The implications of Nimrod & the Tower of Babel on End Times Prophecy (eschatology)

*Adapted from my discussion posts for Old Testament Studies BIBL1305, King's University, Spring 2021, Professor: Dr. Eugene Chet Saunders.

*I reserve the right to change this a thousand times as I keep studying.

Nimrod and the Tower of Babel

 

Nimrod

God had given Adam (Genesis 1:29-31) and after the flood Noah (Genesis 9:1) the command to be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth.

Genesis 10:8–12 cites Nimrod as the son of Cush (see also 1 Chronicles 1:10). He was a mighty hunter before YHWH. He was essentially the world’s first (post-flood) king. He established his kingdom in the land of Shinar (AKA Mesopotamia, later Babylon) and expanded the kingdom to include many areas that would become relevant to Israel’s history, including Assyria and Nineveh (see also Micah 5:6).

Nimrod was the first king of the post-flood world (Genesis 10:8-12). He created an empire of cities in the land of Shinar, with a home base in Babel. A few verses later, we see the people gathered into one place, building a tower to reach God’s divine abode and prevent themselves from being scattered (Genesis 11). Nimrod may have been involved in the building of the tower according to some Jewish Traditions.[1]

Nimrod’s name could be linked etymologically to the pre-fall chaos and rebellion[2]. Although some Jewish traditions link Nimrod to the creation of the Tower of Babel, the only textual link that can be made is the fact he established the city/kingdom[3]. Although, it does say the people who settled in Shinar built the tower, therefore, Nimrod could have been responsible.

 

The Rebellion of The Tower

As a result of this rebellion, YHWH rejected humanity and turned them over to other gods and scattered them.[4] YHWH then selected Abraham out of these same Nimrodic people (the Mesopotamians) to be his own portion, and he began building a new nation from this man.

The people of Shinar (Babylon, Mesopotamia, Nimrod’s People) deliberately chose to attempt to thwart God’s will (“lest we be scattered”, Genesis 11:4). It was this essence of wanting to replace God and thwart his will, that drives all earthly rebellions today. The push for Globalism, erasing differences (rather than appreciating them), erasing borders, and the rumors of a New World Order, all stem from this altercation in Genesis 11. Like Shinar, each people-group who attempts to gather in unity without blessing and honoring YHWH will end in defeat.

God's instruction was to multiply and fill the earth. These people gathered together to specifically prevent that from happening. As I've read the Bible in my younger days, I thought "So they built a tower, so what?" Then you read the text and history and it makes sense. Hill and Walton discuss the background of these people as being the ancient societies of Mesopotamia.[5] This cultural context is important because it sets the stage for the background Abraham came out of. The traditions, history, and culture of Mesopotamia all influenced him. In Lost World of Genesis One, John Walton uses the stories and manuscripts available from these sister societies to show the mindset of someone like Abraham, and how Moses (writing the story) could have understood certain things.[6]

Ultimately, God wanted people to be multiply and fill. When they refused, he gave them incentive.

Abram (Abraham) responded in simple believing loyalty to YHWH, and that obedience allowed him to become the father of Faith. The record shows that one does not need to be perfect, one only needs to keep believing YHWH no matter what. It is that spirit of Faith for which Hebrews 11 praises him. He was told that his seed would inherit the nations, and indeed, his seed (Jesus) did exactly that.

 

Nimrodian / Babylonian Kingdoms vs YHWH’s Kingdom in 2021 and beyond

As I see it today, Jesus ushered in the Rock Kingdom as prophesied in Daniel 2, and the 70-7's were fulfilled in Jesus' ministry and Acts, closing the chapter on the 70-7's at the vision of Cornelius. Matthew 24 was fulfilled in its entirety in 70AD.[7]

There are only a few things left on God's prophetic calendar.

• ·         The Rock Kingdom (Daniel 2): The Kingdom of God will continue to fill the whole earth, growing, never shrinking. At this point, we are seeing the rock that smashed all others and grows until it fills the earth. When people decry the shrinking of "evangelicals in America", they lack the larger picture. On Earth, The Church will only continue to grow with each passing year.

• ·         Jesus Return: prophetically, we are waiting for Jesus to return and set up his kingdom. We will meet him in the air, as a people meets their returning king, and usher Him home.. At this time, we receive our glorified bodies.

• ·         The Judgement Seat: Where people are separated into their eternal destinies based on only one question: Believing Loyalty to YHWH as defined in his Son. "I never knew you" vs "Welcome Home".

• ·         The (Re)New Heavens/Earth // New Jerusalem: The final act is to fulfill El Elyon's original plan, united Heaven and Earth again for the first time since Eden was closed.

 

That being said, what I see is the continued drive in the non-saved people to build their Babylonian Kingdom and Tower without YHWH. They did it in early Babylon, and history is full of would-be global leaders. From Nebuchadnezzar to Hitler to Stalin to Mao, each is destined to fail at their tower building, just as the people of Nimrod were. Nevertheless, the world's system will keep calling for Globalism and the New World Order.

