A friend sent a piece on “Iraq and
the Bible” to my whatsapp. It made good reading and has much lesson to impart. I
have edited the piece, adding materials where necessary and deleting others. I
hope you’ll love it. It’s interesting and makes the Bible more meaningful.
Israel is the name we are more used
to in the Bible, and is actually mentioned more times than any other. Iraq, by
the very word, is not mentioned in the Bible. The names used in the Bible for
what is today known as Iraq are Babylon, Land of Shinar, and Mesopotamia. The
word Mesopotamia means ‘between two rivers’; more exactly between the Tigris
and Euphrates. The name Iraq means ‘country with deep roots’. Indeed Iraq is a
country with deep roots, and is a very significant country in the Bible. Here
is why:
The Garden of Eden was in Iraq
(Gen. 2: 10 – 14).
Adam and Eve were created and put
in Iraq (Gen. 2: 7 – 8).
Satan made his first recorded appearance
in Iraq (Gen. 3: 1 – 6).
The first recorded violence
(murder) took place in Iraq (Gen. 4: 8).
Nimrod established Babylon which is
Iraq (Gen. 10: 8 – 10).
Mesopotamia which is now Iraq was
the cradle of civilization (Gen. 11: 1 – 4).
The Tower of Babel was in Iraq
(Gen. 11: 2).
The confusion of languages took
place in Iraq (Gen. 11: 1 – 9).
Abraham was from Ur, which is in
Southern Iraq (Gen. 11: 31).
Isaac’s wife, Rebekah, is from
Nahor which is in Iraq (Gen. 24: 3 – 4, 10).
Jacob spent 20 years in Iraq (Gen.
27: 42 – 45; 31: 38).
Jacob met Rachel in Iraq (Gen. 29:
1 – 14).
Assyria which is in Iraq conquered
the ten tribes of Israel (Gen. 10: 11; II Kings 17: 1 – 23).
Iraq was a world power in their
days (Dan. 1: 1 – 2; 2: 36 – 38).
Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon,
destroyed Jerusalem and carried the Jews captive into Iraq (II Kings 24: 10 –
16).
The events in the Book of Esther
took place in Iraq.
Daniel’s history of consecration, promotion
and persecution were all in Iraq (The Book of Daniel).
The events of the Book of Daniel
took place in Iraq.
Jonah preached in Nineveh which is
in Iraq (Gen. 10: 11 – 12, Jonah 1: 1 – 2;
3: 1 – 4).
The greatest revival in history
took place in Nineveh, a city in Iraq (Jonah 3).
Ezekiel preached in Iraq (Ezek. 1:
1 – 3).
The wise men were from Iraq (Matt.
2: 1).
If God is so interested in a
country, we should equally be. In the winding up of history, Babylon will
experience great judgment from the hand of God. Whether this is present day
Iraq or figurative Babylon, a great day of reckoning is coming upon a city in
which God invested so much, and reaped so little goodness and much wickedness.
Now, let’s examine ourselves. Has
God invested much in us? Are we bringing forth the fruit God expects from us?
Let us remember that each of us is accountable to God for what He has invested
in us. Are you entrusted with beauty, health, wealth, family, work, position,
leadership or any form of responsibility? Let these be your channels of
proclaiming and honouring God. Do not give in to the temptation to use any of
these or other God’s blessings to glorify the devil. Let your life speak for
God. Peace be with you!
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