April 3, 2007

Cush fathered Nimrod; he was the first on earth to be a mighty man. He was a mighty hunter before the LORD. Therefore it is said, “Like Nimrod a mighty hunter before the LORD.”

--Genesis 10:8-9

In our previous devotional, we looked at the place known as Babel…a place that was ruled by an evil and powerful king named Nimrod. He was, in effect, the first great world ruler.

The very name Nimrod means “the rebellious one,” and this guy certainly didn’t disappoint. He was strong and powerful physically as well as politically. The translation of the text seems to imply that Nimrod thought he was mighty in God’s sight—that even God was impressed with him!

King Nimrod is a perfect illustration of another person Jesus warns us about…the Antichrist. Nimrod was strong and arrogant, and he ruled over the world, then known as Babylon. The Antichrist will also rise up in the last world system, and lead arrogantly against Christ, including hunting down God’s people.

More and more we see the spirit of Antichrist—those who oppose Christ and anything Christian—at work in our world today. But just as God has always protected His people, so will He protect you and me even in these unstable and somewhat scary times in which we live.

Our calling is to stand firm and continue being lights to a world that is slipping deeper into darkness. My prayer for you is that you won’t give into the fear that so easily pervades our world today, but instead, be a strong and mighty witness of the power of God to change a life!  

STAND FIRM IN GOD’S PROTECTION SO THAT YOU CAN BE A LIGHT TO OUR DARK WORLD.