As I read through the book of Ezekiel, I came across the following verse, “But look! Your oarsmen have taken you into stormy seas!” (Ezekiel 27:26). The words were directed at Tyre who in its great wealth and influence were sailing into a storm that would sink their vessel. Some commentators believe Ezekiel 27 and 28 are describing the downfall of Satan referring to him as “perfect in beauty”, “you were in Eden”, and “You were on the holy mountain of God.” A question came to mind as I read this verse, “Who or what is oaring the ship of our faith?

The Lord had Ezekiel prepare a funeral song for Tyre describing its image as “that mighty gateway to the sea, the trading center of the world” (Ezekiel 27:3). The funeral song goes on to describe the ship Tyre used to carry its wealth to the nations. Tyre exclaimed, “My beauty is perfect!”, as they sailed into the open sea of pride and deception. Every detail of the ship was described as crafted with the finest materials. The ship appeared beautiful and majestic creating a sense of prideful confidence in the course they had set. 

The metaphor of the oarsmen is an important image to consider. Someone behind the oarsmen was giving them orders on the cadence of their obedience. The oarsmen were not responsible for the rudder direction of the ship. In the pride of the king of Tyre, he was giving orders in line with his self-importance and his delusion. Ezekiel’s words describe this captain of the deception as, “Yes, your wisdom has made you very rich and your riches have made you very proud” (28:5). Many only see to the oarsmen, not the one manning the rudder. That is a critical error of interpretation.

We are living in a time of a great transition in our world. I am hearing a frantic increase in the oarsmen’s obedience as they respond to the increasing desperation of their captain. It would be too easy to look only at the confidence expressed in the oarsmen chants responding in unison to the commands of the unseen commander of their vessel. We are sailing into a storm and only those who understand and live out the truth of God can determine what is taking place.

This is a time to hear the voice of God, not the chants of those who only respond to their deceived captain’s commands. Satan is steering the nations to places of destruction unless truth redirects our course. Only God’s truth can break the cadence of what we see happening and set us on a new course.

The beauty, power, and majesty that represent the illusions and falsehoods presented to us on our current voyage will take us to a place where no matter how beautiful, powerful, or majestic we are told we are, only God’s truth, a biblical and Spirit-led revelation, will ensure we arrive at a safe harbor. Truth is our vessel and God is our captain. It would be better to jump ship from the current expressions of deception we are told we must believe and trust with our future. The Lord will be faithful to save us in the open sea of truth. He will become our vessel. We are safer in the open sea of God’s truth than we would ever be while remaining onboard a ship of deception under the influence of oarsmen who continue to take us toward an inevitable storm of destruction.