I know that Ray teaches (and I fully agree with it) that the King of Tyrus is none other than a MAN, who was the King of Tyrus (a literal city on this earth). It is the Church that has basically made up the idea that this King of Tyrus is Satan. They come to this conclusion based on a number of assumptions...
Read this article by Ray...it certainly shocked me when I first read it:
http://bible-truths.com/lake9.htmlHere's a snippet from that article concerning this king:
=============================
MAYBE THE PRINCE OF TYRUS IS SATAN
Ezekiel 28:12, "Son of man, take up a lamentation upon the king of Tyrus, and say unto him, Thus says the Lord God; You seal up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty."Although theologians tell us that Ezekiel 28 also records the fall of Satan from a perfect cherub, it is the king of Tyrus and not Satan who is being addressed in this lamentation. The fact that he was called full of wisdom and perfect in beauty by no means suggests that this is speaking of Satan. Perfect is used in a relative sense when not speaking of deity. God is merely shoving this in the kings face, as it was Tyrus who earlier attributed to herself this claim of perfect beauty, not God!
"Now, you son of man, take up a lamentation for Tyrus; And say unto Tyrus, O you that art situate at the entry of the sea, which are a merchant of the people for many isles, Thus says the Lord God; O Tyrus, YOU HAVE SAID I am of perfect beauty" (Ezek. 27:2-3).This is exactly the same situation as our Lord dealt with in the city of Capernaum. In fact He says it will be more tolerable for boastful Tyre in the day of judgment than for Capernaum:
"But it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment, than for you. And thou, Capernaum which are exalted to heaven, shall be thrust down to hell [hades/grave]" (Luke 10:14-15).Notice in both cases it is not God Who believes Capernaum or Tyrus is perfect and heavenly, but the carnal-minded people of these two city states. The word "perfect" is used many times in Scripture to mean that there is no outward imperfections (as in a perfect animal for sacrifice, without any outward blemishes). Inside, however, the one who may appear perfect outwardly, can be totally corrupt. It certainly does not mean "sinless." Here is Scriptural proof:
The Scriptures say that Noah was perfect in his generation, (but need I remind you of a slight imperfect problem he had with the grape juice after the flood?) And God said that Job was perfect in Job 1:8 (which makes us wonder why Job had to abhor himself and "repent in dust and ashes," Chapt. 42:6). And David said of himself that he was perfect in Psalm 18:32, (perfect maybe if we forget about his numbering of Israel in rebellion to God, and perfect if we forget that little incidence with Bathsheba and her husband Uriah).
Continuing with verse 13:
"Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God… in the day that you were created."Here we are told is even more proof that this is speaking of Satan. After all, wasn’t Satan in the garden of "Eden" and wasn’t Satan a "created" being?
The word translated "Eden" in this verse is the same word or root translated Eden 20 times in the Hebrew Scriptures. Sometimes it has reference to the "garden" that God planted in the area of the country called Eden. Sometimes it has reference to other lands near the area of Eden, and not the garden of Eden. Sometimes it refers to the "children of Eden" as in II Kings 19:12. And I think everyone is aware of the fact that Adam and Eve had NO CHILDREN in the "garden of Eden." Amos 1:5 speaks of the "house of Eden"—very same Hebrew word translated "Eden" in every occurrence of this word in the Hebrew Manuscripts. And Eden is also the name of several persons in Scripture.
Now back to verse 13 and Eden the garden of God." And so, we see that "Eden" can mean various things, even though Eden is always translated from the same Hebrew word, which is Strong’s #5731, Eden, ay’-den; the same as #5730, eden, ay’den; from #5727, pleasure. #5727, adan, aw-dan’; to be soft or pleasant… to live voluptuously.
=============================