A Journey Through The Old Testament - Elmer Towns
A Journey Through The Old Testament - Elmer Towns A Journey Through The Old Testament - Elmer Towns
happened in the tent is not certain. Traditionally, Jewish rabbis held Noah was castrated either by Ham or Canaan. Other commentators suggest Noah was abused homosexually while in his drunken state. Still others argue it was the act of looking on a father’s nakedness that constituted the sin. When Shem and Japheth learned of Noah’s state, they grabbed a garment, perhaps Noah’s own garment that Ham had presented as evidence of his claims, apparently walked into the tent backward, with his coat held to their eyes, “and covered the nakedness of their father” (v. 23). When Noah finally recovered from the effects of his wine and realized what, had happened, he cursed Canaan and blessed Shem and Japheth and their descendants. Under the conditions of Noah’s statement, the descendants of Canaan, the Canaanites, were designated the servants of the descendants of Shem. Canaan lived in the land of Canaan which became the Israel of our day. They did not become part of the black peoples of Africa and the curse has nothing to do with the servitude of black races. Canaan became servant to Shem when Joshua conquered the Promised Land and defeated the Canaanites. NIMROD AND THE REBELLION OF BABEL (Gen. 11:1-9) Despite the fresh start offered to the human race, sin would again have its destructive effect on mankind. In the generations after Noah, descendants of Adam’s race would continue to rebel against the principles of God. The chapters following the Flood trace the ethnic backgrounds of many people groups elsewhere named in the Old Testament and in particular describe the character of Babel, that one particular city-state which throughout history represents man’s futile attempts to rebel against the Lord. The fourth of the eleven “generations” recorded in the Book of Genesis (Gen. 10:1) demonstrates the unity of the human race through the sons of Noah. However, the listing of seventy tribes is not an exhaustive list of the nations, because there are other groups who later develop who are named in Scripture; i.e., Moab, Ammon, Edom, etc. But the listing is exhaustive enough to demonstrate the fundamental relationship between all peoples in the world today. The number seventy in biblical numerology often is representative of completeness. There were seventy elders selected by Moses and later seventy men served in the Sanhedrin. In both cases, these represented at least in theory the sum of the nation. Significantly, Jesus chose seventy disciples to preach the Gospel, perhaps symbolic of the later missionary efforts of the whole church to reach the whole world (Luke 10:1). These seventy nations listed in Genesis 10 therefore are representative of all nations. The genealogical listing of Genesis 10 is not naturally divided into three groupings, each including the descendants of a particular son of Noah. The first group, the sons of Japheth (w. 2-5), seems to include most of the Indo-Aryan linguistic group. The sons of Ham (w. 6-20) are then noted as including primarily those nations south of Canaan including many African nations. The third group, the sons of Seth (w. 21-31), represent the Semitic tribes of the Near East. This is the racial group which produced Abraham, and a later genealogy of Shem and Terah serves to introduce the life of Abraham (11:10-32). Sin, which entered the human race through an act of rebellion by Lucifer, again had its impact on Adam’s race through another act of rebellion. Nimrod, the great grandson of Noah, may have only been a young child when Noah got drunk in his tent, but he matured, earning himself the reputation of being “the mighty hunter before the Lord” (10:9). His entire personality was characterized by rebellion. His name is built on the Hebrew verbal root marad and means, “We will rebel” or “Come, let us rebel.” The Hebrew expression “the mighty hunter before the Lord” suggests Nimrod was bold in his defiance against the Lord. He was a hunter in the sense that he hunted men in the establishing of his kingdoms. This designation became a proverb of his day and of later ages also. His success in this area is evidenced in that he is the recorded father of
