|
“United They Stood”Upon recording the curse of Ham, Moses immediately moves to remind us of who were Noah’s descendants. Perhaps many of us, when working through a Bible reading plan, skip over or get discouraged when we come upon the genealogies in Scripture. This is understandable since many of these names are foreign to us. Yet, they are recorded in the Word of God for a reason. The tenth chapter of the Book of Genesis is another such genealogy and if we quickly breeze past it, we miss some very important teaching.
This chapter is known as the “table of nations” and records the descendants of Noah’s three sons. The sons of Japheth are mentioned first and using either the attached map or one in your Bible, you’ll see these sons are names of the nations that make up what will be the Persian, Greek, and Roman empires. It’s important here to recall Noah’s benediction to Japhet. More than just a blessing, it was a prophecy fulfilled when the Gentile world was welcomed into the Church through the inclusive atonement of Christ. | ||
The sons of Ham are mentioned next. Keeping in mind the curse of Ham and the histories recorded in the Bible, it becomes clear that these are the nations that are the bitter enemies of Israel. Canaanite, Assyrian, Egyptian, and Philistine worlds are listed among the descendants of Ham. It seems Ham’s curse, which was named on Canaan, likely applied to all of his sons and grandsons.
The sons of Shem are last and it appears many of them make up the areas of the Arabian and Mesopotamian worlds. Some of these names will be repeated in the next chapter. Thus, we see Shem’s descendants are those who find direct connection with the Hebrews.
All of this goes to show that there is one human race. When we allow racism, whether in the form of white supremacy or critical race theory, we run counter to the design of God. Moreover, only in Christ is true unity found. While all nations, languages, and tribes derived from Noah, all nations, languages, and tribes are united when under the abiding identity of Christ.
Of course, when God is not the focus, rebellion quickly follows. This is exactly what happens when the citizens of Babel (a city of the descendants of Ham) attempt to build a tower to the heavens. Babel’s rebellion was, in their haughtiness, a power place to replace God. We, too, are in a Babel moment when culture has and continues to remove God from all aspects of daily life. (November 13, 2022)
The sons of Shem are last and it appears many of them make up the areas of the Arabian and Mesopotamian worlds. Some of these names will be repeated in the next chapter. Thus, we see Shem’s descendants are those who find direct connection with the Hebrews.
All of this goes to show that there is one human race. When we allow racism, whether in the form of white supremacy or critical race theory, we run counter to the design of God. Moreover, only in Christ is true unity found. While all nations, languages, and tribes derived from Noah, all nations, languages, and tribes are united when under the abiding identity of Christ.
Of course, when God is not the focus, rebellion quickly follows. This is exactly what happens when the citizens of Babel (a city of the descendants of Ham) attempt to build a tower to the heavens. Babel’s rebellion was, in their haughtiness, a power place to replace God. We, too, are in a Babel moment when culture has and continues to remove God from all aspects of daily life. (November 13, 2022)