Life Matters

From our journey thus far, we have laid down the principles of the contrasting life source systems and their immediate impact on the family. As you will recall, our reason for considering these things is for the purpose of finding the best way to build a family treasure of memories that will emotionally support and strengthen us and our children and prevent us from suffering the numerous tragedies we see occurring in families today.

In this chapter we will closely examine the development of the human race as they respond to the two principles of life. We see an initial example in the lives of Cain and Abel.[1] These men exemplify well the impact of the two systems of thought. The self-determined spirit[2] of Cain led him to be a wavering, insecure, sullen murdering tyrant;[3] while Abel was an obedient and faithful servant of God.

These two men are the beginning of several instructive examples that we find in the book of Genesis. We will trace these examples through the two systems: (1) The sons of God, meaning those who acknowledged their connection to God and (2) The giants (or better translated – a bully or tyrant) who embraced the lie given by Satan in the garden.

a. The Rise of the Tyrant

The book of Genesis is, among other things, a history of Satan’s war on the family and a consolidation of his principles of inherent life source. The tragedies are many and the highlights are few but the history provided is very instructive for learning about the family.

Genesis 4:19 indicates the first major departure from marriage that reflects the Father and Son relationship. Lamech took two wives. The introduction of a second wife confused the channel of blessing process and made the wives vulnerable to competing for the affection of their one husband. Chapter 6 of Genesis reveals the next major tactic of Satan to destroy families.

Gen 6:2 That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.

The word “son” gives the sense of a builder of the family name. The sons of God then, were men who wished to build the family kingdom of God and extend the principles of dependent life source and the vital nature of blessing.

The daughters of men were raised in families that lived without the principle of submission and the importance of the blessing. Satan enticed the sons of God to marry these women. The Bible states that these women were fair or beautiful. This could only be in an external sense for the children they bore were tyrants and bullies.[4] The inference here is that daughters who lack the blessing of God through their fathers will gravitate towards a focus on beautifying themselves externally to compensate for the lack of blessing.

Sadly, the sons of God did not look for the inward beauty of a nurturing woman who understood the vital role of a submissive nurturer who would draw down the blessing of God through her husband upon her children. The union of the sons of God with insecure daughters of men turned their families from builders of God’s family name to builders of Satan’s kingdom. Since the wives were not of a submissive spirit, there was no example in the home for the children to learn submission and connection to the blessing. Such children rose to be men of renown: meaning men who sought power, glory and honour through a spirit of independence.

Within a short space of time, the role of the submissive agent was completely lost and the blessing of God was largely cut off. And the result was:

Gen 6:5 …that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

Rom 1:21-23 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, 23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.

Within a period of just over 1500 years, the human family blessing structure had been virtually obliterated. The image of the Father and Son relationship, which should have been reflected in the husband and wife relationship, was replaced with vain imaginations of inherent power and the worship of “inherent power” in nature. The union of the sons of God with the daughters of men had produced tyrants that only thought evil continually. Insecure wavering boys in men’s bodies that served their lusts and desires and had no regard for the sacred responsibility of raising children that are honest, firm and true. They extended the worship of the feminine from the seed of Adam’s hearkening to his wife’s voice and made themselves fully the tools of Satan.

The first few chapters of Genesis should be enough to convince us of the horrific effects of Satan’s lie of inherent life source and the impacts of the loss of blessing to children.

So great was the misery of men in this age that God had to wash the world clean. Who can speak of the trauma and tragedy of children born into these families without the blessing of God flowing through their fathers? God intervened by calling Noah and giving the heavenly family model a chance to start again. But Satan did not have to wait long for an opportunity.

b. Ham Develops the Seed of Babylon

Although the world was washed clean of evil and the limitless pain of broken families had ceased, the seeds of the lie of the serpent remained residual in the family of Noah. Noah had found grace in the eyes of the Lord and was a faithful servant of God, but like Adam his forefather, the medium of appetite opened the door to woe once again.

