Moral atheism became angry
“The nations were angry, and Thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that Thou shouldest give reward unto Thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear Thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.” (Rev. 11:18).
The first Babylon started off in a good mood. The surviving families of the flood arrived at a large plain they had escaped Noah and his perpetual preaching--it seemed he had preaching coming out of his pores. They hated it. So they had to separate; they had to part amicably; they had to agree to disagree and cordially say Good-bye! to their patriarch, who had walked with God and in the light of His truth.
Down they came from his estate in the mountains of Ararat. Slowly they ventured here and then there into the strange new world once so lush and temperate, but now regrowing into thick forests and freezing cold. Descending and descending, into the warmth of the two rivers valley, the finally arrived at a large body of water. They named this place Shinar.
Now they would make it a great name for their atheistic group. Nimrod envisioned a man-made mountain upon which to meet with God and worship Him upon a great altar of their own proud making. It could also double as an emergency shelter in case another world-wide flood struck. Everyone enjoyed the new freedom apart from father Noah and their right to pursue their happiness. They reveled in their new project inspired by nimrod. How happy they were. Everyone was fed; everyone was conformable; everybody was employed; everyone was doing their part for the group. Everyone had no acceptance other than human acceptance, for peace with God was undesired.
It felt great to put God out of their thoughts. No one to correct them; no one to tell them what to do or make them feel guilty for their evils, or ecstatic for their union and cooperation, their civil and ethical treatment of one another. It was Godless and that was just as they desired.
But in that it was Godless, it was also loveless. That which bound them together were pride of accomplishment, in the erection of the monolithic structure rising above Shinar; sensual beauty in its engineering and architecture; curiosity as they investigated nature for improved materials and inventions to perfect the work of building; glory in the human as they worshiped their single language and solidarity without any regard to their Creator who made them in His image.
Lest the new race fling itself head long over the precipice of antediluvian wickedness and there be no lineage for their Redeemer, Michael, the Prince of heaven drew near to build a case against their work and to bring judgment against them and against Nimrod’s boasting blather.
“There fell a voice from heaven, saying, O king..., to thee it is spoken; The kingdom is departed from thee.” (Dan. 4:31). In an instant the empire was demolished as their Achilles heel was confused and now everyone talked blather. Words that meant one thing now had a different definition. Other words were plain gibberish. The glossolalia of their satanic worship became the national language, a habit that stuck and could not be turned off. Not a one trusted another. Every single individual was affected.
Building progress stopped and construction was frustrated. Pride of achievement was under attack, scientific curiosity halted. The Godless union unraveled. The fallen human nature encapsulated in each unconverted soul quickly expressed itself. In the first challenge and inconvenience and frustration, anger flared in every heart. No “God of peace” (1Thess. 5:23) was present to calm their unbridled adrenaline. No Spirit to strive against their selfish flesh to give them the spirituality their generation had lost and didn’t know they should want it with all their heart.
God permitted them to live oblivious of their obligation to His authority and loving-kindness; He allowed their atheism to develop according to their choice until they could see the glaring truth of their apostasy from the God of their father Noah. But now He performed on them His unexpected act. He forced their blinded consciences to comprehend His message to them,
“Where are their gods, their rock in whom they trusted,
Which did eat the fat of their sacrifices, and drank the wine of their drink offerings? let them rise up and help you, and be your protection.
See now that I, even I, am He, and there is no god with Me: I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal: neither is there any that can deliver out of My hand.
For I lift up My hand to heaven, and say, I live for ever.
If I whet My glittering sword, and Mine hand take hold on judgment; I will render vengeance to Mine enemies, and will reward them that hate Me.” (Deut. 32:37-41).
Enraged at the obvious divine discomfiture, their precious solidarity in which they gave their highest faith and loyalty, broke up in complete and utter conflict toward each other. Absolute cacophony and confusion resulted. All the praised human union and accomplishment collapsed in a billowing, scudding plume of dust and ashes. All its great future dashed to rubble in the twinkle of an eye. All their covered work of behind the scenes iniquity was unwrapped and brought to ruin, their sexual, indulgent, and faithless religion exposed to be the satanic invention and under God’s wrath.
All hopes in a brave new world without any association with the Creator of all their food and resources, “O Lord, Thou hast deceived me, and I was deceived: Thou art stronger than I, and hast prevailed.” (Jer. 20:7). “He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision.” (Ps. 2:4).
