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Commentary on Ezekiel 28 verses 1–10
We had done with Tyrus in the foregoing chapter, but now the prince of Tyrus is to be singled out from the rest. Here is something to be said to him by himself, a message to him from God, which the prophet must send him, whether he will hear or whether he will forbear.
I. He must tell him of his pride. His people are proud (Eze 27:3) and so is he; and they shall both be made to know that God resists the proud. Let us see, 1. What were the expressions of his pride: His heart was lifted up, Eze 28:2. He had a great conceit of himself, was puffed up with an opinion of his own sufficiency, and looked with disdain upon all about him. Out of the abundance of the pride of his heart he said, I am a god; he did not only say it in his heart, but had the impudence to speak it out. God has said of princes, They are gods (Psa 82:6); but it does not become them to say so of themselves; it is a high affront to him who is God alone, and will not give his glory to another. He thought that the city of Tyre had as necessary a dependence upon him as the world has upon the God that made it, and that he was himself independent as God and unaccountable to any. He thought himself to have as much wisdom and strength as God himself, and as incontestable an authority, and that his prerogatives were as absolute and his word as much a law as the word of God. He challenged divine honours, and expected to be praised and admired as a god, and doubted not to be deified, among other heroes, after his death as a great benefactor to the world. Thus the king of Babylon said, I will be like the Most High (Isa 14:14), not like the Most Holy. "I am the strong God, and therefore will not be contradicted, because I cannot be controlled. I sit in the seat of God; I sit as high as God, my throne equal with his. Divisum imperium cum Jove Caesar habet - Caesar divides dominion with Jove. I sit as safely as God, as safely in the heart of the seas, and as far out of the reach of danger, as he in the height of heaven." He thinks his guards of men of war about his throne as pompous and potent as the hosts of angels that are about the throne of God. He is put in mind of his meanness and mortality, and, since he needs to be told, he shall be told, that self-evident truth, Thou art a man, and not God, a depending creature; thou art flesh, and not spirit, Isa 31:3. Note, Men must be made to know that they are but men, Psa 9:20. The greatest wits, the greatest potentates, the greatest saints, are men, and not gods. Jesus Christ was both God and man. The king of Tyre, though he has such a mighty influence upon all about him, and with the help of his riches bears a mighty sway, though he has tribute and presents brought to his court with as much devotion as if they were sacrifices to his altar, though he is flattered by his courtiers and made a god of by his poets, yet, after all, he is but a man; he knows it; he fears it. But he sets his heart as the heart of God; "Thou hast conceited thyself to be a god, hast compared thyself with God, thinking thyself as wise and strong, and as fit to govern the world, as he." It was the ruin of our first parents, and ours in them, that they would be as gods, Gen 3:5. And still that corrupt nature which inclines men to set up themselves as their own masters, to do what they will, and their own carvers, to have what they will, their own end, to live to themselves, and their own felicity, to enjoy themselves, sets their hearts as the heart of God, invades his prerogatives, and catches at the flowers of his crown - a presumption that cannot go unpunished.
