Cush became the father of Nimrod. He began to be a mighty one in the earth. 9 He was a mighty hunter before YHWH. Therefore it is said, “Like Nimrod, a mighty hunter before YHWH. 10 ” The beginning of his kingdom was Babel, Erech, Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar. Bereshit (Genesis) 10:8-10 (emphases added)
Who is Nimrod? What significance does he have to do with you as a believer in Y'shua today? I hope the Ruach will enable me to demonstrate to you that Nimrod's spirit is alive and well and hunting for you today. Are you on your guard? Do you know his motives and his goals to capture you?
Nimrod, Who Is He?
Verse 9 above says that Nimrod was a mighty hunter before YHWH. The translated English word “before” is the Hebrew word “panim” which means face. Here “panim” can also mean “against”. As we read further we will understand this to be the meaning because Nimrod was against YHWH in every way. Nimrod comes from the Hebrew word “marad” which means “to rebel”. If you add an “n” before the “m” it becomes a verb that functions as the noun Nimrod (Nun, Mem, Raysh, Dalet). (also BDB 1962: 597).
Jeff Benner from the Ancient Hebrew Research Center says something interesting about the name Nimrod. Here is his research on the name direct from this website url http://www.ancient-hebrew.org/emagazine/022.html.
Name of the Month - Nimrod
By: Jeff A. Benner
The name nimrod is not Hebrew but it is a Semitic name and is therefore closely related to Hebrew. The name comes from the Semitic root מרד (MRD) meaning "to rebel". In the Ancient Hebrew/Semitic cultures a person’s name was closely related to their character and therefore Nimrod's name fits well with his personality. The name is formed by placing the letter נ (N) before the root. A common means of forming words and names out of a root in Hebrew is by placing the letter מ (M) before the root while other Semitic languages use the letter נ (N). Because of this we know that Nimrod is of a non-Hebrew Semitic origin.
The person Nimrod is only mentioned in Genesis 10:8,9 but these two passages speak volumes about the character of Nimrod. The standard translation for verse 9 is something like "He was a mighty hunter before the LORD; therefore it is said, "Like Nimrod a mighty hunter before the LORD". It would appear that there is nothing out of the ordinary about Nimrod. So, why is he so often seen as such an evil person?
Only two persons in the Bible are identified as "hunters", Nimrod and Esav, the twin brother of Ya'acov. From the story of Esav and Ya'acov we know that Esav was not the most respectful person. Not only did he despise his birthright but to spite his parents married foreign women. From this we can conclude that from an Hebraic perspective hunters are seen in a negative light. In verse 8 it states "he was the first on earth to be a mighty man". The Hebrew phrase may also be translated as "He made a profaning by being a mighty one in the land". To add to this verse 9 states that he was a "mighty hunter 'before' Yahweh". The word for "before" in Hebrew is "liph'ney" and literally means "to the face of" and in this case "to the face of Yahweh" and can mean that he was a mighty hunter in place of Yahweh implying that he, rather than Yahweh is the provider of the people.
One final clue into the character into the personality of Nimrod is how the Semitic root MRD has been used even into our own time. The Ancient Semitic root MRD (marad) is the origin of our words MaRauDer and MuRDer. (End Jeff Benner research)
So Nimrod was a murderer who stood opposed to YHWH Himself. What else can we find out about him? The writer Josephus has some interesting things to say about Nimrod.
The Antiquities of the Jews/Book 1/Chapter 4/Section 2:
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 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. 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. He also said he would be revenged on God, if he should have a mind to drown the world again; for that he would build a tower too high for the waters to be able to reach! and that he would avenge himself on God for destroying their forefathers! (emphases added)
According to Josephus, Nimrod, through the incident of the Tower of Babel, brought people into a constant dependence on him. We are formulating an understanding of just who this man is and what he was about.
When researching Nimrod you will find a connection to Baal. The idol Baal was connected to Ashtoreth (the Queen of Heaven). These two idols are none other than a deification of Nimrod and Semiramis (Nimrod's wife).
