Genesis 10: The Generations of Noah
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These are the generations of the sons of Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Sons were born to them after the flood. The sons of Japheth: Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras. The sons of Gomer: Ashkenaz, Riphath, and Togarmah. The sons of Javan: Elishah, Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim. From these the coastland peoples spread in their lands, each with his own language, by their clans, in their nations. The sons of Ham: Cush, Egypt, Put, and Canaan. The sons of Cush: Seba, Havilah, Sabtah, Raamah, and Sabteca. The sons of Raamah: Sheba and Dedan. Cush fathered Nimrod; he was the first on earth to be a mighty man. He was a mighty hunter before the Lord. Therefore it is said, “Like Nimrod a mighty hunter before the Lord.” The beginning of his kingdom was Babel, Erech, Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar. From that land he went into Assyria and built Nineveh, Rehoboth-Ir, Calah, and Resen between Nineveh and Calah; that is the great city. Egypt fathered Ludim, Anamim, Lehabim, Naphtuhim, Pathrusim, Casluhim (from whom the Philistines came), and Caphtorim. Canaan fathered Sidon his firstborn and Heth, and the Jebusites, the Amorites, the Girgashites, the Hivites, the Arkites, the Sinites, the Arvadites, the Zemarites, and the Hamathites. Afterward the clans of the Canaanites dispersed. 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. These are the sons of Ham, by their clans, their languages, their lands, and their nations. To Shem also, the father of all the children of Eber, the elder brother of Japheth, children were born. The sons of Shem: Elam, Asshur, Arpachshad, Lud, and Aram. The sons of Aram: Uz, Hul, Gether, and Mash. Arpachshad fathered Shelah; and Shelah fathered Eber. 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. Joktan fathered Almodad, Sheleph, Hazarmaveth, Jerah, Hadoram, Uzal, Diklah, Obal, Abimael, Sheba, Ophir, Havilah, and Jobab; all these were the sons of Joktan. The territory in which they lived extended from Mesha in the direction of Sephar to the hill country of the east. These are the sons of Shem, by their clans, their languages, their lands, and their nations. 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.
Question: Wherein consists the sinfulness of that estate whereinto man fell?
Answer: The sinfulness of that estate whereinto man fell, consists in the guilt of Adam’s first sin, the want of original righteousness, and the corruption of his whole nature, which is commonly called original sin, together with all actual transgressions which proceed from it.
Good Morning, we are in Chapter 10 of the book of beginnings also known as Genesis.
Go ahead and open your Bibles or turn them on and I invite you to follow along as we explore this section of Scripture.
Imagine with me a scene.
A large mansion looms before you. Over grown grass in the front, an iron gate slightly cracked open in front of a sidewalk.
The front porch light is on, though it is clear that nobody is home, nor has been for some time.
It seems eerie and spooky, but this could be said of anything that is unknown.
You walk up and the door and cobwebs surround the entry way. It has been some time since the it was last opened,
But, with a turn of the knob it is found to be unlocked and creeks open.
It is pitch black before you, you search for a light switch and the hallway lights up.
A staircase is found in front of you and a room to your right and your left, yet, nothing can be seen as the blackness engulfs the rooms.
While the light is encouraging, there is still darkness to your left and darkness to your right, and straight ahead, is darkness.
At this point, it is up to you which direction you will go, so imagine a direction, and search for the switch, flick it on, and what do you see?
Each room is similar. Paintings of the patriarchs of past generations hang on the walls.
Family portraits are found in the hallways or above the fire place mantle.
Story after story being told with no words at all, only images, only history, only the forgotten past.
As we look at today’s scripture, we may feel like we have entered into an unknown world, one filled with fear, uncertainty, and frankly, we would rather just close the door and keep walking.
Many do this very thing.
But, this is the joy and the difficulty in the style of preaching here at Confessors of Christ Church.
This is the joy and the difficulty in expository preaching.
There is incredible treasures to be discovered as we go verse by verse and chapter by chapter through our Bibles.
It is here we see the full council of God.
We come to favorites and see them afresh with new insights due to the area context.
We come to other locations that are rarely touched, and we anticipate to learn more about the road less traveled.
And then today, we come to places that are normally avoided.