2.We are here told what it was that he was proud of. (1.) His wisdom. It is probable that this prince of Tyre was a man of very good natural parts, a philosopher, and well read in all the parts of learning that were then in vogue, at least a politician, and one that had great dexterity in managing the affairs of state. And then he thought himself wiser than Daniel, Eze 28:3. We found, before, that Daniel, though now but a young man, was celebrated for his prevalency in prayer, Eze 14:14. Here we find he was famous for his prudence in the management of the affairs of this world, a great scholar and statesman, and withal a great saint, and yet not a prince, but a poor captive. It was strange that under such external disadvantages his lustre should shine forth, so that he had become wise to a proverb. When the king of Tyre dreams himself to be a god he says, I am wiser than Daniel. There is no secret that they can hide from thee. Probably he challenged all about him to prove him with questions, as Solomon was proved, and he had unriddled all their enigmas, had solved all their problems, and none of them all could puzzle him. He had perhaps been successful in discovering plots, and diving into the counsels of the neighbouring princes, and therefore thought himself omniscient, and that no thought could be withholden from him; therefore he said, I am a god. Note, Knowledge puffeth up; it is hard to know much and not to know it too well and to be elevated with it. He that was wiser than Daniel was prouder than Lucifer. Those therefore that are knowing must study to be humble and to evidence that they are so. (2.) His wealth. That way his wisdom led him; it is not said that by his wisdom he searched into the arcana either of nature or government, modelled the state better than it was, or made better laws, or advanced the interests of the commonwealth of learning; but his wisdom and understanding were of use to him in traffic. As some of the kings of Judah loved husbandry (Ch2 26:10), so the king of Tyre loved merchandise, and by it he got riches, increased his riches, and filled his treasures with gold and silver, Eze 28:4, Eze 28:5. See what the wisdom of this world is; those are cried up as the wisest men that know how to get money and by right or wrong to raise estates; and yet really this their way is their folly, Psa 49:13. It was the folly of the king of Tyre, [1.] That he attributed the increase of his wealth to himself and not to the providence of God, forgetting him who gave him power to get wealth, Deu 8:17, Deu 8:18. [2.] That he thought himself a wise man because he was a rich man; whereas a fool may have an estate (Ecc 2:19), yea, and a fool may get an estate, for the world has been often observed to favour such, when bread is not to the wise, Ecc 9:11. [3.] That his heart was lifted up because of his riches, because of the increase of his wealth, which made him so haughty and secure, so insolent and imperious, and which set his heart as the heart of God. The man of sin, when he had a great deal of worldly pomp and power, showed himself as a god, Th2 2:4. Those who are rich in this world have therefore need to charge that upon themselves which the word of God charges upon them, that they be not high-minded, Ti1 6:17.
II. Since pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall, he must bell him of that destruction, of that fall, which was now hastening on as the just punishment of his presumption in setting up himself a rival with God. "Because thou hast pretended to be a god (Eze 28:6), therefore thou shalt not be long a man," Eze 28:7. Observe here,
1.The instruments of his destruction: I will bring strangers upon thee - the Chaldeans, whom we do not find mentioned among the many nations and countries that traded with Tyre, ch. 27. If any of those nations had been brought against it, they would have had some compassion upon it, for old acquaintance-sake; but these strangers will have none. They are people of a strange language, which the king of Tyre himself, wise as he is, perhaps understands not. They are the terrible of the nations; it was an army made up of many nations, and it was at this time the most formidable both for strength and fury. These God has at command, and these he will bring upon the king of Tyre.
2.The extremity of the destruction: They shall draw their swords against the beauty of thy wisdom (Eze 28:7), against all those things which thou gloriest in as thy beauty and the production of thy wisdom. Note, It is just with God that our enemies should make that their prey which we have made our pride. The king of Tyre's palace, his treasury, his city, his navy, his army, these he glories in as his brightness, these, he thinks, made him illustrious and glorious as a god on earth. But all these the victorious enemy shall defile, shall deface, shall deform. He thought them sacred, things that none durst touch; but the conquerors shall seize them as common things, and spoil the brightness of them. But, whatever becomes of what he has, surely his person is sacred. No (Eze 28:8): They shall bring thee down to the pit, to the grave; thou shalt die the death. And, (1.) It shall not be an honourable death, but an ignominious one. He shall be so vilified in his death that he may despair of being deified after his death. He shall die the deaths of those that are slain in the midst of the seas, that have no honour done them at their death, but their dead bodies are immediately thrown overboard, without any ceremony or mark of distinction, to be a feast for the fish. Tyre is likely to be destroyed in the midst of the sea (Eze 27:32) and the prince of Tyre shall fare no better than the people. (2.) It shall not be a happy death, but a miserable one. He shall die the deaths of the uncircumcised (Eze 28:10), of those that are strangers to God and not in covenant with him, and therefore die under his wrath and curse. It is deaths, a double death, temporal and eternal, the death both of body and soul. He shall die the second death; that is dying miserably indeed. The sentence of death here passed upon the king of Tyre is ratified by a divine authority: I have spoken it, saith the Lord God. And what he has said he will do. None can gainsay it, nor will he unsay it.
