The "king of Tyre" in this case is not the human king from the previous verses. The following verses describe a supernatural being who had been created by God. This being had already exited at the time of the garden of Eden, and had been in the garden of Eden.
Verse 14 clearly states that this supernatural being began as a cherub, who had been given a place of prominence in guarding the throne of God. At the time he was created, he was beautiful, wise and without sin, until he chose to challenge and work against God.
As far as WHEN that choice of disobedience happened, we are never told. All we know is that it had to have happened before the fall of man. But PERHAPS Satan's choice occurred exactly at the time when he tempted Eve in the garden. This actually makes a lot of sense to me, since up until that moment, the garden of Eden was a place of perfection!...
(Ezekiel 28:11-15) Again the word of the Lord came to me saying, 12 “Son of man, take up a lamentation over the king of Tyre and say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord God,
“You had the seal of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.
13 “You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone was your covering: the ruby, the topaz and the diamond; the beryl, the onyx and the jasper; the lapis lazuli, the turquoise and the emerald; and the gold, the workmanship of your settings and sockets, was in you. On the day that you were created they were prepared.
14 “You were the anointed cherub who covers, and I placed you there. You were on the holy mountain of God; you walked in the midst of the stones of fire.
15 “You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created until unrighteousness was found in you...”’”
13 “You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone was your covering: the ruby, the topaz and the diamond; the beryl, the onyx and the jasper; the lapis lazuli, the turquoise and the emerald; and the gold, the workmanship of your settings and sockets, was in you. On the day that you were created they were prepared.
14 “You were the anointed cherub who covers, and I placed you there. You were on the holy mountain of God; you walked in the midst of the stones of fire.
15 “You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created until unrighteousness was found in you...”’”
The angels all made their choice right at that moment! (Either at some point before the fall of man, or right at that same time at the fall of man.)
And their choices at that time were made final. The angels of God will always remain angels and follow God's will. The fallen angels will always remain demons and follow Satan.
Satan's position in God's government was terminated at the time of his fall, although from the book of Job we know he still has access to heaven; but during the Tribulation, he will be restricted to earth. At the end of the Tribulation, he will be bound for a thousand years. He will be released at the end of the Millennium, just long enough to entice nonbelievers to challenge God in the last battle.
Then Satan's judgment-punishment will take place, and he will be cast forever into the lake of fire...
(Ezekiel 28:16-19) “‘...“By the abundance of your trade you were internally filled with violence, and you sinned; therefore I have cast you as profane from the mountain of God. And I have destroyed you, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire.
17 “Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom by reason of your splendor. I cast you to the ground; I put you before kings, that they may see you.
18 “By the multitude of your iniquities, in the unrighteousness of your trade you profaned your sanctuaries. Therefore I have brought fire from the midst of you; it has consumed you, and I have turned you to ashes on the earth in the eyes of all who see you.
19 “All who know you among the peoples are appalled at you; you have become terrified and you will cease to be forever.”’”
18 “By the multitude of your iniquities, in the unrighteousness of your trade you profaned your sanctuaries. Therefore I have brought fire from the midst of you; it has consumed you, and I have turned you to ashes on the earth in the eyes of all who see you.
19 “All who know you among the peoples are appalled at you; you have become terrified and you will cease to be forever.”’”
From this we see:
- when Satan (Lucifer) was created by God:
* he was a cherub, placed in a prominent position of guarding the throne of God (Ez.28:14)
* he was beautiful, covered in every precious stone: the ruby, topaz, diamond, beryl, onyx, jasper, lapis lazuli, turquoise, emerald, and his settings and sockets were gold (Ez.28:12-13, 15)
* he was wise and without sin (Ez.28:12, 15)
* he was in the Garden of Eden before and at the time of his fall (Ez.28:13)
- Satan (Lucifer) chose to work against God, either before the fall of man, or right at the time when he tempted Eve (Ez.28:16)
* he became prideful because of his beauty (Ez.28:17)
* he corrupted his wisdom, thinking he knew more than God (Ez.28:17)
- after Satan's fall:
* his position in God's government was terminated (Ez.28:16)
* he was "cast down", becoming a demon (Ez.28:16, 18)
* he was "destroyed", and is no longer internally beautiful (Ez.28:16, 18-19)
* he is profane (Ez.28:16)
* he is internally filled with violence (Ez.28:16)
* has a multitude of iniquities (Ez.18:18)
* his trade (his work) is that of unrighteousness and profanity, and sets up his own destructive, self-centered and prideful religion (Ez.28:18)
* he has become terrified, and so he uses and works with the motive of fear (Ez.28:19)
- Satan will ultimately be cast into the lake of fire at the end of the Millennium (Ez.28:19)
Personal experience: my one brother, while under the influence of demonic activity, had become so fearful, believing that he was so sinful, not even Satan would want him - therefore - why would God want him?
And when that same brother acted out, his motive was to create fear in others. And for a while, I did live in fear. Fearing and thinking that my brother was totally capable of murder and carrying out any and all of his threats.
And at first, when I experienced a demon's presence, I was VERY afraid. I soon learned to completely trust that God would protect me. (More on that topic for another time. And - praise the Lord! - my brother has since found salvation and God's grace and peace!)
Today's takeaway: as believers, Jesus is our Savior and we are not to live in fear. We do not have to fear anyone or anything. Only fear God, for He is everywhere, all-knowing, all-powerful and He is the judge of all things.
Therefore, (even when preaching the gospel...) nothing should be done with the motivation of fear. Nothing should be done to instill fear in others. That is doing the work of Satan.
As believers, our good deeds need to be done with the pure motive of God's love. We should love everyone, including our enemies. We should desire to be God-like. God is love. And because God loves and gives grace to His children - we should not be afraid of losing our salvation...
(1 John 4:7-19) Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 8 The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love. 9 By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him. 10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has seen God at any time; if we love one another, God abides in us, and His love is perfected in us. 13 By this we know that we abide in Him and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit. 14 We have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son to be the Savior of the world.
15 Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. 16 We have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. 17 By this, love is perfected with us, so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment; because as He is, so also are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love. 19 We love, because He first loved us.
(Ephesians 1:2-20) Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, 4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love 5 He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, 6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. 7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace 8 which He lavished on us. In all wisdom and insight 9 He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him 10 with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth. In Him 11 also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will, 12 to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ would be to the praise of His glory. 13 In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory.
15 For this reason I too, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which exists among you and your love for all the saints, 16 do not cease giving thanks for you, while making mention of you in my prayers; 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him. 18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might 20 which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places
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