Rahab - a character study. Part of the Dispelling Myths series. Chapter two.

English: The Harlot of Jericho and the Two Spies, c. 1896-1902, by James Jacques Joseph Tissot (French, 1836-1902) or follower, gouache on board, 9 1/16 x 6 5/8 in. (23.1 x 16.9 cm), at the Jewish Museum, New York (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

What is it that makes us decide to trust and believe, not just God, but people?

Everything we do as followers of Christ is wrapped around faith, the essence of trust and belief. However, there is added disincentive in the story of Rahab in that these two men who may have entered her house under false pretenses, have now enlightened her that they are spies; that her life is now in danger from the spies and the guards of Jericho. They point out that her only reasonable choice is to hide them, and she does.

For us, there is a sudden awareness that her faith in this unknown god and her desire to be rescued by Him has become challenged. What does this added incentive do to your belief system?

Ponder once again what Rahab tells the two Israeli spies.

Joshua 2:9-10 NASB and said to the men, "I know that the LORD has given you the land, and that the terror of you has fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants of the land have melted away before you. 10) "For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and Og, whom you utterly destroyed.

At first, it is deeply personal as she says, “ I know that the LORD has given you the land, and that the terror of you has fallen on us,” This paragraph has belief and fear written all over it. While I, Rahab, know that the Almighty has his hand on you, there is a profound and genuine concern on the part of the entire city for their safety, lives, and mine as well.

Joshua 2:11 NASB "When we heard it, our hearts melted and no courage remained in any man any longer because of you; for the LORD your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath.

Does fear promote belief? I know it does not work for me. I may, under duress, comply out of concern for the safety of my family and myself, but I will never come to admire and possibly love you, as Rahab did.

The reality is that God's most significant impact on our faith is through signs. The idea that God is okay with that, comes from the statement where she recaps the two notable stories of which the people Jericho were aware. “We have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and Og, whom you utterly destroyed.”

It is rapidly becoming evident that Rahab is a smart woman. You don't last long in such a business without the skills of a spy yourself, and she, therefore, strikes a bargain.

Joshua 2:12-13 NASB "Now therefore, please swear to me by the LORD, since I have dealt kindly with you, that you also will deal kindly with my father's household, and give me a pledge of truth, 13) and spare my father and my mother and my brothers and my sisters, with all who belong to them, and deliver our lives from death."

The men hear her out and respond with the words she needs to hear.

Joshua 2:14 NASB So the men said to her, "Our life for yours if you do not tell this business of ours; and it shall come about when the LORD gives us the land that we will deal kindly and faithfully with you."

Having received a promise of protection, and trusting their word, she provides them with a way of escape. I am going to do something peculiar here, and verse 15 last because I cannot see any practicality to her shouting additional instructions to the men as they rappel down the wall from her window.

Joshua 2:15-21 NASB 16) She said to them, "Go to the hill country, so that the pursuers will not happen upon you, and hide yourselves there for three days until the pursuers return. Then afterward you may go on your way." 17) The men said to her, "We shall be free from this oath to you which you have made us swear, 18) unless, when we come into the land, you tie this cord of scarlet thread in the window through which you let us down, and gather to yourself into the house your father and your mother and your brothers and all your father's household. 19) "It shall come about that anyone who goes out of the doors of your house into the street, his blood shall be on his own head, and we shall be free; but anyone who is with you in the house, his blood shall be on our head if a hand is laid on him. 20) "But if you tell this business of ours, then we shall be free from the oath which you have made us swear."

15) Then she let them down by a rope through the window, for her house was on the city wall, so that she was living on the wall.

21) She said, "According to your words, so be it." So she sent them away, and they departed; and she tied the scarlet cord in the window.

The bargaining is completed. Rahab lets them out through a window and uses the same scarlet cord to signal Israel's troops that hers is a safe house.

Suddenly it occurs to me. While the scarlet color may have been associated with her profession, it now represented that scarlet blood that saves us all. Few realize what took place. Consider also the tremendous significance, as Jesus was three days and nights in death, so to the scarlet rope hung from that window. Our redemption through Jesus was signaled all throughout this book we call the Bible, and today, I saw it.

What would have happened had the townsfolk of Jericho saw that cord suddenly hanging there? With the armed militia out chasing the spies, did the town now feel safe? I doubt it. The city may have gone on lock-down. How did this rope go unnoticed? That can only be God.

Did Rahab and her family demonstrate a strong faith in this God of Israel, and were therefore saved?

We don't know any of that. Rahab took a chance and pitched her case, knowing full well that they could turn against her. If what she says is true, then the people within Jericho comprehend the threat that Israel poses. Finding out that two Israeli spies have infiltrated the city just raises the threat level exponentially. The result of the increased threat level is that the family, which may have treated her as an outcast, hurriedly gathered survival supplies and joined Rahab in her home.

Joshua 2:23-24 NASB Then the two men returned and came down from the hill country and crossed over and came to Joshua the son of Nun, and they related to him all that had happened to them. 24) They said to Joshua, "Surely the LORD has given all the land into our hands; moreover, all the inhabitants of the land have melted away before us."

Safely back at camp, they related all that had happened. What a story. Oh, and by-the-way Joshua, there is one more thing you might find interesting - “Surely the LORD has given all the land into our hands; moreover, all the inhabitants of the land have melted away before us.” At least that is what Rahab told us.

Melted – is the Hebrew word moog, meaning to melt; literally (to soften, flow down, disappear), or figuratively (to fear, faint).

Since this is a character study on Rahab, I am going to bypass much of the detail involved in the attack on Jericho. It is admittedly fascinating to learn how Jericho's walls fell. Having seen pictures of the archaeological digs at Jericho, it becomes apparent that they went straight down into the ground. Except for one spot, that portion that Rahab lived in. Joshua 6:20

The NASB states that the wall fell flat. What does that mean? The Hebrew word is taḥaṯ: A preposition meaning under, beneath; in place of. It indicates a position below or underneath some other reference point.” Word Study Dictionary.

While the word flat is indeed an option, how do you explain under, beneath or a position below, especially when the passage goes on to say that every man walked straight ahead?

We don't return to Jericho in the book of Joshua until chapter six. In the meantime, circumcisions have been performed, and Israel has passed through the Jordan on dry land, just as they did the Red Sea. This time they placed a large mound of stones to commemorate God's goodness and what a coincidence that a large mound of stones has been located in the Sea of Galilee.

I suppose the obvious thing to consider here, is that much time has passed and that scarlet cord is probably still hanging out that window.

Joshua 6:21-23 NASB They utterly destroyed everything in the city, both man and woman, young and old, and ox and sheep and donkey, with the edge of the sword. 22) Joshua said to the two men who had spied out the land, "Go into the harlot's house and bring the woman and all she has out of there, as you have sworn to her." 23) So the young men who were spies went in and brought out Rahab and her father and her mother and her brothers and all she had; they also brought out all her relatives and placed them outside the camp of Israel.

How befitting that the young men who made the agreement should go and gather Rahab and her family.

“Rahab and her father and her mother and her brothers and all she had; they also brought out all her relatives and placed them outside the camp of Israel.”

Albert Barnes commentary states, “These words literally “made to rest outside the camp of Israel” - indicate that being still in their paganism, they were separated from the camp of the Lord. This was only for a time. They desired, and eventually obtained, admission to the covenant of the chosen people of God.”

Another instance where we have no details. We know nothing about paganism, but it is probably safe to assume. Since Rahab seems to have a faith in this God she knows little about, we shall see her come to understanding and acceptance.