3.The effectual disproof that this will be of all his pretensions to deity (Eze 28:9): "When the conqueror sets his sword to thy breast, and thou seest no way of escape, wilt thou then say, I am God? Wilt thou then have such a conceit of thyself as thou now hast? No; thy being overpowered by death, and by the fear of it, will force thee to own that thou art not a god, but a weak, timorous, trembling, dying man. In the hand of him that slays thee (in the hand of God, and of the instruments that he employed) thou shalt be a man, and not God, utterly unable to resist, and help thyself." I have said, You are gods; but you shall die like men, Psa 82:6, Psa 82:7. Note, Those who pretend to be rivals with God shall be forced one way or other to let fall their claims. Death at furthest, when we come into his hand, will make us know that we are men.
(Verse 35, 36, and following) And I will bring you into a desert of peoples, and there I will judge you face to face. Just as I contended with your fathers in the desert of the land of Egypt, so I will judge you, says the Lord. And I will subject you to my scepter, and I will bring you into the bonds of the covenant, and I will choose from among you the transgressors and the wicked: from their place of residence I will bring them out, and they will not enter the land of Israel, and you will know that I am the Lord. Thus says the Lord: I will do for you who are in Babylon, and now serve idols, what I did for your ancestors in Egypt. I will lead you into the desert of the peoples, and there I will judge you face to face, just as I contended with them in judgment when they came out of Egypt. And after I have judged you, I will subject you to my scepter and rule, and I will make a covenant with you and bring you into your land with the bonds of love, so that bound by my love, you will never be able to depart from me. But I will choose from among you the transgressors and the wicked, who persist in the hardness of their hearts in evil deeds, not for possession, but for rejection. And I will indeed bring them out of the land of their dwelling, so that when they are brought out, they will not enter the land of Israel; but they will perish in various regions. And by the distinction between good and evil, you shall know that I am the Lord, who judges all things. The rest of the discourse hastens, and we briefly go through each point, in order to provide only the meaning to the readers.
(Chapter 28, Verse 1 onwards) 'The word of the Lord came to me, saying: Son of man, say to the prince of Tyre: Thus says the Lord God: Because your heart is lifted up, and you have said, 'I am a god, I sit in the seat of gods, in the heart of the seas,' yet you are a man, and not a god, though you set your heart as the heart of a god. Behold, you are wiser than Daniel! There is no secret that is hidden from you. By your wisdom and your understanding you have gained wealth for yourself and have acquired gold and silver in your treasuries.' In the abundance of your wisdom, and in your trading, you have multiplied strength for yourself, and your heart has been lifted up in your power. Therefore, thus says the Lord (God adds): because your heart has been lifted up as the heart of God, therefore, behold, I will bring upon you the most strong of the nations, and they shall draw their swords against the beauty of your wisdom, and they shall defile your splendor. They shall kill you, and deliver you up, and you shall die the death of the slain in the heart of the sea. Are you saying, 'I am God,' in the presence of those who are about to kill you, even though you are a man and not God, and they will kill you with the hands of foreigners? You will die the death of the uncircumcised at the hands of strangers, for I have spoken, declares the Lord God. LXX: And the word of the Lord came to me, saying: And you, son of man, say to the prince of Tyre: Thus says the Lord God: Because your heart is proud, and you have said, 'I am a god, I sit in the seat of the gods, in the heart of the seas,' yet you are but a man, and no god, though you make your heart like the heart of a god— are you wiser than Daniel? The wise have not taught you their discipline: have you made for yourself strength and made gold and silver in your treasuries, or in your abundant knowledge have you multiplied your strength and your power? Your heart is lifted up in your strength, therefore thus says the Lord God: Because you have given your heart as the heart of God, behold, I will bring upon you foreign pestilential people from the nations, and they will unsheath their swords against you because of the splendor of your knowledge, and they will humble your splendor in destruction. They will lead you away, and they will dispose of you, and you will die the death of the wounded in the heart of the sea. Will you say, 'I am God,' when you face those who kill you? You are a man, not