Genesis 10 / The Table of Nations

Good morning, everybody. How y'all doing? How do you respond to that right you're sitting out there? I'm doing good. I'm doing a lot better James talk to us for the last 3 weeks about rest. I've been grateful not only to get some rest but have some time to think on all that about what the Lord has to tell us about rest still reflecting on that. I hope you are as well Lord willing next week when we eat when we get into Jonas 11, we're going to get a great illustration of why we struggle so much to rest. But before we go there since 11, we got to get through genesis10 another toll it out. It's another genealogy, right? It's genealogy day again folks a sort of sort of what we're looking at today in Genesis 10 is kind of unique so often called the table of Nations. Okay, not like dinner table table, right like accountant table table like that like a list kind of table and it's really it's a one-of-a-kind view of the whole world. And we go there late when we start out by asking you say something. We did we say God has a heart for the whole world. Don't we we said that God has a part for the hole. I believe that might my wife and I are family. We spent most of our married life involved in tribal missions either preparing to go overseas were serving overseas or sharing with churches about it about twenty years and total the preparation and all that and all of it was based on the conviction that God's heart is for the whole world. But here's the thing. How do we know? That's true?

And it hasn't always been in some ways it at least not even to the followers of Jesus. It was one of the challenges they faced one of the challenges the Bible is this in the early chapters of Genesis up until now we've seen this big picture of you write the whole world God's dealing with the whole world the whole worlds and focused all the people in the world, but things are about to take a big turn. Okay, we're going to get to Genesis 12 and we're going to move from this Global Focus down to one family one family. And from there on out, it'll be Abraham and his descendants basically not just for the rest of Genesis. for the rest of the entire Hebrew Bible Largely, the focus is on them. And even in the early parts of the New Testament that you're right, the major focus is one family one people and God's incredible faithfulness to them. So listen, if you just started in Genesis 1 and we're working your way through the Old Testament you cancer start to wonder and I can't I really can't overstate this. Does God have a plan to bless all the peoples of the world. Right cuz he seems the focus a lot on just the children of Abraham. What about the rest of the world? I can tell you what God does care. God does care for the whole world. He does have a plan to bring bring blessing to every people under heaven. That's what here we are in Genesis 10 and it says though before the camera is going to zoom in on Abram and his family God puts the focus One Last Time on the whole human race here in Genesis 10 this table of Nations. It is presented to us as comprehensive list of the origins of all the nations that would eventually spread out to cover the Earth. And one of the things we can take away from Genesis 10 is a last reminder that their God is going to make unique promises to Abraham and the people of Israel his eyes still on the whole world. He still has the world in mind. His heart truly is for the whole world. So this morning that's where we're going Genesis 10. And I to start I'm simply I'm just going to read one verse Genesis 10 1 peso. If you got your Bibles going to turn to Genesis 10 won the first verse here. Says this these are the family records of Noah's sons Shem ham and japheth. They also had Sons After the flood. Before we go any further. Let's pray. Lord we thank you for the morning that you've given us. We thank you for all of your word. As we come to this morning, we're asking that you would teach us by your spirit. Or we want to have your heart your eye to see ourselves and this world the way you do your heart of compassion for those around us or to be faithful ambassadors Witnesses. To the incredible Mercy that we have seen in your son Jesus, LOL. We do lift up our world to you today a world that is broken in so many ways rebellious in so many ways.

And Lord and Laurie asked for your mercy. We pray for the Peace of Jerusalem, Florida. And and we know that you are faithful and that you will keep your promises or report. We pray for the Peace of Jerusalem. Not just for the sake of the people in Jerusalem, but we know that when peace comes to Drew peace will come to the whole world.

