Nimrod Page 3 of 3
There is a sanctity that God has placed upon man which, at its heart, is the respect for all with an emphasis on the older, wiser and/or knowledgeable people of society, Leviticus 19:32 and Titus 2, the whole chapter.
Of course this would include a respect for God as well. Yet, the breakdown was begun immediately following the Flood. And later, it would get worse, not just with this family, but with our present conditions. And this present condition was predicted to happen and worsen as we see today. Isaiah addresses this as a prophecy, Isaiah 3:4, with an indication that the judgement of God would come to any society that leaves this rule.
Respect was missing in the family of Ham. He, himself, did nothing to “cover” his father’s dignity, nakedness, Genesis 9:22, which was disparaged by his own son. The son of Ham was Canaan. Canaan and his descendants were cursed by Noah, Genesis 9:24, as it appears he was the leading cause for the drunkenness.
We are not told what happened to bring on this curse, but we see many years have past since the Flood as Noah has grandsons. It is possible this Canaan discovered fermentation and its effects, and plied it on his grandfather without expressing the effects. For whatever reason, he was cursed.
And that brings us back to Nimrod who was a nephew of Canaan. Nimrod was a grandson of Ham through another son, Cush, Genesis 10:6-8. And here we see the continuing degradation.
Nimrod not only disregarded propriety, as did his grandfather and uncle, but he also disdained God.
Remember, the Earth was now being replenished, but the people doing it were from the other side of the Flood. The only one from the other side in which God “found grace,” (propriety if you will) was Noah, Genesis 9:17. It makes one wonder about the background of the sons and unnamed wives, what had they been into prior to the Flood.
There is no mention of the lineage of Cain since Genesis 4:24, but neither is there is no indication that the family was “wiped out” during that age. That family was still alive prior to the Flood. And as we consider the actions of Ham and his progeny down to Nimrod, it would seem possible that the wife of Ham, or all the boys, may have been from the family of Cain, thought that is a stretch and another study. In any case, we find mankind devolving back to the pre-Flood attitudes and Nimrod is the personification.
“Genesis 10:9, He was a mighty hunter before the Lord: wherefore it is said, Even as Nimrod the mighty hunter before the Lord.”
Nimrod was a hunter. Tradition and mythology make him the same person as Orion, hunter for whom the starry constellation was named. Orion’s two most notable tools were the bow and arrow, and the club and shield. Certain ancient reliefs of Nimrod show these weapons. So we have the hunter and his weapons.
Next, he was “before the Lord.” This does not mean he stood in obedience to the Lord. On the contrary, the context of the Hebrew wording means he was impudent, had no use for God. This is brought out further in his actions in Genesis 10:10 and further the actions of his progeny in Genesis 11. Refer back and you will find Babel was the first city of Nimrod, Genesis 10:10.
Last, who or what did he “hunt”? We may rightly assume his was a hunter of wild animals. But, the word mighty translates to “warrior.” Nimrod was the father of the Assyrian Empire which was founded upon the conquest of other nations. Note in Genesis 10:10, it does not say he built these cities initially which included Babel. He did not build any cities until Genesis 10:11.
Nimrod was a conqueror despot. He was a hunter of man and animal. He was a builder of empires. He was unGodly in his attitude and works. He had a disdain for God. And, he is the epitome of the direction of man today. God interfered with man’s plans at Babel. But resilient man, unbelieving man is on the move again.
We are now building the new virtual “Tower of Babel.” God’s judgement will follow.