Gospel Light Christian Church Thru-The-Bible Series (17.2)
The Book of Genesis
Genesis 10:1-32 to 11:1-9 - Read this Bible
passage once through before referring to the notes below.
The Table of Nations
The Table of Nations gives us a survey of the most significant descendants of the sons
of Noah. It appears at first to be the fulfillment of
the divine commission to fill the earth (9:1) but the account of the dispersion (11:1-9) informs us that the dispersions
of the nations, separating into different areas with different languages was divine
judgment on a rebellious people. The primeval events end with the scattering of
the peoples of the earth. It forms the transition to the patriarchal events, which begins the movement towards
the founding of a chosen nation from which the Messiah will come.
This Table of Nation offers a realistic picture of developing nations, portraying their movements and developments
at the dawn of world history. The descendants of Noah through his three sons are divided by means of anthropological,
linguistic, political and geographical criteria. Therefore, a careful study will show that it includes the
names of people, tribes, countries, and cities.
What we can learn from this chapter is that the all the nations in the world are united by virtue of its beginnings
from one family. However, the human race is divided by language, race, territory, and politics because of
its rebellion against God. This means that the diverse languages and nations today is an evidence of God’s
judgement. It was a judgement to bring about the redemption of the human race eventually (cf. Acts. 17:26-27; Rev. 14:6).
v.1-5 Noah’s statement that “God shall enlarge Japheth” (9:27) indicated that Japheth’s descendants
would experience a remarkable prosperity and dispersion, and their names make it clear that they did indeed inhabit
vast portions of the earth, migrating westward to the Aegean, northward into Europe, and eastward into the vast
Asian continent.
v.6-20 The Hamitic peoples played an important
role in the history of Israel. Ham’s descendants lived, by and large, south of Canaan. It would be
incorrect to simply identify the Hamites with Africans. They would include the Ethiopians, Egyptians, Canaanites,
etc.
v.21-32 The descendant of Shem most important
here was Eber, the son of Arphaxad, the father of Joktan and Peleg. Peleg’s descendants are given more detailed
treatment later (11:16-26) – the most important being Abraham.
v.1The entire human race was united by a common language – the whole earth (i.e. the inhabitants) had one “lip” (i.e. speech) and one vocabulary (i.e. the content of what was said).
v.2 The human family migrated “off east” and settled in the region of ancient Babylon in Shinar,
where they found a plain. As the people gathered in that region – a very fertile one – they resisted leaving
it. This revealed the pride of the human race over their power through the unity of their common language,
which led them to disobey God’s directions to “replenish (or, fill) the earth” (9:1).
v.3 In their zeal for societal development,
alliance, and fame, and with all the optimism of a beginning people, they began to organise their brick-making.
They were an ingenious people because they lacked the proper materials, and yet they succeeded in making fire-hardened
“brick” to replace “stone”, and using “slime” (i.e. asphalt or bitumen) for “morter” (i.e. clay).
v.4 The major error was not the building
of a city or a tower but the attempt to unite and live in one place in open rebellion against God’s original commission
(9:1). It was a disobedience that sprung from their great pride (“let us make a
name”). The purpose of their building was fame. They wished in arrogance
to make “a name”. Their desire to build a tower was motivated
by the fear of the oblivion of dispersion because they knew they were resisting God’s command to inhabit the whole
earth, and they were attempting to protect themselves from, among other things, another divine judgement like the
flood. The flood has covered the highest mountains of the primeval world (7:19-20), but had not reached “unto the heavens”. If, therefore, a structure higher than
the mountains could be erected, they would be safe whatever God might do.
v.5 This is another anthropomorphical description
of the Lord’s close interest and participation human affairs. There is no need for the Lord to “go down” but the description indicated that no matter how high they towered
at Babel, the Lord still had to descend to it. Clearly, the tower that was to reach the heavens fell far
short – “the weakness of God is stronger than men” (1 Co. 1:25).
v.6 The united rebellion contains the potential
of bringing the human race to the brink of yet another worldwide disaster like the great flood. The unity
the people enjoys became dangerous to their survival because the spirit of rebellion and sin can swiftly spread
and infect the entire human race. For this reason, greater power in the hands of man is often not a good
thing because the wickedness of man’s heart leans towards evil and self-destruction. God, in His mercy, will
prevent it.
v.7 The frustration of the communication
of the human race and divisions into nations would bring sudden fear and prevent attempts at unification.
In other words, once the understanding of one another was confounded, the division would be effected. As
a result, another corruption of “all flesh” on the earth may
be averted (cf. 6:11-13).
v.8 It is important to keep in mind that the judgement
was the destruction of the language of the people, not the city. The common language was shattered into a
multiplicity of languages so that the common bond was destroyed. The greatest fear (v.4) of the people came
on them – the place of unity became the place of dispersion. God’s plan was not to destroy the human race but to
scatter it because of their rebellion. The judgement of God demonstrates that the present number of languages
that form national barriers is monument to sin!
v.9 The group at Babel began as the “ whole earth ” (v.1) but now they were spread over the “
all the earth ”. By this contrast, the spiritual lesson is made clear to all –
God’s purpose (9:1) would be accomplished, in spite of the ingenuity and proud defiance of the entire human race.
No great nations, not even the entire world united together, can defy God and win (cf. Ps. 2; Is. 40:15-25). Many centuries later, when God walked on earth, He declared, “And whosoever
shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted”
(Matt. 23:12).
Unlike the disheartening confusion in this passage is the great blessing at Pentecost in Acts 2. The Holy Spirit’s unique use of languages demonstrates that the
gospel, far from being culturally or linguistically restricted as the subsequent call of Abraham and founding of
the nation of Israel might suggest, is for men and women of all tribes and nations (cf. Zeph.3:9).