41 Nebuchadnezzar's Guidance

After Nebuchadnezzar sacked Jerusalem in 597 B.C. he returned to Babylon. In 593 B.C. Jerusalem led a six-nation regional conference which was comprised of representatives from Edom, Moab, Ammon, Tyre, Sidon, and Judah. The purpose of the six-nation conclave was to plan for a joint rebellion against Babylon to take place two years later (detailed in chapter 25).

Ezekiel 21:20

20Thou shalt appoint a way for the sword to come to Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and to Judah in Jerusalem the fortified (ASV, 1901).

Nebuchadnezzar realizing this had a decision to make as to which nation he will take down first. Tyre was the most difficult of the three cities to attack (chapter 26; 29:17–20), so Nebuchadnezzar decided not to make it his first objective. Will it be Rabbath, Ammon or Jerusalem, Judah? In Greco-Roman times Rabbath was called Philadelphia. Today it is modern day Amman in Jordan. This is the section of Scripture that demonstrates exactly how that decision was made for him. It starts with Ezekiel being commanded to make a signpost or some kind of a pointer to the city. Nebuchadnezzar was not going to decide for himself. Being a pagan he thought he would leave it to the “gods.” As a result he decided to proceed with implementing his pagan means of magic and divination.