Nimrod - A man in Defiance of God

Created Date: 31-Jan-2021
The First World Dictator, called the

Last updated: 17-Feb-2023
"Assyrian" and model of the Antichrist  
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Sections:
 
1 Summary 2 In Defiance of God
3 Nimrod had Knowledge of the Great Flood 4 Ruler and Builder of Babel that later becomes Babylon
5 The Assyrian Nimrod and the Antichrist 6 Josephus References
7 Additional Traditional Views 8 Archeological Evidence?

Summary

Nimrod is only mentioned a few times in the Scriptures, but he has relevance to his period in history and future prophecies.  Nimrod's name is believed to have meant "We will rebel" or "I will rebel" against God. 

Most Biblical Scholars, believe Nimrod was a very evil man, based on the scriptural references.  Because of Nimrod's goals and actions, there is the additional theory that Nimrod was directly possessed by Lucifer as explained more in the next section.  

In Defiance of God

The scripture description of Nimrod states that he was a "mighty hunter on the Earth" of men or "mighty warrior on the Earth", which also infers from the phrase used in the scriptures to mean women and children.  Additionally, his actions from the Genesis 10:9 verse, meant he did it to gain earthly desires and momentary pleasures that were also to offend God. 

Many Biblical Scholars, based on the consequences of acting evil from other scriptures, state that Nimrod was openly enjoying a deprived, murderous and sexual deviant lifestyle.  When anyone rejects God, they are given over to defile themselves, Romans 1:26.  Two important points: 

  1. There is a mistranslation in Genesis 10:9, that is close to being accurate.  The word "before" is more accurately translated as "in defiance of".  The defiance was done knowing it was done against the true God as some translations meant by the word "before" as to mean in plain sight of everyone and especial God.  Nimrod apparently:
    (a) Had a belief and hatred for the true God, and also
    (b) Believed there was a spiritual power that was not the God of the Bible. 
  2. The reference of "mighty man" in 1 Chronicles 1:10, is also the same type of description used for the Nephilim, meaning Nimrod controlled possessions and peoples in an evil manner, like the Nephilim.
    (a) Genesis 6:4 conveys the use of the word and comparison of "mighty".
    (b) This author is not stating Nimrod was a descendent of the Nephilim, but like the Nephilim with the insatiable desires to offend God and be against humans also.
Romans 1:26 For this reason God gave them over to dishonorable passions. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. That is why God abandoned them to their shameful desires.
Genesis 10:8-9 8 Cush was the father of Nimrod, who became a mighty warrior on the earth. 9 He was a mighty hunter in defiance of the Lord; that is why it is said, “Like Nimrod, a mighty hunter before the Lord.”
1 Chronicles 1:10 Cush fathered Nimrod. He was the first on earth to be a mighty man.
Genesis 6:4 The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of man and they bore children to them. These were the mighty men who were of old, the men of renown.

Two additional points where some Biblical Scholars and this author believe:

  1. Nimrod's actions in his life while knowing about the Great Flood (discussed in the next section of this topic), informs us of how greatly he was against God, where Nimrod was most likely possessed directly by Lucifer like Judas Iscariot. 
  2. Nimrod is also a type of foreshadowing and model of the future Antichrist, which is one of the numerous double patterns in the entire Bible. 
    (a) The title of Antichrist means "instead of Christ" where the man, that is commonly called Antichrist, actually has many titles like the "son of perdition" in 2 Thessalonians 2:3.  Son of Perdition means many derogatory things that include son of Lucifer.  Nimrod's scriptural goals and life was similar to the Antichrist that was trying to create a world without God. 
    (b) Nimrod is the first World Leader that is a model of the last World Leader, the Antichrist
    (c) Nimrod is linked with the City of Babylon and its final Judgment during the time of the Antichrist in the Tribulation Period.
    (d) Nimrod was the ruler of the geographical area of the Assyrian Kingdom, where the Antichrist is identified as being of Assyrian lineage.
2 Thessalonians 2:3 3 Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of perdition, 4 who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God.

Nimrod had Knowledge of the Great Flood

It is important to note that at the time that Nimrod lived was very near the time of the Great Flood where Nimrod:

  1. Would have heard, understood and seen evidence of the Great Flood.
  2. Most likely knew and spoke at some point with his grandfather Noah.
  3. Knew about God's work in using the Ark of Noah to repopulate the Earth. 