God, in the midst of your attackers. You will die at the hands of foreigners, uncircumcised in heart, because I have spoken, declares the Lord God.' Wherever YHWH is placed in the Septuagint, the first name, YHWH, is the proper name of God and is unspeakable. The second name, Adonai, is the common name found frequently in humans. However, just as the city of Tyre is depicted as a ship, first in its wealth and then in its destruction and mourning, so too is a prophetic discourse addressed to the ruler of Tyre. It is stated that he became proud and did not make good use of the wealth he possessed, and as a result suffered sadness and lamentation, experiencing great misfortune. Therefore, the first things to be said must be explained. It is written in Isaiah (Isa. 14) concerning the king of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar, that he equated himself with God's power and became so arrogant that he dared to say, 'I will ascend above the stars of heaven and I will be like the Most High.' And hurled from his throne, he deserved to hear: How did Lucifer fall, he who rose in the morning? And of Pharaoh in the same prophet: The rivers are mine, and I made them (Isaiah 29:9). And of the prince of Tyre, who in his pride arrogantly said: I am a god, and I sit on the throne of God, or I dwell in the habitation of God, even though he is a man and not God. Although these words may seem to exceed the powers of human frailty, and not to be the words of men but of raving demons, we must take them as hyperbole, in that they have swelled to such an extent and have not known their measure, that in the midst of the swelling of worldly happiness and the power of the kingdom, men have not known themselves and have claimed eternal dominion for themselves. Although under the guise of princes, kings, and individual cities, or provinces, opposing powers may be demonstrated, about which the Apostle Paul writes: For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms (Ephesians 6:12). And in another place: We speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing (1 Corinthians 2:6). And again, discussing wisdom, he says, which none of the rulers of this world knew. For if they had known, they would never have crucified the Lord of glory (I Cor. II, 8). Also, in the prophecy of Daniel, it is clearly written that the Prince of the Israelite people is Michael, and the prince of Greece, and the prince of Persia (Dan. X). And Moses explicitly writes in the Song of Deuteronomy: When the Most High divided the nations, and scattered the sons of Adam, he established the boundaries of the nations, according to the number of the angels of God (Deut. XXXII, 8); or as it is better in Hebrew: according to the number of the sons of Israel. And so it happened that the people of the Lord, his portion, Jacob, became the inheritance of Israel. And we should not be surprised that on the opposite side the worst kings precede the best kings, David, Solomon, Josiah, and the patriarchs, and prophets, as a foreshadowing of the Lord and Savior. Therefore, according to both understandings, let us discuss the arrogant kings and apostate princes equally, which are written. He says, therefore (or, as said by Alexander, since you are a man, and being surrounded by the frailty of human flesh and swollen with pride, you think that you can dwell on the throne of God in the heavens, even though you are held in the narrowness of the middle of the sea and on the islands. And also, because you boast of your wisdom to such an extent that the men of your kingdom challenge Solomon with riddles: Are you wiser than Daniel, who by the grace of God conquered all the magicians and soothsayers, and is now the wisest in Babylon? Or, to put it another way: Even if you are wiser than Daniel, who is acknowledged to be the wisest of all, and even if you desire to compare yourself to God in the magnitude of wealth and power: you will still be captured by your enemies, and with the destruction of your city, you will be struck by many wounds. And you will no longer say, 'I am God,' but, having learned through your downfall, you will recognize that you are a human, not God. But if we wish to call the prince of Tyre the same power to whom the city itself, or the province, was given by God, let us accept that testimony. I said, 'You are gods, and all of you are sons of the Most High. But you will die like men, and fall like one of the princes' (Psalm 82:7). For power was given to them to govern the provinces, like judges appointed by the Emperor. However, they, forgetting their honor and being driven by a tyrannical mindset, rose up against their king and Lord. Dispersed throughout the whole world, they took on the names of idols and, filled with pride, fell into the judgment and snare of the devil. About this, Jesus spoke in the Gospel: I saw Satan falling like lightning from heaven (Luke 10:18).