Won't they be surprised when it actually comes!

As with Abraham/Israel, as with Jesus' first arrival, YHWH has a plan that will twist man's plan on its head. Some of mankind will keep trying to build their Babylonian systems without YHWH, proclaiming "God is dead!" and "all religions are equal" and "all paths lead to God".

Meanwhile, The Kingdom of God will continue to grow and fill the earth (despite them). God will continue to smack would-be Nimrods back down as they arise.

Then when the time is right, Yeshua himself, The King of Kings, will arrive to usher in the one and only true global kingdom, and every knee will bow.

*I reserve the right to change this a thousand times as I keep studying.

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[1] The Lexham Bible Dictionary - Barry, J. D., Bomar, D., Brown, D. R., Klippenstein, R., Mangum, D., Sinclair Wolcott, C., … Widder, W. (Eds.). (2016). In The Lexham Bible Dictionary. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press. (Billingham, WA: Leham Press, 2016), NIMROD, SON OF CUSH, LexhamPress.com.

[2] Lexham Bible Dictionary. Section: NIMROD, SON OF CUSH: Quote “ Etymology - The etymology and the meaning of Nimrod’s name are uncertain (BDB, “נִמְרֹד, nimrod.”). The name is often connected to the Hebrew verb “to rebel” (מָרַד, marad) and to the narrative of the tower of Babel (Wenham, Genesis 1–15, 222). Nimrod is characterized as the first of the “mighty on earth” (גִּבֹּ֖ר בָּאָֽרֶץ, gibbor ba'arets) (compare Gen 6:4, where the plural form of גִּבּוֹר, gibbor; is used). The word גִּבּוֹר (gibbor) in the Nimrod pericope (Gen 10:8–12) may convey “the idea of violent, tyrannical power” (Skinner, Genesis, 207). If this interpretation is correct, as the text and the intertextual link with Gen 6:4 seem to suggest, it follows that Nimrod’s power and success were founded in violent, tyrannical rule and not a gradual spread in the population (Mathews, Genesis 1–11:26, 448).”

 [3] Lexham Bible Dictionary, NIMROD, SON OF CUSH. Quote: “ Nimrod in Jewish Tradition – The interpretation of the figure of Nimrod in Jewish tradition is overwhelmingly negative. According to Philo of Alexandria, Nimrod’s ancestors epitomize “evil and spiritual unproductiveness,” which can only result in giants (van der Horst, “Nimrod after the Bible,” 221–22). Later in the Jewish legends (Hag. 13a; Pesahim 94b) Nimrod is described as the archetypal evil king who made all the people rebel against God (Hamilton, Genesis, 338). He is also noted as the builder of the tower of Babel and the enemy of Abraham (Ginzberg, Legends of the Jews, 175–81). Furthermore, the lexical links shared among Gen 6:4, 10:8–12, 11:1–9—namely the key words “giant,” “Shinar,” and “Babel”—”suggested to the early haggadists that Nimrod might have been one of the giants of Genesis 6” (van der Horst, Nimrod after the Bible, 222).”

[4] Michael S. Heiser, The Unseen Realm: Recovering the Supernatural Worldview of the Bible, First edition (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2015). Chapter 14 Divine Allotment

[5] Andrew E. Hill and John H. Walton, A Survey of the Old Testament, 3rd ed (Grand Rapids, Mich: Zondervan Publishing House, 2009). Pages 79-82

[6] John H Walton, The Lost World of Genesis One: Ancient Cosmology and the Origins Debate. (Westmont: InterVarsity Press, 2010), https://public.ebookcentral.proquest.com/choice/publicfullrecord.aspx?p=2030851.

[7] Jonathan Welton, Raptureless, 3rd Edition Printing (Place of publication not identified: Bookbaby, 2015), http://public.ebookcentral.proquest.com/choice/publicfullrecord.aspx?p=4188734. Credit this book for introducing me to a new eschatological perspective.

**************

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Darrell Wolfe (DG Wolfe)

Storyteller | Writer | Thinker | Consultant @ DarrellWolfe.com

Clifton StrengthsFinder: Intellection, Learner, Ideation, Achiever, Input
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Dusty Dreams: A short story

///

Dust grew in mold-like layers on the closed laptop. Years of neglect rendered the once living machine a mere painful memory of a life that no longer was. William draped his coat unevenly on his person and tossed his bag over one shoulder. He precariously balanced a book, coffee, and day-old donut between one hand and his chin; attempting to close the door with the free hand. Losing his grip on the porch thanks to some fresh morning winter ice, feet scrambling to stay upright, the door slammed much too hard. While he managed to keep his vertical position, the book still in hand, his coffee and donut now lay wasted on the ground beside the steps. He would leave those to the ants in the spring, and replace them on the way to work. 

