The Best Laid Plans - Genesis 10:1-11:26

Genesis 10:1-11:26 The Best Laid Plans 20210718 Follow God’s good purpose and plans If you’re a parent, you’re likely familiar with the stubborn response of a child when given instruction. And if you ask your parent, they could very likely share accounts of you behaving that way as a child. As parents we have understanding and experience that informs the instruction we give to our children, and we want the very best for them. We don’t place restrictions because we want to steal their enjoyment. We don’t give commands because we want them to struggle under a burden. We want to keep them from suffering needlessly, and we want them to flourish and have peace. So, for the good of our children, there are things we restrict, and things we require. Scripture Passage: Genesis 10:1-11:26 Our passage this morning shows the good purpose and plans of God. We see here how God is moving forward his plan of redemption, working toward that offspring of the woman that would crush the head of the serpent, as promised in Gen. 3:15. We also see God frustrating the plans of man where they run contrary to his purpose and plans, which is evidence of God’s goodness and grace. To avoid confusion this morning, it’s important to recognize that this passage of Scripture isn’t laid out chronologically, but thematically. Chapter 10 would find its place after chapter 11 chronologically. The Plans of Man 1. 11:1-2 “Now the whole earth had one language and the same words.” - Unity! 2. 11:3 “Come, let us make bricks, and burn them thoroughly.” - Innovation! 3. 11:4 “Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be dispersed over the face of the whole earth.” - Prestige! 1. 10:8-12 We read about Nimrod, who is called a mighty man and mighty hunter. Similar to what we learned in 6:4, being a mighty man in this context wasn’t a commendation. He was one who took what he wanted by the use of force. In fact, many commentators say that his hunting wasn’t of game, but being a man of war. Chapter 10 is referred to as the Table of Nations, as it helps us understand what people groups came from which son of Noah after the flood, and where they migrated to. Nimrod is a descendant of Ham. If you remember last week, Ham was cursed because he sought to bring shame upon Noah and expose his nakedness. Ham’s descendants made up the enemies of God’s people, while Shem’s descendants become the line that the Hebrew people would descend from, and from which would come the Redeemer. Now Nimrod in particular is given special attention, and we read in 10:10 that the beginning of his kingdom was Babel. 2. Nimrod wasn’t a man concerned with God’s purpose and plans, but with building his own kingdom. So it’s no surprise that we read what we do in 11:4, which flies in the face of God’s clear commands. 3. Gen. 1:28; 9:1 Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth. This was a very clear command given to Noah and his sons, and it didn’t take long for this command to be ignored. There are times we read Scripture and we can skip over great spans of time with the turn of a page and not recognize it. But we can also grow so accustomed to that that we can assume great spans of time when they’re not present. What am I getting at? It really wasn’t that terribly long from the time Noah and his family got off the ark until the Tower of Babel was built. Where do I get that from? Look to 10:25, where we read about Peleg. It was in his days that the earth was divided. I believe it’s most likely that this is referring to the scattering of nations following the Tower of Babel. If we look to 11:10-16, we read that from the flood to Peleg’s birth was 101 years. 4. So soon after God flooded the earth because of corruption, and so soon after such a clear command was given to be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth, mankind is backsliding toward disobedience and rebellion. What’s gone wrong? How could this happen so quickly? Mankind has this sinful nature; this is what we are prone to. And I offer this as a warning, that this backsliding can happen more quickly than you think. So what are we to do? 1. Know God’s Word. I don’t know if it was ignorance or willful disobedience, but the people went against God’s Word. So the first thing is to make sure we know God’s Word. Spend time reading it, studying it, and meditating upon it. Allow it to get into you. Psalm 119:11 “I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.” 2. Trust God’s Spirit. Jesus calls the Holy Spirit the Spirit of truth, and says that the Spirit will guide us into all truth (John 16:13). Praying when the Spirit prompts you, making that phone call when he leads you, sharing those encouraging words he gives you, withholding those unedifying words forbids you. 3. Do God’s Word. Psalm 119:9 “How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word.” As God’s Word gets into you, make sure it gets out of you as well. What I mean is that make sure it’s finding expression in your life. Not just in the great and fantastic, but also in the simple and seemingly mundane. 4. 11:5 “And the LORD came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of man had built.” - There’s a bit of irony here, as man built this great structure to reach up to the heavens, and now God has to come down to see it. Transition: Verse 5 really serves as the pivot point, as we move from the Plans of Man to the Purpose of God. The Purpose of God 1. 11:6 “Behold, they are one people, and they have all one language, and this is only the beginning of what they will do. And nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them.” - This wasn’t spoken of as a commendation. This also wasn’t God being threatened by the power of man. In fact, the way I understand this is that this is only the beginning of their rebellion and that they’ll only progress in evil and disobedience. 1. True unity isn’t when man circles the wagons to exalt man. True unity is when the wagons are circled around the glory of God, to magnify his name and his works. 2. It is ultimately one purpose of God, to magnify his name. Because he is a holy God, glorification of himself is in no way sinful, as it would be if we were to work to glorify ourselves. We are sinful, imperfect, so glorifying ourselves would be aiming so much lower than the highest aim. But God is perfect, so there is no greater purpose, no higher aim, than to glorify himself. 2. 11:7 “Come, let us go down and there confuse their language, so that they may not understand one another’s speech.” - This isn’t God stopping unity and innovation and progress, but this is intervening grace, stopping them before they go headlong off the cliff. 1. Confusion - This confusion is a mixing up, blurring, confounding. I did a quick study and search of the word “confusion” in the Bible, and it was clear that confusion is not to be a characteristic of God’s people. He brings confusion as a judgment, but for his people walking in his ways, confusion would not be present. He sends confusion on foreign armies, on idol worshipers, and in response to rebellion against his revealed will. In fact, 1 Corinthians 14:33 tells us that “For God is not a God of confusion but of peace.” 1. Are there things you’re endeavoring to do that are making things blurry and robbing you of peace? Are there towers you’re building or hoping to climb to the top of, that are causing a mix-up in your life? Difference between walking in faith and walking in confusion. Please realize, a tower in and of itself isn’t a bad thing. What made this tower wrong is that it was so man would be exalted and they wouldn’t have to obey God’s command to spread out over the earth. Maybe there are directions you’re trying to go today that aren’t necessarily evil or wrong, but are contrary to God’s purpose and plans for you. Would you press on, push through, or allow the Lord to establish your steps? 2. Proverbs 16:9 “The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.” 3. Psalm 37:23 “The steps of a man are established by the Lord, when he delights in his way;” 3. 11:8-9 “And from there the LORD dispersed them over the face of all the earth.” - This intervening grace scatters and disperses them, so that God’s purpose might be accomplished in and through them, that they might be regathered and rejoined in true unity, in his Son. 4. 11:10-26 brings us to Abram, who descended from Shem, who descended from Noah, who descended from Seth, who descended from Adam. God is tracing a line for the one who would crush the serpent’s head, as promised in Gen. 3:15. 1. This one main purpose, the glory of God, would be most clearly seen in the glory of the cross. Conclusion I’m so thankful we have a Heavenly Father who knows all, sees all, and is sovereign over all. As we try to so imperfectly to lead and direct our children, he perfectly leads and directs. He directs all things according to his purpose and plans, for our good and for his glory. He works constantly toward redemption, to bring us to Jesus, our Redeemer. He is a good God, and we can follow his good purpose and plans.