Character Studies - ElectronicGospel

language, creating different tongues and the far-flung circumstances that we see now throughout theworld3. it is not that God felt vulnerable, but that he wished to punish their pride and that he did4. Nimrod was a hunter and conqueror and those qualities are often hard to harmonize withmeekness and peaceII. Some ApplicationsA. Sons of Noah, Sons of Abraham1. Genesis 9:19 says that from Shem, Ham and Japheth, “the whole earth was populated”a. some of you may have a father who has two brothers, who also have children–your cousinsb. far from hating them, you probably have fond memories of your cousins from childhood andrecognize them as kin and would be willing to help them in times of need or host them if they visitc. if you multiply that thousands of times, you arrive at your ultimate relationship to everyperson on the face of the Earth–brother at best, cousin at least2. under the Old Testament, the descendants of Shem were forbidden to mingle or mate with thedescendants of Ham, not because one race was physically inferior, or anything inherent, but because theybecame idolaters as was indicated at Babel (Deuteronomy 7:1-11)a. it was these seven nations that were forbidden to Israel, not simply all other nationsb. Solomon freely violated this law to his own discredit, but the similar charge against Moses isunfounded, for his marriage to an Ethiopian woman was lawful, even if she had dark skin and his was fair(cf. Numbers 12:1)3. race continues to be an unpleasant subject in America especially and throughout the world tosome degree, but I find no authority in Scripture or motivation in Christ to hate my cousin due to the colorof his skin or content of his culturea. “from one blood, God made every nation of man to dwell on the face of the earth” (Acts17:26)b. and beyond that, men and women can become spiritual children of Abraham, whether theydescend from Shem, Ham or Japheth, or count Isaac or Ishmael as their connection to God (Galatians3:1-9)c. a black actor named Morgan Freeman recently said that the only way to get rid of racism is tostop talking about it, so that the history of every race in American is integral to history itself4. here again is where grown ups with their prejudices need to be converted to become humblelike little children who seem to be without concept of race or biasB. Mighty Hunter1. Nimrod was a mighty hunter and conqueror, but sadly not many among the mighty come toChrist to be saved (First Corinthians 1:18-312. just as pride prevents racial harmony, it also gets in the way of reconciliation with God–pride inappearance, intellect, power, popularity or physical strength3. some confuse meekness with weakness, forgetting that Moses was meek but bold and that Christcalled himself meek as he summoned others to inherit the earth through him4. Revelation 19:18 relegates such mighty unbelievers to spiritual doom, so there must besomething to this meekness–to strength under control (Colossians 3:12-15)a. the need to conquer, to go first, to subjugate the will of others, even those close by, to ourwill is a mightiness that we can do withoutb. “Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his worksare done in the meekness of wisdom” (James 3:13).C. Ziggurats1. Nimrod, or his children, endeavored to build a tower in Babel that would reach to the heavens–asort of stationary Titanic so great that God himself would be impressed and nonplussed2. instead of laying an Ebenezer to commemorate God’s power, they constructed a ziggurat toannounce their own and that God would not permit; like the Titanic, it sunk3. athletes, students, politicians, and the man on the job all want to make a name for themselves andthat was the motivation for the people of Babel as they vertically combined brick with asphalt4. how desperate are we to make names for ourselves and why?120! Jeff S. Smith