as many as nine city-states, Babel (Babylon), Erech, Accad, Calneh, Nineveh, Rehoboth Ir, Calah, and Resen (vv. 10-12). Of these, Babel was his first and best known. The name of the city, Babel, is unusual in that it has two different meanings in two of the languages of the Near East. In Akkadian, it means “the gate of the gods.” This is probably more reflective of Nimrod’s original intention in establishing this city. It was in this place the people decided, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top is in the heavens; let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth” (11:4). The “Tower of Babel” was in all likelihood a ziggurat similar to those pyramids among the ruins of that area today. It was not a round tower that reached into the clouds of the atmosphere similar to towers drawn in children’s storybooks. It was a pyramid similar to those found in Egypt. These were man-made “sacred mountains” normally equipped with a temple at the base which served as the religious center of the city, and an astrological chart on the top by which the astrologers made their predictions as it related to the life of the city and its ruler. Within the theological framework of these primitive astrologers, Babel and its tower were “gates to the gods.” It was built “toward” the heavens to interpret the heavens. It did not literally reach to heaven. The second meaning of Babel is based on its relationship to the Hebrew verb balal meaning “he confused” (v. 9). This meaning is related to the miraculous confusion of tongues which took place as the tower was being built. God knew something concerning the extent of what men could do in their united rebellion against Him. He decided to “confuse their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech” (v. 7). As a result, the tower was left unfinished and families scattered over all the earth in linguistic groups. According to the ancient records of Nebuchadnezzar (605-561 B.C.), a sixty-foot ziggurat was found in this region unfinished which he himself finished. There is a tradition repeated today by the natives of the area that identifies a ziggurat at Borsippa, about seven miles southwest of the ruins of Babylon, called Birs Nemrod as the original Tower of Babel. This tradition warns tourists not to go near it or they will lose their memories just as the original people of the tower lost their memory of the original language of the world. The first reference to tongues was judgment (Gen. 11:9), next given in grace (Acts 2:4), finally united in glory (Rev. 7:9).” The city of Babel, later called Babylon, is a consistent symbol of a godless society in rebellion against God throughout Scripture. Babylon (a name for the city and the nation) would be later identified for its sins and superstitions (Isa. 47:8-13). Babylon is the nation into which Israel would enter as captives for seventy years (Dan. 1:1-7). Later still Babylon will be noted for its immense wealth and eventual doom (Rev. 17-18). During the Roman persecutions of the early church, the early Christians began using the name Babylon as a code word for the Roman Empire which at that time was the focus of the rebellion against God. Nimrod sought to build a pyramid to reach the heavens, but it was the embryonic sin of his empire which will eventually bring its destruction (18:5). The division of the peoples of the earth into ethnic, linguistic, and territorial groups is described in Scripture with three distinct Hebrew verbs. The first is palaq (Gen. 10:25) meaning to cleave. While some writers believe this division refers to the linguistic separation of families at the tower of Babel, the use of this verb both to describe the division and as the verbal root of the name Peleg suggests it may refer to a physical and cataclysmic division of the earth on a large scale. God may have “divided the earth” to insure the separation of the various linguistic groups to prevent a revival of Babel. This could account for the North American Indians, South American Incas, and some inhabitants of the sea islands. Some commentators believe that it was
- Page 2 and 3: A Journey Through The Old Testament
- Page 4 and 5: 43. ELISHA: The Prophet of Twice th
- Page 6 and 7: matter of fact, nothing is eternal
- Page 8 and 9: Be like the Most High The title “
- Page 10 and 11: TWO ADAM: The Man Who Had Everythin
- Page 12 and 13: Individuals normally fall into sin
- Page 14 and 15: Christ whom Paul calls “the last
- Page 16 and 17: abandon Cain. Rather the Lord came
- Page 18 and 19: When Cain determined to abandon the
- Page 20 and 21: would be that son, Noah, who sailed
- Page 22 and 23: 8 The Flood which followed the ente
- Page 24 and 25: always leads to judgment. But Noah,
- Page 28 and 29: at this time that the Americas and
- Page 30 and 31: Though the Scripture explains, “N
- Page 32 and 33: The first call of Abram involved th
- Page 34 and 35: Damascus (cf. 15:2-3). When Abram a
- Page 36 and 37: SEVEN ABRAHAM: Lapse of Faith: Reas
- Page 38 and 39: their root in this period when Abra
- Page 40 and 41: comes to God must believe that He i
- Page 42 and 43: (Gen. 13:8, literal translation). A
- Page 44 and 45: greater blessing. The man of faith
- Page 46 and 47: mothers, a practice which may have
- Page 48 and 49: Melchizedek is described as the pri
- Page 50 and 51: tion of righteousness. Also, the co
- Page 52 and 53: Israel, consistently tried to destr
- Page 54 and 55: HAGAR AND SARAI (Gen. 16:4-6) (2080
- Page 56 and 57: the natural carnal instincts of hum
- Page 58 and 59: eflects a change in Abram which end
- Page 60 and 61: appreciation. When God promised Abr
