Men of Great Renown

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I was reading in Genesis 6 recently, about the mixture between the sons of God and daughters of men, which resulted in children of “great renown”, followed shortly after by the earth being full of evil and being destroyed by a flood.

Genesis 6
1 And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them,
2 That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.
3 And the Lord said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years.
4 There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown.
5 And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
6 And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.
7 And the Lord said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repents me that I have made them.

This mixture of the “sons of God” and “daughters of men” was a combining of the principles of God with the principles of the world. This is what Babylon is all about. Read Revelation 18, for example, to see the connection between Babylon and the “merchants of the earth”.

Instead of self-denial and separation from the world, self-promotion “for God’s glory” is the new way. “Yes, I’m making millions, but it’s all for the glory of God!”

I’m reminded also of Nebuchadnezzar, king of the ancient Babylon. He said, “look at great Babylon that I have built.” And yet Babylon was a very religious nation, and would certainly have given honor to their gods as the reason for their victory over all nations. “All for the glory of god.” …or was it?

It’s very interesting to read the story of Nebuchadnezzar and just see how he reacted to certain situations:

  1. He bows down to Daniel and worships him when Daniel makes known the dream, but refuses to heed the part of the dream about his kingdom passing away.
  2. He then makes an image all of gold and commands everyone to worship it. When Daniel’s friends don’t, they are thrown into the furnace, and delivered.
  3. Nebuchadnezzar then commands all to worship their God, or be persecuted to death!
  4. Finally, lost in self-exaltation, he loses his reason, and after many years of humiliation, gets a personal experience of the true God, and honors Him the right way.

But that’s the end of his fame, and you don’t hear of him after that!

Today we have “christian” football players, rock stars, teen idols, faith healers, presidents, etc. It’s quite popular, and all “for the glory of God”.

We have our “men of great renown”.

Jeremiah 45
5 Seek you great things for yourself? Seek them not.

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