Leaving A Legacy

Leaving a Legacy

Genesis 10:6-13

Intro: Who knows what a Nimrod is? The meaning of this term or name has changed throughout history. Bugs bunny kind of brought this word out of hibernation. In one of the first Bugs Bunny cartoons, Bugs called his nemesis Elmer Fudd a nimrod. The website Reddit says this about the word nimrod.

“ Bugs Bunny accidentally transformed the word nimrod into a synonym for idiot because nobody got a joke where he sarcastically compared Elmer Fudd to the Biblical figure Nimrod, a mighty hunter.”

. When Bugs called Elmer a nimrod, he was making fun of his hunting prowess but people didn’t get the sarcasm because most had never heard the word before and assumed that he was calling Elmer a fool or an idiot.

. That meaning for the word has evolved in that way ever since.

. The term is used in a very derogatory way.

The Dictionary of American slang says this:

. Nimrod, a simpleton; a nerd

. Example; Johnny is a total nimrod. He does dumb things.

. It would be wise to avoid being a nimrod.

. We are back in Genesis this morning.

. We have come to what I call the second begats. The first begats are in Genesis chapter 5 outlining the descendents of Adam and Eve and the second begats here are outlining the descendents of Noah’s three sons Shem Ham and Japheth.

. Lets look at Our scripture this morning.

.Genesis 10: 6-12

6The descendants of Ham were Cush, Mizraim, Put, and Canaan.

7The descendants of Cush were Seba, Havilah, Sabtah, Raamah, and Sabteca. The descendants of Raamah were Sheba and Dedan.

8Cush was also the ancestor of Nimrod, who was the first heroic warrior on earth.

9Since he was the greatest hunter in the world, his name became proverbial. People would say, “This man is like Nimrod, the greatest hunter in the world.”

10He built his kingdom in the land of Babylonia, with the cities of Babylon, Erech, Akkad, and Calneh.

11From there he expanded his territory to Assyria, building the cities of Nineveh, Rehoboth-ir, Calah,

12and Resen (the great city located between Nineveh and Calah).

.What is the one thing that sets all people apart from someone else.

. What is personal that belongs to you?

. The one thing that no matter what, nobody can take away from you.

. Your name. It is how we are identified isn’t it. A few weeks ago we talked about names and the way or names that Christians are identified.

. Names are important in the Bible. If they were not, God would not have chosen to list so many.

. All throughout this chapter, we get name after name after name. Then we see Nimrod. Why single out Nimrod.

. I studied this scripture and read commentaries and other sermons. Many say that Nimrod is singled out here, among all the other people because of his name.

. You see, Nimrod means rebel and they see him being singled out as being rebellious against God.

. I see no evidence of that in my studies.

. Verse 9 in the KJV translates this way.

. He was a mighty hunter before the Lord: wherefore it is said , Even as Nimrod the mighty hunter before the Lord.

. God told us about Nimrod because of his heroic actions.

. The previous heroes and famous warriors had all been washed off the face of the Earth in the flood.

.Nimrod was and is being he held up as an example of what one man can do and also he is a historical record.

. He became the hunter and builder that people looked up to.

. People loved to be compared to Nimrod.

. Look at verse 9 again.

9Since he was the greatest hunter in the world, his name became proverbial. People would say, “This man is like Nimrod, the greatest hunter in the world.”

. God is showing us that one man can make a difference in the world.

. Look at what Nimrod did.

10He built his kingdom in the land of Babylonia, with the cities of Babylon, Erech, Akkad, and Calneh.

11From there he expanded his territory to Assyria, building the cities of Nineveh, Rehoboth-ir, Calah,

12and Resen (the great city located between Nineveh and Calah).

. Nimrod was also a mighty builder.

. He built the cities of Babylon and Nineveh. Great cities of the Bible.

. Babylon is still standing today in the country of Iraq.

. Nimrod built and left a legacy.

. Like Nimrod, we all leave a legacy in some way or another.

.There are many other names listed here as well.

. Look back at verse 6.

. 6The descendants of Ham were Cush, Mizraim, Put, and Canaan.