Fulfilment of scripture prophecy, as exhibited in ancient history and modern travels

Front matter

Gass_ Book_

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Preface

Prophecy constitutes so large and important a part of divine revelation, that no apology can be needful for any attempt, however feeble, to elucidate its meaning, ex hibit its fulfilment, and render the study of it interesting to the youthful reader.

Most works on the fulfilment of prophecy presuppose, on the part of their readers, a more extensive knowledge of sacred geography and general history than probably most of them possess ; the writer of the following pages has therefore endeavoured to enliven his work by such an admixture of history and of descriptive geography, as he supposed would serve to render the subject intelligible and attractive to general readers. The information which it contains has been derived from the most authentic sources, and especially from the publications of those travel-

SCRIPTURE PROPHECY.

lers whose researches have, within the last few years, thrown such a new and unexpected light upon the subject of Scripture prophecy.

In crediting quotations, he has usually, for brevity's sake, given only the name of the author ; but by referring to the following list, the reader will generally find the full title of the work quoted, and, if it be a book of travels, the year in which the author performed his journey.

A Journey Southward from Damascus, in the year 1836. By C. J. Addison, Esq.

History of the Expedition of Alexander. By Arrian. Translated by J. Rooke.

Travels in Syria and the Holy Land in 1810-11. By J. L. Burckhardt.

History of Arabia, Ancient and Modern. By Andrew Crichton.

Travels in Greece, Egypt, and the Holy Land, in 1801. ByE. I). Clarke, LL.D.

History of the Decline and Fall of the Ro man Empire. By Edward Gibbon.

SCRIPTURE PROPHECY. O

Travels in the Holy Land, and other places mentioned in Scripture, in 1832-3. By Rev. R. S. Hardy.

Historical Researches into the Politics, intercourse, and Trade of the Principal Nations of Antiquity. By A. H. L. Heeren, Professor of History in the University of Gottingen.

Christian Researches in Syria and Palestine, in 1823. By Rev. W. Jowett.

Narrative of a Journey from India to England, in 1824. By George Keppel.

Letters on Egypt, Edom, and the Holy Land, in 1836. By Lord Lindsay.

Travels from Aleppo to Jerusalem, in 1696. By Henry Maundrell.

Dissertations on the Prophecies. By Thomas Newton, D. D., Bishop of Bristol.

Travels in Georgia, Persia, Armenia, and Ancient Babylonia, in 1817-20. By Sir Robert Ker Porter.

Travels in Palestine and Syria, in the year 1830. By George Robinson.

b SCRIPTURE PROPHECY.

The Pictorial Bible, being the Old and New Testaments, illustrated, &c. To which are added original notes, explanatory of the history, geography, natural history, and antiquities of the sacred Scriptures. Three volumes, Imp. 8vo.

This treasury of Scripture illustration was published in London, in 1838, and at once became a standard work. From a recent London journal we learn that "Mr. John Kitto, the author of it, when a boy of eleven years, had his organs of hearing destroyed by a fall from the roof of a house. But notwithstanding this, he has travelled extensively, and resided for some time in Bagdad, during a period when plague, flood, famine, and war were desolating that unhappy city. It was during his sojourn in the East, that Mr. Kitto, in despite of the disadvantages under which he labours, accumulated that store of knowledge, observation, and comparison which has rendered his commentary on the Bible so novel and valuable." On the subject of Prophecy, his literary researches, as well as his personal acquaintance with several of the places referred to by the prophets, have enabled him to point out some circumstances which previous writers had overlooked.

Narrative of a Journey to the Site of Babylon, in 1811 ; and a Memoir on the Ruins of Bafeylon. By C. J. Rich, the East India Company's Resident at Bagdad.

Narrative of a Residence in Koordistan, and on the Site of Nineveh, in 1820. By the same author.

Travels along the Mediterranean and Parts Adjacent, in 1816-18. By Robert Richardson, M. D.

A Relation of a Iourney begun An. Dom. 1610. Fovre Bookes. Containing a Description of the Turkish Empire, of iEgypt, of the Holy Land, of the Remote parts of Italy, and Hands adioyning. By George Sandys. Third edition, London, 1632.