Noah became drunk and lay naked in his tent. His youngest son Ham discovered his father in this state and the Bible indicates that when Noah awoke he knew that something had been done to him. It must have been serious because Noah pronounces the following:

Gen 9:25 And he said, Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren.

The text suggests that some form of sexual perversion took place on Ham’s part. Whatever Ham did to his father, it revealed his lack of respect and consequently broke the channel of blessing. Whatever happened, deep inside, Ham knew that it was wrong and would feel the spirit of Cain overtake him: a wanderer, a vagabond and a deeply insecure man. The loss of the close connection with his father cut the blessing from Ham which in turn cursed his son Canaan.

Gen 10:6,8-9 And the sons of Ham; Cush, and Mizraim, and Phut, and Canaan… 8 And Cush begat Nimrod: he began to be a mighty one in the earth. 9 He was a mighty hunter before the LORD: wherefore it is said, Even as Nimrod the mighty hunter before the LORD.

Canaan was the youngest of Ham’s sons, but the oldest was Cush and it was through Ham’s first born that the seeds of insecurity through the lack of blessing would manifest most powerfully. Cush’s son was Nimrod who became a mighty hunter. The word mighty has a similar idea to the giants of Genesis 6 who were men of renown. The word means powerful warrior and tyrant. Nimrod fully embraced the lie of the serpent concerning inherent power. Josephus makes this interesting comment concerning him:

"Now it was Nimrod who excited them to such an affront and contempt of God. He was the grandson of Ham, the son of Noah, a bold man, and of great strength of hand. He persuaded them not to ascribe it [Strength] to God, as if it was through his means they were happy, but to believe that it was their own courage which procured that happiness. [5]

The same contempt that Ham manifested towards his father became the inheritance of Nimrod. The rejection of the authority of an earthly father is a rejection of the heavenly Father and we see all these seeds manifested in Nimrod.

We notice that Nimrod persuaded the people not to believe that strength or life came from God, but that it came from within themselves. This belief completely destroyed the channel of blessing and entrenched human thinking in finding happiness, worth and value in their own achievements and displays of power. With this in mind we read:

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

The Bible indicates that Nimrod built his own kingdom without any reference to God. No man had ever done this before. While previous men had lived apart from God and resisted his authority, they still operated with some semblance to a family model. They had not dared to declare themselves the highest authority in the land and that all people should look no further than an earthly king.

With the setting up of Nimrod's kingdom, the entire ancient world entered a new historical phase. The oriental tradition which makes that warrior the first man who wore a kingly crown, points to a fact more significant than the assumption of a new ornament of dress, or even the conquest of a province. His reign introduced to the world a new system of relations between the governor and the governed. The authority of former rulers had rested upon the feeling of kindred, and the ascendancy of the chief was an image of parental control. Nimrod, on the contrary, was a sovereign of territory, and of men just so far as they were its inhabitants, and irrespective of personal ties. Hitherto there had been tribes—enlarged families—Society; now there was a nation, a political community—the State.[6]

The Bible indicates that the first city he ruled was Babel or Babylon. The city of Babylon has become synonymous with the concept of rebellion and rejection of Godly authority. It is this city and its principles that is at war with God and His family blessing principles.[7] As noted above the connection between headship and submission was no longer a family relation of father to wife, son or daughter, but rather a connection through territory and held in submission through tyranny. Notice Josephus again:

He also gradually changed the government into tyranny, seeing no other way of turning men from the fear of God, but to bring them into a constant dependence on his power...[8]

He further attacked the family structure by reversing the family roles of headship and submission by marrying his mother Semiramis.[9]

c. The Spiritual Foundations of Babylon

If we look closely at the history of the man who built Babylon, we observe the following characteristics:

1. Perverted family relationships.	The effect of Ham’s act towards his father is revealed in his genealogy and its corresponding curse as reflected in Nimrod marrying his mother.
2. Rejection of family blessing and authority structure.	Dominion ruled by territory rather than the affection of family ties. The forming of his own kingdom apart from God.
3. Insecurity, worthlessness and confused identity.	The loss of the family blessing caused Nimrod to seek worship by becoming a mighty one. The name Babylon means confusion.
4. Controlling.	The attribute of tyranny is the spirit of the need to control others by force, since there is no connection via family ties to cause respect. The desire for empire is reflected in the list of territories attributed to his ownership.