(Verse 27, 29 onwards) Therefore speak to the house of Israel, son of man, and tell them: Thus says the Lord God: Moreover, your fathers have blasphemed against me and have treated me with contempt, even as they spurned me. And I brought them into the land that I had lifted my hand to give them ((Vulgate adds: that land)): they saw every high hill and every leafy tree, and there they offered their sacrifices and presented there the irritation of their offerings, and they placed there the fragrance of their sweetness, and they poured out their ((Vulgate is silent on this)) libations there. And I said to them, 'What is the high place to which you are going?' And its name was called the High Place until this day. Therefore speak to the house of Israel, son of man, and say to them, 'Thus says the Lord God: As for your fathers, they have provoked Me to anger by their iniquities, by the fact that they have fallen away from Me. So I brought them into the land that I had lifted My hand in an oath to give them.' They saw every high hill and every leafy tree, and there they offered their sacrifices. They also presented there the provocation of their gifts, and they set there their pleasing aroma, and they poured out there their drink offerings. And I said to them: What is abbana, because you enter there? And they called its name abbana until this day. I wanted, he said, to scatter them in the wilderness, and to give them not good precepts, so that they would sacrifice to idols what they should have offered to me, and consecrate all their first-fruits to them by fire, so that I might kill them and destroy them. But when he says, I wanted, he shows that he did not do what he wanted. And that which follows: 'And they shall know that I am the Lord,' is not found in the Septuagint. For it did not seem fitting to them to know after their destruction that he himself is the Lord. But you, son of man, speak again to them, that is, to the elders of the house of Israel, who have come to inquire of you: Your fathers, from whom you have descended, have also blasphemed against me and held me in contempt; after I brought them into the land which I had given them to possess, they turned against me to provoke me. For when they saw every high hill and leafy tree, they would sacrifice on the mountains and in the groves and thickets, and offer victims to the idols, and pour out libations. And when I saw this, I said to them: What is this, Bama? for it is called high: or why do you enter into such a place which you have chosen for yourselves in all the hills, so that even today these places are called Bamoth, and the ancient error retains its original name? Regarding Bama, which we translate as excelsum, there is an error in the Septuagint edition, where it is written as ἀββανὰ, which does not resonate in the Hebrew language. Bama can mean 'in which' if the two syllables are divided into two words, but in the present context, that sense does not fit. However, wherever it is written in the Books of Kings and Chronicles: 'The people still sacrificed and offered incense on the high places,' Bama in the singular and Bamoth in the plural mean 'high places.'
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SUMMARY
Ezekiel 28:6 delivers a profound divine judgment against the King of Tyre, articulating the Lord GOD's direct response to the king's egregious arrogance. The verse pinpoints the ultimate expression of his hubris: his audacious self-exaltation to a divine status, believing his wisdom, power, and essence to be on par with God's. This blasphemous claim of self-deification directly challenges God's unique and absolute sovereignty, prompting a stern declaration of impending divine action and humiliation for the proud ruler.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Ezekiel 28:6 employs several powerful literary devices to convey its message of divine judgment against profound pride. The most prominent is Direct Address, as God speaks directly to the King of Tyre ("thou hast set thine heart"), making the condemnation intensely personal and inescapable. The phrase "Thus saith the Lord GOD" is a classic prophetic Formulaic Opening, lending immense authority, gravitas, and certainty to the pronouncement, emphasizing that this is an unalterable divine decree. The central comparison, "as the heart of God," is a profound Simile, highlighting the king's audacious aspiration to divine equality. This simile is also a powerful instance of Irony, as the king's attempt to elevate himself to divine status ultimately leads to his utter humiliation and downfall, demonstrating the futility and self-destructive nature of human pride when set against divine power. Furthermore, the entire oracle against Tyre, including this verse, functions as a Parable or Allegory of the dangers of pride, self-sufficiency, and spiritual arrogance, serving as a timeless warning not just for the historical King of Tyre but for any individual or nation that forgets their creaturely limitations and dares to challenge God's absolute sovereignty.