Better a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer knows how to heed a warning. – Ecclesiastes 4:13

Today’s Scripture Reading (May 13, 2013): Ecclesiastes 4

Nimrod was ancient king in Shinar. He was the great-grandson of Noah. He was known as a mighty warrior and as a great hunter, which is probably the reason he was crowned king. But he is also thought (by tradition) to be the driving force behind the building of the Tower of Babel. Against all of the wisdom of the day, he decided to build a tower that would reach into the heavens. Of course, today we realize how stupid an idea that the tower of Babel really was, but even in his day it was a questionable decision. Therefore, Nimrod became a model for everything that was stupid and short-sighted.

There is no biblical evidence that Nimrod and Abraham ever met, but tradition says that they did. According to tradition, and taking elements out of several other Biblical narratives, Nimrod set himself up as the god over all the earth. This setting himself up as God was part of the reason for the building of the Tower of Babel, that the tower would draw all people to Nimrod their god. But Nimrod sees in the stars the message that there is a great man of the real God that is about to be born in the land of Ur, and so he sends out his men to kill the children of the area. The plan fails, but Nimrod never gives up the chase. Finally he finds the young Abram (later Abraham) and arrests him, and the tradition says that Nimrod had been saving up wood for four years to build the biggest fire the world had ever seen all for the purpose of burning the young boy named Abram. But according to tradition, Abram walks out of the flames and away from Nimrod. Eventually it was the persecution that Abram suffered at the hands of Nimrod that would chase him away from his home into an unknown land where God would make change his name to Abraham and make him like a king. But the message of the story is all about the eventual defeat of all that is evil by those who are righteous - because even the evil (and mighty) king Nimrod is defeated by a young righteous boy named Abraham.

There is probably little truth in the traditions. They grab stories from Moses to Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego to build the story. But if there is a truth found in the midst of the story it is this, Abraham went on to be revered by three religions as a great man of faith. Nimrod has become a caricature for all that is stupid and short-sighted – in fact, Nimrod is what we call each other when we do stupid things.

And tradition says that this is the story that was in the mind of The Teacher as he wrote these words about it being better to be a wise youth than to be a foolish king. It is better to be able to take advice from wise than to think that you are above the wise – it is all about the ancient battle between a youth named Abraham and king named Nimrod.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Ecclesiastes 5