He has stretched His hand out over the sea,
He has made the kingdoms tremble;
The Lord has given a command concerning Canaan to demolish its strongholds, (23:11).

The city of Tyre was a main seaport and at one time, had actually been a friend and supporter of Israel. In Solomon’s day, King Hiram of Tyre had supplied cedar timbers and workman for the building of the temple, as well as experienced seamen who would sail Solomon’s ships to retrieve and deliver imported goods. (1 Kings 9).

Now, some 243 years later, these allies of God’s people find themselves under God’s hand of judgment. What happened? The city of Tyre had come to enjoy success (perhaps much in part due to their allegiance with Israel), and had also come to take the credit, placing their trust for their future in the abilities, accomplishments, and achievements of man, believing they were secure in the fortress of their own making; a stronghold built on their revenue, influence and wealth.

The profit of their revenue:
Be silent, you inhabitants of the coastland,
You merchants of Sidon;
Your messengers crossed the sea
³ And were on many waters.
The grain of the Nile, the harvest of the River was her revenue, (23:2-3).

Their influence over others:
Is this your jubilant city,
Whose origin is from antiquity,
Whose feet used to carry her to colonize distant places? (23:7).

Their accumulated wealth:
Wail, O ships of Tarshish,
For your stronghold is destroyed, ? (23:14).

But their revenue, their influence, and their wealth all depended on their ability to travel across the sea. And in one fell swoop, with just a wave of His Hand, He Shakes Kingdoms and Demolishes Strongholds.

He has stretched His hand out over the sea,
He has made the kingdoms tremble;
The Lord has given a command concerning Canaan to demolish its strongholds, (23:11).

From Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance:
Kingdom: “4467. מַמְלָכָה mamlāḵāh: A feminine noun meaning kingdom. Often the term refers to the royal power an individual in sovereign authority possesses… In many other places, however, the word is utilized concretely to denote a people under a king…”
Tremble: “7264. רָגַז rāg̱az: A verb meaning to shake, to tremble, to agitate, to disturb, to rouse up, to rage, to provoke…”
Demolish: “8045. שָׁמַד šāmaḏ: A verb meaning to be destroyed….The primary passive meaning is to be destroyed, to be exterminated, or to be annihilated…”
Stronghold: “4581. מָעוֹז māʿôz,  מָעוֹזֶן māʿôzen: I. A masculine noun meaning a refuge, a fortress, a shelter. It signifies a stronghold or fortress… a protected location or place of safety…”

Consider Him Who Shakes Kingdoms and Demolishes Strongholds

• He Shakes Kingdoms that we might turn from our evil.
  •  “At one moment I might speak concerning a nation or concerning a kingdom to uproot, to pull down, or to destroy it; ⁸ if that nation against which I have spoken turns from its evil, I will relent concerning the calamity I planned to bring on it,” (Jeremiah 18:7-8).
• His Kingdom is the only kingdom that will never be shaken.
  • Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe; (Hebrews 9:28).

• He Demolishes Strongholds that we would turn to Him.
  • Turn to Me and be saved, all the ends of the earth;
    For I am God, and there is no other.
    ²³ “I have sworn by Myself,
    The word has gone forth from My mouth in righteousness
    And will not turn back,
    That to Me every knee will bow, every tongue will swear allegiance, (Isaiah 45:22-23).
• He alone is our Indestructible Stronghold of salvation.
  • “I love You, O Lord, my strength.”
    ² The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer,
    My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge;
    My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold, (Psalm 18:1-2).

How do we respond to Him Who Shakes Kingdoms and Demolishes Strongholds?

I couldn’t help but wonder, what if God’s people had lived according to His call to love Him with all their heart; would the city of Tyre have been influenced and drawn to a lifestyle of humble worship rather than that of haughty worldliness? Perhaps, the kingdom of Tyre would have made God their Stronghold.

I also discovered an interesting piece of information today. The U.S.A is 243 years old this year. And I couldn’t help but reflect on the fact that in just 243 years, the kingdom of Tyre went from a close association with God’s people to a city under judgment.

That should seriously move us to pray for our own nation. A close association with God’s people will not spare the wave of His Hand over any nation. And let us also remember, even though they called themselves God’s chosen people, the nation of Israel was not spared His judgment either.

Talk is cheap; it is how we live that demonstrates where our faith truly lies. For goodness sakes, even the demons believe God is Who He says He Is. But that is not saving faith. Saving faith acts; saving faith does; saving faith works.

You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder. ²⁰ But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow, that faith without works is useless? (James 2:19-20).

God Shakes Kingdoms and Demolishes Strongholds that we would be saved through faith in Christ. And when allegiance to any other kingdom has been Shaken loose, and when hope in false Strongholds has been Demolished, saving faith in Christ works out what God has worked within.

…work out your salvation with fear and trembling; ¹³ for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure,  (Philippians 2:12-13).

Because His is the only Kingdom that will never be Shaken, let us work out our saving faith with fear and trembling through gratitude and awe.

Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe; ²⁹ for our God is a consuming fire, (Hebrews 9:28-29).

Because He alone is our Indestructible Stronghold of salvation, let us work out our saving faith with fear and trembling through praise and unwavering confidence.

“I love You, O Lord, my strength.”
² The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer,
My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge;
My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
³ I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised,
And I am saved from my enemies, (Psalm 18:1-3).

Let us trust the profit of His revenue as we willingly deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow Him Who Shakes Kingdoms and Demolishes Strongholds.

Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. ²⁵ For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. ²⁶ For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul?…” (Matthew 16:24-26).

Let us ask Him to use us as His influence, that others would hear His appeal to come to Him Who Shakes Kingdoms and Demolishes Strongholds.

Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God, (2 Corinthians 5:20).

Let us pray that we would daily seek the true wealth that is ours through the assurance that is ours through knowing Him Who Shakes Kingdoms and Demolishes Strongholds.

… attaining to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God’s mystery, that is, Christ Himself, ³ in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, (Colossians 2:2-3).

Let’s Grow Together!