Imagini ale paginilor
PDF
ePub

fulfilled; as shall also the gathering in again of the Jews; "I will take the children of Israel from among the heathens, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land." (Ezek. xxxvii. 21.) What has been accomplished, is an ample pledge of what will be so; the unenlightened heathen lands shall yet be brought to the knowledge of the Lord; and the Jews, in God's good time, be converted to Christianity, and be restored to their native land'.

This summary view of the prophecies of the Old Testament, respecting the Jews, is a convincing argument for the truth both of the Jewish and Christian religion. The Jews were once God's peculiar people: by a continually-exerted miracle they have been continued through so many ages a distinct people: great and mighty empires that oppressed them have all come to ruin; having only been instruments in God's hands, whilst satiating their own cruelty and revenge. Let us then take heed, and have compassion upon the people of God; neither let us, who have "been grafted, contrary to nature, into the good olive tree, presume to boast against the natural branch." owe to them the Scriptures of the Old and of the New Testament; of them, as concerning the flesh, Christ

We

1 See Part II. "GRAVES," Book III. Chap. VIII. especially the latter part.

came, the Saviour of the world; and there will a time come, when they will be grafted in again, and again become the people of God, and all Israel shall be saved.

DISSERTATION IX.

Prophecies concerning NINEVEH.

THE prophecies, as we have said, were not limited to the Jewish state and people; but were occasionally introduced with respect to heathen nations; especially to those neighbouring ones, with whom the circumstances and fortunes of the Jews were connected. The imperfect fragments of history, that have escaped the wreck of ages, do not enable us to mark the precise particulars of their fulfilment; but yet enough remains to exhibit the wonderful operations of Providence. To begin with Nineveh.

The ASSYRIANS were the formidable enemies of Judah and Israel: oppressing the former, and (as we have seen') totally destroying the latter. Nineveh

1 See the former part of the preceding Dissertation.

an

was the capital city of the empire, and is sometimes, therefore, put for the whole empire itself. It was a very ancient and a very great city. Jonah calls it "exceeding great city, of three days' journey," (Jon. iii. 3.) or about sixty miles, in circumference; containing, according to probable computation, above half a million of inhabitants; abounding in wealth and luxury, and consequently being very corrupt in morals.

To this city the prophet Jonah had been sent to preach repentance, as the only means of avoiding impending destruction. And by complying with his exhortations, the divine judgments were averted. But their reformation does not appear to have been of long continuance; for not many years after, we find the prophet Nahum foretelling the total and entire destruction of the city; indeed his whole prophecy relates solely to this. And according to his predictions, the city was taken and entirely destroyed by the Medes and Babylonians.

Not only the fact itself, however, of its destruction, but some of the particulars thereof, were predicted; "While they were drunken as drunkards, they shall be devoured as stubble fully dry" (Nah. i. 10); and again, "With an over-running flood, will He make an utter end of the place thereof; He will make an utter end; affliction shall not rise up a second time." (Nah.

i. 8, 9.) Now Diodorus Siculus relates, that Arbaces, being informed by deserters, that negligence and drunkenness was in the camp of the Assyrians (who had been feasting), came upon their camp by night, and overcame them; driving them into the city for refuge. And subsequently, that the river, being swollen with rains, overflowed the city, and broke down a large portion of the walls. Whereupon the king (conjecturing that this was the fulfilment of an old oracle on this point), collecting his wealth, concubines, and eunuchs, burnt himself with them all in his palace; and the enemy entered by the breach which the waters had made, and took the city: thus literally accomplishing the prediction.

The total destruction thereof was also foretold by Zephaniah: "The Lord shall destroy Assyria, and make Nineveh a desolation and dry like a wilderness ; and flocks shall lie down in the midst of her.” (Zeph. ii. 13.) Various other particulars are added, to show the utter desolation thereof. Now what probability was there, that the capital city of a great empire:-a city sixty miles in compass; containing half a million of people; whose walls were one hundred feet high, and so broad, that three chariots could go abreast upon them, and which were interspersed with fifteen hundred towers ;—what probability that such a city should be totally destroyed? And yet so it was; and so

« ÎnapoiContinuă »