The Problem with taking a "Literal" approach to this passager is that the prophet doesn't take a literal approach.
In the previous chapter, where we must begin if we are to understand this passage, it says,(Ezek. 27:1-4)
The word of the LORD came again unto me, saying , 2 Now, thou son of man, take up a lamentation for Tyrus; 3 And say unto Tyrus, O thou that art situate at the entry of the sea, which art a merchant of the people for many isles, Thus saith the Lord GOD; O Tyrus, thou hast said , I am of perfect beauty. 4 Thy borders are in the midstb of the seas, thy builders have perfected thy beauty.
Who is named 'Tyrus' and how do you 'speak' to an individual named Tyrus? God is using Ezekiel to direct His Word toward the nation of Tyrus/Phoenicia, and He is addressing them as if they were 1 man, although in reality they are many people. Therefore the Context of Ezekiel's prophecy is not of addressing a particular sin of a particular individual, rather He is addressing "Tyrus" as a "type", or representitive of what the nation of Tyrus is. It would be the same if the prophet had said "America", and then went on to describe what "America" was like.
So when we get to Chapter 28, God is still addressing "types" but now the "type" is the ruler of Tyrus, better known as the "Prince of Tyrus" This "type" of the rulers of Tyre proclaim they are "God". Because of their merchandising they have become very wealthy, and because of their interaction with many other peoples they have become very 'wise' or knowledgeable. It is important to note the prophet doesn't single out any particular ruler of Tyre, rather these is the characteristics of the "Prince of Tyre".
So when we get to Ezek. 28:11 we see a dramatic shift. We are 'used' to seeing types, but now we have a different type:
Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying , 12 Son of man, take up a lamentation upon the king of Tyrus, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty. 13 Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created . 14 Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth ; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. 15 Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created , till iniquity was found in thee.
This text has been much debated, by both Hebrew and Christian scholars. Since there is no 'clear view' of ha-Satan(the opposer) as seen in Job 1, the view most prevelent amonst Jewish sources is that he's God's 'prosecuting attorney' for which we constantly need to call on God to prevail against. A reference can be found here.
The Christian view, on the other hand, sees Satan as the "Prince of Darkness". Jesus says in John 8:44,
"Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it".
Therefore, from the early church fathers, there has been a view that Ezek. 28:14 is a reference to Satan; referenced from a link here.
One 'may' have made a case for "Ithobaal" III, as being the "Prince of Tyre", but in order to make a case for Ithobaal III as the King of Tyre, one has to accept that, 1)He was in Eden, the Garden of God; 2)Every precious stone was your covering the day you were created, 3)You were the anointed cherub that covereth, and I have created you so; 4)You were upon the holy mountain of God, and walked up and down the mountain of fire; 5)You were perfect from the day you were created, until iniquity were found in thee; 6)The result was that you were cast out of the mountain of God, and God will(in the future) destroy thee o covering cherub." Early church fathers, and most commentaries agree, from the language references that it cannot with certainty be Ithobaal III, as he was 'not in the Garden of Eden', not upon the Holy Mountain of God(as viewed by the Children of Israel in Mount Sinai, 'did not' walk on the mountain of fire, was not 'the anointed cherub'-this one is important because 'anointing in the Old Testament signified God's specific charism(or oil) poured out on an individual to fulfil a particular purpose(prophet, priest, or king). Since there is no record of any prophet 'anointing' Ithobaal III, there can be no mistake in identifying him as 'the anointed cherub'.
Since from the context of the King of Tyre that God is speaking about Satan, there are 2 different individuals: one of the is the "Prince of Tyre", and the other is the "King of Tyre". The King of Tyre is Satan, he was the covering cherub from the beginning, Isa. 14:13-14 says,"
For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: 14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High
The context is the prophet is told to "take up this proverb against the King of Babylon" and yet it's clear He is not talking about "the King of Babylon", but who is 'directing' the KIng of Babylon, which is,"
How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!
In both the instances of the "King of Tyre" and the "King of Babylon" He is talking about Satan, although "Satan-The Opposer", was once "Lucifer-The Light Bearer". God DID NOT 'create' evil, everthing He created was good. Because this "cherub" dared oppose God, he was cast out of heaven, and became Satan who influences both the "Prince of Tyre and the "King of Babylon" to oppose God.
Since we have been taken in this direction in regards to the "King of Tyre", what does it say about the "Prince of Tyre"?
"He is a man, and not God, yet he exalts himself as God". Furthermore,(Ezek. 28:2)
"thou hast said , I am a God, I sit in the seat of God, in the midst of the seas;
We find this same figure in Dan. 11:37,
"Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all.
Moreover, it also says,"(vs 45)
And he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him".
The Prince of Tyrus, that we have established as a "type" is the Antichrist; "The King of Tyrus"(Satan) is "empowering him", so that he may 'appear' to men as "God", though he is just a man. 2 Thess. 2:3-4 says,"
3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; 4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
So we see then, that the "Prince of Tyrus" can rightly be called the "Antichrist".