53 God Judges the Arabs N. & Central Jordan

A message concerning Ammon had been given before by God to Ezekiel to share (Ezekiel 21:28-32). Jeremiah had received a similar message (Jeremiah 49:1-6). God speaking through Zephaniah showed that the Ammonites treated Israel with much contempt (Zephaniah 2:8-11) and were filled with pride. Even though they had a very sinful origin they nevertheless had a familial relationship to Israel through Abraham. They were in constant conflict with Israel. When the Temple was ruined by the Babylonians they rejoiced (Aha). Their glee and reveling over Israel’s sin and God’s punishment revealed their own wicked, God-defying, unbelieving character. Therefore God says He is going to punish them. The men of the East were to conquer them and take them for a possession. The men of the East are Bedouins. The Bedouins are a nomadic people group. Ammon, or modern Northern Jordan, will experience a partial destruction and become a possession of Israel in the Messianic Kingdom. Israel’s geography will encompass the land of Ammon.