- Page 62 and 63: desert period in Abraham’s life w
- Page 64 and 65: focus on the problems and soon come
- Page 66 and 67: FOURTEEN LOT: The Destruction of So
- Page 68 and 69: The Scriptures record, “The sun h
- Page 70 and 71: of the highest costs associated wit
- Page 72 and 73: must be viewed as intentional mocki
- Page 74 and 75: 6, 9). Second, we are to reckon or
as many as nine city-states, Babel (Babylon), Erech, Accad, Calneh, Nineveh, Rehoboth Ir,<br />
Calah, and Resen (vv. 10-12). Of these, Babel was his first and best known.<br />
<strong>The</strong> name of the city, Babel, is unusual in that it has two different meanings in two of the<br />
languages of the Near East. In Akkadian, it means “the gate of the gods.” This is probably more<br />
reflective of Nimrod’s original intention in establishing this city. It was in this place the people<br />
decided, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top is in the heavens; let us<br />
make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth” (11:4).<br />
<strong>The</strong> “Tower of Babel” was in all likelihood a ziggurat similar to those pyramids among<br />
the ruins of that area today. It was not a round tower that reached into the clouds of the atmosphere<br />
similar to towers drawn in children’s storybooks. It was a pyramid similar to those found<br />
in Egypt. <strong>The</strong>se were man-made “sacred mountains” normally equipped with a temple at the<br />
base which served as the religious center of the city, and an astrological chart on the top by<br />
which the astrologers made their predictions as it related to the life of the city and its ruler.<br />
Within the theological framework of these primitive astrologers, Babel and its tower were “gates<br />
to the gods.” It was built “toward” the heavens to interpret the heavens. It did not literally reach<br />
to heaven.<br />
<strong>The</strong> second meaning of Babel is based on its relationship to the Hebrew verb balal<br />
meaning “he confused” (v. 9). This meaning is related to the miraculous confusion of tongues<br />
which took place as the tower was being built. God knew something concerning the extent of<br />
what men could do in their united rebellion against Him. He decided to “confuse their language,<br />
that they may not understand one another’s speech” (v. 7). As a result, the tower was left<br />
unfinished and families scattered over all the earth in linguistic groups. According to the ancient<br />
records of Nebuchadnezzar (605-561 B.C.), a sixty-foot ziggurat was found in this region<br />
unfinished which he himself finished. <strong>The</strong>re is a tradition repeated today by the natives of the<br />
area that identifies a ziggurat at Borsippa, about seven miles southwest of the ruins of Babylon,<br />
called Birs Nemrod as the original Tower of Babel. This tradition warns tourists not to go near it<br />
or they will lose their memories just as the original people of the tower lost their memory of the<br />
original language of the world. <strong>The</strong> first reference to tongues was judgment (Gen. 11:9), next<br />
given in grace (Acts 2:4), finally united in glory (Rev. 7:9).”<br />
<strong>The</strong> city of Babel, later called Babylon, is a consistent symbol of a godless society in<br />
rebellion against God throughout Scripture. Babylon (a name for the city and the nation) would<br />
be later identified for its sins and superstitions (Isa. 47:8-13). Babylon is the nation into which<br />
Israel would enter as captives for seventy years (Dan. 1:1-7). Later still Babylon will be noted for<br />
its immense wealth and eventual doom (Rev. 17-18). During the Roman persecutions of the early<br />
church, the early Christians began using the name Babylon as a code word for the Roman<br />
Empire which at that time was the focus of the rebellion against God. Nimrod sought to build a<br />
pyramid to reach the heavens, but it was the embryonic sin of his empire which will eventually<br />
bring its destruction (18:5).<br />
<strong>The</strong> division of the peoples of the earth into ethnic, linguistic, and territorial groups is<br />
described in Scripture with three distinct Hebrew verbs. <strong>The</strong> first is palaq (Gen. 10:25) meaning<br />
to cleave. While some writers believe this division refers to the linguistic separation of families<br />
at the tower of Babel, the use of this verb both to describe the division and as the verbal root of<br />
the name Peleg suggests it may refer to a physical and cataclysmic division of the earth on a<br />
large scale. God may have “divided the earth” to insure the separation of the various linguistic<br />
groups to prevent a revival of Babel. This could account for the North American Indians, South<br />
American Incas, and some inhabitants of the sea islands. Some commentators believe that it was
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