Laying the Foundation

From Wide to Narrow

Genesis 11:10–26 (NIV)

This is the account of Shem’s family line.

Two years after the flood, when Shem was 100 years old, he became the father of Arphaxad. And after he became the father of Arphaxad, Shem lived 500 years and had other sons and daughters.

When Arphaxad had lived 35 years, he became the father of Shelah. And after he became the father of Shelah, Arphaxad lived 403 years and had other sons and daughters.

When Shelah had lived 30 years, he became the father of Eber. And after he became the father of Eber, Shelah lived 403 years and had other sons and daughters.

When Eber had lived 34 years, he became the father of Peleg. And after he became the father of Peleg, Eber lived 430 years and had other sons and daughters.

When Peleg had lived 30 years, he became the father of Reu. And after he became the father of Reu, Peleg lived 209 years and had other sons and daughters.

When Reu had lived 32 years, he became the father of Serug. And after he became the father of Serug, Reu lived 207 years and had other sons and daughters.

When Serug had lived 30 years, he became the father of Nahor. And after he became the father of Nahor, Serug lived 200 years and had other sons and daughters.

When Nahor had lived 29 years, he became the father of Terah. And after he became the father of Terah, Nahor lived 119 years and had other sons and daughters.

After Terah had lived 70 years, he became the father of Abram, Nahor and Haran.

Praise the Lord that the failure to accept the invitation of God for an intimate relationship does not end with the Tower of Babel. God instead flips the script and draws even nearer to man as He walks intimately with the line of Shem.

From the genealogy found in chapter 10 which showcases the world wide expansion of man from the flood, this genealogy picks up with the line of Eber. In 10, the line of Eber was followed through Joktan to show the growth of humankind, but here in 11, the line follows that of Peleg and shows the intimacy of God in walking with narrows set of His creation.

God commanded man to go and fill the earth. Now the focus shifts as God leads man where he should go.

Set Apart

Genesis 11:27–32 (NIV)

This is the account of Terah’s family line.

Terah became the father of Abram, Nahor and Haran. And Haran became the father of Lot. While his father Terah was still alive, Haran died in Ur of the Chaldeans, in the land of his birth. Abram and Nahor both married. The name of Abram’s wife was Sarai, and the name of Nahor’s wife was Milkah; she was the daughter of Haran, the father of both Milkah and Iskah. Now Sarai was childless because she was not able to conceive.

Terah took his son Abram, his grandson Lot son of Haran, and his daughter-in-law Sarai, the wife of his son Abram, and together they set out from Ur of the Chaldeans to go to Canaan. But when they came to Harran, they settled there.

Terah lived 205 years, and he died in Harran.

God pulls Terah out of the worship of other gods onto a path that leads to Him, both literally and spiritually.

Joshua 24:2 (NIV)

Joshua said to all the people, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘Long ago your ancestors, including Terah the father of Abraham and Nahor, lived beyond the Euphrates River and worshiped other gods.

God called Terah and his family, including Abram to follow Him.

Acts 7:2–4 (NIV)

To this he replied: “Brothers and fathers, listen to me! The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham while he was still in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Harran. ‘Leave your country and your people,’ God said, ‘and go to the land I will show you.’

“So he left the land of the Chaldeans and settled in Harran. After the death of his father, God sent him to this land where you are now living.

By faith, Abram followed God to the land that the Lord had promised. over the rest of the year, we will see how this faith serves as the foundation to the relationship that God desires to have with His creation.