CHAPTER SEVEN: GOD CALLS ABRAM

THE TOWER OF BABEL
Tower of Confusion Many months passed as the tower slowly took shape and could be seen across the plains. If the project continued, it would reach up into the sky.

God knew that He had to stop this. He knew that if they continued, nothing could keep men from acting out every kind of evil they could think up.

So God confused their language. Up until then, everyone spoke the same language (Genesis 11:1). They could easily share ideas and thoughts. But God confused their speech, causing people to speak in different languages. They could no longer understand each other. This led to arguments and fights. Most of the people could no longer live or work together.

So the tower project ended. People who spoke the same language banded together and moved to their own region of the earth. Those who spoke other languages did the same.

Because of this, the tower came to be called “Babel,” which means “confusion” (Gen 11:2-9).

Where Worldly Holidays Come From
Those who stayed in or near Babylonia grew great in number. Over the years, Nimrod led them to build other cities in Babylonia, as well as in Assyria and other lands. These were all devil-worshipping kingdoms (Genesis 11:10-12).

The many who had left Babel and freed themselves from Nimrod’s rule continued to worship Satan, but called him by many different names.

Yet, a very tiny number of people, led by Noah’s son Shem, still feared and obeyed God. For many years, Shem fought against the spread of Nimrod’s idol-worshipping mystery religion.

Eventually, Nimrod was killed for his evil ways. His death so shocked his followers that many drifted away from the mystery religion.

However, Satan wanted to continue his deception. So he used Semiramis, Nimrod’s wife, to do this. Long after her husband’s death, she gave birth to a son, who she claimed was a miracle-child—Nimrod reborn! She said that the baby had no human father, but rather was the son of the “sun-god.”

This lie was used to replace the true Son of God, Jesus Christ, in the minds of the people. Semiramis deceived many into worshipping this false god.

It is the same today. Millions say that they worship Christ. But they do not really worship Him, because they do not obey God.

Though Nimrod was just a man, he came to be worshipped as a “sun god” after his death. Semiramis became known as “the Virgin Mother,” as well as the “Queen of Heaven.”

With Semiramis ruling over several kingdoms and religious systems, the Babylonian mystery religion spread far and wide. Over the centuries, it merged with other pagan religions and traditions of men.

Even today, many millions of people practice the ancient customs of this false, evil religion: Christmas, Easter, New Year’s and most of the world’s other holidays. They do not realize that what they practice came from ancient, idol-worshipping religions. These religions forced people to commit horrible evils, such as sacrificing babies by burning them in fire!
When people reject God and put their trust in themselves or other men, trouble always follows.