Ten nations
In dealing with the Gentile nations, TEN may be a significant
number:
- The land promised to Abraham is defined as the land of ten kings (Gen
15:19-21).
- The great image of Nebuchadnezzar's dream is struck on the feet
and toes (ten?) by the little stone which represents Christ (Dan 2).
- The
great and terrible fourth beast of Dan 7 had ten horns (Dan 7:7;24; cp Rev 12:3;
13:1; 17:7,12).
- Ten nations are listed in Psa 83, which make themselves the
enemies of Israel.
- Ten nations are listed in Eze 38:1-6, as participating in
(or, in some cases, perhaps, witnessing) the great invasion of Israel in the
Last Days.
Isaiah has a section of ten "burdens" upon (presumably)
Gentile nations:
- Babylon, or Assyria (Isa 13; 14:1-27),
- Philistia (Isa 14:28-32),
- Moab (Isa 15; 16);
- Damascus (Isa 17);
- Egypt (Isa 18-20);
- the
desert of the sea (Isa 21:1-10);
- Dumah (Isa 21:11,12);
- Arabia (Isa
21:13-17);
- the valley of vision (Isa 22); and
- Tyre (Isa
23).
Jeremiah has a similar grouping of approximately ten Gentile
nations, against which he issues oracles of warning and doom: Egypt (Jer 46);
the Philistines (Jer 47:1-7); Moab (Jer 48); the Ammonites (Jer 49:1-6); Edom
(Jer 49:7-22); Damascus, or Syria (Jer 49:23-27); Kedar and Hazor (Jer
49:28-33); Elam (Jer 49:34-39); and Babylon (Jer 50; 51).
In one single prophecy (Jer 25), Jeremiah enumerates
approximately ten nations (perhaps as many as 13 or 14, depending on how they
are grouped), nations that are destined to drink the cup of the LORD's wrath --
namely, Egypt, Uz, the Philistines, Edom, Moab, Ammon, Tyre and Sidon, Dedan,
Tema, Buz, Arabia, Zimri, Elam, Media, and Sheshach (a cryptogram for Babylon).
Ezekiel also has a similar grouping of judgments against
Gentile nations -- not quite as many in number: Ammon (Eze 25:1-7), Moab (Eze
25:8-11), Edom (Eze 25:12-14), Philistia (Eze 25:15-17), Tyre (Eze 26-28:19),
Sidon (Eze 28:20-24), and Egypt (Eze 29-32)
There is quite a bit of overlapping among the different lists,
but there are still somewhat more than ten nations in total which are identified
in these lists. Quite possibly, however, ten should be seen as a figurative
number, of ALL the enemies of Israel in the last days -- which will surely be
defeated and destroyed by divine Power if they attack God's People and Land.
Notice, for example, how "all languages and nations" seem to
equate to TEN men in Zec 8:23.
Sometimes, however, TEN seems to signify "more than a few" or
"quite a large number", without being specific: Gen 31:7,41; Num 14:22; Job
19:3; 1Sa 1:8; Ecc 7:19.
*****
Also see Lesson, Beasts, heads, and horns.