Travels and Observations relating to several parts of Barbary and the Levant, in 1722. By Thomas Shaw, D. D.

Travels through Syria and Egypt, in the years 1783, 4, 5. By M. C. F. Volney.

Mr. Keith has well remarked, that Volney, " from the manner in which he generalizes his observations, and marks the peculiar features of the different districts of Syria, with greater acuteness and perspicuity than any other traveller whatever, is, although ' he meant not so, neither did his heart think so,' the ever-ready purveyor of evidence in all the cases which came within the range of his topographical description of the wide field of prophecy, — while, at the same time, from his known, open, and zealous hostility to the Christian religion, his testimony is alike decisive and unquestionable."

Narrative of a Voyage along the Shores of the Mediterranean, including a Visit to Egypt, Palestine, etc. By W. R. Wilde, M, R. I. A.

To originality, either of matter or manner, the present work makes but little pretension ; and should it answer the end for which it is designed, the writer claims no other merit than that of diligence in collecting, and judgment in arranging, the materials of which it is composed. S.B.W.

New- York, April 1,1841.

In preparing the work for a new edition, the whole has been carefully revised : some new matter has also been introduced, drawn from the following authorities : —

Biblical Researches in Palestine, Mount Sinai, and Arabia Petrea : a Journal of Travels in 1838. By Edward Robinson, D. D.

Travels in Egypt, Arabia Petrea, and the Holy Land. By Rev. Stephen Olin, D. D.

Neither of the above works were published until after the appearance of the first edition of this volume. s. B. W.

CONTENTS,

Chap. Pago

I. Introductory Observations 11

II. Prophecies concerning the Posterity of Ishmael 41

III. Prophecies concerning the Jews 71

IV. Prophecies concerning the Jews, concluded .. 101

V. Prophecies concerning the Holy Land 145

VI. Prophecies concerning Amnion andMoab . 189

VII. Prophecies concerning Philistia 211

VIII. Prophecies concerning Nineveh 227

IX. Prophecies concerning Babylon 245

X. Prophecies concerning Tyre 313

FULFIL _\I E N T

SCRIPTURE PROPHECY, CHAPTER I.

INTRODUCTORY OBSERVATIONS.

Propnecy defined — Large portion of Scripture consists of prophecy — Extent and subjects of Scripture prophecy — Christ the grand theme of prophecy — The prophets — Different modes in which God communicated his will to them — Manner in which they published their predictions — Style of the prophetic writings — Prophecy an emanation of the divine goodness — The prophetic denunciations always conditional — Fulfilment of prophecy proves the inspiration of Scripture — Infidel objection — Contrast between Scripture prophecy and heathen oracles — Use of unfulfilled prophecy — Succession of Scripture prophecy — Object of the present work.

By the word prophecy we understand the foretelling of future events — the declaration beforehand of " things that shall be hereafter:" not such things, however, as may be conjectured by human sagacity, or expected from the regular operations of nature, but such as can be foreseen by none but the omniscient God, and foretold by those only to whom the " Father of lights" shall reveal them. Man, by the use of history, may acquire some information respectingthe things that are past ; but he " knows not what shall be on the morrow :" prophecy, so far as it goes, draws aside the veil which hides coming events, and lays open the scenes of the future.*

Every reader of the Bible must have observed how large a portion of the inspired volume is of a prophetical character. Scripture prophecy began to be uttered in Paradise, by our first parent, before the fall ; " its parts are distributed over the various dispensations of religion for upward of four thousand years ; and it ceased only with the last accents on the lips of the last of the apostles."

Thus extensive in the period of its delivery, prophecy is not less so in regard to the subjects which it embraces, and the period of time to which it refers. The fate of nations, and of individuals, the rise and fall of kingdoms, the succession of empires, the desolation of

* The words prophesy, predict, and foretel, are precisely the same in meaning, but are derived from different languages. The word prophesy is of Greek origin, being composed of the two words irpo, before, and (prjfii, I speak ; predict is a compound of the two Latin words pre, before, and dico, I speak ; the word foretel is, of course, formed by the union of the two English words before and tell.

mighty cities and countries, are among the objects of prophetic vision. It points to events near and remote, and embraces the most prominent and remarkable facts in the history of the world from its creation to the present day ; while its unfulfilled predictions stretch forward to the period when it shall be declared that " time shall be no longer."

