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"Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God hath shined."
The reader will perceive that here we have a further parallel, for Zion, the perfection
of beauty, is a similar expression to:--
"O Tyrus, thou hast said, I am of perfect beauty . . . . . thy builders have perfected thy
beauty" (Ezek. 27: 3, 4).
also of the King of Tyre it is written:--
"Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty" (Ezek. 28: 12).
Zion or Jerusalem is the geographical centre for the outworking of the mystery of
godliness, while Babylon, Tyre, Pergamos and other cities have been, and will again be,
the place of Satan's seat and the outworking of the mystery of iniquity.
Ezekiel gives a fuller description of the cherubim than any O.T. writer, and it is to him
that we owe the description of the fallen cherub, which is given in chapter 28: under
the title of the King of Tyre. Passing to the lamentation of verses 12-19, we pass from
the history of one who was "a man (adam, Heb.) and no god" to one who was much more
than man.
Three items make up the description of the King of Tyre, viz., (1:) His wisdom and
beauty, (2:) His title and office, (3:) His iniquity and sin.
Ezek. 28: 12-17-.
A | 12, 13. Wisdom and beauty.
B | 14, 15-. The covering cherub.
C | -15. Iniquity.
C | 16-. Sin.
B | -16. The covering cherub.
A | 17-. Wisdom and beauty.
The finished pattern.
The opening description of this mighty being is truly wonderful:--
"Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty" (Ezek. 28: 12).
"Thou art the finished pattern" is the rendering of The Companion Bible. The Hebrew
word translated "sum" is the feminine form of the word meaning "measure" or
"standard". In Ezek. 43: 10 we have the same word as is used in 28: 12; there it is
translated "pattern". The masculine form comes in Ezek. 45: 11, "the bath shall be of
one measure". The context suggests a standard. "A just ephah and a just bath. The
ephah and the bath shall be of one measure." In Ezek. 18: 25 and 29 the word is
rendered "equal"; other passages give "to mete" (Isa. 40: 12), "to weigh" (Job 28: 25).