The Medical Missionary, vol. 17
April 8, 1908
“Through the Bible—III” The Medical Missionary, 17, 15, p. 290.
ALONZO T. JONES
IN the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth, and man upon the earth to inhabit it forever. (Isaiah 45:18; Psalm 115:16.) God’s works were there for man to enjoy, and God’s rest for him to enter into and there abide forever more. Genesis 2:3; Mark 2:27; Hebrews 4:3-5. MEDM April 8, 1908, page 290.1
But the man forsook his glorious privileges and fell from his high estate. Yet the Lord gave himself to redeem man from his sin and loss. And even from this gift of redemption there was such a departure and such a fall that the flood was the only remedy. MEDM April 8, 1908, page 290.2
In Noah and his family God again started mankind and the world in the right path; and with those who knew his way. And again, when man had multiplied upon the earth, there was a forsaking of the way of the Lord for the ways of sin; and a forsaking of him as true God and only king for idols as gods and man as king in the place of God. MEDM April 8, 1908, page 291.1
Nimrod, the exceedingly impious rebel, “and overbearing tyrant in Jehovah’s sight,” was the first to establish this idolatrous, rebellious, tyrannical, monarchical, and imperial order of things. MEDM April 8, 1908, page 291.2
Nimrod “began to be a mighty one in the earth.” He was the first mighty one; the first to assert monarchical and imperial power; the first to assert human authority by force, compelling all to recognize his dominion and his authority;—hunting, pursuing, and persecuting all who desired still to worship God and have him as their king. Genesis 10:8-12. MEDM April 8, 1908, page 291.3
However, Nimrod’s assertion of dominion and authority was totally different in principle as well as in operation from the dominion of God. The sovereignty of God is primarily over persons; over the minds, the hearts, the souls, of people, in a loving fellowship and joyous liberty that sanctifies, enlightens, and ennobles. Nimrod’s asserted sovereignty was primarily over territory; and secondarily over men, and as the consequence of their happening to be in the territory. For men as men he cared nothing at all. Territory, dominion, and authority over territory, lordship, ownership, and monopoly of territory,—this was primarily the direction taken by Nimrod’s monarchical and imperialistic ambition; and it followed as a necessary consequence that the people who happened to be within the territorial bounds of his ambition must acknowledge him as only lord and only king, and must pay tribute and all obedience and allegiance to him. MEDM April 8, 1908, page 291.4
Therefore, “with the setting up of Nimrod’s kingdom, the entire ancient world entered a new historical phase. His reign introduced to the world a new system of relations between the governor and the governed. The authority of former rulers had rested upon the feeling of kindred, and the ascendancy of the chief was an image of parental control. Nimrod on the contrary, was a sovereign of territory, and of men just so far as they were its inhabitants, and irrespective of personal ties. Hitherto there had been tribes—enlarged families—society; now there was a nation, a political community—the State. The political and social history of the world henceforth are distinct, if not divergent.” MEDM April 8, 1908, page 291.5
Nimrod extended his empire, established his dominion, and enforced his will and authority over all the Mesopotamian plain, from Erech to Nineveh. But that empire failed, fell, and became nothing. Yet others followed readily the way of Nimrod in the Mesopotamian plain. The first, was that of Chaldea, after which Elam by Chedorlaomer arose to power and spread her empire not only over all the Mesopotamian plain from Ur to Nineveh, but also over all the country westward to the mountains of Lebanon and the River Jordan. MEDM April 8, 1908, page 291.6
This empire King Chedorlaomer held for twelve years. But the thirteenth year there was revolt in the West; and “the fourteenth year came Chedorlaomer and the kings that were with him” to put down the rebellion. They came as far as to Sodom and Gomorrah, and defeated the four kings of the plain of the Jordan. But on their return to the East laden with the spoil, and with Lot as prisoner, Abram followed and effected a night surprise and an overwhelming defeat; and the empire of Chedorlaomer was at an end. Genesis 14. MEDM April 8, 1908, page 291.7
Next arose Egypt to world-power, and by invasion and slaughter extended her empire over all people and countries from Ethiopia to Asia Minor and to Elam. This extensive empire was maintained about three hundred years, when it, too, was broken to pieces. MEDM April 8, 1908, page 291.8
Next arose the power of Assyria, and by repeated invasion and merciless slaughter she spread her empire over all countries from Elam and Asia Minor to Ethiopia. For four hundred years Assyria held imperial and terrorizing sway, when her empire and her very existence as a power were annihilated. Isaiah 10:5, 13, 14; the book of Nahum; and Zephaniah 2:13-15. MEDM April 8, 1908, page 292.1
Then came Babylon; “the hammer of the whole earth,” smiting the nations “in wrath with a stroke.” This continued for eighty years, when in the wild orgy of reckless intemperance and irreligion of Belshazzar’s feast the power of Babylon sank forever. Jeremiah 50:23; Isaiah 14:4-6; and Daniel 5. MEDM April 8, 1908, page 292.2
Next came upon the stage of the world the power of Media over Persia. Two hundred years Persia held sway, the latter half of which time murderous men and violent, intriguing women strove for the mastery in a system of almost the very desperation of wickedness. Daniel 5:31; Daniel 11:12; 10:20. MEDM April 8, 1908, page 292.3
Next, following the marvelous example of Alexander, the rapid energy of the Greeks filled the stage of empire for a hundred and fifty years, till again “the transgressions were come to the full,” when this power and empire also sank forever. Daniel 8:21-23; 9:10; 11:16. MEDM April 8, 1908, page 292.4
Then came a new order of things in the way of empire—government of the people, a republic. A people had risen who had repudiated kings and kingships, and all that pertained to them; asserting that men were capable of governing themselves, and needed no such ex-pensive luxury as kings to be over them, to exact of them tribute, and to oppress and abuse them. This was Rome. Thus arose a world-power and empire, “different from all that were before it,” and “diverse from all kingdoms.” While this was true as to principle and form, in character and in practice it proved to be the same old imperial despotism and tyranny, only intensified. This empire continued for five hundred years, when it, too, filled the measure of iniquity, and fell in annihilating ruin. Daniel 11:14, margin; 7:7, 19, 23; Revelation 8:6-12. MEDM April 8, 1908, page 292.5
Empire was gone, government of the people—republic—was gone, and ten kingdoms occupied the stage. (Daniel 7:7, 24.) But again the story of imperial ambition was repeated through a long succession of thirteen hundred years, when again there came a new order of things. Again there arose a people who repudiated kings and kingship and all that pertained to them, asserting that men are capable of governing themselves, and need no such expensive luxury as kings to be over them, etc., etc. Again from this new order of things there arose a world-power expanding into empire as before, following the same course as the others, and finally to come to the same end as all the others, and with all the others of its time and its day. Revelation 13:11-17; 16:13-16; 19-19, 20; Daniel 2:34, 35, 44, 45. MEDM April 8, 1908, page 292.6
Please follow carefully this study through the Bible, verifying it by the Scriptures, and you will be better prepared to study the Bible. MEDM April 8, 1908, page 292.7