Everyone during the time of Nimrod would have known of the Great Flood, where those who were involved in the building of the Tower of Babel had at least three reasons in building the Tower, which is discussed further in this topic.  One of the reasons, that is also proof of knowledge, was the building of the Tower to have protection against another flood.  The interesting point is the people involved in the Tower of Babel were ignoring God's promise to never destroy the entire earth with a flood that covered the entire Earth.

Genesis 9:11 I establish my covenant with you: Never again will all life be destroyed by the waters of a flood; never again will there be a flood to destroy the earth.”

Notice God said there would never be a flood to destroy the entire earth.  This still allowed for local floods.

Regarding Noah and the Great Flood, Nimrod probably knew Noah.  Nimrod's lineage from Noah:

  1. Noah had three sons: Shem, Ham and Japheth.
    (a) All three sons knew of the problems before the Great Flood as they lived in it.
    (b) All three sons were on board the Ark, which they built.
    (c) All three sons saw many miracles from God.  Three notable ones of many:
        God closing the Ark's door personally to seal it water tight.
        Two pairs of every unclean animal coming to enter the Ark as being guided by God.
        Severn pairs of every clean animal coming to enter the Ark as being guided by God.
  2. Ham had four sons: Cush, Mizraim, Phut and Canaan. 
  3. Cush had six sons: Nimrod, Seba, Havilah, Sabtah, Raamah and Sabterhah.

Note: Ham, the son of Noah, was never cursed by Noah.  There was a curse which was against a woman that started the Canaanites.  This woman has nothing to do with Nimrod.

Ruler and Builder of Babel that later becomes Babylon

The well-known Tower of Babel, in Genesis 11:1-4, would have been under Nimrod's influence as Nimrod was the king of Babel, which was part of his empire.  The city of Babel later will become the city of Babylon.  Genesis 10:10 informs us that in the beginning, Nimrod had four areas in his empire that include Babel, where the empire grew larger as discussed in the next section of this topic.

Genesis 10:10 The first centers of his kingdom were Babel, Uruk, Akkad and Kalneh, in Shinar.

Besides its inferred purpose of a type of worship and trying to reach the stars, the Tower of Babel, was most likely also built to be a sanctuary against another flooding as the people at the tower were rebellious and ignoring Genesis 9:11.  The scriptural passage also indicates the fear of being scattered across the whole earth, where their thought reveals their knowledge of God's commandment of Genesis 9:7 that they were not obeying.

Genesis 11:1-4

Tower of Babel		 1 Now the whole earth used the same language and the same words. 2 It came about as they journeyed east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there. 3 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. 4 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.”

Note: The land of Shinar is modern-day Iraq.  Saddam Hussein was rebuilding the city of Babylon before his execution.
Genesis 9:7 Part of God's instructions to Noah and Noah's family as the exited the Ark:

“As for you, be fruitful and multiply; Populate the earth abundantly and multiply in it.”

Most Biblical Commentaries attribute Nimrod to be the leader of the building and ruler of the city of Babel, which becomes the city of Babylon at a later time period.  The belief of Nimrod being most-likely the leader in building the Tower of Babel is based on inference from the related geographical scriptural reference as the ruler in the area would have been controlling and highly involved because:

According to some Biblical Commentaries there were three main purposes of the Tower of Babel, which would have the prominent ruler of the time very involved and most likely in control of such a project.

  1. For astrological purposes that included worship of false gods in the heavens.
    Genesis 11:4 Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heaven
  2. Stop themselves from being scattered across the Earth as read in Genesis 11:1-4 (shown above.), which means they were cognizant of God's edict to be fruitful and replenish the Earth and not stay in one place only.  Those who spoke and thought not to scatter, also most likely meant they wanted to control people.
  3. Also, theoretically to create a safe place to dwell in the event of another global flood.

As stated earlier in this topic, the importance of listing Babel with the topic on Nimrod is the city of Babylon has a future judgment from God that is linked in the Tribulation Period's judgments against the Antichrist, Lucifer, Fallen Angels and the human inhabitants of the Earth that did not accept Jesus Christ as their Savior.  Babylon will be destroyed and never inhabited again, were today it is still inhabited by Arabic Bedouins, Tribesmen and others.