We imagine a keep out sign, a no trespassing sign, and there seems to be no reason we would desire to explore it.
Who really cares about a list of names that are hard to pronounce and really seem to add nothing to the narrative?
But, the adventure enthusiast, the treasure hunter, the thrill seeker, are the ones that discover that which others would not.
They would look at today’s verses in anticipation. There has to be something of great value hidden here.
And so they dig, they search, and they explore.
Today, we are desiring to do this very thing.
To discover something hidden.
While many will say that there is nothing to see here, like our opening scene…
“this is just an empty and abandoned mansion with no reason or purpose.”
I hope today that we will discover something truly fascinating as we turn the light on in each room.
As we look at each family portrait, and as we ask for the Spirit’s guidance to illuminate the purpose of our text.
As we come to a list of generations.
Welcome to Genesis 10, Welcome to the Table of the Nations. Let us begin.
This section, known as the Table of Nations, is called many things.
It is sometimes just referred to as simply: the genealogies.
Others call this section: The nations from Noah,
Still others do not know what it is called, since they’ve never read it before.
Instead of trying to wrestle with the names, they skip over in hopes that perhaps God didn’t notice.
However, I believe if we take the time to really examine what is written,
If we truly believe what 2 Timothy 3:16 says:
All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,
And this all includes Genesis Chapter 10,
Then I believe it is not only wise, but good for us, to take the time to explore this chapter in depth.
Thus, we come to the long list of very difficult to pronounce names in our English dialect.
Today will focus on three sets of three.
There will be three sons and their offspring which turn into nations that we will explore.
We will find out where they went, what people groups they formed, and why that matters.
There are also three overarching points from God’s perspective that I’ll use to help us see the big picture.
These three points are as follows:
First, God plans for the Nations.
These nations were not created on their own, they did not form by accident, but were the specific plan and purpose of God.
Second, God directs the Nations.
These nations will serve as ways in which God’s plan will be accomplished.
Third and Lastly, God saves the Nations.
We will see specifically how God’s plan of redemption is going to be carried out by a Nation and for the Nations.
Once we have looked at these, we end with three points of application,
Points that will be specific to you and I.
But, I’ll save those for the end.
So, let us begin now in chapter 10, Verse 1.
These are the generations of the sons of Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Sons were born to them after the flood.
Our first point is that God has a plan for the Nations.
We see here in our first verse that Sons were born to all three after the flood.
This is very important to note because God said this would happen and this is part of God’s plan.
Through these lists of names, we will see God’s plan carried out.
Let’s be reminded of the first verse in the previous chapter.
And God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth.
God’s blessing means God’s favor would be upon them and his command would be carried out.
This command was to be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth.
Because Sons were born to the three, shows that they were obedient to this call and God was faithful to his promise.
God’s plan of redemption, God’s plan to defeat sin, God’s plan to crush the head of the snake, continues.
It is here that we begin to see this unfold by looking at the Oldest Son, Japheth.
The sons of Japheth: Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras.
The sons of Japheth: Gomer, May-gog, May-die, Jay-van, Two-bal, Me-sheck, and Ty-ras.
Japheth had 7 sons.
What we will see with these sons, including the ones after them, is that they are going to migrate to different areas.
They will form different nations and people groups.
All the world would begin to be populated through Noah’s children.
Verse 5 will let us know where Japheth’s descendants migrated to.
From these the coastland peoples spread in their lands, each with his own language, by their clans, in their nations.
First, we find that this group spread very far, from the eastern parts of Russia, to the western parts of Europe.
Get this, some scholars believe this to be the clan, and their future generations,
Who would have crossed the Bering Strait and settle in America.
This is why there were already people here when Christopher Columbus and others discovered America in 1492.
Another point to note is that each had their own language.
Now, you may be shocked and think, “How is this possible if they all had one language?”
“Is this a biblical contradiction?”
No, it is not a contradiction, while the table of nations will lead us to the Tower of Bay-bel,
This table is also reaching well beyond just the next chapter and reaches far into the future.
So, we see what leads us into Chapter 11 along with what happens long after Chapter 11.
Moses was writing this to people who would have already known that a multitude of languages existed.
