Genesis 10

Genesis 10:1-32

Genesis 9:1-29; Genesis 10:1-32; Genesis 11:1-9 The Second Probation of the Race in Noah (Genesis 9:1-29; Genesis 10:1-32; Genesis 11:1-9) The deliverance of Noah and his family as the nucleus of a new race is set forth in Genesis 9:1-19. With Noah begins what may be called the second probation of the race, the first being in Adam, which was a total failure ending with the flood. The probation of the race in Noah also was a failure, ending with the confusion of tongues at the tower of Babel (Genesis 11:1-32). The third probation of the race, beginning with Abraham (Genesis 12:1) and representing the nation of Israel, the history of which is set forth in the entire Old Testament (after Genesis 11:1-32), the gospels, and Acts, was also a failure. The fourth probation of the race in Christ, beginning with the gospels and ending with Revelation, is a glorious success. See Chart (page 40). The second probation of the race in Noah is signalized by the pronouncement of the same blessing upon Noah as upon Adam (cf. Genesis 1:28-29 with 9:1-3). A new covenant is entered into with Noah, the sign of which is the rainbow (Genesis 9:11-17). The rainbow is for God to look at. We do not always see it, but, on the other side of the cloud, He does. Noah’ s sin is then described (Genesis 9:18-29). How frail a thing is man! How helpless without God! God had given Noah the earth-to use it, but now he abuses it. This is the first “ drunk” recorded in the Bible, and the shame which accompanied it has accompanied all others. Noah fell in connection with his own occupation. He could face an ungodly world, and yet fell in his own home. Pure all the days of his youth and manhood, he falls in his old age. “ Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall” (1 Corinthians 10:12; Matthew 26:41). The Probation of the Human Race through Four Representative Men The MenThe SignThe ConditionThe CharacteristicsThe ResultThe EffectADAM (Genesis 1:8)Tree of life (Genesis 2:9)Obedience (Genesis 2:16-17)Covenant of life (Genesis 2:9)Failure through disobedience (Genesis 3:1-24)On Adam and descendents (Genesis 3:7)Death; DelugeOn whole human race (Romans 5:12; Romans 6:23)DeathNOAH (Genesis 9:1-29; Genesis 10:1-32; Genesis 11:1-32)Bow in the cloud (Genesis 9:12-17)Occupation (Genesis 9:1-7)Covenant of possession (Genesis 9:1-3)Failure through centralization (Babel, Genesis 11:1-32; also 9:21)Dispersion and confusion of languages (Genesis 11:1-32)ABRAHAM (Israel) (Genesis 12:1-20 -Matthew)Circumcision (Genesis 17:9-14)Separation (Genesis 12:1; Genesis 13:14)Covenant of blessing (Genesis 12:2-3)Failure through compromise and idolatry; rejection of Christ (Matthew 23:37-39)Cast off. Jerusalem trodden down (Luke 21:34)CHRIST (Gospels-Revelation)Holy Spirit (Matthew 3:16, with Isaiah 61:1)Faith (Matthew 4:1-10)Covenant of grace (Hebrews 8:1-13)Faithfulness (Matthew 3:17; Matthew 17:5)A godly seed (Isaiah 53:11) (Ephesians 2:6-7) (Philippians 2:9)In the rebuke of Ham we see the folly of making a joke out of sin. Only fools make a mock at sin. The blessing of Noah on his children has been proven true by history. Canaan remains cursed until this day. Jehovah is the God of Shem, for throughout all the ages the Jews have preserved monotheism. Japheth has entered into the blessings of Shem, and his descendents control the world today. Genesis 10:1-32 gives an account of the generations of Noah, the second head of the race, just as Genesis 5:1-32 gave the generations of Adam, the first head of the race. These genealogies are given to show the Messianic line. These tables may be looked upon, also, as God’ s farewell to the nations, before He chooses Abraham; and yet they are a loving reminder that the nations are His, even as Israel, and that He is their Creator. This list of names is used almost unchanged in I Chronicles, showing that its correctness was recognized up to that time. This chapter, Genesis 10:1-32, sets forth the beginning of nations. We have here the unity, division, and dispersion of the race. The fact of the unity of the race is also set forth. All mankind has sprung from one common source. God hath made of one blood all nations that dwell on the earth (Acts 17:26). This is an argument for the brotherhood of man. Genesis 11:1-32 describes the building of the tower of Babel, and really belongs to chapter ten. God’ s command to Noah and his descendents to scatter and people the earth was evidently disobeyed, for here we find concentrated ungodliness, self-seeking, and defiance against God. Men would make a name for themselves rather than glorify God. God commanded diffusion; men determined on concentration. The building of the tower of Babel was a manifestation of the defiance of God’ s command, the confusion of tongues an evidence of God’ s determination that His command to disperse should be carried out. The confusion of tongues should be studied in connection with the gift of tongues on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-47) and Revelation 7:9. Where sin abounds, grace much more abounds. One cannot read the genealogy in this chapter without being impressed with the decrease of longevity since the flood. It seems that the farther away we get from Eden, the shorter is the life of man. “ Dying, thou shalt die.” Methuselah lived nine hundred and sixty-nine years; the longest life in this genealogy (Genesis 11:1-32) is about five hundred years; David (Psalms 90:1-17) says, “ The days of our years are threescore years and ten;” the average length of life today is thirty-three years. Notes on “ The Nations”

1. Origin of Nations, Genesis 9:18-29; Genesis 10:1-32
2. Scattering of the Nations, Genesis 11:1-9
3. Babylon and Egypt founded by Ham, Genesis 10:6-20
4. Assyria founded by Shem, Genesis 10:11-12; Genesis 10:21; Genesis 10:31
5. European Nation founded by Japheth, Genesis 10:2-5
6. Abraham the father of o Israel, Genesis 12:2 o Many Nations, Genesis 17:4-6
7. All the Nations blessed in Abraham, Genesis 12:3; Genesis 22:18
8. Nations derived from Abrahamic stock, Genesis 19:36-38; Genesis 25:12-16; Genesis 25:1-4; Genesis 36:6-8 An interesting study of the doctrine of sin may be found in the chapters we have just covered (Genesis 3:1-24; Genesis 4:1-26; Genesis 5:1-32; Genesis 6:1-22; Genesis 7:1-24; Genesis 8:1-22; Genesis 9:1-29; Genesis 10:1-32; Genesis 11:1-32): I. Its Source (Genesis 3:1-24) II. Its Development (Genesis 4:1-26; Genesis 5:1-32)
9. In the family, Cain and Abel (Genesis 4:1-26)
10. In society-the two lines (Genesis 5:1-32)
11. In the race (Genesis 5:1-32; Genesis 6:1-22) III. The Penalty and Punishment of Sin (Genesis 6:1-22; Genesis 7:1-24; Genesis 8:1-22; Genesis 9:1-29; Genesis 10:1-32; Genesis 11:1-32)
12. The flood (Genesis 6:1-22; Genesis 7:1-24; Genesis 8:1-22; Genesis 9:1-29)
13. The dispersion (Genesis 10:1-32)
14. The confusion of tongues-tower of Babel (Genesis 11:1-32)