Nations Descended from Noah
10 These are the generations of the sons of Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Sons were born to them after the flood. 2 The sons of Japheth: Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras. 3 The sons of Gomer: Ashkenaz, Riphath, and Togarmah. 4 The sons of Javan: Elishah, Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim. 5 From these the coastland peoples spread in their lands, each with his own language, by their clans, in their nations. 6 The sons of Ham: Cush, Egypt, Put, and Canaan. 7 The sons of Cush: Seba, Havilah, Sabtah, Raamah, and Sabteca. The sons of Raamah: Sheba and Dedan. 8 Cush fathered Nimrod; he was the first on earth to be a mighty man. 9 He was a mighty hunter before the Lord. Therefore it is said, “Like Nimrod a mighty hunter before the Lord.” 10 The beginning of his kingdom was Babel, Erech, Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar. 11 From that land he went into Assyria and built Nineveh, Rehoboth-Ir, Calah, and 12 Resen between Nineveh and Calah; that is the great city. 13 Egypt fathered Ludim, Anamim, Lehabim, Naphtuhim,14 Pathrusim, Casluhim (from whom the Philistines came), and Caphtorim. 15 Canaan fathered Sidon his firstborn and Heth, 16 and the Jebusites, the Amorites, the Girgashites, 17 the Hivites, the Arkites, the Sinites, 18 the Arvadites, the Zemarites, and the Hamathites. Afterward the clans of the Canaanites dispersed. 19 And the territory of the Canaanites extended from Sidon in the direction of Gerar as far as Gaza, and in the direction of Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim, as far as Lasha. 20 These are the sons of Ham, by their clans, their languages, their lands, and their nations. 21 To Shem also, the father of all the children of Eber, the elder brother of Japheth, children were born. 22 The sons of Shem: Elam, Asshur, Arpachshad, Lud, and Aram. 23 The sons of Aram: Uz, Hul, Gether, and Mash. 24 Arpachshad fathered Shelah; and Shelah fathered Eber.25 To Eber were born two sons: the name of the one was Peleg, for in his days the earth was divided, and his brother's name was Joktan. 26 Joktan fathered Almodad, Sheleph, Hazarmaveth, Jerah, 27 Hadoram, Uzal, Diklah, 28 Obal, Abimael, Sheba, 29 Ophir, Havilah, and Jobab; all these were the sons of Joktan. 30 The territory in which they lived extended from Mesha in the direction of Sephar to the hill country of the east. 31 These are the sons of Shem, by their clans, their languages, their lands, and their nations. 32 These are the clans of the sons of Noah, according to their genealogies, in their nations, and from these the nations spread abroad on the earth after the flood. Meditation Do you read chapter 10 and say, “boring,” wondering why a list of names like this is in the Bible? Is this chapter anything more than a glorified ancient phone book with funny names? The genealogies of Scripture record actual history of actual people and show the story of God’s promise going forward. The fullness of God’s promise will be realized in the new heavens and new earth where there is another list of names- the book of life (Revelation 20:12-15). You want your name there, right? So I guess names in a book are important! Genealogies in Genesis take us back to God’s promise in 3:15, the offspring of Eve. The “generations of the sons of Noah” (1) takes us back to God’s covenant with creation for generations (9:2) and pushes us forward to His covenant with his people for forever generations (17:7). Jesus Christ is the greatest son of Noah and is the ultimate fulfillment of God’s promise. When our faith is in Christ alone for salvation our lives will show our faith and our name is included in the Lamb’s book of Life. The ordinary nature of God’s faithfulness to His promise for generations, through lists like today’s reading, are not boring but beautiful. God is faithful to keep His promise- to every generation! Richly Dwelling -Will your name be in the Lamb’s book of life? Do you believe Jesus Christ as the ultimate fulfillment of God’s promise? -How do genealogies, like today’s reading, help you see that God’s plan is about something greater than our finite view of a list of names? -If God’s word is about God’s purposes then how does that alter your daily routine, finding God’s extra-ordinary purposes in the ordinariness of your life? Be specific. Key Verse 10:1 These are the generations of the sons of Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Sons were born to them after the flood. Comments are closed.
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AuthorPastor Mitchell celebrates twenty-five years of marriage with Lisa & together they have four adventurous children. |