Thus, to explain it in greater context through genealogies, even before we get to the event that changes languages,
Is not a problem and also has to happen if Moses is going to explain the nations to the extent that he is doing.
Is there a reason Moses is telling us of such far reaching clans and nations? Absolutely!
We will see this next.
Now we move to the youngest son, Ham, and our second point.
First, God has a plan for the Nations, and now,
God Directs the Nations.
The sons of Ham: Cush, Egypt, Put, and Canaan.
Let’s re-imagine in our minds the earlier mansion.
Do you remember which room you left off in?
As we journey through this mansion and flick on the different lights we come to a room that seems a bit unlike the others.
Pictures are here that are not in any of the other rooms.
It almost looks like a memorial.
As if the house was not already eerie, here we have something different and uncertain.
Many of us have family, friends, and loved ones who have left and gone a different path, a different way, a different direction.
Who have forsaken their family and it is just too painful to have their memories in the common places.
Next, we see the Descendants of Ham.
A family line that would give this same eerie feeling when we learn about them.
Many of Israel’s enemies, such as the Egyptians, Babylonians, Philistines, and various Canaanite groups descended from Ham.
These groups would do battle with, act out against, and would seek to destroy the Israelites.
The people who came from Ham would be a people in whom the curse of Noah would find complete fulfillment.
This would be incredibly discouraging if it wasn’t for the fact that the All mighty, All Powerful, All wise God,
Is who directs the paths of the Good and the Wicked.
Get this, as it is so encouraging and important.
God, throughout the Old Testament, would use a corrupt and vile people in order to accomplish His purpose and plan.
These people may seem to have the upper hand, may actually do a lot of awful and horrible things,
Yet God, is still who will direct the nations to there purposeful conclusion.
One such example of this depravity is about to be displayed in verses 8 & 9.
Cush fathered Nimrod; he was the first on earth to be a mighty man. He was a mighty hunter before the Lord. Therefore it is said, “Like Nimrod a mighty hunter before the Lord.”
At first glance, this would sound really good.
A mighty man, A mighty hunter, before the Lord.
It was even declared by others as a phrase, “Like Nimrod, a mighty hunter before the Lord.”
Perhaps the Nephilim are back.
A couple of clues help us understand what is happening here.
First, being a descendant of Ham is not a good start.
Second, Nimrod means rebel, which helps us see where this is going.
It is then when we see a mighty hunger before the Lord, we can ascertain that he, hunted and conquered men.
This was not an individual who was to be celebrated and imitated.
What areas did he conquer? We are told that next.
The beginning of his kingdom was Babel, Erech, Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar. From that land he went into Assyria and built Nineveh, Rehoboth-Ir, Calah, and Resen between Nineveh and Calah; that is the great city.
The beginning of his kingdom was Bay-bel, Ear-reck, Ack-cad, and Cal-nuh, in the land of Shy-nar. From that land he went into Assyria and built Nineveh, Re-ho-both-ear, Kay-luh, and Reason between Nineveh and Kay-luh; that is the great city.
Bay-bel and Nineveh are probably instantly recognizable as places which, like Nimrod’s name, rebelled greatly against God.
These cities of Nimrod would be constantly against the city of God.
Both Assyria which is Nineveh and Babylon would conquer the tribes of Israel,
Not only conquer, but capture, and exile them from their land.
Yet, and get this part, because this is the purpose of our point, God directs the nations.
It is through Ham’s descendants and their rebellion that God was going to bring about the next stage of His eternal plan.
Though they carried off God’s people off into exile, and they would both be destroyed by God in retribution.
God would also use these events the stir in His people the desire to reject the foreign gods and continue in their purpose and mission.
Thus we can be encouraged through these list of genealogies that God has a plan for the Nations.
Even a plan and direction for the wicked and rebellious nations.
Then thirdly, we will see that God will save the Nations.
It is here that we finally come to the descendants of Shem.
To Shem also, the father of all the children of Eber, the elder brother of Japheth, children were born. The sons of Shem: Elam, Asshur, Arpachshad, Lud, and Aram.
To Shem also, the father of all the children of E-ber, the elder brother of Japheth, children were born. The sons of Shem: E-lum, Ash-ur, Are-pash-shad, Lud, and Air-am.