“I was a derision to all my people; and their song all the day.
He hath filled me with bitterness, He hath made me drunken with wormwood.” (Lam. 3:14,15).
“But hast lifted up thyself against the Lord of heaven; and they have brought the vessels of His house before thee, and thou, and thy lords, thy wives, and thy concubines, have drunk wine in them; and thou hast praised the gods of silver, and gold, of brass, iron, wood, and stone, which see not, nor hear, nor know: and the God in whose hand thy breath is, and whose are all thy ways, hast thou not glorified.” (Dan. 5:23).
“Though Babylon should mount up to heaven, and though she should fortify the height of her strength, yet from Me shall spoilers come unto her, saith the Lord.
A sound of a cry cometh from Babylon, and great destruction from the land of the Chaldeans:” (Jer. 51:53,54).
“Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.” (Rev. 18:2).
“And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, My people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.
For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.” (Rev. 18:4,5).
“Thus saith the Lord of hosts; The broad walls of Babylon shall be utterly broken, and her high gates shall be burned with fire; and the people shall labour in vain, and the folk in the fire, and they shall be weary.…
And thou shalt say, Thus shall Babylon sink, and shall not rise from the evil that I will bring upon her: and they shall be weary.” (Jer. 51:58,64).
“The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of His indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:
And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.” (Rev. 14:10,11).
“And the nations were angry, and Thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that Thou shouldest give reward unto Thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear Thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.” (Rev. 11:18).
“The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” (2Pet. 3:9).
“Though thou exalt thyself as the eagle, and though thou set thy nest among the stars, thence will I bring thee down, saith the Lord.” (Obad. 1:4).
“Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain: and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it.” (Zech. 4:7).
“And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.
But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end.
And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey Him.” (Dan. 7:2-27).
Atheism is judged. Pride and self-esteem are judged. Self-sufficiency and indifference to God and His commandments are judged. Satan and spiritualism are judged.
“Thou sawest till that a Stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces.
Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the Stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.” (Dan. 2:34,35).
“And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.” (Dan. 2:44,45).
Faith in Jesus and love for our Father win.
“The saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever.” (Dan. 7:18).
The first Babylon started off in a good mood. The surviving families of the flood arrived at a large plain they had escaped Noah and his perpetual preaching--it seemed he had preaching coming out of his pores. They hated it. So they had to separate; they had to part amicably; they had to agree to disagree and cordially say Good-bye! to their patriarch, who had walked with God and in the light of His truth.
Down they came from his estate in the mountains of Ararat. Slowly they ventured here and then there into the strange new world once so lush and temperate, but now regrowing into thick forests and freezing cold. Descending and descending, into the warmth of the two rivers valley, the finally arrived at a large body of water. They named this place Shinar.
Now they would make it a great name for their atheistic group. Nimrod envisioned a man-made mountain upon which to meet with God and worship Him upon a great altar of their own proud making. It could also double as an emergency shelter in case another world-wide flood struck. Everyone enjoyed the new freedom apart from father Noah and their right to pursue their happiness. They reveled in their new project inspired by nimrod. How happy they were. Everyone was fed; everyone was conformable; everybody was employed; everyone was doing their part for the group. Everyone had no acceptance other than human acceptance, for peace with God was undesired.
It felt great to put God out of their thoughts. No one to correct them; no one to tell them what to do or make them feel guilty for their evils, or ecstatic for their union and cooperation, their civil and ethical treatment of one another. It was Godless and that was just as they desired.
But in that it was Godless, it was also loveless. That which bound them together were pride of accomplishment, in the erection of the monolithic structure rising above Shinar; sensual beauty in its engineering and architecture; curiosity as they investigated nature for improved materials and inventions to perfect the work of building; glory in the human as they worshiped their single language and solidarity without any regard to their Creator who made them in His image.
Lest the new race fling itself head long over the precipice of antediluvian wickedness and there be no lineage for their Redeemer, Michael, the Prince of heaven drew near to build a case against their work and to bring judgment against them and against Nimrod’s boasting blather.
“There fell a voice from heaven, saying, O king..., to thee it is spoken; The kingdom is departed from thee.” (Dan. 4:31). In an instant the empire was demolished as their Achilles heel was confused and now everyone talked blather. Words that meant one thing now had a different definition. Other words were plain gibberish. The glossolalia of their satanic worship became the national language, a habit that stuck and could not be turned off. Not a one trusted another. Every single individual was affected.
