Today is the first Sunday after the 4th of July. On our church FB page I posted the Declaration of Independence with this comment: “Praise The Lord for providing the founding principles of the United States of America in the Bible. #ournationfromGodsinspiration” That one post caused us to reach over 4K people! This week as a whole we reached 25 new 1st tine “Likes” which put us at 700 page likes. On FB, we are the second most visited and liked page right behind First Baptist!
I say all of that to say this: I love my country. But my friends, I love the Lord Jesus Christ Above all! I am a disciple of Jesus Christ 1st, I am a Father and Husband 2nd, after that, I am a Baptist Pastor and an American!
I do not want anyone to misunderstand. I am not trying to be High and Mighty this morning. I am just stating conviction. Don’t get me wrong, I probably have been too High and Mighty at one time or another! Have you ever been caught trying to be too high and mighty?
“OOPS – I TRIED TO GO GET OVER GOD?” Gen. 10:8-11, 11:1-9
INTRO – The Book of Genesis is the seedbed of all Bible prophecy. It is also the indicator of the condition of all humanity. In many ways Genesis is a prefiguring of what is to come.
Today’s Scripture shows us how Nimrod, a type of Antichrist, unified humanity using all its knowledge, science and resources to establish a city. By the way… Nimrod’s leadership of the people in his day was the exact opposite of what God commanded when He created the world. The tower is a symbol of human independence from God.
As it was demolished by God, one day all the earth and those opposed to God will also crumble.
Let’s look at the steps Nimrod and the people took to “Get Over On God.”
I. THE FIRST STEP: REBELLION
A. Look at vv. 8-9 –Cross ref Gen 1: 28 - Nimrod’s name in Hebrew means "rebel or we will rebel". A better translation for the phrase "before the Lord" in V9 is literally "against God" or “in God’s face.”
1. First Nimrod rebelled against his forefathers. God had instructed Adam to be fruitful and multiply, fill the earth and take dominion. After the flood, God gave Noah the same instruction. Noah gave it to his sons Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Ham gave it to Cush and Cush passed God’s instructions down to Nimrod.
a. Nimrod told his father Cush “No!” We will not do what the generations before us have done… We will do things a new way, without God; without your biblical & historic principles.
1) Do you see the parallel to America today? In America today, we too are telling our Forefathers: NO! We will not live like you did! Neither will we obey God, abide by the principles of the Bible nor the Constitution of the USA.
• My friends, I truly believe one day, a remnant of our children will look back at us today and do you know what they will conclude:
It wasn’t the deficit that destroyed America. That was just a symptom of the real problem.
It wasn’t any single President or political party– though many have lacked the courage, character and Christian Conviction necessary to do their duty.
It was not the jihadists and terrorists.
• Our children will say: America came to ruin because:
1) We ceased to be the people of God, 2) We ceased to be the people of God’s Word - the Bible. 3) We ceased to be “We the People” of the Constitution of the USA!
2. Nimrod rebelled against his forefathers and then his heavenly father. How?
Gen 1:26-28 Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." 27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. 28 Then God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it…."
a. Nimrod rebelled against God’s Word and Will! He didn’t want to be under it. He wanted to be above it! Look again at Gen. 1:26 c.f.11:2-4
Explanation – Nimrod and his people built this city Babel, which was eventually became Babylon. Does that name sound familiar? It should. In the Bible from Genesis clear through the Revelation, Babylon is the cradle and the coffin of all false religion.
3. Nimrod rebelled against his forefathers, his heavenly father and you and me.
a. Do you know why we have so much war/terrorism today? Look at Gen 11:6-8.
1) Nimrod’s ungodly actions, forced God to do some things:
• Nimrod forced God to confuse our languages. Misunderstandings are at the root of many wars.
• Nimrod forced God to scatter humanity abroad across the face of the earth. Nations and boundaries.
• Nimrod forced God to destroy the unity and unified work of man. No longer would man live and work together in peace. Prejudice against ethnicity and national boundaries began its work to destroy human unity.
I. THE FIRST STEP: REBELLION
II. THE NEXT STEP: PURSUIT OF POWER & POSSESSIONS
A. Look at vv 10-11 - In V8 the phrase "mighty one" MEANS "warrior, champion, ruler....and tyrant". Nimrod made quite a name for himself upon the earth.
1. The pursuit of power always begins with self-promotion. Nimrod promoted himself to the people in order to gain power. True of politics. True of business. True of religion. As people buy in, the self-promoter builds “hype.” Hype spreads like wildfire.
a. See today we have to problem of too many captains and not enough soldiers! No one wants to start at the bottom and work their way up anymore.
