Wednesday, June 1, 2011

WEDNESDAYintheWORD: "Nations & Pride" -Bob Caldwell

GENESIS


 

Nations & Pride

 

http://www.ccboise.org/Portals/0/images/DailyDevo/DailyDevoKeyIcon.jpg 11:4 And they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top is in the heavens; let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth.”

After listing the origins of the people groups that migrated throughout the world, we are told why they did. It was rooted in the collective pride of a society that sought to exalt itself above God. It had gotten to the point that they felt they “could reach to the heavens.” They believed nothing could stop their rise to glory and self-idolatry. God in His mercy brought down their pride and scattered them. And so He has done throughout the ages.

Every great empire upon the earth has fallen. It’s God’s mercy.

Whether in politics, entertainment, sports, war, or religion, the insensitive self-exalting force of power has left its painful trail of sorrow. This poison of prideful self-exaltation was the source of Satan’s fall, and the same passion that poisoned Adam and Eve. An unseen virus that can take the most beautiful thing God has given us and turn it into an ugly monster.

Therefore, seek to mix humility with each ounce of privilege and success you’re given. The humility of Christ is a sure cure for this poison of pride driven by the hideous thirst for power at any cost. Hear and see Jesus as one who said, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matt. 11:28-29).

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Genesis 10:1-11:9 http://www.ccboise.org/Portals/0/images/DailyDevo/DailyDevoBibleIcon.jpg Nations Descended from Noah

1 Now this is the genealogy of the sons of Noah: Shem, Ham, and Japheth. And sons were born to them after the flood.

2 The sons of Japheth were Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras. 3 The sons of Gomer were Ashkenaz, Riphath, and Togarmah. 4 The sons of Javan were Elishah, Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim. 5 From these the coastland peoples of the Gentiles were separated into their lands, everyone according to his language, according to their families, into their nations.

The Sons of Japheth (Verses 2-5)

v. 2 Japheth – This son of Noah had seven sons, but only two of the sons, Gomer and Javen, have their descendents listed.

Gomer – The first son of Japheth, his early descendents spread north and west of the Black Sea, north of the Euphrates River in Armenia, and eventually into Europe.

Magog – the second son of Japheth. The Scythians and Tartans found their roots in Magog. They lived north of the Black Sea and settled in much of what is present-day Russia. The people of Magog will play a part in end-time events (Ezekiel 38-39).

Madai – The third son of Japheth, this descendent produced the people of Media, who spread into Persia and became a part of the population of India. The wise men (Magi) who sought Jesus were from Media.

Javan – The fourth son of Japheth produced the Ionians who lived in the northern and western regions adjacent to the Mediterranean Sea. From them came the Greeks.

Tubal – The fifth son of Japheth, represents the people who settled in eastern Asia Minor around Turkey and migrated into what are present-day Russian states. Tubal is often associated in scripture with Meshech. They are referenced in Ezekiel 38:2-3, as participants in end-time events.

Meshech – The sixth son of Japheth, he produced the people referred to as Mosochi who settled in Turkey and migrated into what are present-day Russian states. They are identified as the founders of Moscow.

Tiras – The seventh son of Japheth has been identified with Thracians and the Etruscans who lived in what is present-day Italy.

v. 3 Ashkenaz – From the line of Gomer. All indications point to this people settling north of the Euphrates River in what is Armenia. Some migrated into Germany.

Riphath – From the line of Gomer, most likely this group ended up in Europe.

Togarmah – From the line of Gomer, settled in Turkey and Armenia and some migrated to Germany.

v. 4 Elishah – the son of Javen. From him came the people who populated Cyprus, Sicily, and southern Italy. They were producers of high quality blue and purple clothing (Eze. 27:7)

Tarshish – The son of Javen, these people lived on the coast of Spain.

Kittim – The son of Javen, these people inhabited the island of Cyprus.

Dodanim – The son of Javen, these people settled on the island of Rhodes (1 Chron. 1:7).

6 The sons of Ham were Cush, Mizraim, Put, and Canaan. 7 The sons of Cush were Seba, Havilah, Sabtah, Raamah, and Sabtechah; and the sons of Raamah were Sheba and Dedan.

8 Cush begot Nimrod; he began to be a mighty one on the earth. 9 He was a mighty hunter before the LORD; therefore it is said, “Like Nimrod the mighty hunter before the LORD.” 10 And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, Erech, Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar. 11 From that land he went to Assyria and built Nineveh, Rehoboth Ir, Calah, 12 and Resen between Nineveh and Calah (that is the principal city).

13 Mizraim begot Ludim, Anamim, Lehabim, Naphtuhim, 14 Pathrusim, and Casluhim (from whom came the Philistines and Caphtorim).

15 Canaan begot Sidon his firstborn, and Heth; 16 the Jebusite, the Amorite, and the Girgashite; 17 the Hivite, the Arkite, and the Sinite; 18 the Arvadite, the Zemarite, and the Hamathite. Afterward the families of the Canaanites were dispersed. 19 And the border of the Canaanites was from Sidon as you go toward Gerar, as far as Gaza; then as you go toward Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim, as far as Lasha. 20 These were the sons of Ham, according to their families, according to their languages, in their lands and in their nations.

Sons of Ham (Verses 6-21)

Ham – One of the sons of Noah, his descendents have been linked with Oriental, African, and Canaanite people.