But the grand subject of Scripture prophecy was the progressive development of the person and kingdom of the promised Messiah — the Redeemer of the world. " The testimony of Jesus" observes St. John in the Revelation, (xix, 10,) " is the spirit of prophecy" — the scope, design, and consummation of it. " To him give all the prophets witness" (Acts x, 43,) is the language of another inspired apostle. They were chosen of God to testify beforehand, " the sufferings of Christ and the glory that should follow."

" Messiah's name attuned each lofty string, The world's Redeemer, and his people's King ! He in his glory, in his grief, appear'd The Star that led them, and the Sun that cheer'd. For him the kindling inspiration glow'd, And words of fire from lips terrestrial flow'd. Him, in his own supernal light they saw, And track'd his suffering path with trembling awe.

Beheld him conflict with the powers beneath, Victorious burst the iron grasp of death, A conqueror from the realms of hades rise, And pass triumphant through the cleaving skies. They view'd his empyreal throne sublime, High raised o'er every realm of earth and time ; And hail'd that morn commenced whose cloudless sun An everlasting course through changeless years shall run." — Bulmer's Messiah's Kingdom.

Under the Old Testament dispensation, prophecy directed the eye of hope to a future Saviour, and was, as the apostle beautifully expresses it, " a light shining in a dark place," increasing in splendour and brightness, " until," at length, in " the fulness of time," the " day" of the gospel " dawned" on the world, " and the day-star arose" in the hearts of the faithful. As the first coming of Christ was the centre of Old Testament prophecy, so the leading design of the New Testament predictions is to confirm our faith in his second coming, and teach us to be " looking for and hastening unto the day of the Lord," 2 Peter iii, 12.

The catalogue of Scripture prophets embraces men from almost every rank and station in society. Among them were kings, princes^ patriarchs, priests, and legislators. The greater part, however, were taken from the lower walks of life — husbandmen, shepherds, fishermen, &c. ; but the office and the calling dignified the men. Their natural talents, education, and habits were as dissimilar as their occupations ; but they all gave indubitable evidence that they were " moved" to the prophetic office " by the Holy Ghost."

Various means were employed by Jehovah in making known his will to the prophets. He " spake unto them," says the apostle, " in divers manners." The usual method seems to have been by the direct agency of the Holy Spirit, impressing upon the mind of the individual the message which he was to deliver. Sometimes predictions were delivered by the ministry of angels. Judges xiii, 2-5 ; Zech. i, 4 ; Luke i, 13. In some instances, as in the case of Abraham, and of Samuel, the word of the Lord came in an audible voice. Gen. xxii, 15-18 ; 1 Sam. iii, 1-14. Sometimes his determinations respecting the future were communicated in dreams, instances of which are recorded in Gen. xv, 12-16 ; xxvii, 12-15 ; and Jer. xxxi, 26. The dreams of Joseph, Pharoah, and Nebuchadnezzar, were also prophetic. At other times he made use of visions, which differed from dreams, in that they generally consisted of scenes and representations which appeared

16 8CRIPTURE PROPHECY.

to a person when he was awake, and in possession of his natural powers and faculties. After the prophet had attentively considered the vision, its import and signification were usually made known to him. Ezekiel viii, ix, xxxvii ; Daniel viii, x, xi. The book of Revelation, also, consists of a series of prophetic visions. Rev. i, 9, &c. " The method of communication which the Deity adopted in respect of Moses seems to have differed from all these : and whatever is to be understood by the phrase, 1 The Lord spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh to his friend,' (Exod. xxxiii, 11,) a superior kind of illumination is doubtless intended. It was the highest degree of inspiration."* But however various were the methods of communicating the divine will, they were always such as produced, in the mind of the person who received the communication, a conviction that it was from God, and enabled him to say, with confidence, " The word of the Lord came unto me."

