Like Noah, Shem's sons were born in the image and likeness of Adam and were of the same nature. Shem, being the older and the firstborn, had the rights to inherit the patriarchal position of his father. He was the servant prince who would act as a redeemer if other members of the family were to lose their property, inheritance, or in the event of not having posterity. About Shem it says that he "was the father of all the children of Eber" (Genesis 10:21). Thus we see that at times "fatherhood" has a far wider scope than strict biological parenting. Because of the principles of redemption, Biblical fatherhood involves definite legislated parameters and ramifications, which will become evident later on.
In the third generation of Noah's family we encounter a deviation from the firstborn redeemer order. The instigator of this subversion was Ham’s firstborn grandson (from his firstborn, Cush) - a man by the name of Nimrod .
Nimrod’s name means “we will rebel”, or “let us rebel”. Whom or what was he rebelling against? Scripture tells us that Nimrod was "a mighty hunter". This means that he was very adept at leading, planning, organizing and carrying out a hunt. He is depicted as someone who had all the natural components that made it possible for him to rebel against YHVH’s Kingdom Order. And this is exactly what took place. “The beginning of his [Nimrod's] kingdom was Babel, and Erech, and Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar” (Genesis 10:10). And furthermore, of his subjects it is written: "And they said, 'Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top is in the heavens; let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth'" (Genesis 11:4). Here we see the inception of another kingdom, a kingdom which had its roots in the first city (other than the one built by Cain) - Babel, in the Land of Shinar.
What was the reason for gathering the people together and building a city with a high tower? What motivated Nimrod to establish another kingdom, and what caused the people with him to try to "make a name for themselves"? Nimrod no doubt was prompted by the firstborn jealousy over the patriarchal rule of his uncle and cousin, Shem and Eber. He was not interested in humbly serving YHVH. The nature of another spiritual entity found a new firstborn (Cain-type) to prey upon. Satan knows that man is YHVH’s channel for the manifestation of His nature and Kingdom here on planet earth. By the same token, Satan can also make use of humans for his kingdom purposes. So just like Cain, Nimrod and his cohorts reintroduced and expressed the nature of the kingdom of “knowledge of good and evil" through the “lust of the eyes” (tower), “lust of the flesh" (a city) and the "pride of life" (making a name for themselves) (ref. 1 John 2:16).
Building something bigger, higher and stronger was to confirm, justify and express the existence of this other kingdom. The name of the city was Babel, meaning "confusion" or "mixing". YHVH’s word to the Noahic family was “to be fruitful multiply and fill the earth” (Genesis 9:1). Nimrod did the very opposite. Rather than filling the earth, as commanded, he gathered the people to himself.
Like YHVH's Kingdom, Nimrod’s kingdom was also governed by a kingly-priestly order. However, these offices did not exist for the purpose of facilitating service to YHVH and to Mankind; rather, they were hierarchical political and religious positions turned-institutes, which paid tribute to Man instead of the Creator. YHVH had not given Man authority to rule over his kind, only to serve one another. Nimrod's offices of king and priest, on the other hand, were designed to exalt the names of those who bore the titles that were attached to their respective positions.
This rebellion, however, was not allowed to continue. YHVH judged that kingdom by confusing the language, so that the objectives could not be accomplished, as seen in Genesis 11:9: “Therefore its name is called Babel, because there YHVH confused the language… and from there YHVH scattered them abroad over the face of all the earth.” Thus YHVH had his way and the rebels were scattered. Nevertheless, it was from this rebellion that the various nations/goyim, patterned after Nimrod’s kingdom, emerged, together with their governments and religious expressions. But through the His firstborn, YHVH's Kingdom Order was still intact.
The following are the generations of YHVH’s firstborn:
Adam, Seth, Enosh, Kenan, Mahalalel, Jared, Enoch, Methuselah, Lamech, Noah, Shem, Arpachshad, Shelah, Eber, Peleg, Reu, Serug, Nahor, Terah, Abram, Isaac, Jacob, Judah and Joseph/Ephraim, all in all twenty four elders, or patriarchal firstborn, who ruled before YHVH changed the individual ruling firstborn to a firstborn nation. These twenty four are most likely those who according to Revelation 4;4, were seen sitting around the throne. Please note that none of the those elders qualified to take the scroll that was to the right of the Creator, and redeem that which belonged to Him (ref. Revelation 5:3-4). Psalm 49:7-8 declares that “None can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to Elohim a ransom for him: For the redemption of their soul is precious, and one should cease trying for ever.”
It was during the days of Peleg that YHVH Elohim judged Babel, scattering the peoples and dividing the earth (ref. Genesis 10:25). In so acting, YHVH was preparing for His far reaching plan. "Remember the days of old, consider the years of many generations. Ask your father, and he will show you; your elders, and they will tell you: When the Most High divided their inheritance to the nations, when He separated the sons of Adam, He set the boundaries of the peoples according to the number of the children of Israel. For YHVH's portion is His people; Jacob is the place of His inheritance" (Deuteronomy 32:7-9 emphases added).
As mentioned above, YHVH judged Nimrod’s kingdom and cities during the days of Peleg (who lived only one generation after Eber - Nimrod's cousin and contemporary), dividing them according to the number of the tribes of Israel who at that point had not even come into existence. This is a clear statement that Israel was to be solely YHVH's possession, and would become the governing head over the rest of the nations. Israel's role was to serve Mankind and be their brothers' keepers. What was so unique about Israel's twelve tribes that would qualify them to become this special and peculiar people? Would not history prove their conduct to be no different than the rest of the nations? To answer these questions we must turn to the twelfth chapter of Genesis, which describes a very crucial development in YHVH’s plan in establishing His Kingdom, rule and authority upon earth. It begins with the word of YHVH to a man called Abram.