Cush – the first son of Ham. Five of Cush’s sons are recorded in this account. Cush is the same as Ethiopia in the Bible. Part of his descendents migrated from Ethiopia, in Northern Africa, to the Far East and others to the Mideast and Arabia.

Mizraim – This second son of Ham, in Hebrew his name means Egypt, and identifies him with that region of Northern Africa.

Put – The third son of Ham, his descendents settled in Africa, mostly in Libya or present-day Somalia.

v. 6 Canaan – The fourth son of Ham, his family settled in the land of Canaan which later would be called Palestine.

v. 8 Nimrod – The descendent of Cush, the son of Ham.

v. 9 mighty hunter – A phrase used by people to distinguish the power Nimrod possessed. In light of the large area he ruled, to be called a “mighty hunter” most likely referred to his power over people.

before the Lord – This verse does not mean he lived acceptably before the Lord, but that he did what he did in defiance in the sight of the Lord (Gen. 11:9).

v. 10 Babel – Called Babylon at a later date, came to be known as a place that represented a godless empire and religion (Josh. 7:21; Is.13; Is.47; Dan. 4:30)

Accad – located on the Euphrates River in Northern Babylonia

21 And children were born also to Shem, the father of all the children of Eber, the brother of Japheth the elder. 22 The sons of Shem were Elam, Asshur, Arphaxad, Lud, and Aram. 23 The sons of Aram were Uz, Hul, Gether, and Mash. 24 Arphaxad begot Salah, and Salah begot Eber. 25 To Eber were born two sons: the name of one was Peleg, for in his days the earth was divided; and his brother’s name was Joktan. 26 Joktan begot 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 And their dwelling place was from Mesha as you go toward Sephar, the mountain of the east. 31 These were the sons of Shem, according to their families, according to their languages, in their lands, according to their nations.

32 These were the families of the sons of Noah, according to their generations, in their nations; and from these the nations were divided on the earth after the flood.

v. 22 Asshur – The Assyrians who settled in northern Mesopotamia came from this family line.

Arphaxad – There is no current information on the development of this family or his son Shelah (v. 24).

Lud – This group became the Lydians that settled in Asia Minor.

Aram – His family settled in northeast Palestine.

v. 23 Uz – This was the homeland of Job and most likely part of the Arabian desert. Uz was a son of Aram.

Hul and Gether – These people were both identified with the Aramean and Syrian area, also sons of Aram.

Meshech – This son of Aram has been linked to the region that is present-day Lebanon.

v. 25 Peleg – A son of Eber, (v. 21, 22) from whom came the Hebrew people.

earth was divided – This may refer to the scattering of the people after the tower of Babel, or to a major cataclysmic event that actually divided a major land mass or continent.

Joktan – Listed after Joktan are 13 of his descendents who all are identified with Arabian people (v. 26-29).

v. 30 their dwelling place – The boundaries of the territory of the Shemites identified with Sephar and Mesha is uncertain. However, it is safe to say this area was within Southern Arabia.

Genesis 11 The Tower of Babel

1 Now the whole earth had one language and one speech. 2 And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar, and they dwelt there. 3 Then they said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks and bake them thoroughly.” They had brick for stone, and they had asphalt for mortar. 4 And they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top is in the heavens; let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth.”

CHAPTER 11

Tower of Babel (Verses 1-9)

v. 1 one language – This was the result of the close link to Noah, who obviously passed on his language to what was initially a close network of people.

v. 2 Shinar – This was the region that Nimrod had selected to begin the building of the first empire after the Flood. (Gen. 10:8-11)

v. 4 a city – The intentions of Nimrod and those who followed him were to establish a central point of power to then rule over the smaller surrounding communities.

Tower – These were also referred to as ziggurats. This was the first of other ziggurats that were built in the Middle East in ancient times. They were considered staircases to heaven. Some that have been located by archeologists include: The House of the Seven Guides of Heaven and Earth at Borsippa, The House of

the Foundation – Platform of Heaven and Earth at Babylon, and The House of the Mountain of the Universe at Asshur. At the top of these towers were zodiacs, which ancient cultic priests used to give birth to astrology.

in the heavens – This was the beginning of false religious systems. Revelation 17:5 refers to this or “Mystery Babylon, the Great, The Mother of Harlots and Abominations of the Earth.” There is much evidence to support the view that the various false religious concepts and gods throughout the world find their roots in Babylonian religions.

v. 5 Lord came to see – This is a way of describing God’s actions in human terms, often referred to as “anthropomorphic.” God obviously is fully aware at all times about all things. This type of language is sometimes used to relate the actions of God to what would make sense from the perspective of ancient humanity.

v. 6 nothing…will be withheld – God knew that the combined efforts of these people would enable them to violate God’s command to Noah to send out his families to replenish the whole earth. This developed civilization, so early in man’s history, would be detrimental to this purpose.

v. 7 confuse their language – How God did this miracle is not stated, only that He began a separation between humanity through language barriers that has resulted in over 3,000 languages and endless dialects.

v. 9 Babel – This word means “the gate of God” in the Babylonian tongue, but “confusion” in the Hebrew language.

scattered – They now return to what God had commanded to Noah, to replenish the whole earth.


 

 

 

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