Revelation 18:1-3 1 After these things I saw another angel coming down out of heaven, having great authority; and the earth was lightened with his glory. 2 And he cried with a mighty voice, saying, Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, and is become a habitation of demons, and a hold of every unclean spirit, and a hold of every unclean and hateful bird. 3 For by the wine of the wrath of her fornication all the nations are fallen; and the kings of the earth committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth waxed rich by the power of her wantonness.
Ezekiel 13:17-22 17 Behold, I am going to stir up the Medes against them, Who will not value silver or take pleasure in gold. 18 And their bows will mow down the young men, They will not even have compassion on the fruit of the womb, Nor will their eye pity children. 19 And Babylon, the beauty of kingdoms, the glory of the Chaldeans’ pride, Will be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah. 20 It will never be inhabited or lived in from generation to generation; Nor will the Arab pitch his tent there, Nor will shepherds make their flocks lie down there. 21 But desert creatures will lie down there, And their houses will be full of owls; Ostriches also will live there, and shaggy goats will frolic there. 22 Hyenas will howl in their fortified towers And jackals in their luxurious palaces. Her fateful time also will soon come And her days will not be prolonged.

Babylon still exists today: Inside the Abandoned Babylon That Saddam Hussein Built - Atlas Obscura If the link is missing click here.

The Assyrian Nimrod and the Assyrian Antichrist - First and Last Mighty Two Men

This author is NOT stating that someone who has a lineage that can be traced back to the Assyrian empire, is evil.  Just the two men, that are named in the scripture, the first Nimrod and the future Antichrist, where are both of Assyrian lineage.  The geographical lineage is part of the identification of these two men.  God loves all peoples of every location, tribe and language where Revelation 7-9 let us know that the people in heaven from all places in the world will be not countable.  There are millions of people who are of Assyrian lineage that are alive today.

The Assyrian Empire is an ancient kingdom that does not exist today which included modern-day countries of:

Northern half of Iraq, Southeastern Turkey, Northwestern Iran and Northeastern Syria:

Nimrod went and dwelled in several different areas of the future Assyrian Kingdom lands, where in Genesis 10:10-12 describes the major areas and cities.  A very interesting city is Nineveh, that is famous in history, where many entertainment movies have accurately and inaccurately portrayed the city. 

Genesis 10:10-12 10 The first centers of his kingdom were Babel, Uruk, Akkad and Kalneh, in Shinar.  11 From that land he went to Assyria, where he built Nineveh, Rehoboth Ir, Calah 12 and Resen, which is between Nineveh and Calah—which is the great city.

As already stated, many Biblical Scholars which this author agrees, state that Nimrod is a model and foreshadowing of the final "mighty man" against God called the Antichrist.  Some important summary points regarding the Antichrist:

There are two other theoretical important scriptural references to the King of Assyria that are double prophecies that point to the Antichrist according to some Biblical Scholars.  The link between these scriptures and the passages is the geographical area that was part of the Assyrian Kingdom with Nimrod, which is the reason for giving this additional possible information dealing with the Antichrist and the Assyrian empire.

The two other theoretical scriptural references

Chapter ten of Isaiah is God Judgment against the Northern Kingdom of the divided Israel by the Assyrians.  God announces the judgment and then the consequences against Assyria.  The proposed theory by some Biblical Scholars, which this author agrees, is:

  1. Assyria represents a geographical area, with a spiritual satanic stronghold, that will have a final Judgment against Babylon.
  2. The leader of this geographical area, the king, will be subject to punitive judgment from God for being against God and God's people.
Isaiah 10:5 “Woe to the Assyrian, the rod of my anger, in whose hand is the club of my wrath!
Isaiah 10:12 When the Lord has finished all his work against Mount Zion and Jerusalem, he will say, “I will punish the king of Assyria for the willful pride of his heart and the haughty look in his eyes.

Josephus References

This is an excerpt from the historical work of Flavious Josephus which was written around 70 AD.  It also shows the knowledge of Nimrod that was collected, passed down through multiple generations of peoples and written down by Josephus.
 
