This can be traced to Gen. 11:1-9, the tower of Babel. If you remember vividly, their intention is to build a tower that will reach the heavens in order to be in one place and not to scatter abroad. But the will of God for them is to be scattered abroad all over the earth. Verse 1-2, made us known they found a plain in the land of Shinar, where is this land of Shinar. This will take us to some scriptures:-
Gen. 10:10 - And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, and Erech, and Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar.
Isaiah 11:11 - And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea.
Daniel 1:2 - And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with part of the vessels of the house of God: which he carried into the land of Shinar to the house of his god; and he brought the vessels into the treasure house of his god.
Relating Gen 10:10 and Daniel 1:2, there is something shocking. Because God gave Jehoiakim king of Judah to the hand of Nebucadnezzer the king of Babylon, so why was the land of Shinar used in place of Babylon. Simply because the land of Shinar is the same as Babylon, i.e. Can be use interchangeably. So, the land of Shinar in Gen 10:10 is the city of Babylon, it is in this same city tower of Babel was built before God scattered their languages and spread them abroad in order for His Will to come to pass. So, Babylon has been since the time of Cush, Grand Son of Noah.
But, take note, God never destroyed the uncompleted tower and he did not destroyed the spirit of obedience that brought such thought, He ONLY cconfound their language. The question now is what now happen to the uncompleted tower after God has confounded their languages and scatter them abroad?
The ancient Hebrew word, pronounced baw-lawl , means to mix . It was from that root word that the later Hebrew word, pronounced baw-bale , rendered into English as "Babel," originated. It is first found in the Holy Scriptures in the time of Nimrod, for "the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, and Erech, and Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar."
" 10:8 And Cush begat Nimrod [see also The Family Of Ham]: he began to be a mighty one in the earth. 10:9 He was a mighty hunter before the LORD: wherefore it is said, Even as Nimrod the mighty hunter before the LORD. 10:10 And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, and Erech, and Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar." (Genesis 10:8-10 KJV)
It was later, at the time of the tower of Babel, that the LORD gave "Babel" the meaning of confusion. By all historical accounts, Babylon was a beautiful city - but it quickly became very "mixed up" beginning with, and caused by, their arrogant defiance toward the LORD.
Although "Babylon" is found about 260 times in the translated Hebrew Scriptures, and "Babel" only twice, the actual Hebrew word is the same i.e. baw-bale , meaning confusion , is the only word actually used throughout the entire Bible.
As stated above, "Babylon" was built by Nimrod, "a mighty one in the earth." Some historians regard Nimrod as the world's first emperor (a later Roman term for a king who rules not only over his own nation, but the nations of other people) - the reason that he was called "a mighty one in the earth." Centuries later, the Babylonian Empire reached its peak of military and religious power under King Nebuchadnezzar - who was given a prophecy of how, although the original "Babylon" would fade as an empire, the imperialism that Babylon created would continue "Babylon" on through many centuries, through 3 more empires (Babylon, then Persia, then Greece, then Rome), right up to the time of the yet-future return of Jesus Christ.
Let me talk on the man, NIMROD, before we move on..
The Bible states…
Cush was the father of Nimrod, who grew to be a mighty warrior on the Earth. He was a mighty hunter before the LORD; that is why it is said, “Like Nimrod, a mighty hunter before the LORD.” The centers of his kingdom were Babylon , Erech , Akkad and Calneh in Shinar
(Genesis 10:8-10 ).
Many consider this to be a positive, complimentary testimony about Nimrod. It is just the opposite! First, a little background study is necessary.
First, what does the name Nimrod mean? It comes from the Hebrew verb marad , meaning “rebel.” Adding an “n” before the “m” it becomes an infinitive construct, “Nimrod". The meaning then is “The Rebel.” Thus “Nimrod” may not be the character's name at all. It is more likely a derisive term of a type, a representative, of a system that is epitomized in rebellion against the Creator, the one true God . Rebellion began soon after the Flood as civilizations were restored. At that time this person became very prominent.
In Genesis 10:8-11 we learn that “Nimrod” established a kingdom. Therefore, one would expect to find also, in the literature of the ancient Near East, a person who was a type, or example, for other people to follow. And there was. It is a well-known tale, common in Sumerian literature, of a man who fits the description. In addition to the Sumerians, the Babylonians wrote about this person; the
Assyrians likewise; and the Hittites . Even in Israel, tablets have been found with this man's name on them. He was obviously the most popular hero in the Ancient Near East.
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 upon his own 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!
In summary, Nimrod was one of the sons of Cush. Cush was the son of Ham, the lowest and least important of Noah's three sons. Nimrod came from a line which was cursed by Noah: "Cursed be Canaan, a slave of slaves shall he be unto his brothers."
By birth, Nimrod had no right to be a king or ruler. But he was a mighty strong man, and sly and tricky, and a great hunter, a tyrant, and trapper of men and animals. His followers grew in number, and soon Nimrod became the mighty king of Babylon, and his empire extended over other great cities.
In accordance to his name, He rebelled against God by persuading men upon the earth to disobey God's Instruction.
I will like to stop here as for history and origin of Babylon. Next article we talk about who this Mystery Babylon, The Great is...
Stay tuned!
DOMINALTI for CHRIST!!!
