“Life is short” – Nike
Today in Iraq is the excavation of the ancient city of Babylon. Recently at the excavation site, scientists discovered an ancient carving etched in stone that bares these words: “I am King Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, king from sea to far sea.” What happened to this king and his powerful empire?
In 612 B.C. Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, attacked Nineveh, the capital of the Assyrian empire and most powerful city in the world. The Babylonian army defeated the Assyrians and quickly became the most powerful empire in the history of the world. The Babylonian Empire stretched from one side of the known world to the other. The Babylonians would rule the world forever… it would seem.
Then in 539 B.C. Cyrus, king of Persia, came up from the area of modern day Iran and attacked the Babylonian empire. The Persians eventually defeated Babylon and the Persian Empire quickly became the most powerful empire in the history of the world, stretching from one side of the known world to the other. For almost 300 years the Persian Empire sustained itself. The Persians would rule the world forever… it would seem.
Then in 350 B.C., in a disorganized corner of the world known as Greece, the city-states of Athens, Sparta, and Macedonia joined forces under Alexander the Great and attacked the Persian Empire and defeated the Persians, becoming the most powerful empire in the history of the world. The Greek Empire quickly stretched from one side of the known world to the other. The Greeks would rule the world forever… it would seem.
Then in 264 B.C. the Roman army crossed over the line of Italy and attacked and defeated the Greek empire. The Roman Empire quickly stretched from one side of the known world to the other and became the most powerful empire in the history of the world. The Romans would rule the world forever… it would seem.
Then in 1783 A.D. America defeated the British armies and eventually became the most powerful empire in the history of the world. The Americans would dominate the world forever… it would seem…
We are part of the on-going pattern of history. Babylon perished. Persia, Greece, and Rome all followed suit. One day so will we. I often forget that we are not permanent; we will not last forever. I am a “mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes” (James 4:14).
As Nike says, “Life is short”… but it’s the next one that lasts forever. May we remember that we are passing through this perishable world and will one day enter a kingdom that will, in fact, last forever.
Nebuchadnezzar was king only for a season. His kingdom did not last. Today, etched in stone at an Iraqi excavation site is a reminder that kingdoms rise, kingdoms fall, but there is a kingdom to come that will last forever.
“In the time of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will crush all those kingdoms and bring them to an end, but it will itself endure forever.” – Daniel of Babylon (circa 620 B.C.)