“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 were 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 reach. And that he would avenge himself on God for destroying their forefathers.

Now the multitude were very ready to follow the determination of Nimrod, and to esteem it a piece of cowardice to submit to God; and they built a tower, neither sparing any pains, nor being in any degree negligent about the work: and, by reason of the multitude of hands employed in it, it grew very high, sooner than any one could expect; but the thickness of it was so great, and it was so strongly built, that thereby its great height seemed, upon the view, to be less than it really was. It was built of burnt brick, cemented together with mortar, made of bitumen, that it might not be liable to admit water. When God saw that they acted so madly, he did not resolve to destroy them utterly, since they were not grown wiser by the destruction of the former sinners; but he caused a tumult among them, by producing in them diverse languages, and causing that, through the multitude of those languages, they should not be able to understand one another. The place wherein they built the tower is now called Babylon, because of the confusion of that language which they readily understood before; for the Hebrews mean by the word Babel, confusion…”

Additional Traditional Views

Excerpt from Wise Men:

According to some Biblical Historians, Nimrod's Birthday and the traditions that surrounded the false gods of Nimrod's time and along with the Roman deity of Saturn were behind the birthday selection for Jesus Christ:

  1. The tradition of Nimrod's birthday, ended up being on our equivalent day of December 25th, at some point in history when Christianity was becoming a more recognized religion in the Roman Empire.  The Pagan Priests replaced / reframed the event to have a Christian view when they entered the Christian Church at around the time of 336 AD. 
  2. Some historians theorize that the Pagan Priests, before the event was converted into the Christian Faith's holiday, went by a myth which Nimrod's wife stated that after Nimrod's death, that Nimrod was now a spirit being.  On every December 25th, Nimrod's spirit would show his presence by having a dead tree stump become a beautiful evergreen tree during the evening while people slept.  When people awoke in the morning the tree would have gifts around it. 
    (a) Nimrod's wife Semiramis claimed that Nimrod was the sun-god or like the sun-god.
    (b) Semiramis claimed to also be Nimrod's mother besides Nimrod's wife.

Archeological Evidence?

At the time of the writing of this topic, there is no archeological evidence of Nimrod because of the large number of centuries that have transpired.  The areas that Nimrod ruled, have had also multiple newer empires rule over the areas where they have rebuilt and upgraded the cities ruled by Nimrod.

It would be a great archeological find, but it is not important to find archeological evidence on Nimrod.  Discussing archaeology concerning Nimrod is mentioned in this topic because there are encyclopedia types of websites that are stating Nimrod could not have existed when there is no archeological evidence.

Note that there are some stone carvings that have been found in excavating areas in and around Nineveh and other locations that are believed to be a type of worship of a person that is thought to be possibly Nimrod in the stone carvings. 

There are also legends of Nimrod found in the different religions of ancient world, that eventually had parts of them brought into the Christian Faith as evidence of the Christmas Tree and Three Wise Men.  Note that this author is not stating that legends are proof, but only that Nimrod has other references besides the Biblical scripture references. 

It cannot be stated that the person or place did not exist because no archeological evidence is found when dealing with a person and a place that is at least over 4,000 years ago

If the reader of the Bible recognizes the writing as inspired and guided by the Holy Spirit, then accepting Nimrod as an actual person is the correct conclusion which the Christian accepts through Faith in God.  This author absolutely believes that Nimrod was an actual person as described in the Biblical scripture references.  

As stated in many places in Biblical Thoughts for God's Glory, the proof of the Bible from a secular person needing reasons are many where these are two:

  1. The fulfilled prophecies of people and places where the scriptures existed hundreds of years before the event actually occurred, and
  2. The encryptions, related to the plain text, along with other types of amazing types of encryption pattern discoveries that validate the authorship had to be done by someone outside the dimensionality of time, which could only be done by God.

What to read next?

What is Salvation?  Is it possible to lose Salvation?  We have eternal life.  Evolution is not real.  When a Christian suffers is there benefits from it.  Rewards in heaven.  Do we Tithe?  What does the 3rd Commandment tell us?  What is Grace and Mercy?  Is there an Age of Accountability?  Is there a place of unending punishment and exile form God?