Joshua 6:25 NASB However, Rahab the harlot and her father's household and all she had, Joshua spared; and she has lived in the midst of Israel to this day, for she hid the messengers whom Joshua sent to spy out Jericho.

And everyone lived happily ever after, well, I would hope so. Sadly we live in reality, but there are three other passages I want you to see.

In spelling out the Jewish heritage of Jesus, the gospel of Matthew includes Rahab.

Matthew 1:5 NASB Salmon was the father of Boaz by Rahab, Boaz was the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse.

Boaz, if you remember, owned the land in which Ruth had been directed to work by Naomi, her mother in law. Boaz buys the right to marry Ruth, and they produced a child named Obed, and Obed became the father of Jesse, the father of David.

Rahab is found in Hebrews 11 because of her faith.

Hebrews 11:31 NASB By faith Rahab the harlot did not perish along with those who were disobedient after she had welcomed the spies in peace.

And lastly, as an example of how faith works, we have the writings of James.

James 2:24-25 NASB You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone. 25) In the same way, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way?

Understanding the ramifications, Rahab accepted the spies, protected, and sent them safely on their way. So, Rahab then becomes an example for us, of faith and how it works.

Dispelling some Myths - Jonah. Chapter four.

When we last saw Jonah, he had walked through the town of Nineveh, a three-day journey, as he proclaimed “forty days and Nineveh will be overthrown.” The result of God's proclamation, the entire town, and the Assyrian king cover themselves in sackcloth and ashes and repent of their evil.

Does Jonah rejoice over such a great response? Not at all, and that is where we pick up this story.

Jonah 4:1-2 NASB But it greatly displeased Jonah, and he became angry. 2) He prayed to the LORD and said, "Please LORD, was not this what I said while I was still in my own country? Therefore in order to forestall this, I fled to Tarshish, for I knew that You are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abundant in loving kindness, and one who relents concerning calamity.

I pointed out early on that you needed to know the background story to understand why Jonah chose to flee from God and not carry out this assignment. Briefly, the Assyrians had ravaged Israel on multiple occasions and taken many captive. They were a brutal people and dragged many of their captives back to Nineveh with meat hooks. To put it plainly, Jonah despised them.

But there is another side to Jonah's background, and you see it in his comment above. “I knew that You are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abundant in loving kindness, and one who relents concerning calamity.”

Now Ask yourself, how did Jonah come to this understanding of God?

Just do a word search for the phrase, slow to anger. It shows up at least 14 times in the Old Testament. The passages extend from Exodus to Nahum. Another aspect of Jonah's life, which we only see in 2Kings 14:25, was that he was the son of Amittai, the prophet. It was not unusual for many of our biblical characters to be the son of a priest or elder. If that were the case, Jonah would have had a proper education in the local Synagogue school. His education would have required him to memorize the known books of the Law and writings of the prophets. Therefore, Jonah would have had tremendous insight into God's nature and character. How could that be a bad thing? It wouldn't unless, you are actively maintaining un-forgiveness toward a people group, and Jonah was.

Look at what Jonah said,

• “was not this what I said while I was still in my own country?”
  Apparently, Jonah tried to reason with God.
• “Therefore in order to forestall this, I fled to Tarshish,”
  What is Jonah trying to forestall - God showing mercy, contrary to Jonah's wishes? Secondly, there is the aspect of forestalling. To do that he effectively runs in the opposite direction of where he is supposed to go, and that required a boat ride. We have no maps that indicate a town called Tarshish in Jonah's day. Many, however, have pointed to Southern Spain as the location of Tarshish. That is definitely the opposite direction.
  • “for I knew that You are a gracious and compassionate God, low to anger and abundant in loving kindness, and one who relents concerning calamity.”
    If you read my posts, then you also know that I have a thorn in my flesh – a study leader. This leader, in opposition to what Jonah understood, and the word of God, on a weekly basis, explains that everyone reaching the Great White Throne will be sent to a fiery hell. An in-depth reading of Matthew 25's account of the sheep and goats, is, though given different names, the same scenario we see in Revelation 20. One demonstrates an angry God, while the other shows us a gentle shepherd. Both indicate a group that chose not to follow Christ and therefore follows their leaders to the same hell. And both have books out of which Jesus makes His decision.
    In Matthew, the shepherd, finding simple acts of kindness in those books, allows those He called sheep to enter into the glorious kingdom, and therefore escape hell. It's all in the details, but details, are tedious for some. And, those details we find in scripture, you know, often point out how wrong we are, as they demonstrate that some teaching or belief we hold, is blatantly wrong and false, and no one wants to hear that. My wife asks me why I put myself under a false teacher. Don't think for a moment that this man is the only one. The pastor, whom my wife reveres, had many of us as a captive audience at a mountain camp where he told us while explaining communion once again, that Jesus, in the garden that night, did not want to go to the cross for us. So, false teaching is not that uncommon. While I am painfully aware of how grave this situation is I have not been called to fight with these men, for in so doing I move into the realm of judgment.
    Let me ask you an obvious question. Have we been called to be God's judges here on earth, or to show mercy and demonstrate His character? The answer is “show mercy.” This theme is detailed throughout the New Testament, and I will let you find that on your time. The ugly and more demanding aspect of the question revolves around judgment, something that has been taken out of our hands.
    David may have been anointed as king, but Saul still sat on the throne. And, Saul wanted David dead. While hunting for David, Saul stops in a cave to relieve himself. David and his unruly band happened to be hiding in that same cave. Given the opportunity to kill Saul, David chose not to, and thus we see his thoughts in 1Samuel.
    1 Samuel 24:12, 15 GW May the LORD decide between you and me. May the LORD take revenge on you for what you did to me. However, I will not lay a hand on you. 15) So the LORD must be the judge. He will decide between you and me. He will watch and take my side in this matter and set me free from you."

John 5:22 NASB "For not even the Father judges anyone, but He has given all judgment to the Son (Jesus,)

Jonah's depression has retaken hold of him, and therefore we see this:

Jonah 4:3 NASB "Therefore now, O LORD, please take my life from me, for death is better to me than life."

Two things jump out at me as I read this.

1. Wasn't Jonah dead already?
   I guess to be fair, he didn't ask to be brought back to life, or did he?
   (Right in the midst of writing this I finally took Dad out to the Mexican restaurant I had promised once he had recovered from his surgery. Dad, having not seen much of me lately, asked what's going with me, and I began telling him about what I had been learning as I wrote about Jonah. He listened and then said, I think God prepared “a special fish,” one that could maintain an adequate oxygen supply for Jonah, and therefore Jonah never died. To try to bolster his argument dad added, Jonah was able to think and pray.)
   The problem with this kind of thinking is that it ignores common sense and logic by excluding the idea that God would not merely use what was available. Some examples would be:

• • That NO fish could provide a livable environment.
  • That medical documentation demonstrates how we lose consciousness after 30 to 40 seconds, therefore allowing Jonah the time for thought;
  • It also throws aside what Jesus said about Jonah being a sign, as he was three days and nights in the belly of a fish. This statement by Jesus was made was to Pharisees and scribes for the purpose of establishing a common thread between Jonah and what was to happen to Jesus shortly.
  • One other thing, because of Jewish tradition – that believed the soul finally parted from the body after three full days, Jesus words, meant that He acknowledged that Jonah had died out there in that fish.

2. If being dead was high on Jonah's list, then why did he say all those words we see in chapter two? Specifically:
   Jonah 2:7-9 NASB "While I was fainting away, I remembered the LORD And my prayer came to You, Into Your holy temple. 8) "Those who regard vain idols Forsake their faithfulness, 9) But I will sacrifice to You With the voice of thanksgiving. That which I have vowed I will pay. Salvation is from the LORD."