We thank you for the hope that we have. And your son and in his name we pray amen. So as we get started my work through this genesis10. I'm going to put them where to put a map up here both. So you have something to look at besides me and because it can help us a little Annoying Thing ourselves to all these names. Okay. First of all, you can't see the names right? And that's okay because we do not need to get hung up on the exact location of the place names that we're going to talk about this week. I look through dozens. I am not getting a dozens of these kinds of maps. I read that ton of work done by Scholars trying to locate the people listed here are a few we can be really confident about many we think we've got kind of a ballpark idea on but we really just don't know where meant where's a place many of the names on the list out with any kind of certainty and part of that is because the details about these nations some of them anywhere lost to history at least for now. And partly because especially when it comes to it, you know cities in place names they get reused a lot. Okay. You know what I'm talking about where it like for like where is Springfield? Is like which one OK Google Reagan, Illinois there 67 Springfield's in the US. There's more in Britain Tyson when you reach our fish which you know, okay.

At any rate the important thing. I'd like to point out are the colors and I think you can probably see the colors. Okay. So the red or the peoples of Jace is lying in general that's kind of the region that they seem to be associated with green or the nation's and clams coming at a hams line and yellow would be more shims line. Okay. Now let's look at the text and we're going to talk to just a few specifics as we kind of get going when we read in Genesis 10 to about Jacob's sons. You got go mermaid dog had died Javen tubal mesh ha. I'm not going to Baris myself. I try to read all the names here. But this list goes on with their sons and then in verse five it says from these Descendants the peoples of the coasts in the islands spread out into their lands according to their Clans in their Nations each with its own language and now again on this map. We aren't sure where to locate many of these people but in general the descendants of japheth are all to the north of the Promised Land.

All that red that seems to be the territory the nations of the sons of japheth. There's a few names as you read through that might stand out ashkenaz. Ashkenaz, for example, if you've ever heard the term Ashkenazi Jew a meaning of a Jewish person living in the lands of ashkenaz in the far north away from the land of Israel. It refers today to Jews who lived in Europe right dwelling in the tents of Jason. So to speak far away from their Homeland in the north again up there all that red. There's gave a spot to be the father of father of the ancient Greeks those who live to the north and across the Waters of the Mediterranean then all up there in the red part. Finally tarshis is in the list might be familiar. Basically the edge of the known worlds as the place that Jonah fled to to get away from the call of the Lord's go to Nineveh prop prop up. Probably possibly modern-day Spain. but in general again, okay, so the descendants of japheth through our people living on the edge of the world of the Israelites and and thought that the people think that the people of Europe largely descended from japheth if you hail from a European backgrounds In some way probably a descendant of japheth then a 6 we read him. His hams Sons were Kush mizrain put in Canaan. Now if you look at that map, you see the descendants of hand or their lot closer to home for the Israelites in and around the promised land. There's there's that green there. Okay, Greenwood more less cover the regions that the nation's from hams descendants settled in and from him. If you if we're going to talk specifics more less gives us a who's who of the enemies of the Israelites and this list to our ears is not going to sound all that impressive but to an Israelite at the time of Moses. This would stand out you almost like you do if you could if you could read the gym genealogy that said read more or less like this, you know from hamsun Sons was born Adolf Hitler Joseph Stalin. Thought Ho Chi Minh Saddam Hussein, right, sounds like that. It's a little bit different but you get the idea, right? So for example, Miz real name is Egypt some of your translations. I may have listed it. There is Egypt when Genesis was written down it would have been after the Israelites were rescued from the brutal slavery under the Egyptians and throughout their their history Egypt is often the source of tension. If not hostility enemies, okay cane in this your cane in the father of the Canaanites, right and you and you notice the link to Sodom and Gomorrah in verse 19 bad places bad people enemies. Okay, not as familiar, but He's listed as the father of the Philistines right Philistines. If you want to send this girl, you know, the Philistine David and Goliath the Philistine Army that came against Israel remember that enemies and then a state we get some extra information about this guy Nimrod now if you grew up watching Bugs Bunny you may have heard that name. He used to call Elmer Fudd Nimrod write a mighty Hunter, but here Nimrod is no Elmer Fudd.

