Here we see why Nimrod began to be mighty in the earth. And, it says a lot about the world and it's system opposing God.
He was a mighty
hunter before the Lord. That description it brings up several interesting
thoughts.
First, while
one's skill at hunting game would bring great respect, this was probably not
all that was meant. In founding his empire, he hunted men, not necessarily to
kill but to enslave or, at best, subjugate them. Numerous secular sources tell
of his thirst for power, and the empire that developed on the plains of Shinar.
Indeed, possibly the oldest archaeological artifacts come from the area where
ancient Babylon stood.
The fact his
physical power could have even been considered is another major point. Whether
it is physical gifts, overwhelming power, stirring speech, or whatever else
leads people to follow a man, 1 Samuel 16:7 is very appropriate: “…Man looketh
on the outward appearance, but God looketh upon the heart.” The right leader should have God's loving heart and want to be a person after God's own heart with humility, not false pride. Sucha leader should be willing to call a nation to repentance because of his or her own desire to model Godly virtue, and follow that virtue.
We people often
want to follow those who will satisfy our physical desires. Those can be lusts
of the flesh or of the eyes, such as in physical relations, but they can also
be lusts that lead to the pride of life. In other words, one's desires are
satisfied when one has power over another. They can also be satisfied by
tearing others down and being told they are inferior - hence the pride of life
causes one to become puffed up in thinking wrong thoughts about some group.
Numerous dictators have worked this way.
God calls us to
edify one another instead. When we build others up and realize we are all equal
before God, all sinners in need of his salvation, we can more readily combat
the evil ways in which some work. There is only one race, the human race, and
we are wrestling not against flesh and blood, but against powers of darkness in
this world.
Nimrod brashly
followed those lusts - and hence powers of darkness - by being a mighty hunter
before the Lord. This can mean two things. He put his desires, skills, etc. before
any consideration of God, and/or he brash showed God his skill, daring God to
act. Whatever it was, or maybe both, it shows that Nimrod desired to make a
name for himself that would last a long time in the world, rather than doing
what God tells us to do when He says to build treasures in Heaven.
And, in a way,
he did, since that saying is stated as coming from him. By the time Genesis was
written by Moses several hundred years later, Nimrod was still very well known
in that saying.
However, that
ends up not mattering at all. Nimrod did not follow the Lord, but instead chose
to follow after the devil and his own selfish desires. Because of this, he did
not have faith that God would send a savior for him, instead he chose to rebell
as we shall see. He did not get to see Heaven, which is sad. God is willing
that none should perish but that all should come to repentance. But, He also
gives us free will so we won't be mindless robots. We have the ability to
follow Jesus if we choose.
Jesus puts it
so well when he asks, “What doth it profit a man to gain the whole world and
yet lose his own soul?” He states right there in His Word, the Bible, all the
things on this earth will pass away, but our souls are forever, just like his
word. Each of us needs to make that decision, once we are old enough to
understand what it means, to call upon Jesus Christ to forgive us and save us
from our sins. Each of us is only that single sincere prayer of repentance away
from eternal life.
It's as easy as
ABC. Admit your a sinner, and can't make it to His perfect Heaven on your own.
Believe Jesus Christ, God in flesh, died to take the punishment for your sins
and rose from the dead. And, Call on Him to forgive you and save you, and come
into your heart and make you new inside.