In the third generation of Noah's family we encounter a deviation from the firstborn redeemer order. The instigator of this subversion was Ham’s firstborn grandson (from his firstborn, Cush) - a man by the name of Nimrod .
Nimrod’s name means “we will rebel”, or “let us rebel”. Whom or what was he rebelling against? Scripture tells us that Nimrod was "a mighty hunter". This means that he was very adept at leading, planning, organizing and carrying out a hunt. He is depicted as someone who had all the natural components that made it possible for him to rebel against YHVH’s Kingdom Order. And this is exactly what took place. “The beginning of his [Nimrod's] kingdom was Babel, and Erech, and Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar” (Genesis 10:10). And furthermore, of his subjects it is written: "And they said, 'Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top is in the heavens; let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth'" (Genesis 11:4). Here we see the inception of another kingdom, a kingdom which had its roots in the first city (other than the one built by Cain) - Babel, in the Land of Shinar.
What was the reason for gathering the people together and building a city with a high tower? What motivated Nimrod to establish another kingdom, and what caused the people with him to try to "make a name for themselves"? Nimrod no doubt was prompted by the firstborn jealousy over the patriarchal rule of his uncle and cousin, Shem and Eber. He was not interested in humbly serving YHVH. The nature of another spiritual entity found a new firstborn (Cain-type) to prey upon. Satan knows that man is YHVH’s channel for the manifestation of His nature and Kingdom here on planet earth. By the same token, Satan can also make use of humans for his kingdom purposes. So just like Cain, Nimrod and his cohorts reintroduced and expressed the nature of the kingdom of “knowledge of good and evil" through the “lust of the eyes” (tower), “lust of the flesh" (a city) and the "pride of life" (making a name for themselves) (ref. 1 John 2:16).
Building something bigger, higher and stronger was to confirm, justify and express the existence of this other kingdom. The name of the city was Babel, meaning "confusion" or "mixing". YHVH’s word to the Noahic family was “to be fruitful multiply and fill the earth” (Genesis 9:1). Nimrod did the very opposite. Rather than filling the earth, as commanded, he gathered the people to himself.
Like YHVH's Kingdom, Nimrod’s kingdom was also governed by a kingly-priestly order. However, these offices did not exist for the purpose of facilitating service to YHVH and to Mankind; rather, they were hierarchical political and religious positions turned-institutes, which paid tribute to Man instead of the Creator. YHVH had not given Man authority to rule over his kind, only to serve one another. Nimrod's offices of king and priest, on the other hand, were designed to exalt the names of those who bore the titles that were attached to their respective positions.
This rebellion, however, was not allowed to continue. YHVH judged that kingdom by confusing the language, so that the objectives could not be accomplished, as seen in Genesis 11:9: “Therefore its name is called Babel, because there YHVH confused the language… and from there YHVH scattered them abroad over the face of all the earth.” Thus YHVH had his way and the rebels were scattered. Nevertheless, it was from this rebellion that the various nations/goyim, patterned after Nimrod’s kingdom, emerged, together with their governments and religious expressions. But through the His firstborn, YHVH's Kingdom Order was still intact.
The following are the generations of YHVH’s firstborn:
Adam, Seth, Enosh, Kenan, Mahalalel, Jared, Enoch, Methuselah, Lamech, Noah, Shem, Arpachshad, Shelah, Eber, Peleg, Reu, Serug, Nahor, Terah, Abram, Isaac, Jacob, Judah and Joseph/Ephraim, all in all twenty four elders, or patriarchal firstborn, who ruled before YHVH changed the individual ruling firstborn to a firstborn nation. These twenty four are most likely those who according to Revelation 4;4, were seen sitting around the throne. Please note that none of the those elders qualified to take the scroll that was to the right of the Creator, and redeem that which belonged to Him (ref. Revelation 5:3-4). Psalm 49:7-8 declares that “None can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to Elohim a ransom for him: For the redemption of their soul is precious, and one should cease trying for ever.”
It was during the days of Peleg that YHVH Elohim judged Babel, scattering the peoples and dividing the earth (ref. Genesis 10:25). In so acting, YHVH was preparing for His far reaching plan. "Remember the days of old, consider the years of many generations. Ask your father, and he will show you; your elders, and they will tell you: When the Most High divided their inheritance to the nations, when He separated the sons of Adam, He set the boundaries of the peoples according to the number of the children of Israel. For YHVH's portion is His people; Jacob is the place of His inheritance" (Deuteronomy 32:7-9 emphases added).
As mentioned above, YHVH judged Nimrod’s kingdom and cities during the days of Peleg (who lived only one generation after Eber - Nimrod's cousin and contemporary), dividing them according to the number of the tribes of Israel who at that point had not even come into existence. This is a clear statement that Israel was to be solely YHVH's possession, and would become the governing head over the rest of the nations. Israel's role was to serve Mankind and be their brothers' keepers. What was so unique about Israel's twelve tribes that would qualify them to become this special and peculiar people? Would not history prove their conduct to be no different than the rest of the nations? To answer these questions we must turn to the twelfth chapter of Genesis, which describes a very crucial development in YHVH’s plan in establishing His Kingdom, rule and authority upon earth. It begins with the word of YHVH to a man called Abram.
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