1/18/06 - Lesson 17 - The Table of Nations and the Tower of Confusion

Bob shared about the NKConference where women were preaching with false doctrine, calling Moses a loser and she was telling God she would do God's work on her own terms. Bob thanks God for women at Cornerstone who are fulfilling their biblical roles. Pray for ministry opportunities.

Passages: Gen. 10:1 - 11:9 (Incorporating notes from LB Flock.)
Prior Study / Context

• After the flood, they came out -- the 3 sons, Noah, and his wife. In Genesis 9:22, Ham saw Noah naked, Shem and Japeth cover Noah. Ham was cursed, and his descendants would be serving Shem and Japeth. Note that Shem was the chosen line. Ham's genealogy was also significant, led to Canaanites and to modern Palestinians.


• The names in the genealogy were specifically chosen because they had very significant roles in the future of Israel. Remember that the first time the Israelites hear this, Moses and the people are in the plains of Moab near the Jordan river, ready to take over the Canaanites.

Question 1 - Chapter 10 tells us of the descendants of Shem, Ham, and Japheth. What does Gen. 9:19 teach about these three men? From Gen. 9:25-27, which branch of Noah's descendants has the blessing of God? Which has the curse?

• Genesis 9:19 - everyone on earth was born from these 3. Note that Shem is blessed (not directly, but God); any kind of goodness is attached to him because of God and His decision to elect the line of Shem is based on His sovereignty. Canaan, Ham's youngest son, gets the curse.

Question 2 - When genealogies are listed in Genesis that feature an elect line and a non-elect line (such as 4:17-5:32; 10:1-11:26; 25:13-15:27), which line tends to be presented first? What is the benefit of this order from a literary perspective?

• The non-elect line is usually listed first. Ham's line is presented first. Please note that the non-elect line is not necessarily cursed. Japheth's line: 7 sons. They became the Greeks? Magog is also mentioned in Revelation. Sham's line: Sham was 120 when the ark settled. The elder son with 5 kids.


• It's interesting that the order in naming the sons is always Shem, Ham and Japheth. But yet, in the genealogy of Chapter 10, it's different. One reason for this is order of importance (Japheth is presented first and shortest, so it's almost as if he is less important). His is shorter than Ham. The line of Japheth is seen sort of as a neutral people by commentators, so it's almost as if the writer is trying to get through this quickly.

Question 3 - What additional information are we told about Nimrod? Genesis 10:9 says he was a "mighty warrior before the Lord." In what sense should we understand "before the Lord"? Does it suggest God's favor upon Nimrod? How else could it be understood? Consider the relationship, if any, between Nimrod (esp. 10:10, "Babel" and "Shinar") and the Tower of Babel (11:1-9).

• Nimrod was a mighty hunter; the founder of ancient Middle-eastern cities such as Babel (Babylon) and Ninevah (Assyria). They played a significant role in the future of Israel's history. Mighty warrior, mighty person. "Mighty" is not a necessarily a good term.


• "Before the Lord" - how should this be interpreted? Chances are it is not likely to be favorable because of the things he had done (building up Babel, etc.). Therefore this highlights Nimrod's sinfulness, him being at odds with God.


• There might be something with the way God sees Nimrod as a "mighty hunter" (possibly negative connotation).


• In terms of Nimrod and Babel, it's not certain whether or not he was responsible for building it in chapter 11. However, his attitude, his arrogance, was definitely passed down to the people of Babel.

Question 4 - What additional information are we told about Peleg? How should we understand the "earth" being "divided"? What are some options? Is this connected with any other event? (Consider 11:8-9)

• It's possible that in the time of Peleg, the people of the world were scattered by God's intervention during the building of the tower.


• Note that the word for divide is also the same word used in Psalm 55:9.


• Others think it's the split between Joktan and Peleg, or some other political divide. Context, however, leans towards the fact that one culture, one language, one peoples got scattered and sent apart.


• Other significance regarding the brothers Joktan and Peleg - Peleg is mentioned again later in chapter 11 after being briefly mentioned in chapter 10. This shows the significance and the meticulous effort of the writer.

Question 5 - What was different about mankind before the building of the tower as compared to today (11:1)? What was technically innovative about their approach (11:3)?

• We don't speak the same languages anymore as all the people used to -- misuse of God's grace. Noah was a naked drunk, who was found favor by God before the flood. Sin immediately manifested.


• They were innovative enough to make bricks, building up.


• What about 10:5, 20, and 31 regarding languages? Note the Bible is not written in a chronological order.

Question 6 - What did they set out to do? What were their goals in doing this? Most importantly, in what ways were they being sinful? Were they in disobedience to any previously spoken command of God?

• Chapter 1:28, 9:1, 9:7 - be fruitful and multiply, populate the earth abundantly (dispersing), yet by staying together and building the tower they were directly disobeying God. They are making a name for themselves. Building a tower was not wrong, but their motivation is wrong. They were not on God's term. Pride is the precursor to rebellion. God will keep our pride in check.


• Maybe using the tower as a center of worship?


• Focus on themselves (using the world "ourselves" twice in verse 4), content to sit tight in comfort, in their niche, and not go out and obey God. By not obeying God's command, it becomes a very self-focused attitude on their part, to make this great tower. The result of building this would allow them to live comfortably.


• By building the tower, it is a great task and it brings people together, causes people to want to stick together and stay in the city.


• If Nimrod was there, there must've been a great number of people to accomplish a huge task within a short period of time.


• Question - how many years after the flood was this? Pretty sure it's a lot, but it depends on where the account of the tower is. Probably no more than a few hundred.


• Lesson learned: 1) Obedience; 2) Vanity of man's idea. 3) God's sovereignty -- regardless of men's own course. 4) Sin's consequences / God's mercy.

Question 7 - What is the irony seen in 11:5?

• What's the irony? God comes down, condescends, to see the tower, to emphasize the puniness of this massive undertaking by man.


• Puts an emphasis on the mortality of the accomplishments of men, especially in light of God.


• Men's tendency is to fulfill themselves. We need to trust God, rather than protecting our barriers.

Question 8 - Summarize God's assessment in 11:6. What was the problem with letting them continue on without divine intervention? What did God do (11:7-9)? Should God's action be seen as punishment, grace, or some combination? Explain.

• The problem with letting the people continue without God's intervention - by intervening, He does it for Himself and does it for them as well.


• Combination of grace and punishment - God punished by confusing their languages


• Preventive measure of grace so that they wouldn't fall deeper into sin and greater sin by everyone being like-minded.

Question 9 - What "name" did they ultimately make for themselves as a result of their efforts (11:9a)?

• What name did they make? They became known as Babel. Which is the word for confused, confusion.

Closing Thoughts

• Unity outside of the word of God is not true unity.


• What our works and activities are rubbished, amounting to nothing without the word of God. Our own accomplishments are meaningless.


• True blessings come from obedience to God.


• God's mercy: Despite their turning away from God, He scatters them. But through that scattering comes the greater blessing through Abraham and ultimately the Messiah.

Small Group Questions

• In what ways do you seek to "make a name" for yourself? How important is it for you to receive glory and esteem?


• What should we boast in? Support with verses. Whose glory should we long for? Support with verses. Whose kingdom should we labor for? Support with verses!


• What does it look like, lived out, when we seek to "make a name" for God rather than ourselves?

Next Week: Small Group.