“‘I will bring you to a dreadful end, and you shall be no more. Though you be sought for, you will never be found again,’ declares the Lord God.”
– Ezekiel 26:21
So, these words are spoken by God to Tyre through the prophet, Ezekiel. It’s basically a prophecy, that Tyre will come to an end, and it’s a reminder that every kingdom of this world will come to a dreadful end, that the kingdoms of this world will, all, all, all of them, come to an end. Only the kingdom of God will remain forever.
Ezekiel 26:21 Reminds Us to Place Our Trust in God’s Kingdom
What’s the takeaway here for us? Don’t put your trust in the kingdoms of this world. Don’t put your trust in the powers of this world. And don’t hitch your life to the kingdoms of this world. They’re going to come to a dreadful end. They will be no more. Though they will be sought for, they will never be found again. Don’t put your trust in the United States of America. Don’t put your trust in England. And don’t put your trust in China. Don’t put your trust in India. Don’t put your trust in the leaders, the powers, the rulers, the authorities of this world. They’re all going to come to a dreadful end, and God’s kingdom alone is going to reign.
Oh, God, help us to live with this perspective today in every way, God, in a big picture way. Help us not to trust in any kingdom of this world. Help us not to live ultimately to promote any kingdom of this world. And help us to live today to promote your kingdom, to share the good news of the King Jesus. Help us to live for King Jesus above all.
Ezekiel 26:21 Calls Us to Fix Our Eyes on Christ
God, we pray that you would help us not to fix our eyes on earthly things, which are all passing away, not even in just a big picture sense, kingdom to this world, God, in a smaller picture sense, God, in our lives today, as we look around at our possessions, as we look around at what we’re pursuing and what we’re living for, what we’re fixing our eyes on, our attention on, our affections on.
We pray that you would help us to fix our eyes, our attentions, our affections on that which lasts forever, on your kingdom, to seek first your kingdom, your righteousness, to live in submission to you as our king, to live according to very different values that your kingdom has, that are wildly different than the values of this world. Help us to live today for that which will last forever. Help us to live today for that which will matter 10 trillion years from now, us to share the gospel today, the good news of your kingdom today with somebody else.
Praying for the Spread of the Gospel
God, we pray for the spread of the good news of your kingdom to the ends of the earth. Help us to live for what all of history is headed toward, every nation, tribe, telling people, gather around your throne, singing your praises. God, use our lives and our families and our churches to live for that day. God, we praise you. You are the king whose rule and reign knows no end, and we hitch our lives to you. We trust in you with all our heart. We love you with all our heart, and we pray you would help us to live for you and your kingdom above all today. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.
David Platt serves as a pastor in metro Washington, D.C. He is the founder of Radical.
David received his Ph.D. from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and is the author of Don’t Hold Back, Radical, Follow Me, Counter Culture, Something Needs to Change, Before You Vote, as well as the multiple volumes of the Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary series.
Along with his wife and children, he lives in the Washington, D.C. metro area.