Many believe that nimrods name means Rebel. He's the father of Babylon in the land of shinar so that the city and the Tower of Babel that we're going to this Babylon. We're going to talk about the next week. He started that leading all the people of the earth to come together and rebellion, and then he goes to Assyria and he founded Nineveh which would later be the capital of Assyria where where Jonah was call to write no fond memories for the Israelites of Nineveh or is Syria. It's fair to say Nimrod comes off as I know another lay Mac, right? Okay. So we remember him Genesis for this proud violent conqueror. Not a good guy. Not a good guy. One commentator wrote that you could almost hear the booze of the people of Israel has the names in the line of ham or red. And then lastly and verse 21, and I know I'm where we read about sham sham would be more or less the yellow there. It's kind of strange that he's older than japheth yet japheth comes first in the list and that's actually typical in Genesis that the line of Promise write the line of the chosen people of God and of the messiah's safe for last and he's genealogies. A sham we're going to be led straight to Abram right? And like I said at the beginning the focus from there on out. It's almost a hundred percent all on the family of Abraham. And then finally, we conversed 32 summarizes a chapter for us and that's it. Right should I eat or should I just skip this the next time I'm reading through Genesis. Can we just jump into chapter 11? What is even fear for I what is this do it again? Before we assume into the story of God's special the chosen people were given one last view of the whole of the human race. And it stands as a reminder to all. To all of God's people going for the three important things three important things and shows God's heart for the world. Three important things are common origin you got these in your notes will put them up on the screen or come in origin or common problem. at our common hope Common origin common problem common. Hope first thing here at the table of Nations Genesis 10 are coming origin. There's a place in the book of Acts acts 17:26. You don't have to turn their own. I'll read it to you at 1726 where Paul says from one man. He that's God is God one man. God has made every nationality to live over the whole earth and is determine their appointed times and the boundaries of where they live right from one man here and Genesis 10. It's clear Trace out all the lines you want but they all come back to one man. We have a common origin here. It's Noah you could just as easily take it back to Adam. Either way. We all come from the same person. There's a sameness. About the human race because we're all cut out of the same cloth. In in Romans, and we won't look into this in detail now Lord willing in the future. We can give this a closer look but in Romans, it's made clear that our guilt before God. Is based on a common origin and Adam right? Go back far enough. We all come from the same person. Same blood. Common origin we see that here in Genesis 10. And you know, here's the thing when we when we read about ham for instance, right? There's the booze, you know pain and misery and all that the enemies but then these are brothers and sisters. This is family, and origin.

Now that that common origin hear it splits into lots of Nations right here in Genesis 10. It goes in it's 70 the Adam up at 70 is is the number of people between japheth ham and Shem 70 different groups of people 70 different nations of talked about all descended from them 70 by the way is a random number. I'm not going to go into it this morning if you want to change that out Deuteronomy 32 8 is a good starting point and we set up later.