When the prophets had received their message, they proceeded to publish it, which they did in various ways. Sometimes it was written out, and posted up where it might be read

* Collyej's Lecture* on Scripture Prophecy.

by persons who passed by. Hab. ii, 2. When Jeremiah received the promise of Juaah's restoration from Babylon, he was commanded to " write the words in a book," (Jer. xxx, 2,) doubtless that, being placed in the hands of the people, it might be a source of consolation to them during the years of their captivity. But the more general method seems to have been that of proclaiming the predictions aloud m some public place ; thus Jeremiah was commanded by God to " stand in the gate of the Lord's house, and proclaim there" his word, Jer. vii, 2 ; at other times we find the same prophet publishing his message at the city gates, (xvii, 20,) and also at the gate of the king's house, (xxii, 1, 2;) and Jonah publicly declared in the streets of Nineveh the judgments of God against that city. Jonah iii, 4. Upon some important occasions, when it was necessary to rouse the fears of a disobedient nation and recall them to repentance, the prophets adopted extraordinary modes of expressing their convictions of impending wrath, and endeavoured to awaken the apprehensions of the people by the most striking illustration of threatened punishment. Thus Jeremiah made bonds and yokes, and put them upon his neck, to indicate the subjection to which Judea, and the neighbouring nations, 2 should be reduced by the king of Babylon. Jer. xxvii, and xxviii. On another occasion, having assembled the elders of the priests and people, and announced to them the judgments of God against Judah and Jerusalem, he took an earthen bottle and dashed it to the earth, saying, " Even so will the Lord break this people and city, as one breaketh a potter's vessel that cannot be made whole again," Jer. xix, 11. So Isaiah "walked naked and barefoot," (Isa. xx, 2,) and Ezekiel publicly removed his household stuff from the city, (Ezek. xii, 1-12,) more forcibly to represent by these actions some corresponding calamities which awaited nations obnoxious to God's wrath ; this symbolical method of expressing important circumstances being not unusual among eastern nations.

The greater part of the prophetic writings are poetical, and, like all oriental poetry, highly figurative, abounding in metaphors drawn from the manners and customs, climate, natural phenomena, &c, of eastern countries. Some knowledge, therefore, of oriental customs and forms of speech is often essential to a full understanding of the literal meaning of a prediction. Of this some instances will occur in the course of the present volume.

The purpose of God in the dispensation of prophecy was one of pure and unmixed benevolence to mankind. From the primeval promise in paradise, to the last of the apocalyptic visions, " good will to man" breathes in every prediction. The redemption of the world by Jesus Christ, the future glory of the church, and the universal extension of the kingdom of the Messiah, were the leading subjects of Scripture prophecy, and the themes on which the prophets delighted to dwell. Many of their predictions, it is true, consist of denunciations against ungodly cities and nations ; but even here " mercy and judgment met together ;" the design of these threatenings was to " lead men to repentance," and however apparently positive the terms in which they are expressed, they were always understood to be conditional ; their execution depending upon the effect which they might produce on those to whom they were addressed. This we learn from the testimony of God himself, as given in Jer. xviii, 7, 8, where he says, " At what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, and to pull down, and to destroy it ; if that nation, against whom I have pronounced, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them." Thus, when " the men of Nineveh repented at the preaching of Jonah," the Lord " repented of the evil that he said he would do unto them, and he did it not," Jonah iii, 10 ; and because Ahab humbled himself before the Lord, the execution of the divine judgments against his house was suspended until after his death. 1 Kings xxi, 29.

One of the benefits derived from prophecy, is the conclusive and irresistible evidence which it affords of the truth of divine revelation. " There is a voice which comes to us from the desolate sites where Babylon and Nineveh once stood in splendour, and reigned in power — from the prostrate condition of fallen Egypt — from the wonderful annals and remarkable preservation of the Jewish nation — from the desolation of Judea and the surrounding countries" — testifying that God himself was the instucter of the prophets, and that through his inspiration they declared in the beginning what should come to pass in the latter days. The foreknowledge of future events is one of the strongest proofs that can be given of a supernatural communication with the Deity. It manifests, in an equal degree with miracles, the interposition of a divine agency. It is as impossible for man, who " knoweth not what a day may bring forth," to predict the events which shall occur a hundred years hence, as it is for him with the word of his mouth to heal the sick or raise the dead. "The voice of Omnipotence alone can perform the latter, — the voice of Omniscience alone can reveal the former, — and both are alike the voice of God."