The manifestation of Nimrod and his kingdom of kingly power and control was the natural result of the rejection of the family structure established by God in the Garden of Eden. Wherever there is war, strife and desire for power and control, there we might discern the seeds and wine of Babylon. History shows that the entire world adopted Nimrod’s system and the Bible reflects this when it states:

Jer 51:7 Babylon hath been a golden cup in the LORD'S hand, that made all the earth drunken: the nations have drunken of her wine; therefore the nations are mad.

The shift of policy by Nimrod to rule by territory and to keep people submitted to his authority required armies of men to defend the territory gained against external threats and to keep the population under control to avert internal threats. The provision for armies had to be paid for and thus taxation was introduced.

With the loss of parental love and blessing as the foundation of the community and the motivating desire to provide and support each other being dominated by other priorities, another motivation had to be developed and thus came forth the system of money and banking.

Nimrod was the first ruler to form an army and establish economic, civil and social systems. He imposed his Satanic religion on all the vanquished peoples. In time, his pagan teachings spread to and held sway over all the nations of the world.[10]

Nimrod not only invaded literal territory, he also invaded the mind and introduced a religion that would reflect his beliefs of inherent power and perverted human relationships. This religion was embodied in the worship of the Sun. When Nimrod died, his wife/mother carried on the religion by teaching the people that Nimrod was now embodied in the Sun and was a benefactor by day and fought against the forces of evil in the underworld by night. As each day that the Sun rose, the people could rest safely in the knowledge that Nimrod was victorious over the dark forces and so the people bowed toward the Sun in thanks and gratitude to Nimrod for protecting them.[11]

Semiramis now acted as the key bridge builder to the spiritual world of Nimrod and communicated his wishes to the people and acted as an intercessor on their behalf. Holding this position elevated her to the role of a goddess and she in turn was worshipped like her son/husband as the queen of heaven.[12]

While there is much interesting history here, the key point is that the whole system of territory, money, taxation, armies and kingship have developed from a breakdown in God’s original family system. The entire system is at war with God’s original principles of family authority and blessing. This does not mean that we should rebel against the leaders that exist today for God has granted them power to rule in this new system to show the full extent of its tyranny. We can though, discern the platform upon which it is based and avoid the influences both obvious and subtle that undermine the building of a family treasure.

d. The Calling of Abraham and the Recovering of the Family System

Just as God had called Noah as a witness against the tyranny of the antediluvian “Giants”, so now God calls a man to represent His family principles of headship, submission, blessing and equality through relationship. Under the authority of his father, Abraham made the deeply significant journey out of Babylon and into Canaan.

Gen 11:31 And Terah took Abram his son, and Lot the son of Haran his son's son, and Sarai his daughter in law, his son Abram's wife; and they went forth with them from Ur of the Chaldees, to go into the land of Canaan;

This journey by Abraham is representative of all who seek to leave the tyrannical system of Nimrod which crushes and destroys the hopes of building a lasting family treasure in its iron teeth. This journey would be taken twice by Abraham’s descendents[13] and twice by his spiritual descendents.[14]

The rebuilding of the family system required the reconnecting of the channel of blessing through the patriarchal headship of Abraham.

Gen 12:1-3 Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee: 2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, [reconnect the channel] and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: [a channel of blessing] 3 And I will bless them that bless thee, [submit to your fatherly authority] and curse him that curseth thee: [rejects the authority I have given you] and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.

