THE Holy Spirit now turns to the children of Ammon, and the judgment of God upon them which was executed by Nebuchadnezzar not long after the first Gentile empire began. Verse 1 inquires, in substance, Why are the Ammonites in possession of that part of Israel’s land which was the home of the tribe of Gad? Now it was because of idolatry and related evils that the Reubenites, Gadites, and that part of Manasseh who shared with Reuben and Gad so much of the land of Israel as lay east of the Jordan, were carried away to captivity by the Assyrians; but the passage before us is not occupied with Israel’s sins, but with the Ammonites’ seizure of the territory of Gad, Israel’s land.
As with Egypt, the Philistines and Moab„ other Scriptures may be referred to for further light as to the occasion for the judgments pronounced. Jeremiah 27: 1-11, Ezekiel 25:1-7, Amos 1:13-15, Jeremiah 9:26, Ezekiel 21:18-32, and Zephaniah 2:8, 9 are principally concerned with the visitation of God through Nebuchadnezzar; Ammon is to be restored for the final scenes of judgment when the Lord comes to set up His kingdom on earth.
The land of the children of Ammon was north and east of the land of Moab, and separated from the Jordan valley by the possessions of the tribe of Gad. Rabbah was almost their only town, the Ammonites being of a roving disposition as are the Bedouins of the present day. Their country, like that of the Moabites, is a desolation according to Zephaniah 2:9; Rabbah’s site is occupied by a few Arabs, being the capital of Transjordania with the present name of Amman.
Verses 7 to 22 are concerned with Edom, the people of Esau, Jacob’s twin brother, whose land was south and southeast of Canaan. Severe as was the treatment promised to Moab and Ammon, the portion allotted to Edom exceeds in severity, though here, as with the others, we have the chastisement inflicted by Nebuchadnezzar, with little reference to the time yet to be.
Teman (verses? and 20) and Dedan (verse 8) seem to have been districts, rather than towns, in Edom. Bozrah (verses 13 and 22) was the royal city of the country. True wisdom (verse 7) is to give heed to the Word of God, and in that day to His warning that they must submit to Nebuchadnezzar. See Jeremiah 27:1-11 and chapter 25:15-38, which promised the judgments of which the present chapters give assurance. There was, however, complete disregard of God’s Word, and in due time the day of recompense dawned.
How like our own times was this rejection of God speaking in mercy to His creature, man! For many centuries the gospel has been proclaimed to sinners far and near, but men and women treat it with contempt. Eternal judgment, however draws near.
Edom’s desolation was to be complete, not like grape gatherers who leave a gleaning, or thieves who destroy only till they have enough; Edom would be reduced to orphans and widows (verses 8-11). Verse 12 seems to refer to chapter 25:15, 27, 28, 29; the Edomites decided that they would not drink of that cup, but what God has determined, the proud will of man cannot avert (verse 13).
Verses 14, 15: The judgment executed by the king of Babylon on Edom was concurred in, and apparently joined in, by other nations, for God had ordered that the aggressive Edomite kingdom should be despised among men. In this we may see a foreshadowing of the last days, when Edom will be destroyed forever.
Verse 16 mentioned the rock-dwellings of the land of Esau; they were quite secure against men, but would not be against the power of God which was behind Nebuchadnezzar’s army. Verse 19 is better understood if make him run away from her” is read as “make them (the Edomites) run away from it” (their strong habitation). This is the true reading. Edom occupies a prominent place in the prophetic Scriptures, but principally in connection with future judgments. Amos 1:11 and the short, prophecy of Obadiah refer to what is now past, but also look on to the future day.
Next in the series of judgments are the cities of the north: Damascus, beyond the northern limit of Dan, and Hamath and Arpad far northward. Nebuchadnezzar’s forces would strike them before entering the land of Israel. Ben-Hadad (verse 27) was a title of the kings of Syria. Kedar was northern Arabia, and Razor, whose location has not been fixed, was apparently also to the north and east of Palestine.
Elam (verses 85-39) was an ancient monarchy bordering Persia on the west and Babylonia (Chaldea) on the north; it became part of the Babylonian empire; in later times it was identified with Persia.
With the exception of Babylon, which occupies the next two chapters, we have seen the testimony of the Holy Spirit touching the state of the world of that day in relation to His people Israel, and as to that people also. Judah and Israel had fallen under the judgment of God; the others would not escape.
There is a parallel in our day, and what is soon to be: the Church of God has darted from the Word of God, and Christendom will be judged; but when that day comes, the whole world will meet the unsparing dealing of God. The Word of God shows the prospect, provides the way of escape, but the world, as such, will have none of it; it remains for those whose consciences are awakened, to believe God and own Christ, as their personal Saviour and Lord.
ML-05/12/1935