It sounds like he was calling out to God, knowing that God would and could save him. You should be picking up on the general idea that God would and could save us as well?

God did not respond to this depressed, angry whining, but quietly said,

Jonah 4:4 NASB The LORD said, "Do you have good reason to be angry?"

Jonah thought he did, and so did I. I can only speak to my experience, as we are not privy to Jonah's. I wasted a significant portion of my life maintaining the chains and bars of the prison I kept in my head; a prison in which I held those people that hurt me. It was part of the payment I thought they owed me.

Jonah 4:5 NASB Then Jonah went out from the city and sat east of it. There he made a shelter for himself and sat under it in the shade until he could see what would happen in the city.

What did I just miss? We have to back up to chapter three to rehearse what happened.

Jonah 3:10 NASB When God saw their deeds, that they turned from their wicked way, then God relented concerning the calamity which He had declared He would bring upon them. And He did not do it.

So, Jonah got the word that he was to deliver, and it went like this, “Forty days from now, Nineveh will be destroyed!” (Contemporary English Version)

What happened next is beyond belief? Why, because we lack a tremendous amount of information. In my previous post “Dispelling some Myths - Jonah chapter 3,” I posed a hypothetical situation in which an Assyrian worshiper of Dagon, the fish god, happened to be at the beach when the whale spewed Jonah upon it. If that person took this information and shared it with everyone they met along the way and all through Nineveh, it might explain the overwhelming response to the unfavorable words Jonah delivered to them.

Important points that the word shows about these people and their response. Jonah 3:5-10 NASB

• “the people of Nineveh believed in God, and they called a fast and put on sackcloth from the greatest to the least of them.”
• The king in following the lead of the people covered himself with sackcloth and ashes.
• The king ordered a proclamation written which included man and beast. It stated that all must demonstrate repentance by covering themselves in sackcloth and ashes.
• And then, all must “call on God earnestly that each may turn from his wicked way and from violence which is in his hands.

How did God respond to their actions?

4:10) When God saw their deeds, that they turned from their wicked way, then God relented concerning the calamity which He had declared He would bring upon them. And He did not do it.

So, where do we find Jonah at this point? Sitting on a hill outside of town, watching and waiting for God to destroy them. Did he miss the memo? Did he not see their actions? Did, what seems like common acts of repentance, mean nothing to Jonah?

All you would have to do is start counting the days. And yet, we have nothing to help us with that. Like so many other things, we are left in the void.

Jonah 4:2 NASB He prayed to the LORD and said, "Please LORD, was not this what I said while I was still in my own country? Therefore in order to forestall this, I fled to Tarshish, for I knew that You are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, and one who relents concerning calamity.

For all we know, Jonah saw their acts of repentance and immediately knew what would happen next.

Jonah 4:6-8 NASB So the LORD God appointed a plant and it grew up over Jonah to be a shade over his head to deliver him from his discomfort. And Jonah was extremely happy about the plant. 7) But God appointed a worm when dawn came the next day and it attacked the plant and it withered. 8) When the sun came up God appointed a scorching east wind, and the sun beat down on Jonah's head so that he became faint and begged with all his soul to die, saying, "Death is better to me than life."

Sitting, waiting for these hated people to die, God appoints a plant and it grew up over Jonah to be a shade. I don't know how to perceive this situation because I know that God can do miracles. However, it is reminiscent of Mickey Mouse portrayed as Mickey and the Beanstalk, where the beanstalk grows overnight at an unbelievable rate. Quickly the situation changes as the next day a God-appointed worm eats that same plant, and now the sun is beating down on Jonah's head.

Once again, Jonah turns suicidal.

Jonah 4:9 NASB Then God said to Jonah, "Do you have good reason to be angry about the plant?" And he said, "I have good reason to be angry, even to death."

Did Jonah have good reason to be angry, even to death? All Jonah had was his hatred and bigotry. Is that a good excuse? Sorry, but no. Jesus, in the sermon on the mount, said, that having your debts forgiven is predicated upon you forgiving.

Matthew 6:12, 14-15 NASB 'And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. ... "For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. "But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions.

I participate in several different groups, from a variety of churches, but they aren't that different for there a consistent lack of understanding, and a limited desire to pursue God's word that permeates all three groups. Asked to join an evening group I am currently doing a book study. We are looking at Max Lucado's book, Facing Your Giants. We were attempting to discuss the fifth and sixth chapter in which the topic of forgiveness was covered. Max Lucado finally spoke in terms I could understand, as he, on page 48, said,

“God occupies the only seat on the supreme court of heaven. He wears the robe and refuses to share the gavel. For this reason, Paul wrote, “Don't insist on getting even; that's not for you to do. "I'll do the judging," says God. "I'll take care of it." Romans 12:19 MSG). Revenge removes God from the equation. Vigilantes displace and replace God. “I'm not sure you can handle this one Lord. You may punish too little or too slowly. I'll take this matter into my hands, thank you.”

The problem is, we barely touched on this. One of the men tried to oppose me the previous week, as he said, forgiving is hard! I responded with, No, it is easy, what is hard, is accepting that you have no power over that person, and all your energies are useless.

Jonah 4:10-11 NASB Then the LORD said, "You had compassion on the plant for which you did not work and which you did not cause to grow, which came up overnight and perished overnight. 11) "Should I not have compassion on Nineveh, the great city in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know the difference between their right and left hand, as well as many animals?"

While I never saw anything said about the plant dying in verse 9; apparently God saw Jonah's heart. Jonah's anger had nothing to do with the plant. He wanted all of those people dead.

You can see that God destroys Jonah's lack of focus when He says, “Should I not have compassion on Nineveh, the great city in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know the difference between their right and left hand.” I always took this to indicate a lack of common sense. But I have learned so much by doing this study, and one of those things came as I looked at other translations of Jonah 4:11. The Amplified Bible indicates that the 120,000 were innocents - “persons not [yet old enough to] know their right hand from their left, and that is who God is protecting here more than those repenting.

While I have heard several pastors point out how Jesus had compassion on the doves and other animals that were being sold in the temple courts, for he emptied their cages and then threw them. Perhaps, in mentioning the “many animals,” God was taking a jab at those who had repented by their actions, knowing full well what would become of their great nation.

Think about the devastation that would come should God ignore their pleas. We see an example of destruction when fire and brimstone rained down on Sodom and Gomorrah, and everyone died, including innocents.

My study on Jonah is done for now. However, every time I do these studies I learn, things I have never heard; and, I unlearn some garbage. The result is that God always gets bigger and more valuable in my mind. Does any of this imply that I wish to test God's patience and resolve by throwing myself into choppy seas so that a big fish can spit me onto the shore, and entire communities will repent? Not a chance. I am content to let His love grow in me, and occasionally share with those that are willing to listen.

God bless you on this fascinating journey we travel, for we who are followers of Jesus are profoundly blessed, whether you realize it or not. While those outside the family, are loved, longed for, and pursued by a passionate God. Don't waste your time hating. Simply absorb yourself in His passion and watch what he can do.

This opening line is one that gives me grief. Galatians 3:1-3

In many of my posts I show you a bit of me; in other words, I make it personal, and then hopefully applicable. I am going to try to integrate myself into this one as well, but I am going to jump back into commentary mode with Galatians chapter 3.

"You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes, Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified."

