Studies in the Prophecies “Babylon the Great.”—No. 2
The original dwellers in the plain of Shinar were not permitted to carry out their plan to build a city and a tower, but the signal mark of the displeasure of heaven at their undertaking did not prevent the building of Babylon. A short time after the confusion of tongues and the dispersion of the Babel builders, there was a new development of the spirit to exalt human power and to establish kingly authority in the earth. Nimrod, the grandson of Noah, “began to be a mighty one in the earth. He was a mighty hunter before Jehovah: wherefore it is said, Like Nimrod a mighty hunter before Jehovah.” The undoubted meaning of this passage, if not the literal translation, is thus given by Spurrell: “Cush begat Nimrod, who was the first to be a despot on the earth. He was an overbearing tyrant in Jehovah’s sight; wherefore the saying: ‘Even as Nimrod the overbearing tyrant in Jehovah’s sight.’” The spirit which prompted to the hunting and the destruction of animals developed into the spirit of hunting and destroying men. “There can be no doubt that it was by injuring his followers to the toils and dangers of the chase that he gradually formed them to the use of arms, and so prepared them for aiding him in establishing his dominion.” “And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, and Erech, and Accad, and Calneh, in4the land of Shinar.” There is no doubt that this Babel “in the land of Shinar” is the same as the Babel of the tower-builders; in fact, “Josephus tells us that Nimrod lived at the time when the attempt was made to build the tower of Babel, and represents him as the prime mover in that impious enterprise.” “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. The political and social history of the world henceforth are distinct, if not divergent.” “The earliest rulers whose names have been discovered in Babylonia did not bear the title of king at all. In every instance before the time of Nimrod the word used is one which signifies ‘viceroy.’ The god is king, and the ruler claims no higher authority than that of substitute or servant of his god who is really the king. . . . This points clearly to the time when God was recognized as the only King, and the true Ruler. And when false gods were put in place of the true God, they were yet recognized as the real kings, and men in places of authority were but their substitutes.” These facts are of the greatest importance in enabling us to understand the real significance of the founding of the kingdom of Babylon. Those who will give this matter due consideration must be impressed with the thought that in Babylon, above any other earthly kingdom, there is represented the inspiration and effort of Lucifer, who formerly stood in the presence of God as the covering cherub, but later was cast out of heaven on account of his uncontrolled ambition to exalt himself,—an effort to establish a rival kingdom in the earth, and thus win to himself the loyalty and obedience which are due unto the God of heaven. In the first attempt to build the city a determined effort was made to counterwork the purpose of God, and to unite all the people of the world in open rebellion against him. The defeat and confusion of the Babel builders did not deter Nimrod from his purpose to establish a kingdom upon the earth with himself as absolute ruler,—a kingdom in which the king would acknowledge no authority above his own, and in which the subjects would all be slaves. Thus did the principles of Satan’s kingdom find expression upon the earth, and thus did “the god of this world” seek to establish his sovereignty through the co-operation of rebellious men. From that day until the present time, Babylon has been the synonym for rebellion against God’s authority as expressed in his law, and for that confusion which is the inevitable result of a rejection of the counsel of the King of heaven. Further study of this subject will serve to illustrate more fully the meaning of this statement. There is no further mention in Scripture of the fortunes of Babylon for many centuries after the brief records in the book of Genesis. But in the reign of Hezekiah, the twelfth king of Judah, there is an occurrence of which the prophet Isaiah writes as follows: “At that time Merodach-baladan the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a present to Hezekiah; for he heard that he had been sick, and was recovered. And Hezekiah was glad of them, and showed them the house of his precious things, the silver, and the gold, and the spices, and the precious oil, and all the house of his armor, and all that was found in his treasures: there was nothing in his house, nor in all his dominion, that Hezekiah showed them not. Then came Isaiah the prophet unto king Hezekiah, and said unto him, What said these men? and from whence came they unto thee? And Hezekiah said, They are come from a far country unto me, even from Babylon. Then said he, What have they seen in thy house? And Hezekiah answered, All that is in my house have they seen: there is nothing among my treasures that I have not showed them. Then said Isaiah to Hezekiah, Hear the word of Jehovah of hosts: Behold, the days are coming, when all that is in thy house, and that which thy fathers have laid up in store until this day, shall be carried to Babylon: nothing shall be left, saith Jehovah. And of thy sons that shall issue from thee, whom thou shalt beget, shall they take away; and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.” This prophecy and its fulfilment illustrate the experience of the people of God in falling under the power of the enemy when they fail to reveal the principles of the kingdom of heaven in their lives. Hezekiah the king was sick unto death, but in answer to his earnest prayer the Lord had restored him to health. A very remarkable sign had accompanied this miracle. The shadow of the sun-dial of Ahaz was caused to “return backward ten steps.” “An astronomical marvel, such as that of the going back of the shadow on the dial of Ahaz, would naturally attract attention in Babylonia, where the phenomena of the heavens were observed with the utmost diligence from a very remote period.” Hence the sending of the messengers from Babylon. All this was the working of providence preparing the way that the gospel message of life and health might be proclaimed in Babylon, for the Lord would have healed even Babylon. But Hezekiah attempted to make an impression upon the ambassadors by showing them earthly things instead of revealing the heavenly treasure. Thus appeared that weakness of character, that slavery of the mind to sin, which afterward brought Jerusalem in subjection to Babylon. And so the message which would not be given under favorable circumstances was declared by the captives in Babylon. The first step in the fulfilment of the prophecy of Isaiah soon followed. Hezekiah was succeeded by his son Manasseh. “And Manasseh seduced Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that they did evil more than did the nations whom Jehovah destroyed before the children of Israel. And Jehovah spake to Manasseh, and to his people; but they gave no heed; wherefore Jehovah brought upon them the captains of the host of the king of Assyria, who took Manasseh in chains, and bound him with fetters, and carried him to Babylon.” Manasseh repented, and was restored to his kingdom, but his experience marked the beginning of that long period of time, extending even to the present generation, during which the power of Babylon, ancient or modern, over Jerusalem, has not been permanently broken. But of this and of the later experiences of Babylon we will learn more in our future studies.