Refusing to Bow the Knee to Nimrod
Yet will I leave seven thousand in Yisrael, all the knees which have not bowed to Baal (Nimrod), and every mouth which has not kissed him.” (parenthesis added) 1 Kings 19:18
Religion believes that a man has to be between you and your relationship with Abba YHWH. These institutions of men will convince you that their leaders have to be your covering. This is the spirit of Nimrod who convinced the people of his day to depend upon his power and authority. Y'shua is your only Rabbi. He has put His Ruach in you to lead you into all Truth. I have found that there are very few who travel this road. Most are uncomfortable living their life free of a religious institution or organization. My wife and I have found that the greatest satisfaction comes in networking with other redeemed Yisraelites and discussing Scripture with them. We find that during these times we become “oxen” of the Torah treading out the grain to receive nourishment from the Bread of Life.
Sometimes, I will admit, we feel alone in this walk of being free from the institutions of men. The last time I was thinking about this Abba spoke in His still small voice, “Seven thousand have not bowed their knee to Baal.” This all occurred while thinking of being free from the spirit of Nimrod and his influence. I then knew that Baal and Nimrod were connected. The preceding research about Nimrod verified it.
Recently during one of those “treading out the grain” sessions with a brother, I received a revelation about Yirmeyahu 31:33-34:
33 But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Yisrael after those days, says YHWH: I will put my law in their inward parts, and in their heart will I write it; and I will be their Elohim, and they shall be my people: 34 and they shall teach no more every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know YHWH; for they shall all know me, from their least to their greatest, says YHWH: for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin will I remember no more. (emphases added)
The Hebrew word for “know” in the verse above is “yada”. According to Strong's Hebrew “yada” means to know through an assortment of the senses. I used to think that this passage was not fulfilled, but I began to see that we are now in the place to where we can all know YHWH. We do not need the pope, a bishop, a rabbi, a pastor, or any other man with a title to help us “know” our Abba. From the least to the greatest can know him in deepest intimacy. Why would we use a man as a mediator if we can know him intimately ourselves? Do you want to know Nimrod or do you want to know YHWH? Will you wait for Eliyahu the prophet to sort you out or will you allow His still small voice to work on you today?
The Fishermen and the Hunters
Therefore behold, the days come, says YHWH, that it shall no more be said, As YHWH lives, who brought up the children of Yisrael out of the land of Egypt; 15 but, As YHWH lives, who brought up the children of Yisrael from the land of the north, and from all the countries where he had driven them. I will bring them again into their land that I gave to their fathers. 16 Behold, I will send for many fishermen, says YHWH, and they shall fish them up; and afterward I will send for many hunters, and they shall hunt them from every mountain, and from every hill, and out of the clefts of the rocks. 17 For my eyes are on all their ways; they are not hidden from my face, neither is their iniquity concealed from my eyes. 18 First I will recompense their iniquity and their sin double, because they have polluted my land with the carcasses of their detestable things, and have filled my inheritance with their abominations. 19 Adoni, my strength, and my stronghold, and my refuge in the day of affliction, to you shall the nations come from the ends of the earth, and shall say, Our fathers have inherited nothing but lies, vanity and things in which there is no profit. Yirmeyahu 16:14-19 (emphases added)
The fisherman have already gone out. Abba has sent them out as a witness for Him and His ways. The fisherman waits for the fish to come to him. The hunter goes out to the prey. Nimrod, the mighty hunter, made a building among the people when they were supposed to traverse the earth and fill it. Y'shua seeks fishermen who use no enticements only nets waiting for the Ruach to lead the fish into the net. The hunters of Nimrod have enticed multitudes and have lead Yisrael into iniquity. Nimrodic systems of men are full of vanity and lies. The hunters have gone out to bewitch Yisrael into their lies. Will the spirit of Nimrod seek to hinder Yisrael from hearing the Great Shepherd's whistle during the Exodus (see Conductor of A Symphony – http://chazakyisrael.blogspot.com/2008/05/conductor-of-symphony.html)? Are we too caught up in the religious institutions of Nimrod to leave all behind?
Abba, we only desire your Kingdom Yisrael with Y'shua as its King. Abba, give us discernment to know the wiles of the enemy. Help us to confront the unclean spirits in our lives that attempt to lead us down a path not ordained for us. We thank you and praise you Abba for placing your Son Y'shua as King over us. Amein v' Amein.
Shalom shalom,
Tzefanyah Pappas
--
Chazak Chazak v'nitchazek
Let us be strong, let us be strong and let us
strengthen (encourage) one another!
No comments:
Post a Comment