Online Resource Library
Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadJohn Kitto Evening Bible Devotions: June 5
Today is: Friday, April 26th, 2024 (Show Today's Devotion)
Select a Day for a Devotion in the Month of June: (Show All Months)
Eze_25:5
Sometimes this doom took the shape of a specific denunciation against Rabbah, or Rabbath, their capital city, away in the country east of the Jordan, and east of the possessions of the Israelites on that side the river. David, in his war with the Ammonites, took it from them, and annexed it to the possessions of the tribe of Gad. It will be remembered that the siege of this place is memorable in the history of David, from his deplorable treatment of Uriah, a deserving officer employed in that service; and from the fact, that the conquest was deemed of so much importance that the king at last joined the besiegers in person, to take the glory of the final success.
On the separation of the realm into two kingdoms, this, with all the territory beyond the Jordan, went to the kingdom of Israel; and when that kingdom was dissolved by the Assyrians, or rather, probably when the tribes beyond the Jordan were first of all led into captivity, the Ammonites quietly took possession of their ancient territory, and apparently of something more. Hence their importance as a nation had materially increased when noticed and denounced by the prophets—and thus it is that Rabbah is described as then again belonging to them; and it was undoubtedly a very flourishing place when Jeremiah foretold that Rabbah of the Ammonites should become “a desolate heap”—Jer_49:2—and Ezekiel, that it should become “a stable for camels,” and “a couching place for flocks.”
The doom, once denounced, was surely, though not immediately executed. Indeed, we do not know exactly when it was executed. We only know that it has been done; for, as the prophets foretold of this city, so at this day it lies. Meanwhile, however, it enjoyed a new lease of prosperity and wealth under the name of Philadelphia, which it derived from Ptolemy Philadelphus, who, when the country was annexed to the Egyptian crown, restored or greatly improved the city, and called it by his own name. These foreign names have rarely, however, been permanent in that country; for, while the new name would be employed by foreigners, and in all state matters, and on coins, the old name remains in use among the great body of the people, and sometimes survives in the ruins long after the foreign name has been forgotten. So, at the ruins of this city, the name of Philadelphia is altogether forgotten, while the original name of Rabbath-Ammon exists in the shape of Amman.
The very site of the place was unknown until discovered about the beginning of this century by a German traveller called Seetzen. It was visited about twelve years after by Burckhardt, an accomplished Swiss traveller in the service of an English society, and who gave a very full and satisfactory description of the place. Other travellers have since been there—as Captains Irby and Mangles, Mr. Buckingham, M. Laborde, Lord Lindsay, Lord Claud Hamilton, and others; but this district lies so remote, that the ancient sites are much less frequented by travellers than those on the nearer side of the Jordan.
The ruins lie in a valley about twenty-two miles east of the Jordan, through which flows a stream of very clear water, full of fish. The remains are very extensive; but there are few of important buildings, except an amphitheatre, which is of great size, and is said to be the most perfect in Syria. There is also an ancient castle, and some vestiges of Roman buildings and Christian churches. Altogether, there is sufficient to evince the former importance of the city, suggesting to the mind a melancholy contrast with the desolation in which it now lies. The Arabs, who come up periodically into these parts, like to harbor in such forsaken sites, for the sake of the shelter they can find among the ruins for themselves and their flocks, with the additional inducement that water, of good quality, is usually found in such localities. This is an old custom, and the prophets frequently allude to it as one of the incidents marking the desolation of cities bordering on Arabia. The stream of fine water at Amman doubtless forms an additional attraction to the parties of Arabs who resort to this site of ruins.
Dr. Keith, in the last edition of his Evidence from Prophecy, states that Lord Claud Hamilton told him that, “while he was traversing the ruins of the city, the number of goats and sheep which were driven in among them was exceedingly annoying, however remarkable as fulfilling the prophecies.” Lord Lindsay found bones and skulls of camels mouldering in the area of the theatre, and in the vaulted galleries of this immense structure. He says: “The valley stinks with dead camels, one of which was rolling in the stream; and although we saw none among the ruins, they were absolutely covered in every direction with their dung. That morning’s ride would have convinced a skeptic. How says the prophecy: ‘I will make Rabbah a stable for camels,’” etc. He adds, “We met sheep and goats by thousands, and camels by hundreds, coming down to drink, all in beautiful condition.” Mr. George Robinson also testifies: “The space intervening between the river and the western hills is entirely covered with the remains of private buildings—now only used as stables for camels and sheep. There is not a single inhabitant remaining; thus realizing the prophecy respecting this devoted city.”
These testimonials have occurred since attention has been called to the subject of the literal fulfillment of local prophecies. We add that of Mr. Buckingham, which is all the more valuable as being of anterior date. He halted for the night with a tribe of Arabs which he found encamped among the ruins, in a hollow behind the top of the theater. Next morning he writes in his journal: “During the night I was almost entirely prevented from sleeping by the bleating of flocks, the neighing of mares, and the barking of dogs.”
These are interesting corroborations of the fulfillment of prophecy. They must have due weight upon every serious and candid mind. We are not sure, however, that too much stress has not in some instances been laid upon minute circumstances in the illustration of the local prophecies, which circumstances will be found rather generic as regards certain sites in a state of desolation, than specific in regard to the immediate locality. So this doom of a site on the borders of Arabia, becoming the resort of Arabs with their flocks and herds, is not confined to Rabbah, but is common to other ruined sites throughout this region. They are among the appropriate images and illustrations by which the desolation of cities so situated are expressed and made distinct to the mind; and finding Amman in a state of complete desolation, we should know the prophecy had been fulfilled not the less surely had we found no camels there. It is, however, interesting to find them there; but it would be dangerous to rest our faith upon such minute coincidences, and to establish in our own minds a standard of verification, which, it may be apprehended, the prophets did not contemplate, and which cannot in all cases be maintained.