This opening line is one that has caused me grief; not because I see myself as a foolish Galatian, but because of a local Calvary Chapel pastor, one who has a particular way of accentuating words, preached on this, and it seemed like these words, “You foolish Galatians! Who has cast a spell on you?”, were condemning all of us, and putting us under some form of bondage once again. Since radio programs are just sermons, chopped into overlapping pieces, so that they can make it last for an entire week; it continued for what seemed like weeks. So let's see what Paul was trying to say because I can assure you that Paul was not attempting to put people under bondage. We can do that quite well on our own.

If I reiterate the last three verses of Galatians 2, you can get a feel for the context, so let's start there.

Galatians 2:19-21 NET. For through the law I died to the law so that I may live to God. 20 I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So the life I now live in the body, I live because of the faithfulness of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. 21 I do not set aside God's grace, because if righteousness could come through the law, then Christ died for nothing!

In chapter one, Paul tells these Galatians that there is no other gospel; there are, however, those out there that wish to pervert the good news that Paul had preached. (Galatia is a reference to the Asia Minor region, we now call Turkey. Paul had made stops at a handful of cities, few of which are mentioned. This letter then was written from Rome around 68AD, almost 18 years after passing through the region.

As a believer, I can take this statement literally - Christ lives in me, and I now live in Him. And, this life I now live, I live because of the faithfulness of the Son of God, Jesus Christ the risen King, who gave Himself for me.

What then, had Paul preached?

That the followers of Christ were free from the bondage that comes with the Law found in the Torah; a law that had been so expanded upon by the Jews, that it was deemed, the law of the Jews.

The Law, in its original state, given by God, was effectively the law of the universe, and Adam, as a representative of God, broke that Law. The transgression of that universal law brought a demand for payment of that wrongdoing, to us all. So, Christ not only paid the debt on our behalf, but, by His grace and faithfulness, freed the Jews and us, from the bondage of the Law, and the expanded Jewish portion as well.

Now, wouldn't it be great if the effects of Adam's sin did not linger upon us daily? The freedom begins to kick in, as you remind yourself “that's not who I am.” Because, “Christ lives in me, and I now live in Him. And, this life I now live, I live because of the faithfulness of the Son of God, Jesus Christ the risen King, who gave Himself for me.”

What is essential to our understanding of the phrase “free from the bondage of the law?”

That it meant nothing to a Gentile, and everything to a Jewish audience, which is whom Paul was preaching and writing to in the days before his captivity in Rome.

Let's start breaking chapter 3 down.

Galatians 3:1 NASB You foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified?

Since we understand that there was no Church of Galatia as there was in Corinth or Ephesus, he is broadcasting this reprimand across an entire region. Are you serious? In relative quantity, after hearing about the grace and mercy found in Christ, and receiving that blessing, the converts in this region are submitting to the pressure of Jewish zealots and setting aside the grace of God. The implications are, they are setting aside their faith in Christ as the risen Messiah.

The words Paul uses are anything but politically correct; they are, however, quickly understood, to the point, and meant to get the readers attention.

Foolish – The Greek word anóētos means Lacking intelligence; one who does not govern his lusts; one without a mind, therefore lacking the organ by which divine things are comprehended and known or ignored. Word Study Dictionary. Other translations called them stupid and senseless Galatians.

Paul is asking them, WHO has done this too you? As though he, and they do not know. They know; it was the Jewish zealots from which these converts had emerged.

Here is something you should see and understand.
Paul never told them to stop being Jewish. To stop being Jewish would border on impossible; why? Because of heritage, birthright, and training. Paul of all people would have understood this. Accepting Jesus Christ as the Messiah, was what the prophets of old called for and showed them through their words. Acceptance of Yeshua was the carrying out and completion of a lifelong dream every Jew has.

Passing on and invoking our prejudicial attitudes and ways is something we all do, some just not so intentionally; we do, however, display our prejudices rather openly when we feel threatened and wish to regain our support base. Here in America, we have a derogatory term, red neck. While it initially applied to farmers, and ranch hands, it came to imply a simple mind with an unyielding attitude; an attitude that does not work so well in the big city. Jews are not so different as they too take pride in their lifestyles and traditions.

That's great, but, as we have learned from Paul, Christs insertion into the universal picture, changed everything. By the intentional spilling of His blood and giving of His life, He reinserted grace and mercy into the world. The Law of the universe was set aside, and freedom is available to every man through the actions of Christ. Whether you accept it or not, sins were forgiven. This forgiveness has a massive impact on the final judgment, where you will spend eternity, and it is all about who you are choosing to serve. You should know that you will not be judged for anything other than what you did with Christ, this risen King; the one who will gather those who are in Christ, to Himself, so that they can live with Him in the peaceful kingdom, forever.

Bewitched? - Is the Greek word baskaino; to malign, that is, (by extension) to fascinate (by false representations): - bewitch.

Sometimes it helps me if I can see a definition of a word, such as malign. Malign - Having a very evil disposition towards others; harboring violent hatred or enmity; malicious; as malign spirits. Webster's Dictionary

Think this through for a moment. The Jews already had an evil disposition toward all Gentiles. The assumption, and probably a safe one, would be that the hard-liners or zealots had regained members of their congregations by provoking the violent hatred and maliciousness that, sadly, is an aspect of the brokenness we all carry due to Adam's transgression.

Note how Paul paints a word picture when he uses the phrase, “before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified.” If that seems a little challenging to wrap your mind around, then perhaps the Amplified version might be graspable.

Unto whom--right before your very eyes--Jesus Christ (the Messiah) was openly and graphically set forth and portrayed as crucified.

What if Christ crucified (the Messiah), is the primary thing that Paul preached to them? And, if not, why not? Deeply entrenched in laws and traditions, the Jews needed something that jolted them into believing the what the Word of God.

Whether we use the word publicly, which conveys an image of standing on a street corner talking loudly to car passengers as they go by, or openly, which speaks of a person talking unashamedly, it is still the same Greek word prographo and can mean either. The word prographo means to write previously; to announce, or to set forth. [Strong's Concordance]

Since we have nothing to tell us that Paul spoke to enough people directly to act as though he addressed all of Asia Minor in person, then we should assume that he wrote letters; letters, which were then transmitted through the mouths of other believers, Jewish converts. Since it was typical for Paul to acknowledge those with him and aligned with him, we should have expected the same in this letter. He would have used names that made a personal connection. So let's see what he tells us.

Galatians 1:1-2 NASB Paul, an apostle (not sent from men nor through the agency of man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised Him from the dead), 2 and all the brethren who are with me, To the churches of Galatia:

That's odd, for he merely calls them, “all the brethren who are with me.”
Why that could be anyone. However, we can have confidence that Luke the physician was there; there is the possibility that Silas is with Paul, and, we might expect to find Timothy.

How would these men, make any more of an impact than Paul?

Excluding the effect of the Holy Spirit on men, I would say no way. Besides that, Paul is talking to Jews; Jews who are not the least bit interested, for the most part, in the Gentile Jesus.

Paul chastises the Galatians harshly, pointing out the message that he preached (Jesus Christ, as the Messiah, publicly portrayed as crucified.), and then asks them a question.

Galatians 3:2 NASB This is the only thing I want to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith?

This question is important to a Jew, and all of us as well? What is he asking them?

• Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law?
  Considering that the primary thing a Jew had to do to obtain righteousness, was to sacrifice a lamb or a dove, for example, the problem is that this sacrificial process is not a lasting one. If you, five minutes later, after leaving the synagogue, have a brutal road rage incident as someone cuts in front your camel on the way home, you have lost your righteousness. Here then is the evidence that the works of the Law did not bring about lasting righteousness.
• Or, by hearing with faith?
  Since Paul laid out what the Messiah, Jesus Christ, did for them, and how He, because of His faithfulness, secured our righteousness. Then the answer is, by hearing.