70 from women many nations right again with what Paul said they're in Acts from one, man. He God made every nationality. From one man. God made every nationality to live over the whole earth. You know why there are so many nations even though we came from one person. God did that God made all the nations. The fact that the world is split into a diverse set of peoples. Is not a bad thing. John made it that way God has a plan to unify the human race not to make it uniform now in the world today and this isn't new but the world today certainly Frets over the diversity of Nations on Earth as though it is a problem. Right some people look at the idea of there being many nations and figured that's where our that's where all our problems come from, right? The thinking of the day and it's not again. It's not new at all. Is it if you wipe out the differences that exist that'll solve all the world's problems Jam everyone into a mold push down hard enough get them all doing the same thing the same way that our bowels over issues, right? We'll read about that in the very next chapter Genesis 11 next week. See the tension the tension between all these nations isn't in that. There are so many. It's because we've inherited a selfish sin nature. We have a common origin. That's our problem a rebellious and nature of violence in nature. And that isn't unique to 1 people on earth. Right? No one people has the corner on the market when it comes to doing evil. It's our common problem. What is the things I noticed about living in another country was that it's always tempting to think the problems here because they don't do it the American way right or to flip it around and do the roots and come to the Rosen Inn and think why can't we be more like you no more relationship oriented like the Filipinos that you know, whatever it is it can I tell you something that's silly. It's really silly. Okay, you know why they have problems in the Philippines. It's not because they don't do it our way right? It's not because if he felt the DMV isn't as efficient and over there is it is the one here, you know, right what you're thinking the DMV over there is less efficient than the one here. Like what is that even like, you know, it's and it's an adventure. It's yeah. That kind of stuff right? Like it was a big just did it this way and they just did it. Listen. That's not the problem. You know, why other countries have problems send? Rebellion toward God that's why you know why the US has issues send Rebellion towards God. Many Nation different cultures different ways of doing life. That's not the issue. It's a we have a common origin our problem isn't that we're different the problems that we all were all the same in the very first the very worst possible way and share a rebellious nature towards God and that leads us right to our next point because we have a common origin. We have a common problem Ryan. I mentioned before that reading through the table of Nations again for tickly for an Israelite idea audience would have understandably stirred some booze from the people and after all many of the nation the names in here are sworn enemies of the children of Israel Egypt and the Philistine song. But it would be a mistake. It would be a mistake to come to the table of Nations. Say I yes, here's the list of the good guys and here are the bad guys. All the people that come from that guy or the bad people the people in that line or the good people that's far too simplistic a way to read this. Especially in light of the rest of of the history of Israel end of the world. Honestly reading it that way leads to some of the worst theology really bad theology. Is it what what do you mean by that will listen take a line. This question comes up whenever you talk about Nations or tribes or ethnicity in the Old Testament. Okay, let me put it like this whole bunch of people on this list lived in the land that God would later promise to Abraham and his descendants forever. I made a promise of this is your land now, okay. And this list of Nations and peoples of tribes it would seem well if you're part of one of the good groups or God's favor tribal. Hey good for you. And if you aren't a little too bad and it leads people to wonder. It's got kind of a racist. The CDC just this is that how this works. Is that is that what's going on? Does he just he just has his favorites in the others. He calls for them to be wiped out purely on the basis of who they descended from they come from the bad people. So God is going to have his real wife in a lie based on their race. Is that it? No the short and in phatic answer is no again one of the accusations that's often levelled at the Bible's to say, it condones ethnic Prejudice and no doubt. There are people who've open the Bible and abuse God's word by trying to use it to justify racism and bigotry and that sort of thing if you read the Bible and come to the conclusion. Listen, you read the Bible you come to the conclusion that God is picking favorites based on based on the ethnicity or Bloodlines. You read it wrong. And certainly not not read it to the end any situation where God pronounces judgment on a group of people is for one reason and one reason alone. It's because of sin idolatry evil K some of the names in this list here do show up later in the story. And God does call for them to be expelled from the land destroyed, but it's not because of their name or their Heritage were their ethnicity is based on their idolatry their evil as a group and God deals with that. Cuz if you read the whole Bible you will also find names in this list that are at times in the history of of the people of Israel. God has said he promised he told his own people he's going to raise up some of those people to drive his own People Israel out of the land and an index file. Right. It's not about race. He called for it when Israel chose idolatrine evil. It's also interesting because once in awhile, you find interested individuals who come from some of the bad names on this list or more honorable. Then many of the other the of the heroes that we say in the Bible. Imma give you just want a quick example. Look there and verse 15. Canaan's second son is named half ever heard of half before half half as the father of the headlights or is he would later be known the Hittites enemies of the nation of Israel bad guys or a Canaanite plan one of the tribes that God told the Israelites to expel from the land for their evil.

But you know, there was this one hit height. Name was Uriah Uriah the hittite. The reason we know about him is because Uriah was one of David's Mighty Men and Uriah had a beautiful wife and Uriah for his part was loyal and honorable and faithful a servant of David the king of the Jews nevermind is Heritage. And then David Stoll uriah's wife and had Uriah killed to cover it up. The summary of David's life man. After God's Own Heart Says 1st Kings 15 5 David did what was right in the Lord's eyes, and he did not turn aside from anything. He had commanded him all the days of his life except in the matter of Uriah the hittite. That day the hittite. Of the land of Canaan acted more honorably than David did.

God isn't prejudiced. We see that he's not prejudiced wrong is wrong god holds people accountable for their sin. No matter where they come from. And at the same time there can be Redemption for anyone on this list will put their trust in him. In fact God offers Redemption for people from every nation will see that as we go on. So no God is not prejudiced. Genesis10 reminds us because we have a common origin. We have a common problem pick any Nation on that list Any Nation, they all have the same issue Rebellion because ultimately they all come from the same people Noah and Noah from Adam and Eve pick any Nation on this list and somewhere in the history of the world. They have been a perpetrator of evil. The problem with the world is not the diversity of people. It's the refusal to acknowledge our guilt before God and our desperate need of him.