It is here that we get the Arabian tribes or the kingdoms.
Let’s start with Eber, here is where the term Hebrew is derived from.
When it says the father of all of the children of Eber it is telling us that through Shem all the Hebrew people will come from.
While we are going to pause our journey through Genesis at the end of the Primeval history which is at the end of Chapter 11,
Chapter 12 will begin with the call of Abraham, the Father of God’s chosen Nation.
This chosen Nation will come from Shem, and come from Eber.
The son of Eber would be Pee-leg,
Pee-leg would be the Great, great, great, grandfather of Abraham.
Another important name that we should look at in God’s story is Air-am.
Air-am fathered the mighty Air-uh-me-an people of Syria.
This nation became so important that in the time of Jesus, the majority of the Jews, including Jesus, spoke Aramaic, instead of Hebrew.
Among Air-am’s sons was Uh-z. Does Uh-z ring a bell at all?
For me it does because it is the setting for one of my favorite books of the Bible.
There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job, and that man was blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil.
Uz would settle a land in which the famous story of Job would come from.
Genesis 10 is leading us some place, it is taking us to a destination.
The way that God would Save the Nations is through a man named Shem, who would lead to a man named Abraham,
Who would lead to a man named David, who would lead to a man named Jesus.
We will see genealogies throughout the Bible, but the main focus is to declare to us who Jesus is.
Because it is in Jesus, or how John describes him as, “the lamb” who Salvation belongs to.
What is incredible is that God is not just looking for one nation to save, but God will use one nation to save many nations.
Because God will bring Jesus through the Nation of Israel to save the Jews and the Gentiles.
John was given a sneak peak at this reality.
After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands,
and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”
Because we see a great multitude that no one could number standing before this throne, we can be encouraged.
God has a heart for the Nations.
God is going to reclaim the nations, even though there is sin and this has yet to be defeated, even after the flood.
Yet, even with Sin and death not yet being defeated at this point in our narrative, this reality is coming soon.
The answer for the Nations would be a Nation.
The answer would be in one Nation, which would bring forth the creator of the Nations, God’s Son, Jesus the Messiah.
Ultimately, these names are leading us to one name.
It is in the name of Jesus, that all of the Nations will bow.
How will one man be the hope of a Nation in which will rescue nations?
Jesus would unite a people, not in national pride, not in cultural groups, not in regional locations,
No, Jesus would unite a people to something far greater than a land.
Jesus would unite a people back to their God.
We are united because Jesus, through his life, death, burial, and resurrection, won for us Salvation.
He has defeated sin and death, He has granted us grace and mercy, He has gifted us faith, and called on us to put this faith in Jesus.
(Pause)
Let us return to the Mansion one last time:
As you move through the house and turn on each light the house becomes clearer, easier to see, and understand.
As you go up stairs and explore each room, you see the history and the events that took place.
You see the pictures, the furniture, the wall paper, everything is telling a story.
You sit down in an old rocking chair and look out a window.
Everything is quiet and peaceful.
You’ve heard the saying, if these walls could talk, oh what would they say.
Listen, Chapter 10, is the walls talking to us.
Chapter 10 tells us the story of real people, doing real life, leading to real redemption.
Chapter 10 tells us the story of those who would follow God, believe in God, trust in God.
As well as those who would reject God, rebel against God, and go to war with God.
But Chapter 10 is also telling us something else to be looking for.
Instead of just the walls that are being illuminated, it is like there is a whole other world out that window.
It is similar to the closet of fur coats that leads to Narnia.
That when you open these closets, or say step out into the back yard, you see a whole new story open up.
One that you didn’t even know existed.
When we look at Chapter 10, we are seeing a whole new world opening up before us, and this world is pointing us to something.
Or better said this world is pointing us to someone.
It isn’t just that we are united as one race.
It isn’t just that we are all one people.
But, that we all need one Savior.
The rest of the Bible is going to continue to point us to not only our need, but exactly who this Messiah, this Savior would be.
We could end here, but I believe we would be missing out greatly on what this means for us today.
Not only do we need to know what chapter 10 is about, not only do we need to know how it points us to Jesus,
We also need to know what applications does this have for us today.