Galatians 3:3 NASB Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?

Paul, having asked his sarcasm-laced questions,  reiterates what we began with when we started chapter three.

• Are you so foolish?
  We ran into this already. It is the Greek word anóētos meaning without a mind; unable to comprehend; lacking intelligence, foolish.
• Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?
  The apostle is here dealing with Jews primarily, who, having embraced Christ as the risen Messiah, and yet, continued to seek for justification by the works of the law. The pressure to return to the law has come from zealots within the synagogues.
  But put another spin on this scenario, and you can easily see this also pointed at Gentile believers as well. Having begun in the Spirit, where else would we find them indulging in something that might perfect their flesh? The philosophies and idolatry of the world.
  There is no room for denial here, as Israel was pulled continuously into the idolatries of the world. This attraction to the gods of this world is one of the main reasons we have the story of the 'prophet' Balaam. [You find this story in Numbers 22. In essence, Balaam gave their weakness away to Balak, the Moab king, and Israel was destroyed from the inside out as they brought in women from the nations to be their wives and whatever else they were.]
• "Are you now being perfected by the flesh?
  Perfected is the Greek word epiteleo meaning to fulfill further (or completely), that is, execute; by implication to terminate, or undergo.
  Every Jew looked for fulfillment in the Messiah. Paul merely directed them to Him. So, the idea that they would have been completed would imply an integration, which is precisely what we do when accepting Jesus Christ; we become ONE with Him. At the point of conversion, we undergo an immediate change, one we rarely seem to be aware of from the outside. It is, however, a lasting and eternal change in God's eyes. But, because we struggle with our beliefs due to inadequate teaching in Church, the promise that we are changed must be rehearsed in the mind of Christ followers far too frequently, as we seem to forget who we are.

We will move on through Galatians 3 if the Lord is willing, but I want to say something here. The men I sit with on Monday, are a microcosm of the unsound teaching you get in Church. Don't get me wrong, God has given me a love for the guys, but I cannot stand the garbage that the leadership spews out of their mouths every week. The saddest part of this is that this false teaching has been going on for YEARS. The questions these elder gentlemen ask, and the twisted comments they make, prove my point, and, it demonstrates that they do not know the nature and character of this God we serve. A secondary point I want to make is the manipulative way we are evoked to win the lost constantly. Do you not realize that the lost sit beside you in Church; if what Jesus said when He spoke of the ten-virgins, is true (and it is,) then fifty percent are going to be left behind. Are these lost? According to the teachings, I hear on Mondays.

Look, I am not an evangelist, I am a teacher, and teaching is my gift. However, if you sat with me for coffee, you would get an earful of God's truth. Fortunately, so do the people around me. So, maybe I am also an evangelist and don't even know it.

And I will set my glory among the nations. Ezekiel 39: 21-24.

Having slaughtered Gog and his armies on the mountains of Israel. Okay, maybe that was a little harsh, besides that, my pastor says I am a little edgy and slaughtered is an edgy type of word. And yet, that is how things seem.

Does God wipe out the Islamic armies of the world with this battle? Not by any stretch of the imagination; and yet, that is the garbage that many of our so-called Bible teachers teach. Why? Because in reality, these prophecies/stories, are much like fractals, which, when you look closely they make no sense, but step back and take it all in, and then you can see the overall picture. All of God's word is like this. Some aspects of the fractal are beautiful in themselves and carry deep meaning, and yet make up the larger, more complex picture.

In the last post, I covered Ezekiel 39:17-20. It too is a fractal but without a doubt a bloody and deadly one. It has all the components of most horror movies. Blood, fireballs from heaven, lightning strikes upon the enemy, and hail, most likely in the hundred pound range, falling upon the enemy. God speaks here, much as he does in Revelation 19 where he calls forth the flesh-eating birds to feast upon the dead. Apparently, God's word is a little edgy.

In the midst of all this horror and chaos we have this:

Ezekiel 39:21 NASB "And I will set My glory among the nations; and all the nations will see My judgment which I have executed and My hand which I have laid on them.

As I speak, the nations are spread across multiple continents, speaking a variety of languages. Since God passed out those languages when he separated man at the tower of Babel, then I suppose this is not an issue for Him.

The words in the sentence give me nothing that explains or conveys what this glory will be or look like; so, let's pursue it a bit deeper. The Complete Jewish Bible translates this verse in this way:

“Thus will I display my glory among the nations, so that all the nations will see my judgment when I execute it and my hand when I lay it on them.”

The Word Study Dictionary tells us:

“This Hebrew word also means to put, to place, or something literally placed: the luminaries in the sky (Gen_1:17); God's bow in the clouds (Gen_9:13); the ark on a cart (1Sa_6:8); the abomination in the temple. It could also be something figuratively placed: an obstacle (Eze_3:20); God's Spirit (Isa_42:1).”

The verse itself tells us that God will set His glory among the nations. This display among the nations is not the first time He has done something like this, for He set His glory among Israel as they moved through the wilderness. We see that in Scripture as a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. Is this what He will do among the nations, perhaps not since the cloud and the fire was a benefit to Israel, and we are talking about the time of wrath and judgment.

When I look up the word glory I get this:

kabod (458c); from H3513; abundance, honor, glory:

The problem with these words is that they are intangible; only demonstrated through a relationship of trust. But God is not looking, at least during this period, the time of wrath, to show people that He can be trusted. He has already established that aspect of His character. (And yet, because He guaranteed that the wrath would come, isn't He, once again, establishing that He is trustworthy, in a negative way?)

The word see is rō’eh: A verb meaning to see. It's basic denotation is to see with the eyes (Gen_27:1).

As we have explored the meanings of words we can see that the judgments are the things to be seen.

“and all the nations will see My judgment which I have executed and My hand which I have laid on them.”

What, in brief, are the judgments against Israel and the Nations?

• Revelation 6:12 AMPC .. there was a great earthquake; and the sun grew black as sackcloth of hair, [the full disc of] the moon became like blood.
• Joel 2:30-31 NASB "I will display wonders in the sky and on the earth, Blood, fire, and columns of smoke. 31) "The sun will be turned into darkness And the moon into blood Before the great and awesome day of the LORD comes.
• Revelation 6:13 is taken from Isaiah 34:4 “.. And the sky will be rolled up like a scroll; All their hosts will also wither away As a leaf withers from the vine, Or as one withers from the fig tree.”
• Revelation 6:16 AMPC And they called to the mountains and the rocks, Fall on (before) us and hide us from the face of Him Who sits on the throne and from the deep-seated indignation and wrath of the Lamb. [Isa_2:19-21; Hos_10:8]
• Revelation 7:1 AMPC ... no wind should blow on the earth or sea or upon any tree. [Zec 6:5]
• Revelation 7:14 AMPC .. the great tribulation (persecution), and have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. [Gen_49:11; Dan_12:1]
• Daniel 12:1 CJB ".. there will be a time of distress unparalleled between the time they became a nation and that moment. ..
• Revelation 8:7 CJB .. there came hail and fire mingled with blood, and it was thrown down upon the earth. A third of the earth was burned up, a third of the trees were burned up, and all green grass was burned up.
• Revelation 8:8-9 CJB .. looked like an enormous blazing mountain was hurled into the sea. A third of the sea turned to blood, 9) a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed.
• Revelation 8:10-11 CJB .. a third of the water became bitter, and many people died from the water that had been turned bitter.
• Revelation 9:1-5 CJB .. came locusts, and they were given power like the power scorpions have on earth. 4) They were instructed not to harm the grass on the earth, any green plant or any tree, but only the people who did not have the seal of God on their foreheads. 5) The locusts were not allowed to kill them, only to inflict pain on them for five months; and the pain they caused was like the pain of a scorpion sting.
• Revelation 9:14-15 CJB saying to the sixth angel, the one with the shofar, "Release the four angels that are bound at the great river Euphrates!" 15) And they were released. These four angels had been kept ready for this moment, for this day and month and year, to kill a third of mankind;

While there is more, can you see a visible aspect to what is being poured out upon the earth?