Here is a deeply significant covenant between God and Abraham. The submission of Abraham to God[15] would open again the vitally needed sense of worth and value that comes from being connected to the life source of the universe. Through Abraham all the families of the earth would be blessed, not only because that through his descendents, the Saviour of the world would come, but also because God would teach him correct family principles for preserving the channel of blessing.

e. The Lesson of Sodom

As a means of preserving the principles given to him, Abraham moved away from the city where the principles of money, territory, control and domination had a greater influence on the soul. Those that Abraham had left behind in the cities had so corrupted themselves that once again the thoughts of men were only evil continually and the family structures were so mangled that life for most was only misery, pain, abuse and slavery. The sexual perversion of Ham, developed and nurtured by Nimrod and Semiramis, lived on strongly in the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah.[16]

The Lord in His mercy once again moves in to stop the pain and anguish, but before He does, the Bible opens for us a series of God’s thoughts concerning Abraham and his instruction in family principles.

Gen 18:17-19 And the LORD said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do; 18 Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? 19 For I know [have known] 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.

The Lord wants Abraham to understand the reasons for the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. This destruction would act as a warning and a reminder to Abraham to be vigilant in maintaining the family channel of blessing and averting the rise tyranny that always results when that channel in broken.

We are told that God “knows Abraham” or has known him. This word “know” is exactly the same word that describes the process of Adam “knowing” his wife Eve. The spiritual concept of knowing is the transfer of spiritual seed that will bear fruit in a mighty yet peaceful family kingdom. This spiritual seed (which is the spirit of Christ) would become the blessed spiritual inheritance of all those who would claim Abraham as their father.[17]

Genesis 18:7-9 lays out for us the secret of preserving the channel of blessing and retaining the spiritual seed that would enable its sons and daughters to resist the lie of the serpent made manifest in the tyrannical kingdoms of the world. Here is the sequence:

1. Command his family and household after him,

2. Which enables them “to keep the way of the Lord,”

3. Which enables them “to do justice and judgment” – meaning honest and right family government.

4. In this way, the promise of the covenant to become a great and mighty nation would be fulfilled.

The starting point for this process begins with the commanding or setting in order his family. If we look closely at this structure in the Bible, we see a man that is greatly respected and loved – especially by his wife. This respect turns into words of blessing that acts as righteous seed in the next generation and therefore preserves the channel of blessing.

1Pet 3:6 Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement.

Sarah’s reference to Abraham as lord, written here by the apostle Peter in the Greek gives a sense of “master” or “sir.” Through the instruction of the Lord and through life’s trials Sarah discerned the vital submissive role she played in establishing the authority of her husband which in turn would release the channel of blessing.

Satan tried desperately to destroy Abraham’s family structure and again, he tried to attack the one who would be the vital submissive agent. When Abraham traveled to Egypt, in fear he asked Sarah to tell Pharaoh that she was his sister so that he would not be killed for her beauty and taken.[18]

Sarah was taken by Pharaoh and he may have intended to marry her, but God intervened and plagued Pharaoh with mighty plagues to alert him that something was wrong. Sarah was restored to her husband and they were told to leave, but the point is clear that immediately after the promise of a rebuilt family blessing structure, Satan tried to sabotage it and he targeted Sarah because of her vital role in opening the channel of blessing.

Learning from his experiences, we see the great care Abraham took in selecting a wife for his son Isaac. He discerned that the key to building the family kingdom would be to find a wife that would act as the submissive agent and respect Isaac in such a way as to keep open the channel of blessing.[19]

In this chapter, we have explored the roots of the spiritual controversy that rages today around the vital nature of the family unit. We have seen the rise of empire through the seed of the serpent in the lives of Nimrod and Semiramis; and we have been given hope in the call of Abraham and his family, through whom we shall be blessed if we bless him, meaning that we recognize in his family structure the secret of true greatness and the promise of a happy family treasure.