In one particular, indeed, the evidence of prophecy is more forcible than that of miracles ; for while the proof from miracles loses something of the vividness of its effect (though none of its authority) from the distance of time, the force of the argument from prophecy is increased from that very cause. It is a growing evidence, gathering strength by length of time, and affording from age to age, as its predictions are gradually fulfilling, fresh proofs of its divine origin. " As a majestic river expands itself more and more the further it removes from its source, so prophecy, issuing from the first promise in paradise as its fountain head, acquired additional strength and fulness as it rolled along, and will still go on increasing in extent and grandeur, until it shall finally lose itself in the ocean of eternity."*

The opponents of Scripture have attempted to invalidate the evidence of divine inspiration # Sir William Jones.

arising from prophecy, by alleging that the pagan nations of antiquity had their prophets and oracles as well as the Hebrews. It is true that they had numberless pretenders to the gift of prophecy. Their history abounds with stories and predictions of augurs and oracles ; and because it is known that these were the offspring of fraud and cunning on the one hand, and of ignorance and superstition on the other, infidels have affected to believe that all predictions of futurity are founded on the same basis, and therefore reject the prophecies of Scripture. It is, however, an easy matter to show the perfect contrast which exists between those contemptible mockeries of divine omniscience, and the sublime and holy predictions contained in the Bible.

The ancient heathen, when about to make war, or settle a colony, or undertake any event of importance, consulted their gods in order to ascertain their prospects of success. One mode of obtaining the desired information was by the observance of omens, which were interpreted by persons called augurs or soothsayers. Thus the most important events of state, as well as the concerns of private individuals, would often depend upon the direction in which birds might happen to fly, the greediness of chickens in devouring their food, accidental rencounters, words spoken by chance, and afterward interpreted into good or bad omens, eclipses, comets, unforeseen accidents, with an infinity of chimeras of like nature.*

But their most esteemed method of determining future events was by answers from oracles, or gods who were supposed to reside in particular places, and to reveal, through their attending priests, the secrets of the future to those who consulted them. There are said to have been about three hundred of these oracles in different parts of the world ; but the principal ones were in Greece. They were generally located in the recesses of some thick wood or dark cavern, or in the secret places of temples. The most distinguished of them was the oracle of Apollo, at Delphi, which was consulted in cases of importance by most of the princes of the times in which it flourished. The oracles were accessible only at stated periods ; and whoever consulted them was required to make large presents to the god before he could obtain the information he desired. Numerous ceremonies were also to be performed, and sacrifices to be offered, and, in case the omens were unfavourable, no answer was given. As * Rollin's Ancient History.

the priests were themselves the sole judges of the omens, it was easy for them to evade every question respecting which it might be inexpedient for them to commit themselves. When, at length, the answer was pronounced, it was often couched in such obscure and doubtful terms, that it needed another oracle to explain its meaning. Sometimes it was expressed in so artful and ambiguous a manner, that it was capable of two opposite interpretations, and, therefore, however the event turned out, the credit of the oracle was sustained. For this the Delphian oracle was notorious. History relates, that when Croesus, after presenting a most munificent donation, consulted this oracle in relation to his intended invasion of Persia, he received this reply : —

This he naturally understood to mean that he should destroy the Persian empire, and, on the strength of this prediction, he commenced a war which terminated in the loss of his own. When, after his defeat, he reproached the oracle with having deceived him by a false prediction, he was told that the oracle had only declared that a great empire should be destroyed, and that lie ought to have made a second inquiry to ascertain whether his own or the Persian empire was intended. By this evasion, the juggling priests saved the credit of their oracle, and the unfortunate king found he had been outwitted. When Pyrrhus inquired of the oracle what would be the issue of his war with Rome, he received a response in Latin, so " cunningly devised," that it might, with equal propriety, be rendered, Pyrrhus shall conquer the Romans, or, The Romans shall conquer Pyrrhus. Whenever they gave a more direct answer, and the event did not happen to correspond thereto, they accounted for the failure by pretending that some of the initiatory ceremonies had not been rightly performed, or that the gods were unfavourable to the person who made the inquiry.

