Prophecy Speaks (E.A.Rowell).pdf

people still remain. These facts, predicted by the prophets, need some explaining other than
to say the predictions are merely the vapourings of ‘religious enthusiasts.’
“ ‘Without inhabitant,’ said the prophets. How true. How weirdly, uncannily true!
But this is not all. The positions of the world’s most important cities are usually so well
chosen, so rich in natural advantages, that population clings to them. Dwindle and decay as
they may, some collection of human dwellings still occupies a portion of the original site.
Damascus, Jerusalem, Athens, Rome, Antioch, Alexandria, Byzantium, Sidon, have all
remained continuously cities of consequence from the time of their foundation thousands of
years ago to the present. But it remained for the greatest, richest of all, to sink into utter
oblivion. How do you account for that, and for the fact that this was all foretold so long
ago?”
As no one replied, the speaker continued:
“And we are by no means through. In Isaiah 13:20 we read that ‘neither shall the
Arabian pitch tent there.’ Now how did Isaiah know that the Arabian would continue to exist
after Babylon had become dust?
“Although a few humble Arabs lived in tents about Babylon twenty-five hundred
years ago, the Babylonians were the haughty rulers of the world. The utter extinction of the
ruling race was foretold, and all the world knows that there is not a solitary living
Babylonian. But the prophet also said in effect: ‘While the most powerful race on earth will
become extinct, together with their world-ruling city, this small, insignificant, nomadic race
of Arabs will continue on and on for two thousand years, long after this proud city has
crumbled to ruins and its very site is almost forgotten.’
“How did Isaiah know that the Arabs would continue to live near Babylon? Yet the
prophecy clearly implies this. Since they were a wandering race, it would be logical to
suppose that in time they would either leave the vicinity of such a place as we now know
Babylon to be or would themselves become extinct. But how did Isaiah know they would
remain about Babylon’s ruins for two thousand year’s; that they would be there today?
Imagine the jeering sarcasm of sceptics if there were not an Arab within a thousand miles of
Babylon! And what Homeric mirth would be theirs if all Arabs had become as extinct as the
dodo, before Babylon sank into oblivion!
“How did Isaiah know that the Arabs would continue to live in tents? In the ruins of
Babylon was ample material to build many villages by the simple process of transporting it to
more favourable spots. But Arabs dwell in tents to this day. The probabilities were all
against this. Of no other people has this been true in the world’s history.
“And how did Isaiah know that the Arabs would not make use of the ruins of Babylon
for shelter?
“Many explorers and excavators of recent years report that it is impossible to get
Arabs to remain on the site of this ancient city overnight. Captain Mignan was accompanied
by six Arabs completely armed, but he ‘could not induce them to remain toward night, from
apprehension of evil spirits. It is impossible to eradicate this idea from the minds of these
people.’ (‘Travels,’ page 235). Yet, as everyone knows, the Arabs are fearless fighters,
dangerous warriors.”
Mr. Emerson interrupted here. “You make quite a point out of the little prediction
about the Arabs. Some of your statements would be equally true of gypsies. They are a
nomadic people, living largely in tents.”
“The prophecy concerning the Arabs,” explained David Dare, “is so obviously true
that no one, not even you, Mr. Emerson. can deny the accuracy of the prediction. And the
remarkable correspondence of the facts today to the ancient forecast moves the sceptics to
bring in the gypsies to lesson the force of the prophecy.
27