Eber became the patriarch of the Jewish people, while Nevrod ascended to be the first king among men. Both were respected, yet their dispositions were as distinct as light from darkness; Eber embodied goodness, whereas Nevrod embodied wickedness. Eber radiated purity through his virtuous actions, while Nevrod cast a shadow, leading others astray with his sinful deeds. Eber advocated obedience to God, while Nevrod incited divine wrath by urging men to commit unrighteous acts, such as the construction of a tower to reach the heavens, which we will recount in due course.
It is indeed perplexing to consider why the burgeoning population after the flood chose to follow the wicked Nevrod instead of the virtuous Eber. Why did they disregard the God-pleasing teachings of Eber and instead heed the ungodly counsel of Nevrod? The answer, we believe, lies solely in the corrupt state of human nature post-Adam's sin, which became increasingly susceptible to evil rather than good. Prior to the transgression of God’s command, humanity, in its innocence, was free from malice and sin, dwelling in the grace of God as beloved children, unaware of evil and without wicked desires. There was no arrogance or covetous ambition; they sought no higher honor than what was divinely bestowed, nor did they hoard possessions or wealth. Anger, malice, envy, and debauchery were foreign to them; they led righteous and holy lives, unaware of temptation until the enemy deceived them. After succumbing to that deception and provoking their Creator through disobedience, they lost their original grace, became aware of evil, and gravitated toward it. Consequently, a multitude of sinful desires—pride, lust, greed, rage, jealousy—infused human nature. Descendants of Adam became haughty, competing against one another in accumulating wealth and seeking personal gain, living in indulgence and satisfying the appetites of the flesh, as St. Paul observes: ‘walking (as the Apostle says) in the age of this world, in the lusts of their flesh, doing the will of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath’ (Ephesians 2:2-3). The ingrained habits of sin had become second nature to them, akin to innate desires that are nearly impossible to eradicate once established.
In the time of Eber and Nevrod, evil proliferated among humanity, and sin became commonplace, perceived almost as a natural occurrence. Thus, people were naturally inclined to heed the malicious influence of Nevrod rather than the virtuous counsel of Eber. Eber’s righteous advice, aimed at pleasing God, appeared foreign to them, as they lacked familiarity with good works. Conversely, Nevrod’s sinful guidance was eagerly embraced, for it felt comfortable and habitual to them. It was exceedingly difficult for the righteous Eber to persuade his people to forsake unrighteousness, while Nevrod easily led others astray. This demonstrates that the ungodly are often more responsive to malevolent influences than to virtuous ones. Additionally, those entrenched in sinful ways frequently show little hesitation in committing further transgressions.
Evil deeds cultivate a camaraderie among the wicked, fostering a convergence that makes them more amenable to each other’s corrupt advice. Goodness and evil stand in stark contrast; the righteous are as distant from vice as the east is from the west. This is why the sinner is more inclined to heed the voice of malice rather than goodness. It is regrettable that, as noted by St. John of the Ladder, we, burdened by sin yet served by an all-powerful God and His holy angels, do not readily turn toward righteousness, but instead readily succumb to sinful temptations. The Lestvitchnik refrained from contemplating this perplexity, stating simply, "I cannot and do not want to talk about this.” The root cause, as we suggest, is that human nature, tainted by ancestral sin and devoid of initial grace, has redefined evil as its default. As Scripture attests, ‘In iniquities I was conceived, and in sins my mother bore me’ (Psalm 50:7). A person raised in this condition instinctively desires what is familiar, fostering thoughts of wickedness from a young age, as noted: ‘the thought of evil belongs to man from his youth’ (Genesis 8:21). This inclination towards vice renders individuals deaf to virtuous counsel and quick to embrace evil.
The abundance of wise guidance in the Scriptures, as well as from spiritual mentors, underscores how few heed the call towards righteousness compared to the ease with which they fall into sin. Goodness does not necessitate numerous teachers, for a single whisper from a malevolent spirit readily ensnares the sinner. The very nature of sin draws individuals toward these desires, and often, one wicked soul assists another in perpetuating evil. Examining the tendency of people to follow Nevrod demonstrates that those ensnared in sinful habits lose their fear of God and neglect virtuous living. Such individuals grew unafraid to defy God through their reckless ventures, like building the tower.
Let this serve as a warning against becoming accustomed to sin; rise promptly from any moral failure. If someone falters in grave sin and does not swiftly seek repentance, they may find themselves ensnared repeatedly, with the initial transgression becoming less daunting. The initial act of sin is terrifying, but those who fall once can easily succumb again, slipping deeper into sin. The audacity to commit repeated transgressions stems from an initial refusal to repent immediately. Consider: if Adam had repented immediately after his fall in Paradise, humble in heart and sincerely seeking God's forgiveness, would the Lord have refused him? Surely not, for it is not within God's benevolence to withhold mercy from a genuine repentant heart. St. Dorotheus implies that God posed the question to Adam, ‘Where art thou?’ to prompt him toward repentance, facilitating his plea for forgiveness.
Another question arises: had God forgiven Adam immediately, would he have dared to sin again in such a manner? It’s unlikely, for having recognized the enormity of sin through his first fall, he would have been deterred from repeating that mistake. It is reasonable to suspect that no further sins would have afflicted mankind descending from Adam. However, since Adam did not promptly seek repentance, he became the wellspring of all subsequent sins multiplying in humanity. The unrepentant nature of his initial sin cascaded into a flood of wickedness, much like tainted waters surging from a foul source.
This pattern continues in our time. Had individuals risen immediately from their first sins with genuine repentance, they would be less likely to fall again. Yet, when people fail to promptly seek forgiveness after their initial transgression, they remain unafraid and grow increasingly bold in further disobedience. As Proverbs tells us: ‘When the wicked comes into the depths of evil, he does not heed’ (Proverbs 18:3). Thus, once sin becomes commonplace to a sinner, they may neglect their own salvation, losing the fear of God. Just as a boulder tumbles swiftly from a mountaintop, losing its ability to grasp the ground, so too does a sinner, failing to rise from their fall, find it increasingly difficult to resist enticements to sin. Therefore, do not delay, dear reader, in seeking repentance after falling into sin, lest you descend into the depths of evil and face destruction.
THEOSIS