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Genesis 11 Commentary
by Brad Boyles
Josephus wrote of how the Tower of Babel originated from the heart and mind of Nimrod.
“Now it was Nimrod who excited them to such an affront and contempt of God. He was the grand-son of Ham, the son of Noah: a bold man, and of great strength of hand. He persuaded them not to ascribe it to God, as if it was through his means that they were happy; but to believe that it was their own courage which procured that happiness. He also gradually changed the government into tyranny; seeing no other way of turning men from the fear of God, but to bring them into a constant dependence on his own power. He also said, “He would be revenged on God, if he should have a mind to drown the world again: for that he would build a Tower too high for the waters to be able to reach; and that he would avenge himself on God for destroying their fore-fathers.””
Josephus
Can you believe it? According to Josephus, Nimrod convinced the people that their prosperity was through their own strength and decision-making… not God’s. He convinced the people to believe they were courageous and in control of their own happiness. Nimrod actually believed he was wiser and stronger than God and concocted a plan to try and stay one step ahead. He would construct a tower so mighty that God’s flood would not be able to destroy it.
Although these statements contain heinous amounts of pride, there is something else to consider. Nimrod believed in God but did not trust Him. God had already promised the world (good, bad, or ugly) that He would never again destroy his creation through a flood. Nimrod simply didn’t believe him, and this led to a building project that was a complete waste of life.
There are parallels to be drawn.
When we lack faith in God, we waste our life. We waste it because we try and control something that is uncontrollable. We waste it because we turn our motives inwardly becoming completely self-centered. We waste it because our time is given to projects that will perish after we die. In many ways, pride is the opposite of trust, and it leads to a wasted life.
The pride of Nimrod fooled him into thinking that making something happen in life depended solely upon him. Trust would have required that he rely on someone else – something he was unwilling to do. If trust is a vehicle that takes us toward God, humility is the road we must drive on and faith is the fuel in our tanks. We can do nothing in this life apart from Jesus.