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Ezekiel 28:6 stands as a stark theological declaration against the sin of pride, particularly the egregious hubris of self-deification. It underscores the absolute uniqueness and unchallenged sovereignty of God, asserting unequivocally that any attempt by humanity to usurp His divine prerogatives or claim His glory will invariably invite severe and certain judgment. The King of Tyre's fatal flaw—his belief in his own self-sufficiency, inherent divine wisdom, and invincibility—is a timeless warning against the seductive and destructive power of arrogance, especially when fueled by immense material prosperity, intellectual superiority, or perceived power. This verse profoundly affirms that true wisdom, lasting strength, and genuine security lie not in self-exaltation but in humble acknowledgment of God's supreme authority and absolute dependence upon Him. God will not tolerate the sharing of His glory with another, and He actively opposes the proud, while graciously extending favor and grace to the humble.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Ezekiel 28:6 serves as a powerful and convicting mirror for self-examination, challenging us to honestly consider where we might subtly or overtly set our own "heart as the heart of God." While few would literally claim divinity, the temptation to rely solely on our own intellect, resources, achievements, or perceived moral superiority, believing ourselves to be the ultimate arbiters of truth, success, and even morality, is a pervasive and dangerous form of modern hubris. This verse calls us to profound humility, reminding us that all genuine wisdom, strength, prosperity, and even breath are ultimately unmerited gifts from God. When we attribute our successes solely to ourselves, or believe our plans and understanding are inherently superior to divine guidance, we risk falling into the same spiritual trap as the King of Tyre. True spiritual health and flourishing begin with acknowledging our creaturely status, recognizing God's absolute and benevolent sovereignty, and submitting our will, understanding, and entire being to His divine wisdom. It prompts us to ask: In what areas of my life am I trusting in my own "heart" and its perceived capabilities, rather than humbly seeking and submitting to the heart of God?
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What does it mean to "set thine heart as the heart of God"?
Answer: To "set thine heart as the heart of God" signifies an extreme and blasphemous form of pride and self-exaltation, where a human being presumes to possess divine attributes, wisdom, or authority. In the context of Ezekiel 28:6, the King of Tyre, due to his immense wealth, perceived intelligence, and strategic prowess (as detailed in Ezekiel 28:4-5), believed himself to be self-sufficient, all-knowing, and beyond human limitations, effectively placing himself on par with the Almighty Creator. It's a claim to divine prerogative and essence, a profound spiritual arrogance that denies the fundamental Creator-creature distinction. This is often seen as the very essence of sin: the desire to be independent of God and to be one's own god, echoing the original temptation in Genesis 3:5 to "be like God."
Why is this specific sin so severely condemned by God?
Answer: This sin is so severely condemned because it directly assaults God's unique, absolute, and non-transferable sovereignty. God alone is God, and He declares that He will not share His glory with another (Isaiah 42:8). When a creature attempts to usurp the Creator's rightful place, it is an act of profound rebellion that undermines the very foundation of reality, the divine order, and the nature of worship. It is a fundamental rejection of dependence on God and an embrace of self-worship, which is the ultimate form of idolatry. God's swift and severe response in Ezekiel 28:6 and the subsequent verses demonstrates His unwavering commitment to upholding His own holiness, supremacy, and unique identity, ensuring that all creation recognizes Him as the one true Lord. This principle is foundational throughout the Old Testament, as seen in the very first commandment: "You shall have no other gods before me" (Exodus 20:3).
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Ezekiel 28:6, with its condemnation of the King of Tyre's self-deification and grasping for divine status, powerfully foreshadows the ultimate and profound contrast between human pride and divine humility, perfectly embodied in the person and work of Jesus Christ. While the King of Tyre sought to grasp equality with God through arrogant self-exaltation and a blasphemous claim to divine essence, Christ, the eternal Son of God, "who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men" (Philippians 2:6-7). The King of Tyre's defining sin was to elevate himself; Christ's divine and redemptive act was to humble Himself, becoming obedient even to the point of death on a cross (Philippians 2:8). This profound, self-sacrificial humility of Christ, the true Son of God, stands in stark and glorious opposition to the King of Tyre's blasphemous pride. The judgment pronounced in Ezekiel 28:6 against the proud human ruler finds its ultimate resolution and fulfillment in the cross, where the pride of humanity is decisively judged, and God's perfect righteousness and grace are supremely revealed. Through Christ's atoning sacrifice, humanity is offered a path to true and lasting exaltation, not through self-assertion, but through humble submission and faith in the one who truly is God, yet became man to save us from our sins (John 3:16). He is the true Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29), a stark contrast to the king who sought to take God's place.