 

///

 

The lights of the car coming his way swayed back and forth in an uneven jerky pattern. William slowed, assuming deer must be on the road ahead. As the vehicle approached, it swerved into his lane and William found himself staring at four rather large headlights. Blinded, and now driving too slowly to swerve, he braced for the impact. He then remembered an article telling him drunks often survived crashes because they failed to tense, so with all his might, he closed his eyes and tried to relax. 

 

Vaguely aware of crunching metal and breaking glass, his final conscious thought was; “Well fine, this may as well happen too.” 

 

///

 

Having survived a brush with death, and three weeks in the ICU, now bound to a wheelchair for God know how long, William was face to face with his long lost friend the laptop. Unable to get around very easily, the laptop stared at him from feet away day after day. Finally, unable to resist the call, William gathered himself into the wheelchair and worked his way to the desk.

 

Top layers of dust came off with the vacuum, but William resorted to a damp cloth to wipe away the remaining years of writer’s block which had become caked on to the surface. As the backlit keys glowed, screen booting to life, a faint memory of being a child on Christmas morning rose within his chest. That feeling, however, was replaced by the cold accusational stare of the Scrivener Icon on the Home Screen. 

 

Ignoring the icon, he busied himself with catching up on bills, sorting emails, and two hours of YouTube rabbit trails. But the icon continued to call to him, as a soft yet insistent reminder of the dreams he had let fall aside in life’s continual assault. 

 

Fingers tapping the desk as if a drumroll to a punchline, William hesitantly clicked the icon, revealing a work left behind in another life. Suffocating at the thought of opening that particular Pandora’s box, he opened a blank document. 

 

It was the best of time- “No,” he mumbled to himself.

 

It was a dark and sultry- “Seriously William, what are you a high school freshman?”

 

The purr of an Orange tabby named Tammy was offset by the low rumble of distant traffic… “Well… not bad for years away, I’ll keep it for now…”

 

///

 

The royalty checks were never enough to get a mansion or Mercedes, but after the seventh book became unusually popular, William was able to quit his day job and focus on writing. 

 

As William sat down to begin his eighth book in the Orange Tabby series, a soft warm light through the window revealed the hint of dust in the air. As long as he kept moving, kept opening the laptop each day, the dust never accumulated.

 

Eventually, the wheelchair was replaced by physical therapy. But he still used it as his desk chair, quite convenient for rolling to his shelves for research or his kitchen for water. 

 

The icon no longer accusational, was his daily companion. Then it dawned on him, maybe it was about time to pull up the old project. Reading the opening pages, he was delighted that it was better than he remembered. He decided to read what he’d written for the rest of the day, tomorrow, he would salvage what was usable and start the project with fresh eyes. 

///

 

A short story, by DG Wolfe 

Inspired while reading:

The Lost World of Genesis One: Ancient Cosmology and the Origins Debate

By John H. Walton

Chapter One: John Walton

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Shalom: Live Long and Prosper!

Darrell Wolfe (DG Wolfe)

Storyteller | Writer | Thinker | Consultant @ DarrellWolfe.com

Clifton StrengthsFinder: Intellection, Learner, Ideation, Achiever, Input
16Personalities (Myers-Briggs Type): INFJ

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Don't get all worked up about tomorrow, focus on the story you are living today.

I'm older. I don't know if I'm wiser; however, I am less stubborn (slightly). 

16Then He told them a parable: “The ground of a certain rich man produced an abundance. 17So he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, since I have nowhere to store my crops?’ 18Then he said, ‘This is what I will do: I will tear down my barns and will build bigger ones, and there I will store up all my grain and my goods. 19Then I will say to myself, “You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take it easy. Eat, drink, and be merry!”’ 20But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be required of you. Then who will own what you have accumulated?’ 21This is how it will be for anyone who stores up treasure for himself but is not rich toward God.” Luke 12

• Lesson: Don't get all worked up about tomorrow, focus on the story you are living today. 

You do not need to be rich to make the mistake this parable is addressing. 

As I reflect on the "memories" which Google Photos and Facebook are so fond of showing me; I am reminded of a thousand instances of younger me. 

Hopes. Dreams. Worries. Fears. 

In every photo, I am smiling, engaged as I knew how to be, but I remember being lost in a thousand thoughts of things I needed to do and accomplish, things I didn't know how I could accomplish; and the burning question of "What's next?"

Not much has changed, here I am having experienced losses that should make a man appreciate the story in front of him, but as life returns to "new normal" for the 100th time in the last four-ish years I find myself lost again in the minutia of the future at the expense of being present in the moment. 

I have people and experiences to be present for today. Tomorrow can handle its own worries. Rather than planning for ten thousand things that won't matter tomorrow because of the curve-ball that hasn't come yet... I will plan my best and then rest. 

Goodnight friends,

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Shalom: Live Long and Prosper!

Darrell Wolfe (DG Wolfe)

Storyteller | Writer | Thinker | Consultant @ DarrellWolfe.com

Clifton StrengthsFinder: Intellection, Learner, Ideation, Achiever, Input
16Personalities (Myers-Briggs Type): INFJ

Read more →