ILLUSTRATION - David John Marotta is an Investment Consultant, Wall Street Journal Advisor, and Forbes Magazine contributor. He calculates the actual unemployment rate of Americans out of work at an astronomic 37.2 percent, as opposed to the 6.7 percent claimed by the Federal Reserve. Many have given up trying to find work. 43% of Americans now pay $0 in taxes.
In the past three decades, the number of Americans who are on disability has skyrocketed. The rise has come even as medical advances have allowed many more people to remain on the job, and new laws have banned workplace discrimination against the disabled. Every month, 14 million people now get a disability check from the government.
2. Nimrod used his power to turn the people against God. Do you want to know the origin of secular humanism? How about Atheism? Here you go!
a. Anytime any human being hungers for power. He is overcome with the spirit of antichrist. Name one leader in world history who pursued power who has not tried to turn people against God!
3. Why do men want power over people? Look back at Genesis 10:8-14.
a. Men use self-promotion to create hype. They use hype to turn people away from God. Then through power they use these Godless people to accumulate more power and possessions.
1) The desire for power and possessions is at the heart of every sin. The Bible says “the love of money is the root of all evil.”
JOKE - In the days of the Wild West, there was a young cowboy who wanted to be the greatest gunfighter in the world. He practiced every minute of his spare time, but he knew there must be something he was doing wrong.
One Saturday night, as he was sitting in the saloon, he recognized an elderly man seated at the bar who had the reputation of being the fastest gun in the West second only to the legendary Wyatt Erp!
The young cowboy told him the story of his great ambition." Could you possibly give me some tips?" he asked. The old man looked him up and down and said, "Well, for one thing, you're wearing your gun too high."If I lower it a bit, Will that make me a better gunfighter?" asked the young man. "Yep, sure will," said the old-timer. The young man did as he was told. Quickly, he whipped out his .44 and shot the bow tie off the piano player. "That's terrific!" "Got any more tips for me?" "Yep," said the old man, "cut a notch out of your holster where the hammer hits it. That'll give you a smoother draw." The young man took out his knife, cut the notch, drew his gun in a blur, and shot a cufflink off the piano player. "Wow!" said the cowboy, "got any more tips?" "See that horse tied up outside? Go get on it and ride as fast as you can, as far as you can and don’t stop till morning." "Will that make me a better gunfighter?" asked the young man. "Nope," said the old-timer, "but it will save your life!” “How?” “Wyatt Earp is the piano player.”
LESSON: Lucifer wanted power and possessions but was easily defeated and cast down out of heaven. Nimrod wanted power and possessions but was easily defeated and cast down out of babel. As are all who try to take God’s power and possessions.
I. THE FIRST STEP: REBELLION
II. THE NEXT STEP: PURSUIT OF POWER & POSESSIONS
III. THE FINAL STEP: GRABBING AT GOD’S GLORY
A. Look at vv. 11:3-4 – “Let us make…” Compare Gen. 1:26-28 God said, “Let us make…” first. God make man in His own image and Nimrod was trying to return the favor!
1. God’s Glory is seen by man through creation. In Gen. 11:4, Nimrod and people said "Come, let us build ourselves a city…”
a. Human Arrogance is the first sign that a man is grabbing for God’s glory.
1) When it comes to arrogance the heart of the problem is the problem of the heart.
• The problem of the heart is sin. Nimrod had amazing ability but ability without God’s accountability is sin.
• Nimrod had authority. But authority without responsibility to God is sin.
• Nimrod had ambition. But ambition without God’s objectives in mind is sin.
2. God’s Glory is also seen in His Holiness which separates Him high above any man, creature or created thing. In v. 4, Nimrod and his people also said, “Come let us build a tower whose top is in the heavens…”
3. God’s Glory is surely seen and heard in His most Holy name! In v. 4, Nimrod and his people said, “…let us make a name for ourselves…”
4. Finally, God’s Glory is seen in the power of His WORD! In Gen. 1:28, God commanded Adam, "Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it…”
a. But Nimrod and his people thought they could create their own world. They thought they could go over and above God.
1) They attempted to create for themselves a greater name than that of God.
• Finally, they tried to establish their own word above the word of God in 11:4 saying, “let us do all these things, ‘lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth.’"
CONCLUSION – Adrian Rogers once said “There are two great cities in the Bible. One is Jerusalem, and one is Babylon. Jerusalem is the Holy City. Babylon is the Hellish city. There are two great leaders in the world, Christ and anti-Christ. And there is a battle between Babylon and Jerusalem, Christ and anti-Christ. And folks, we're right in the middle of it. And we dare not be ignorant. Now I want you to see the coming kingdom of Satan, and I want you to see the coming kingdom of Christ.”
