Paganism, Prophecy, and Providence

Genesis 11:10-32

Genesis 11:10–32 LSB

10 These are the generations of Shem. Shem was 100 years old and became the father of Arpachshad two years after the flood; 11 and Shem lived 500 years after he became the father of Arpachshad, and he became the father of other sons and daughters. 12 And Arpachshad lived 35 years and became the father of Shelah; 13 and Arpachshad lived 403 years after he became the father of Shelah, and he became the father of other sons and daughters. 14 And Shelah lived 30 years and became the father of Eber; 15 and Shelah lived 403 years after he became the father of Eber, and he became the father of other sons and daughters. 16 And Eber lived 34 years and became the father of Peleg; 17 and Eber lived 430 years after he became the father of Peleg, and he became the father of other sons and daughters. 18 And Peleg lived 30 years and became the father of Reu; 19 and Peleg lived 209 years after he became the father of Reu, and he became the father of other sons and daughters. 20 And Reu lived 32 years and became the father of Serug; 21 and Reu lived 207 years after he became the father of Serug, and he became the father of other sons and daughters. 22 And Serug lived 30 years and became the father of Nahor; 23 and Serug lived 200 years after he became the father of Nahor, and he became the father of other sons and daughters. 24 Nahor lived 29 years and became the father of Terah; 25 and Nahor lived 119 years after he became the father of Terah, and he became the father of other sons and daughters. 26 And Terah lived 70 years and became the father of Abram, Nahor, and Haran. 27 Now these are the generations of Terah. Terah became the father of Abram, Nahor, and Haran; and Haran became the father of Lot. 28 And Haran died in the presence of Terah his father in the land of his birth, in Ur of the Chaldeans. 29 Abram and Nahor took wives for themselves. The name of Abram’s wife was Sarai; and the name of Nahor’s wife was Milcah, the daughter of Haran, the father of Milcah and the father of Iscah. 30 And Sarai was barren; she had no child. 31 And Terah took Abram his son, and Lot the son of Haran, his grandson, and Sarai his daughter-in-law, his son Abram’s wife; and they went out together from Ur of the Chaldeans in order to go to the land of Canaan; and they came as far as Haran and settled there. 32 And the days of Terah were 205 years; and Terah died in Haran.

Paganism

Paganism is the ancestral religion of the whole of humanity (Pagan Federation). Paganism believes that there are many ways to experience Divinity, specifically through direct or personal revelation. Paganism can hold to the belief of many gods (pluralist), or one god (monolithic), with worship focusing on nature with no particular dogma for proper worship. The result of this belief is usually pantheism, or the idea that everything is God, especially when all things are complete.

The lineage of Shem

Several names refer to the various gods and goddess that are found throughout the Old Testament

Haran means Half-way

Sarai means princess

The land of Ur

Home to astrology and astronomy

Wealthy and very intelligent

Technological

Polity

A democracy, a government of and by the majority, transitioning to a monarchy and dictator

Prophecy

The revealing of an outcome or consequence of a decision made during circumstances or situations presented through tests, trials, or tribulations.

A statement made on behalf of Yahweh describing His plan with an outcome.

A warning to turn away from an action that is contrary to the Laws of God and the Laws of Nature.

Providence

The word “providence” derives from the Latin providentia, the noun from the verb providere “take thought for,” “look ahead.” The Greek equivalent is pronoia, from the verb pronoeisthai, having more or less the same meaning.

As a philosophical or religious concept, Providence denotes the care of God for his creatures, “God” standing for a personal, sentient first principle. The requirement that providence stem from a personal agent might seem absolute, but in fact, among the Greeks, the Stoic philosophers adopted the concept of pronoia to describe the rational ordering of the universe emanating from a first principle which they designated as theos, “God” but which they conceived of simply as the immanent active principle of the universe.

John M. Dillon, “Providence,” ed. David Noel Freedman, The Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary (New York: Doubleday, 1992), 520.