JEWELS

Frederick Buechner (1926-2022) pastor and author wrote:

“You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone was your covering,” the Lord said to the king of Tyre, “carnelian, topaz, and jasper, chryslite, beryl, and onyx; sapphire, carbuncle, and emerald.” But then, as the Lord goes onto explain, because the king fell from innocence into sin, “I cast you as a profane thing from the mountain of God, and the guardian cherub drove you out from the midst of the stones of fire” (Ezekiel 28:13,16)

One way or another, we have all fallen like the king. Yet we also carry within us a memory of Eden. It is perhaps why jewels fascinate us so and why we value them above almost all things. In their starry depths we see glimmers of where we have come from and also of where, according to ancient prophecy, we are going: the city whose “walls are… chrysoprase… jacinth… amethyst… and the twelve gates… twelve pearls… and the street… gold” (Revelation 21:19-21).”

The text above in Ezekiel 28 is difficult to completely understand. Verses 12-17 makes it seem like a clear reference to when Satan fell. But the King of Tyre, an ancient Phoenician city (now Lebanon area), is specifically named as perhaps a ‘type’ to particularly point out: “You were the seal of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.” (v.12) But “Your heart became proud on account of your beauty, and you corrupted your wisdom because of your splendor.” (v. 17)

Pride comes before the fall, but glory to the mercy of the Father; we can be restored for the glory of the New City. We will be sparkling.

“For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” Jesus