Building progress stopped and construction was frustrated. Pride of achievement was under attack, scientific curiosity halted. The Godless union unraveled. The fallen human nature encapsulated in each unconverted soul quickly expressed itself. In the first challenge and inconvenience and frustration, anger flared in every heart. No “God of peace” (1Thess. 5:23) was present to calm their unbridled adrenaline. No Spirit to strive against their selfish flesh to give them the spirituality their generation had lost and didn’t know they should want it with all their heart.
God permitted them to live oblivious of their obligation to His authority and loving-kindness; He allowed their atheism to develop according to their choice until they could see the glaring truth of their apostasy from the God of their father Noah. But now He performed on them His unexpected act. He forced their blinded consciences to comprehend His message to them,
“Where are their gods, their rock in whom they trusted,
Which did eat the fat of their sacrifices, and drank the wine of their drink offerings? let them rise up and help you, and be your protection.
See now that I, even I, am He, and there is no god with Me: I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal: neither is there any that can deliver out of My hand.
For I lift up My hand to heaven, and say, I live for ever.
If I whet My glittering sword, and Mine hand take hold on judgment; I will render vengeance to Mine enemies, and will reward them that hate Me.” (Deut. 32:37-41).
Enraged at the obvious divine discomfiture, their precious solidarity in which they gave their highest faith and loyalty, broke up in complete and utter conflict toward each other. Absolute cacophony and confusion resulted. All the praised human union and accomplishment collapsed in a billowing, scudding plume of dust and ashes. All its great future dashed to rubble in the twinkle of an eye. All their covered work of behind the scenes iniquity was unwrapped and brought to ruin, their sexual, indulgent, and faithless religion exposed to be the satanic invention and under God’s wrath.
All hopes in a brave new world without any association with the Creator of all their food and resources, “O Lord, Thou hast deceived me, and I was deceived: Thou art stronger than I, and hast prevailed.” (Jer. 20:7). “He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision.” (Ps. 2:4).
“I was a derision to all my people; and their song all the day.
He hath filled me with bitterness, He hath made me drunken with wormwood.” (Lam. 3:14,15).
“But hast lifted up thyself against the Lord of heaven; and they have brought the vessels of His house before thee, and thou, and thy lords, thy wives, and thy concubines, have drunk wine in them; and thou hast praised the gods of silver, and gold, of brass, iron, wood, and stone, which see not, nor hear, nor know: and the God in whose hand thy breath is, and whose are all thy ways, hast thou not glorified.” (Dan. 5:23).
“Though Babylon should mount up to heaven, and though she should fortify the height of her strength, yet from Me shall spoilers come unto her, saith the Lord.
A sound of a cry cometh from Babylon, and great destruction from the land of the Chaldeans:” (Jer. 51:53,54).
“Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.” (Rev. 18:2).
“And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, My people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.
For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.” (Rev. 18:4,5).
“Thus saith the Lord of hosts; The broad walls of Babylon shall be utterly broken, and her high gates shall be burned with fire; and the people shall labour in vain, and the folk in the fire, and they shall be weary.…
And thou shalt say, Thus shall Babylon sink, and shall not rise from the evil that I will bring upon her: and they shall be weary.” (Jer. 51:58,64).
“The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of His indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:
And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.” (Rev. 14:10,11).
“And the nations were angry, and Thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that Thou shouldest give reward unto Thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear Thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.” (Rev. 11:18).
“The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” (2Pet. 3:9).
“Though thou exalt thyself as the eagle, and though thou set thy nest among the stars, thence will I bring thee down, saith the Lord.” (Obad. 1:4).
“Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain: and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it.” (Zech. 4:7).
“And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.
But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end.
And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey Him.” (Dan. 7:2-27).
Atheism is judged. Pride and self-esteem are judged. Self-sufficiency and indifference to God and His commandments are judged. Satan and spiritualism are judged.
“Thou sawest till that a Stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces.
Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the Stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.” (Dan. 2:34,35).
“And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.” (Dan. 2:44,45).
Faith in Jesus and love for our Father win.
“The saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever.” (Dan. 7:18).
posted by David | 3:14 PM
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