Life Matters

It will be helpful to take a moment to contrast the belief systems of Abraham and Nimrod. The core difference of the two systems is the belief in an inherent life source as opposed to life that comes to us via a Father in heaven.

a. Faith versus Fear

Abraham’s focus on a relational view is the inevitable outcome of a belief that he depends on a relationship for life. The nature of the relationship is expressed as a Father to his children. Abraham’s belief that the one who gives him life is a tender Father, reduces the need to be overly concerned about protecting his own life. Concerns for protection and defense are not a high priority. For this reason, Abraham is happy to live in rural areas, without walled cities and the need for large groups of people herding together for increased security.

After Adam and Eve accepted the serpent’s lie of inherent life, one of the first emotions that Adam experienced was fear.

Gen 3:10 And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.

The result of believing you have your own life source requires you to protect it. As God approached Adam to question him, Adam perceived God as a threat because God was more powerful than he was.

This experience was the inheritance of Nimrod and those with him who believed the lie of the serpent. They needed to gather together in cities and build walls around them to protect themselves from perceived threats. This fear turned to aggression with the raising of armies to defend the cities and then finally the fear extended to pre-emptive strikes to ensure no neighbouring tribes would become stronger than themselves and conquer them. The belief in inherent life source causes every person or group of people to be seen as a threat or an opportunity that must be monitored and controlled if possible or appeased for survival. To successfully monitor those around you and warn them to keep their distance, territorial domains were established and defended. Nimrod’s kingdom driven by fear is afflicted with the obsession of territorial possession and defense.

b. Family Focus versus Individual Focus

Abraham’s view of life flowing from a heavenly Father that blesses His children translates into a focus on submitting to and receiving that blessing. The headship of the heavenly Father and the submission of His Son are reflected in the roles of husband and wife and are manifested in the differing roles of seed and nurture. Each member of the family plays their part for the happiness of the whole family. Notice the blessing structure spoken of by God to Abraham.

Gen 12:2-3 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: 3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.

God speaks of the blessing of individuals through family structures. The principle of submission demonstrated by Sarah who recognized that God’s blessing flowed through her husband referred to him as “Adon” from which we get “Adoni” or master. The belief in life flowing forth from one point fosters the principles of headship, submission, blessing and interdependence. Sarah and the children depend on Abraham for the blessing to flow to them and Abraham is dependent on his family to establish his authority. The sacred ties of family relationship cannot be broken; therefore each member of the family has a very clear identity and purpose as part of the family.

Gen 18:19 For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.

Nimrod by contrast, is driven by the need to protect and satisfy the life source he believes resides within him. Because every person is potentially seen as a threat or an opportunity – no relationships can be truly benevolent;[1] they must be constantly monitored, manipulated or appeased. Nimrod and his followers can have the appearance of a family with the elements of father, mother and children but the relationships are usually very dysfunctional. Each person tends to use other family members to satisfy personal needs and desires. It is good for a man to have a wife to avoid being lonely, to have someone clean up after him and cook his food. It is good for a woman to be married for protection and companionship.

Nimrod’s personal ambition caused him to marry his mother simply because she was externally beautiful and also powerful. So the family structure of Nimrod becomes son/husband and mother/wife. This process caused role confusion and therefore identity confusion. The confusion of male and female is further complicated by the loss of the submissive agent to teach the next generation the principles of submission. This fact fosters the rebellion of children and the need for force, manipulation or appeasement by parents to keep children in check or satisfied.

c. Worship as Expressed Through the Sabbath versus Sun-day

The worship of Abraham centres on the Father/Creator of the universe. It is the worship of a personal God who gives life. God taught Abraham His laws that would enable him to stay connected to the life of God and this connection was ratified by a covenant.

Gen 26:5 Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.

The key command that identified the God that Abraham worshipped was the Sabbath. It was a memorial of the Creator God and required its worshippers to rest from their labours and rest in the works of God. This resting process was a reminder that all life comes from God and that humans are totally dependent on Him. The very nature of the Sabbath was relational because relationships are carved in time; there are no visible objects of worship, but only time to commune with the invisible and infinite God. This worship is contemplative, peaceful and joyful.

Isa 26:3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.

Nimrod’s worship system revolves around the display of one’s inherent life source and therefore demands visible tokens of power. The most powerful object in our solar system is the sun. The sun makes the crops grow, the sun gives warmth and light to the homes of men. In this context, the worship of the sun is the worship of inherent power. When Nimrod died, his mother/wife declared that he now lived on in the sun, so now the inanimate object of the sun now had a relational connection in the person of Nimrod who they now could worship. Each morning as the sun rose, the worshippers would bow at sunrise to the mighty power of Nimrod the mighty hunter displayed in the power of the sun. Since Nimrod was merely a man, this worship was essentially a worship of self and the belief of life in one’s self. This worship of heavenly bodies extended to the planets and stars, but a special day was reserved for the sun each week called Sun-day.

The only concepts of law in Nimrod’s kingdom is do whatever pleases you or do whatever you can get away with. The only master for Nimrod was himself and any law presented to him would be seen as an attempt to dominate and control.

d. Resurrection versus Immortality

Abraham’s view of death was that all consciousness ceased. Death is viewed as an extended sleep where there is no awareness of his environment or perspective of time. Since man has no life in himself, he ceases to exist when he dies. The only way to live on is through resurrection by the life giver which is God.

Heb 11:17-19 By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, 18 Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called: 19 Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.

The acceptance of the reality of death by Abraham brought to this world through Adam, is a reaffirmation that man has no life in himself and is the perfect counterpart to the worship of the Sabbath which points us to the source of all life – God. The acceptance of the curse of death makes real the sacrifice of the lamb that Abraham offered upon an altar.

Gen 12:8 And he removed from thence unto a mountain on the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent, having Bethel on the west, and Hai on the east: and there he builded an altar unto the LORD, and called upon the name of the LORD.

The reality of death demands a belief in a Saviour that restores life, one who reconnects the channel of blessing. In the worship of the slain lamb Abraham recognizes the death of the coming Saviour who provides his every breath and every heart beat.

The lie of the serpent caused Nimrod and his followers to see death as a transition into another realm. One who possessed immortality could not die but only move on to another place as we see demonstrated in the story of Nimrod passing into the sun and becoming even more powerful. In Nimrod’s kingdom death is not real but rather a door. The concept of a Saviour in this context is not one who restores life but one who through his great power liberates the righteous and subdues the wicked. There is no focus on personal sin and the consequences of the curse of Adam on the human race. The Saviour of Nimrod’s kingdom is a liberator and conqueror. It is interesting to note that this is exactly who the Jewish people looked for as a Messiah.

The differences we have discussed are laid out in the following table:

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