That because we have a common origin and we have a common problem that leaves us to our last Point our common. Hope our common. Hope this is a good part. This is the happy part. This is the exciting part of the table of Nations. See the table of Nations is unique not just in the Bible. It's Unique in ancient literature most origin stories care to explain one thing. Where did we come from? Right who cares about the rest of the world? Who cares about the the people on The Fringe where the people have got our story is the story who who cares about the rest of the world God. I just at the beginning how do you know God has a heart for the whole world? How do you know he cares not just about the children of Abraham whom he has made promises to whom he will be faithful to How do we know that he cares about all the Nations under heaven? Will Genesis shows us that these chapters teachers that we have a common origin a common problem, which means we need it, and hope and God is going to give us your stats and the way he does that is by picking one, man. One family and not only is the rest of the Book of Genesis going to focus on that family. The rest of the Old Testament is basically focused on one family the chosen people of God the line of Shem the Semitic line the Hebrews Abraham and God is going to bless them and stand with them and displays patience and Justice and love and mercy in and through all his dealings with them is going to speak to them and speak through them and make unchanging promises to them.

Why why who did God have in mind when he picks Abram just Abram? No, it's all the children of Adam and Eve. It was Noah and his sons and their sons. It was this list all the nations of the earth. That's what God says. Okay. She just a little bit Jump Ahead to Genesis 12. We're not there. We're going to go there in a couple weeks, but I want to look at your real briefly this morning Genesis 12 first 3 just a page or two away. This is this is the place where God makes this promise to Abram where he chooses him. Offers his Blessing Genesis 12:3 says I will bless those who bless you I will curse anyone who treats you with contempt in, which I see favoritism. No, no, no, no. No, you got to finish it and all the peoples on Earth will be blessed through you. All the peoples on Earth will be blessed through you blessed to be a blessing.

Moving from the big picture of world into the family of Abraham right is we're going to turn that that's where we're headed in our study through the beginnings through Genesis. This table of Nations isn't a list of those excluded from God's plan a blessing. It's the list of all the nations who stand to benefit from God's plan to bless the Seed of Abraham. In other words God is going to pick one family and focus his attention on them, but it isn't instead of being bringing blessing to all the nations of the world. It's in order to bring blessing to all the nations of the world that the shocking twist in the storyline of the Bible. Is that even though it would seem Gods primary focus was the children of Abraham the Nations have been on his mind the whole time.

all these names this list here in Genesis 10 the children of these people you had a plan to bless them too because through sham down to arphaxad to Shayla to Eber Uber by the way, the father of the Hebrews the Hebrews Zebra has a son named peleg and then all the way down to Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and Judah and till much much much much much later. Down the line comes a boy born to a virgin and they called him Jesus.

And the first thought the people had when he shows up as his wealth keeps he's here to save the Jews. He'll kick out. The other nations will restore his real to its former glory. He's he's here for us.

Jesus had come to save his people and also to bring Salvation to all the nations of the world. He was condemned by his own people. He was condemned by the Jews and executed by the Gentiles. Rejected by all but God's heart for all the world was revealed in Jesus on the cross by John 3:16, you know this one for God so loved the world. That he gave his only son died before Jesus ascends back to Heaven back to the father. He told his disciples Go Make Disciples of all the nations. The day of Pentecost rise in the Jews had gathered for the feast and it says devout people from every nation under Heaven came. And the Holy Spirit comes and everyone heard the disciples speaking in their own language the message about Jesus and from there. The early church was launched into the whole earth the whole world Jerusalem then out to Judea and Samaria at the farthest corners of the globe. Right from the Jewish people to the surrounding Nations their store, even the historical enemies of the juice to the people out on the very edge of the world to you and me today has been God's plan all along. Acts 10 Peter says this he says now I truly understand God doesn't show favoritism. But in every nation the person who fears him who does what is right is acceptable to him. He sent the message to the Israelites proclaiming the good news of peace through Jesus Christ. He is Lord of all.