Ezekiel 39:22 NASB "And the house of Israel will know that I am the LORD their God from that day onward.

Again, there is a horrid variety of explanations on this, most foolishly cut Israel out of the picture prior to this moment in time, as they espouse their replacement theology. God is not done with Israel and this is a perfect example.

The verse tells us, “from that day forward,” the house of Israel will know that I am the Lord. The question is, from what day? The short answer is, from the beginning of the seven years of wrath and judgment that includes Israel.

Isaiah 25:7 NASB And on this mountain He will swallow up the covering which is over all peoples, Even the veil which is stretched over all nations.

Isaiah 29:18 NASB On that day the deaf will hear words of a book, And out of their gloom and darkness the eyes of the blind will see.

I suppose at this point the question that I have asked, just as most others have asked, is why?

Ezekiel 39:23-24 NASB "The nations will know that the house of Israel went into exile for their iniquity because they acted treacherously against Me, and I hid My face from them; so I gave them into the hand of their adversaries, and all of them fell by the sword. 24) "According to their uncleanness and according to their transgressions I dealt with them, and I hid My face from them."'"

The explanation is self-explanatory, but there an aspect that I have trouble with, “and all of them fell by the sword.” Now, is it true that all of Israel falls by the sword? The answer is NO, and we know that one-third of Israel escapes being killed during the seven years.

It seems that the translators lead us astray as well when the phrase “and all” can mean a variety of things depending upon the preceding noun or a definite article.

The Word Study Dictionary states:

kōl: A particle meaning each, every, all, everything, the whole, entire. It has an inclusive meaning of all or every one of something. Its exact meaning must be discerned from its usage in its context. Some representative samplings will help: With the definite article, it means the whole or everything of something (Ecc_11:5); used before a definite noun, it expresses the whole of that noun, the whole earth (Gen_9:19); whole people (Gen_41:40). Used after a noun, it can refer to the whole or entirety of the preceding noun (2Sa_2:9); before a plural noun, it usually means all, all the nations (Isa_2:2); before a collective noun, it means all or every, all people (Gen_7:21). Before a singular noun, it means every (Est_3:8). Other nuances of its use can be discerned from studying its context closely.

While not killing them all God indeed turned His face and forsook them.

Deuteronomy 31:17 AMPC Then My anger will be kindled against them in that day, and I will forsake them and hide My face from them. And they shall be devoured, and many evils and troubles shall befall them, so that they will say in that day, Have not these evils come upon us because our God is not among us?

Having struggled to find for myself who God is, this is a little hard to accept. Is it an accurate statement? Yes, then it is true that, for a time, God turned His face and forsook Israel. I sit with judgmental men who make comments like this only they condemn far too many to hell, as they decide who God is turning His back on. What I see as a puzzlement is a God who tattoos the faces of His people – this includes you and me, on His hands and then tells us that our faces are ever before Him. The key to understanding this lies in Israel choosing to disobey. Since sin is an integrated aspect of this body I drag around, then my only hope is to lean heavily on the one who gave me His righteousness.

Related articles

• The Call Of Abraham
• The Bible's Prologue Concludes

The Second Coming of Babylon. A critique of Mark Hitchcock's book.

Tower of Babel by Lucas van Valckenborch in 1594 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Some time ago I bought a book called, The Second Coming Of Babylon, by Mark Hitchcock. I bought it with the hope that he might bring some explanation, but, as with most things, I do my good intentions got set aside for almost a year. Having read the book recently, I found myself wondering why I purchased this book. Oh yeah, people that I trust have referenced Mark Hitchcock's work as being beneficial.

The premise of the book is a Biblically based treatise on how Babylon is to be physically rebuilt and become a great economic center for the world. I did not know this when I bought the book. I personally, using scripture and logical thought, have concluded that Babylon attains all its greatness through demonic empowerment, powerful, wealthy people, a global banking system, and the foolishness of individuals who think that more government is the answer to everything.

In chapter three, “From the Cradle to the Grave,” the third paragraph states, Man's history – from the cradle to the grave – is tied to this river valley in general … and to Babylon in particular. (The river valley referred to is, the Mesopotamia, the land between the rivers.)

The fourth paragraph of this same chapter tells us that, “History is coming full circle. The focus of world events is cycling back to where it all began.” He goes on to say, under the heading of, A River Runs Through it, that “the paradise of the Garden was destroyed by the Flood in response to the unabated wickedness of man. But after this event man again returned to the Tigris and Euphrates valley. Man returned to Babel. And he will do it again.”

Now I can't disagree with the premise that man went back to Babel, but I can disagree with the concept that man even called this area Babel, as that name did not come until after Nimrod, the mighty warrior. Take a minute to look up Strong's definition of mighty and you get this: ghib-bore', ghib-bore' Intensive from the same as H1397; powerful; by implication warrior, tyrant: - champion, chief, X excel, giant. Genesis chapter 10 is where we are introduced to Nimrod. Scripturally our evidence for the beginnings of Babel/Babylon comes from,

Genesis 10:10 KJV And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, and Erech, and Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar.

Perhaps it is an assumption but logic says there was no Babel prior to Nimrod. What we do have is this, all this was in the land of Shinar. Hold that thought as this land of Shinar will come back to our thinking shortly.

Still, in chapter three, the title of the next section, A City and a Tower, Mark Hitchcock conveys, based upon the definitions we get of the word mighty, that Nimrod was “the first world dictator and his capital city was Babylon. In this sense, Nimrod prefigures the final great world ruler, the Antichrist, who will also locate his world commercial capital at Babylon.”

The book goes on to say, “They settled down in the land of Shinar at Babel with a three part plan:

1. To build a city,
2. To build a tower reaching to the heavens,
3. To make a name for themselves (to glorify man.)”

The scriptural reference given is Genesis 11:1-9 KJV

And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech. 2) And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there. 3) And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them thoroughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for mortar. 4) And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth. 5) And the LORD came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men built. 6) And the LORD said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do. 7) Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech. 8) So the LORD scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city. 9) Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the LORD did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the LORD scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth.

An analysis of the premise put forward in this section (A City and a Tower,) demonstrates much supposition and fallacy.

