The Root of Ungodly Leaders - The Apostate Church
· Below are three leaders who were worshipped as gods, and even thought of themselves as gods. Each of them had a lot of power, and like Lucifer, it must have gone to their heads.
Nimrod – The son of Cush and therefore a great-grandson of Noah, Nimrod was described as a king in the land of Shinar (Lower Mesopotamia). The Bible states that he was "a mighty hunter before the Lord [and] ... began to be mighty in the earth" (Genesis 10:8-10).
· Later extra-biblical traditions identified Nimrod as the ruler who commissioned the construction of the Tower of Babel, which led to his reputation as a king who was rebellious against God. Please read Genesis 11:1-9. This shows how powerful people can be if they are on one accord, even if they are wicked. 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.”
· The Lord said: Indeed, the people are one and they all have one language, and this is what they begin to do; now nothing that they propose to do will be withheld from them (Genesis 11:1-5).
Pharaoh - As supreme ruler of the people, the pharaoh was considered a god on earth, the intermediary between the gods and the people. When the pharaoh came to the throne he was instantly associated with Horus - the god who had defeated the forces of chaos and restored order - and when he died, he was associated with Osiris, the god of the dead.
As such, in his role of 'High Priest of Every Temple', it was the pharaoh's duty to build great temples and monuments celebrating his own achievements and paying homage to the gods of the land who gave him the power to rule in this life and would guide him in the next.
Life Lessons
Like many people today, Pharaoh trusted in himself rather than God, which is the most common form of idolatry. Deliberately opposing God always ends in ruin, whether in this life or the next. Read Exodus, chapters 5-14
The Fall of King Nebuchadnezzar – Daniel 4:28-37
The king spoke, saying, “Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for a royal dwelling by my mighty power and for the honor of my majesty?” While the word was still in the king’s mouth, a voice fell from heaven:
“King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: the kingdom has departed from you! And they shall drive you from men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. They shall make you eat grass like oxen; and seven times shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men and gives it to whomever He chooses.”
That very hour the word was fulfilled concerning Nebuchadnezzar; he was driven from men and ate grass like oxen; his body was wet with the dew of heaven till his hair had grown like eagles’ feathers and his nails like birds’ claws. He learned a lesson from the fall.
He learned a lesson from the fall. Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, all of whose works are truth, and His ways justice. And those who walk in pride He is able to put down.
Note: some of the information was obtained through the internet.
Encouragement: Always remember that our GOD is Greater than any king because Jesus Christ is the King of kings!
~ Betty A. Burnett ~
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