And you go to the very end of the Bible. And what's the picture of victory of the Fulfillment of God's promise in the hope of heaven, right Bridge of Revelation 7 and I looked and there was a vast multitude from every nation from every nation. tribe people and language which no one could number I'd standing Before the Throne before the lamb Road them white palm branches in their hands and they cried with a loud voice salvation belongs to our God

It's okay. God has a heart for the world. I I I believe that before Jared and I'm yeah, I'm sure I'm sure of it. And and yeah, okay. What what do I do with this? Cuz you know, I mean like you know, and maybe baby. I don't know how you feel about it. You can say you know that I know God has a heart for all the nations of the world.

Maybe mine is just a size too. Small my heart cuz I I don't I don't know if I feel I don't know if I feel it. I don't know if I get it. Limit, let me just speak for myself for just a minute. Like I said before I was a missionary my wife and I up until recently. Virtual are whole life in our married life. We we we spent live the missionary Endeavor. You would think that it would make it easier for us to maintain that sort of global view, but in the trenches of life, you know how it is in the trenches of why it's how do I take care of me and my tribe? Hey, what's going on around me? I'll do how do you get that picture? How do you there's only one thing that's ever had any effect on my heart toward the rest of the world. custom It's the more I see what Christ was willing to do for me.

common origin Christ took on took on Humanity put himself in your shoes walk where you walk. You're talking about common problems. He made your problems his problems. He made your pain is pain.

Your guilt your shame your failure. He put it on himself. common hope He's all we've got.

He's all we need. The world is full of people made in the image of God. Just like you all Rebels just like you.

With no, hope apart from Jesus just like you. You don't ever drum up compassion. A compassion like his for this world on your own. But when you know his compassion for you it changes you. When you see his faithfulness through the whole story his faithfulness to Israel his faithfulness to Abraham his faithfulness to carry out his promises to them to the very end. The same faithfulness is his faithfulness towards you. to all of us the more we see that the more we take that in. The more he does develop in us a Compassionate Heart of view of the world to see it the way he does.

With those who are serving prepare for communion this morning. We call this we call this communion. It's where we remember Jesus and his his sacrifice for us. He told us he told us to do this together right to remember him together. So that is we remember him. We remember our our common Union right communion are common Union in Christ that whatever Nation or people or tribe you come from. We are all made one in Christ. That list of 70 Nations whatever line you come from. You should know you were born a rebel from a long line of rebels. Amen.

Like everyone who came before you all the way back to Noah to Adam and Eve but God in his grace work through one family and it came into the world so that you and I and people from every nation under Heaven could have peace with him. We have an open table. If you're trusting in Jesus as your savior than you are welcome to eat with us this morning. I'll pray and just just please wait so that yeah we can we can eat together afterwards. Lord we thank you for the morning that you've given us. We thank you for life, and we do think so. Thank you for your faithfulness.

Lord we know that.

We know where we come from.

We don't have to know all the names in the line to know. Because we see it in ourselves the same thing. We've seen thus far in the story that that that bent away from you that rebellious nature. That turned towards evil. We know we have a desperate need of you. And we know there is nothing we can do about it.

And so we thank you. For what you have done in incoming. And end up taking on Humanity taking on our problems standing in our place. Bringing us forgiveness bringing us life and bringing us. Hope what we do ask that you would build in us a compassion for those around us that we would see this world the way you do.

Again, Lord, we praise. for peace in Jerusalem We pray. That the people of Israel would be Turn to You. That you Jesus would come and sit on your throne. That the world would come to know you for who you are. You are our only hope

we thank you.

Jesus told us that that God has so loved the world. The whole world is so loved the world that he gave his only son so that whoever believes in him wouldn't perish but have everlasting life and it cost Jesus his life. So that we can have that and this morning.

If your faith is in him, let's eat together and remember that.

His life was poured out on the cross. He shed his blood for you and not just for you. What's for the The people from every tribe and nation and tongue under Heaven would have a hope. I remember that and we remember him. drink together

Hey, man. Stand together and worship him.