• “the first world dictator”
  Based on the definition of the word mighty it is not difficult to see why Mark Hitchcock would say that Nimrod was the first world dictator. However, this is not what is taught in church. How would most of you know this?
• “and his capital city was Babylon”
  When you look at the scriptures referenced, which Mark Hitchcock uses to base his claim, you cannot find the name Nimrod in there, but you do find the word “they” used over and over. You should not forget that “they” all spoke one language, and, at this point in time, had one mind set – evil.
  One might assume that Nimrod is certainly playing a role in this but it's not defined in the passages used. Verse 4 tells us that “They said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.” After being scattered and having their language changed, they left off building the city and called it Babel to symbolize their fate. The process of changing languages and being scattered would have been confusing at best and discouraging. The obvious fact is that plans and dreams go right out the window when you cannot communicate. Even if Nimrod is able to force people to build his so called “capital city”, you would think that there would be a need to gain work force numbers once again. Genesis 11:1-9 does not make the author's case as he presents it.
• “ In this sense, Nimrod prefigures the final great world ruler, the Antichrist,”
  Based upon Mr. Hitchcock's presumption, all we know is that Nimrod is a world dictator. In actuality, the world was still rather small at this point. What happened just a few short years prior? A massive flood that consumed every living thing. Our assumption, based on the potential exponential explosion of human births, is that there are once again an uncountable number of people upon the earth. We have nothing to tell us any differently, so let's run with that idea. We also must assume that they live in one geographical area, that we call the world.
  How then does Nimrod equate to the final “great” world ruler, the Antichrist? Wouldn't he have to bear some of the known attributes such as: promoting a seven-year treaty among many? Peace it seems, was never a part of Nimrod's vocabulary.
  Many of the details about the Antichrist come from the book of Daniel.
  Daniel 9:27 KJV And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.
  The Antichrist based on the pattern of Antiochus Epiphanes will:
  • “confirm the covenant with many for one week”
    Nimrod does nothing like this.
  • “and in the midst of the week, he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease,”
    There is no temple or parallel to it, therefore this argument is null and void.
  • “and for the overspreading of abominations, he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.”
    Without a temple, Nimrod cannot make it desolate. Is it possible that this could be a reference to something else? Not likely as the name Nimrod only shows up in three locations in scripture:
    Genesis 10:8,9 KJV) And Cush begat Nimrod: he began to be a mighty one in the earth. He was a mighty hunter before the LORD: wherefore it is said, Even as Nimrod the mighty hunter before the LORD.

1 Chronicles 1:10 KJV) And Cush begat Nimrod: he began to be mighty upon the earth.

One of those, however, seems to bear a huge significance as the descendants of Nimrod are laid to waste when they step within the borders of Israel.

Micah 5:6 KJV) And they shall waste the land of Assyria with the sword, and the land of Nimrod in the entrances thereof: thus shall he deliver us from the Assyrian, when he comes into our land, and when he treads within our borders.

Because of this, it is safe to say that if Nimrod comes close to any one in scriptural detail it would be Gog – the one who amasses great armies against Israel and is killed on the mountains of Israel in the last days.

The book tries to define these three points - (1)To build a city and, (2) to build a tower reaching to the heavens, (3)To make a name for themselves (to glorify man.)”

Points (1) and, (2) seem to be closely related, so let's see if I can get anything out of this if I look strictly at the Scriptures Hitchcock is basing his presumptions on.

Now the whole earth used the same language and the same words. It came about as they journeyed east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there. They said to one another, "Come, let us make bricks and burn them thoroughly." And they used brick for stone, and they used tar for mortar. They said, "Come, let us build for ourselves a city, and a tower whose top will reach into heaven, and let us make for ourselves a name, otherwise we will be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth." Genesis 11:1-4 NASB)

What can I gather from this?

• That everyone, at that time, spoke the same language.
  Well, that makes sense as we are only generations from Noah – one of eight souls that survived the flood.
• “ It came about as they journeyed east”
  Now, I might conjecture that they only traveled east but that is not likely. The story, it seems, is only focused on one group. I can assure you that every group spoke the same language. Another assumption would be to say: That this group was the only group and they happened to go East.
  See the problem in these statements, we have no other biblical history build an argument from. One of the things you have to realize is that from Adam to the flood is well over one-thousand years. That is a long time to hold the memory of a particular garden; so to think that these people were doing just that is conjecture.
• “ they found a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there.”

Assuming that the size of the group (of kinfolk) is large enough, then there would be conflicts. We know from the life of Abraham that most folks were shepherds of some variety, and what happened to him? His nephew Lot's flocks and herdsmen conflicted and they had to separate.

Moving to Shinar might have provided arable land at that time. What we know of the region today does not give that impression. There is no reason to make a bigger story out of this as ample opportunity will arise.

• “They said to one another, "Come, let us make bricks and burn them thoroughly." And they used brick for stone, and they used tar for mortar.”
  This merely demonstrates that some, at least, are willing to make a permanent home here.
• “They said, "Come, let us build for ourselves a city and a tower whose top will reach into heaven,”

As I talk about events that we see in Scripture there is a common assumption that the time frame only lasts about five minutes; that is never the case, and, it is not the case the case here. How do I know that? Because after gaining the skills to build homes they are now aware that they have the capabilities to build something larger.

To build a tower can carry multiple implications, for a tower can imply strength. Considering the nature and character of Nimrod – a warrior tyrant, with the strong possibilities that he was a giant of a man, the demonstration of strength and power is exactly what he wanted to convey.

The Word Study Dictionary tells us this about the tower:

mig̱dāl: A masculine noun indicating a tower. It refers to various kinds of towers: the Tower of Babel (Gen_11:4); a watch-tower in a vineyard (Isa_5:2); a tower built into a wall (2Ch_14:7 [6]); storage structures (1Ch_27:25); central defense towers in the centers of cities (Jdg_9:51-52). In Neh_8:4, the word refers to a structure for someone to stand on in order to address a crowd.

Everything about this description fits what I said about Nimrod's motives and why.

Look up the word tower and this is what the Word Study Dictionary gives us:

šāmayim: A masculine noun meaning sky, heaven, abode, firmament, air, stars. Although the word is plural or dual in form, it can be translated into English as singular or plural depending on the context. The word describes everything God made besides the earth.

So, although the practical aspects of Nimrod's reasons may be valid the larger influence – the voices of those who are part of the city seem to win. This tower was a direct and aggressive action against God. And, if you notice, Nimrod's name is not directly associated with the tower. How do I know this? Because Genesis 11:4 tells us that “they said.” To imply Nimrod played a role in this is (here I go again,) pure conjecture. [Do you know what that word conjecture means? It means speculation, possibility, or guess. Most people use the word to convey an unfounded opinion as truth.] If we do not have direct conclusive evidence, then it is purely circumstantial evidence.

Point three - “to make a name for themselves (to glorify man.)”

• “and let us make for ourselves a name, otherwise we will be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth."

Again I turn to the Word Study Dictionary. It gives us: šēm: A masculine noun meaning a name, fame. It is what specifically identifies a person or anything: God's name, "I am who I am" (Exo_3:15); or the name Yahweh, LORD, which is in small capital letters in English (Psa_5:11 [12]); a person's name (Gen_3:20); names of animals (Gen_2:19). To make a name for oneself means to attain a renowned reputation (Gen_11:4; 2Sa_8:13); as when God made Abraham's name great (Gen_12:2). To become famous is to have one's name spread through the land (Eze_16:14).

What can I gather from the explanation above?

• That this is a direct affront to any god but their own, and apparently they were choosing to be their own god.
• That it is a method of attaining a reputation.
  The underlying motive is pure selfishness. Isn't that the common problem for all of us?

Hitchcock states that “The city and the tower represent the two aspects of Babylon that continue today: Political power balanced against religious rebellion and apostasy.

To say “Political power balanced against religious rebellion and apostasy,” doesn't even make sense to me. What are you trying to convey when you say that power must be balanced against apostasy? Are you attempting to say that power will turn men's hearts back to God? Based upon the common supposition that power is what the world constantly tries to gain, and, it is in opposition to anything that God desires for us, the statement isn't logical or right. How can a hypothesis like this be right when we are told that everything in the world is in opposition to God. Who then, is doing the balancing? God?

