Judgment on Ammon

Jeremiah 49:1-6 

1 Against the Ammonites.
Thus says the LORD:

"Has Israel no sons?
Has he no heir?
Why then does Milcom inherit Gad,
And his people dwell in its cities?

2 Therefore behold, the days are coming," says the LORD,
"That I will cause to be heard an alarm of war
In Rabbah of the Ammonites;
It shall be a desolate mound,
And her villages shall be burned with fire.
Then Israel shall take possession of his inheritance," says the LORD.

3 "Wail, O Heshbon, for Ai is plundered!
Cry, you daughters of Rabbah,
Gird yourselves with sackcloth
Lament and run to and fro by the walls;
For Milcom shall go into captivity
With his priests and his princes together.

4 Why do you boast in the valleys,
Your flowing valley, O backsliding daughter?
Who trusted in her treasures, saying,
'Who will come against me?'

5 Behold, I will bring fear upon you,"
Says the Lord GOD of hosts,
"From all those who are around you;
You shall be driven out, everyone headlong,
And no one will gather those who wander off.

6 But afterward I will bring back
The captives of the people of Ammon," says the LORD.

The word of the LORD judged he nation of Ammon which was set against God’s people.  The nation from the seventh son of Jacob, Gad, had their land taken over by the Ammonites and now God asked the rhetorical question why Gad was not living in their own land.  Obviously, the answer was that it had been taken from the chosen people of God whose inheritance it was.  God let all who read he heard His message through Jeremiah that they would be made desolate in utter defeat and Israel would reclaim their inheritance by God’s hand.  The Ammonite king Milcom would be taken into captivity just as the Ammonite idol by the same name would be taken away with all the leaders and idol worshipers who sat in God’s holy land given to His people to worship Him alone.  No amount of military might or money could fuel any prideful boast and deliver them from defeat.  They claimed that nobody could come against them, but the LORD made it clear who was the Sovereign King over all and brought overwhelming fear over them by this declaration of defeat and destruction.  He would drive out the Ammonites again as when the land was handed over to His people who were led out of bondage into that inheritance of milk and honey as promised.  Those captives of Ammon driven away would be returned one day, however, as a measure of grace to them.  We see then that God gives the kingdom to His people and only a temporary measure to those of the world.  His people have the inheritance, however, and not the rest even though they may be allowed to live in the land for a time.  In the end the parallel shows the eternal kingdom of God in Christ to be given to His people only and there is nothing left but defeat and destruction for all others who occupy the land until that time of judgment.  There is judgment on Ammon here as a picture of the world apart from God in Christ.  May some of those driven out now turn from their sin to Him before that day and be brought into that land and kingdom with the rest of His people, the remnant of all hearing the call who follow when their ears and eyes are opened.