Because of this desire, I want to draw our attention to three applications as we close.
Chapter 10 reminds us that: God sees us.
God not only knows the Nations, but He knows those that are in the Nations.
The encouragement to Jeremiah is also true of you and I.
Jeremiah 1:5 (ESV)
“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,”
Remember when we shared two weeks ago that it God who grants conception,
It is God who gives life as a gift, it is God who knits the child in the womb?
Even before that moment takes place, God knew you.
Before your parents knew you, God knew you.
Before your friends knew you, God knew you.
Before the foundations of the earth…God knew you.
even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will,
To God, you are not just a number, you are not just a list, you are not just a name.
Just as the lives of these listed in Chapter 10 matter, we see that future generations, including you and I, matter greatly to God.
Because God chose us to be in Him, through Jesus Christ, before the foundations of the Earth!
Though we skip over chapter 10 or roll our eyes thinking of what we are about to read, God does no such thing when he sees you.
If you find yourself lonely, lacking community, wishing you had meaning and purpose.
Oh how encouraging is this to you.
God sees you, God knows you, and God planned for you, even before He hung the first star in the sky.
He sees you because He made you.
Now, the fact that God sees us now is incredible, but what I’m about to tell you next is mind blowing.
God not only sees us now in the temporary, God sees us now in eternity as well.
Our first application is God Sees us, Our second Application is that God Saves Us.
While we see this short list of names to be recorded by Moses in the Book of Genesis,
There is another list that God has also made that will be even more spectacular than this list.
This is a list that, if we are saved, we will 100% be on.
If you have been given the gift of faith and if you are putting this faith upon Jesus and Jesus alone,
Then your name will be in this list, in this book.
Paul tells us briefly of this book of names in Philippians.
Yes, I ask you also, true companion, help these women, who have labored side by side with me in the gospel together with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.
Here we discover, not a Table of the Nations, but a Table of the Saints.
Here we see there is a list of names of those who will be saved and who have their eternity secured.
John gives us more information in Revelation on when these names were written in the book of life.
He begins by telling us about a people who worship the beast, this dragon, this snake, then tells us something truly fascinating.
and all who dwell on earth will worship it, everyone whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain.
Those who’s names are not in this list, will worship the false god.
no name will enter into heaven, unless their name is in the book of life.
However, these names were written before the foundation of the world!
This means that God not only knew us before the foundation of the world,
but had already planned for our Salvation before the foundation of the world!
How great is our God!
But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life.
Those who’s names are written in the Lamb’s book of life have been washed clean of their sins.
Has been forgiven of their sins, has been given freedom from their sins, and given new life despite their failures.
This isn’t done because of how great you are, this is done because of how great Jesus is!
And lastly, I want to tell you of one more application for us this morning based on Chapter 10.
God Sees us, God Saves us, now God sends us.
The Table of Nations now calls out to us, because we are called to evangelize these Nations.
We are called to bring the Gospel to different tribes, tongues, and nations.
So that Jesus would be proclaimed to every people group in the world.
Our first opportunity is to share the Gospel, the good news of Jesus here amongst ourselves.
We should always be encouraging one another with the Gospel and never assuming that everyone here knows it.
We should then move to our jobs, our neighbors, our friendship, and those God brings into our lives.
Have you spent much time considering how you can evangelize?
As many of you know I go out every Thursday and Friday to share the Gospel, and anyone is welcome to join me.
Perhaps you are called to another place or even country, be praying about whether God would want you to go some place.
However, not to discourage you, but to encourage you, if you are not willing to evangelize locally, don’t try to evangelize globally.
Use your local area first, then, if God calls you to go further, then go further.
God is able to do anything and everything he chooses, which should give us great comfort.
And in this reality he has chosen you, to see you, to know you, to call you, to adopt you, and to save you.
He has also chosen the means in which he will do this for others, and that is through the Gospel.
So, we are now invited to do that very thing, to tell of Jesus to the Nations.
This concludes Chapter 10 of the book of Genesis.
What an amazing chapter this turned out to be and I hope you were blessed looking at it with me, as I was preparing it for you.
I hope today reminds us that God’s Word can transform us, encourage us, and empower us, even in the most unexpected places.
Amen? Let us pray.