I give you 1 John where we find one of the strongest arguments against the world's system.

Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever. 1 John 2:15-17 NASB)

Religious rebellion and apostasy can almost be the same thing, and political power has nothing to do with God except that Scripture tells us

“ The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turns it wherever he will.” Proverbs 21:1 KJV)

What do I gather from all this? That God is in control, of political power as well as people.

Mark Hitchcock goes to say, “The city they built represents the political unity of the city of Babylon.”

Unity, are you serious. The two things that gave them unity, much like prisoners transported on a slave ship, was the oppressive fear of death exerted by someone like Nimrod, that and the knowledge they all spoke the same language (by the way, they were all related to each other.)

Is it a coincidence that God noticed this unity and changed their language as he dispersed them around the globe. What became of their political unity when that happened?

If they ever regained some form of unity it was put to use building the “the city and the tower.”

Mark Hitchcock introduces us to John Walvoord who gives us a summary of the Babylonian “religious” system.

• He tells us that Nimrod had a wife known as Semiramis.
  This is never told to us in scripture, therefore we must trust that there is some history of their relationship. I, personally, do not believe that God thought for a second that you would need some deep, religious thinker for you to understand this stuff. Introducing someone like Semiramis may help our understanding, or, it can cloud the issue. If there was a religious system, it was called selfishness. It does not take much thought to see that at work in every sinful action we indulge in.
• Apparently, Semiramis had a son, who, because of his miraculous conception (whatever that means) and was therefore named Tammuz.
  Tammuz in effect was a false fulfillment of the promise of the seed of the woman given to Eve (Genesis 3:15.)

“And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, And you shall bruise him on the heel." NASB

We are told, “Various religious practices were observed in connection with the false Babylonian religion, including recognition of the mother and child as God and of creating an order of virgins who became religious prostitutes.”

Once again we have nothing from Scripture that tells us this information, we then must rely on someone else to fill in the blanks. The process of reliance tends to subject us to deception and is any thing but comfortable in my opinion. 

Is it possible that I can attain valid information through logical thought and observance of what the Word of God gives me? Yes, and obviously not all these details Walvoord is giving us allow for logical thought. Perhaps it is enough to understand that the people involved in the building of Babylon and the tower, did so to promote someone's selfish desires. I came to that conclusion without all the bizarre details about Semiramis.

Walvoord ends his summary with the most valuable statement of the entire book.

“Babylon then is the symbol of apostasy and blasphemous substitution of idol-worship for the worship of God in Christ.”

• • Apostasy – Apostasy is the abandonment or renunciation of what you know is right. Having a knowledge of God and His ways and then setting them aside is apostasy.
  • Blasphemous – A perverted and intentional misdirect, in this case, away from the truth about God.

I often add, how would I know that? Did you notice a few paragraphs ago, that I mentioned that they were all related? This fact takes them back to one man, Noah. While the information about Noah is somewhat cryptic in the Old Testament (a thorough investigation will demonstrate that Noah lineage was untouched by the influence of fallen angels having sex with humans.) The most telling information about Noah comes from the writer of the letter to the Hebrews – Jews.

Hebrews 11:7 By faith Noah, being warned by God about things not yet seen, in reverence prepared an ark for the salvation of his household, by which he condemned the world, and became an heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.

Knowing that Noah was a righteous man, one can only assume that the offering of sacrifices and the relationship one can have with the God who says His name is I AM. Sadly, we find that four generations later, no one remembers the God of their fathers. That tells us that the relationship has to be personal; that is the primary method of keeping yourself untwisted by life.

If we focus on what Walvoord tells us we find the most valid statement of what modern day Babylon represents: “Babylon then is the symbol of apostasy and blasphemous substitution of idol-worship for the worship of God in Christ.”

I recently posted an answer to a friends statement/question about whether there are female angels. The example he used was from the prophet Zechariah.

Zechariah 5:9 NASB Then I lifted up my eyes and looked, and there two women were coming out with the wind in their wings; and they had wings like the wings of a stork, and they lifted up the ephah between the earth and the heavens.

The interesting aspect of this is how it all gets tied back to Babylon and the plain of Shinar. In Zechariah 5:8 God explains that the woman in the basket is wickedness. The answer God gives should be a huge clue that we are to be looking for something spiritual, not physical as Mark Hitchcock asserts.

The Life Application Study Bible commentary has a rather large paragraph about this subject, but only one small aspect makes any sense to me and it goes like this, “The woman in a basket was carried away "to the land of Babylonia," which had become a symbol for the center of world idolatry and wickedness.”

Zechariah 5:6 MSG I said, "What in the world is that?" He said, "This is a bushel basket on a journey. It holds the sin of everyone, everywhere."

While I can grasp the idea that it contains the sin of everyone; our sins are completely characterized by one person - this woman referred to as “it.” However, it is not, at this moment in Scripture, directed at everyone. It is, however, expressly directed at Israel; And, we know this because it says in Zechariah 5:6, “This is their appearance in all the land.” Can the world be enticed and therefore included? Absolutely. We are all taken in by the abominations of the earth. You know that Satan offered Jesus the kingdoms of this world and their glory. Pursue this in Matthew 4. Jesus responded to Satan with, “It is written,..” Israel, being the focus and center of God's attention, is God's focus in the statement, “This is their appearance in all the land.”

What we may be seeing here is the representation of the Harlot, the Mother of Harlots.

Revelation 17:5-6 NASB and on her forehead a name was written, a mystery, "BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH." 6) And I saw the woman drunk with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the witnesses of Jesus. When I saw her, I wondered greatly.

Note how it describes Babylon as the mother of harlots, AND of the abominations of the earth.

Revelation 18:2 NASB And he cried out with a mighty voice, saying, "Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She has become a dwelling place of demons and a prison of every unclean spirit, and a prison of every unclean and hateful bird.

We understand that a harlot entices you to give up your virginity, your dignity, destroy your marriage, and end your relationship with important and vital people in your life, like the wife; God. Now, look at the other descriptives: Babylon, a spiritual entity, is the woman drunk with the blood of saints and witnesses of Jesus. Isn't it clear that this harlot is a murderer? It is also the dwelling place of demons and a prison of every unclean spirit.

Mark Hitchcock's assertion that Babylon must be rebuilt and become the economic capital of the world is nonsense, especially since, according to him it has not been destroyed as yet. In your Bibles, Revelation 18 concludes with Babylon, the great city, being thrown down with violence and not be found any longer. In reality, that throwing down, physically, happened not long after perhaps Darius. Wikipedia tells us: It has been estimated that Babylon was the largest city in the world from c. 1770 to 1670 BC, and again between c. 612 and 320 BC. With some solid dates, we can associate the destruction with the Alexandrian empire.

Although I read the majority of the book I honestly could not take any more, and in doing my critique here, I have not made it out of chapter three in quoting examples. I just do not have the time nor the patience.

I believe we are in the last minutes of the Church on this earth, and that directly impacts my ability to reach people. Why is this important? Because, having been raised in church I can tell you that false and misleading teaching is going on constantly and the majority of “Christians” do not read for themselves, do not verify that the information being shoved down their throat is correct, nor do they have any grasp of where to look to validate some teaching.

Is there something misleading with Mark Hitchcock's treatise, absolutely, for it prompts us to spend our time looking for things that divert from the truth in God's word. We have been prodded to focus on time wasting events and energies since Christ rose from the dead. How about we spend our time looking at the Word of God, and using our brains. I do not believe this book of mysteries is a mystery to the spirit filled believer. 

Related articles

• The Bible's Prologue Concludes