshish; for it is laid waste, so that there is no house, no entering in: from the land of Chittim it is revealed to them.
5 As at the report concerning Egypt, so shall they be sorely pained at the report of Tyre.
6 Pass ye over to Tarshish; howl, ye inhabitants of the isle.
7 Is this your joyous city, whose antiquity is of ancient days? her own feet shall carry her afar off to sojourn.
8 Who hath taken this counsel against Tyre, the crowning city, whose merchants are princes, whose traffickers are the honourable of the earth?
9 The LORD of hosts hath purposed it, to stain the pride of all glory, and to bring into contempt all the honourable of the earth.
11 He stretched out his hand over the sea, he shook the kingdoms: the LORD hath given a commandment against the merchant city, to destroy the strong holds thereof.
13 Behold the land of the Chaldeans; this people was not, till the Assyrian founded it for them that dwell in the wilderness: they set up the towers thereof, they raised up the palaces thereof; and he brought it to ruin.
15 And it shall come to pass in that day, that Tyre shall be forgotten seventy years, according to the days of one king: after the end of seventy years shall Tyre sing as an harlot.
17 And it shall come to pass after the end of seventy years, that the LORD will visit Tyre, and she shall turn to her hire, and shall commit fornication with all the kingdoms of the world upon the face of the earth.
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. (KJV)
Although ancient Tyre enjoyed a good measure of the wealth which will exist in the future city of Tyre, this biblical prophecy concerning Tyre is a prediction that will be fulfilled in our immediate future. Moreover, in the above scriptural passage, Isaiah also predicts that “the Assyrian,” i.e., the Antichrist, will rebuild the city of Tyre for the benefit of the “Chaldeans” (during the period of peace and prosperity that will exist on the earth until the pre-tribulation Rapture occurs). Then near the time of Armageddon itself, the city of Tyre will be destroyed and allowed to lie in total ruins for a period of seventy years. But after those seventy years have elapsed, God declares that He will restore the city of Tyre so it can function as an eternal source of food and clothing for people who will serve Him in the city of Jerusalem. Please observe that Isaiah informs us this great city will be rebuilt by the “Assyrian,” who is none other than the Antichrist. (Isa. 10:5-6; Isa. 10:20-34; Isa. 14:24-27; Isa. 19; Isa. 23:13; Isa. 27:12-13; Isa. 30:18-33; Isa. 31:4-9; Micah 5:3-15; Micah 7:7-20).
Finally, if all other biblical prophecies concerning a future, rebuilt city of Tyre could somehow be explained away, this prophecy would remain as the one prophecy that can be viewed with a very high degree of certainty and confidence! Because the scripture clearly predicts that seventy years after the final and complete annihilation of the “island” segment of Tyre, the Lord will visit Tyre and bless her exceedingly so that her merchandise will be available as food and clothing for people who will serve Him in Jerusalem forever. Obviously this prophecy has never been fulfilled, so it must be fulfilled sometime in the future!
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Frank L. Caw, Jr.
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