The servility and corruption of the pagan oracles were notorious. Through intimidation, or bribery, they were frequently induced by public men to give such answers as would promote their own schemes. " Demosthenes, in one of his speeches to the Athenians, publicly charged the Delphic oracle with being gained over to the interests of King Philip ; and the Greek historians give other instances in which it had been corrupted by money, and the prophetess sometimes deposed for bribery, and sometimes for lewdness."*

" The pagan oracles uttered no spontaneous predictions ; unless a direct appeal was made to them, they observed a prudent silence. In saying nothing, they exposed themselves to no detection ; and when they did speak, it was always with sufficient precaution."! None of their predictions went deep into futurity. They relate chiefly to the termination of affairs then actually in hand, the preparatory circumstances of which were well known, and the issue speedily to be determined. There was not even the pretence of foresight beyond a few years. Being thus consulted only in matters of immediate emergency, the result of which could often be foreseen by persons of ordinary sagacity, it is. not surprising that the event should sometimes accord with their predictions. This served for a long series of years to keep up their credit ; but at length their numerous frauds and impostures began to open the eyes of the more sagacious heathen, some of whom openly ridiculed their pretensions, and held them in utter contempt. They continued, however, to maintain their influence over the multitude until after the time of Christ, when, as the light * Watson's Institutes. f Home's Introduction.

of the gospel gradually dispelled the darkness in which the heathen world was enveloped, the oracles fell into disrepute, and at last entirelyceased.

From this pitiful scene of juggling and imposture, let us now turn to the prophets of the Bible. We find these imposing no bewildering ceremonies on those who consulted them, and seeking no concealment in the delivery of their predictions. Their prophecies were not oracular responses " spoken in secret, in a dark place of the earth," but were publicly proclaimed in the most frequented places — in the courts of the temple, in the streets of cities, in the assemblies of the elders — and were afterward generally committed to writing, so that they might be " known and read of all men."

While the priests of paganism " taught for hire, and the prophets thereof divined for money," driving a gainful trade, and communicating their oracles only upon the inducement of large gifts, the prophets of the Lord, on the contrary, were distinguished for their incorruptible integrity. Even Balaam, who, we are told, " loved the wages of unrighteousness," while under the influence of divine inspiration could say, " Though Balak should give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of the Lord my God," Num. xxii, 18 ; and his subsequent conduct evinced the sincerity of his declaration. Num. xxv, 11-13.

As they were not to be corrupted by bribery, so neither could they be influenced by fear or intimidation. Their office frequently compelled them to deliver the most unwelcome messages under the most trying circumstances. They were often required to denounce the judgments of the Almighty against a rebellious people, and rebuke the iniquities of those who were exalted in rank and encircled with power. But "they concealed no truth which they were commissioned to declare, however displeasing to their nation, or hazardous to themselves." Yea, they " stood before kings," and boldly reproved them for their sins. Their fearless integrity often exposed them to " bonds and imprisonment," and sometimes even to death itself. "Thou that killest the prophets, and stones! them that are sent unto thee," was the reproach addressed to Jerusalem by our Lord. Matt, xxiii, 29-37.

In their predictions we discover neither artifice nor ambiguity. They had a clear, determinate, and consistent sense, and were spoken with all the confidence of truth, and generally with the plainness of history. Although a veil of obscurity hung over some of the prophecies which referred to distant events, until their accomplishment enabled men to " understand the interpretation," yet even these were never delusive in their character, or capable of double and contrary significations.

While the pagan oracles " hardly dared to assume the prophetic character in its full force, but stood trembling, as it were, on the brink of futurity, conscious of their inability to venture beyond the depth of human conjecture,"* the genuine prophets of the Almighty " looked through the course of succeeding ages, and proved, by the very sweep and compass of their predictions, that they were under the inspiration of Him to w^hom ' a day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.' "f They beheld with a clear and steadfast eye, and declared with authority and confidence, events so distant, so contingent, and at the time of their prediction so improbable, that no human foresight could have anticipated them. "Their pronunciations of the state of various people, — -as the Jews, and the Arabians, and the Egyptians, — delivered thousands of years ago, offer, at the present moment, the most