Genesis chapter 10
10:1 Sons of Noah: All the people of the world since the Flood have descended from the three sons of Noah (Acts 17:
26).
10:9-11 Nimrod the mighty hunter: The name of this man means "Let Us Revolt." Arab traditions record ruins after
him at Birs-Nimrod, which is Borsippa, and at the Nimrud of Calah. His activities centered first in Shinar (Babylonia)
and included building the Tower of Babel (11:1-9). Then he went to Assyria (Micah 5:6). Some believe that since the
context deals with men and not animals, his prowess in hunting deals with men and that his exploits are of a moral
and spiritual nature. "Mighty Hunter" is from 6:4, and his name relates to the word marad, meaning "rebel." Thus he
established a thoroughly autocratic, imperialistic, despotic system of government (of a kind described in Isaiah 13,
14), back of which stands Satan in all his rage against God. He did all of this before the Lord. What he did was very
significant and was a matter of concern to God Himself. God certainly knows what everybody does; but this made a
strong impression, just as the "sons of God" did in 6:2.
10:25 Earth divided: The division of the earth in verses 25 and 32 is most likely related to the events of 11:1-9. It
does not refer to the splitting apart of the continents, but to the dispersion of peoples at the Tower of Babel. The fact
that Peleg's ancestors are not mentioned as being alive at this time (Noah, Shem, etc.) implies that they had long
since died. This is another indication that there are gaps in the genealogy of chapter 11. In 11:16-19 there is a
considerable shortening of the life span from Eber to Peleg (from 464 to 239 years), which also suggests a time gap
and that Eber may have been a distant ancestor of Peleg.
Genesis chapter 11.
11:1-9 One language is literally "one lip," meaning language or dialect. There is a single family in one place speaking
one language. From the east: An idiom for "off east," indicating direction. Shinar was in the region of Babylon. Brick:
The irony of the passage is that they did not have the stone or mortar for building and had to use makeshift
materials. Let us build us a city and tower: Their ambition is expressed. They wish to bind their strength with the city
and tower. The tower may mean a fortress (Deuteronomy 1:28; 9:1 speak of cities fortified up to heaven). The tower
may have served as a rallying point and a symbol of their fame. Their desire to make us a name goes back to 4:17,
22-24; 6:4; 10:9; all of which are focal points of rebellion against God. Here they do not want to fulfill God's command
to Noah and his family after the Flood (9:1). And the Lord came down: The "coming down" is significant (18:2, 21; 19:
1). God was already aware of the program, but being the righteous judge, He wished to examine it closely. No matter
how high the tower, He still comes down. They begin to do: This would be only the start! Imagined to do means "they
purposed." Let us go down: Again the plural does not refer to angels, but is a plural of majesty (1:26; 3:22). The Lord
scattered them: What men will not do willingly, God forces them to do as a result of judgment, and today there are
more than three thousand languages and dialects. The result of this confusion (verse 9) was the scattering of
mankind. The name Babel is linked with the Hebrew verb balal (to confuse). But the ancient Babylonians called the
city Bab-ilu, meaning "Gate of God." At any rate, there is a pun in the construction of Babel-balal. In the Bible this city
increasingly came to symbolize the godless society, with its pretensions (chapter 11), persecutions (Daniel 3),
pleasures, sins, and superstitions (Isaiah 47:8-13), as well as its riches and eventual doom (Revelation 17, 18).
Certain lessons appear: (1) boastful pride in material power is sinful in God's sight. This is the theme behind all sin:
pride. (2) Yahweh's purpose endures forever. Every plan He formulates is inevitably implemented in spite of all efforts
and devices of man. The peoples will settle in all the earth. And (3) unity and peace are not ultimate goals in a sinful
world: better division than collective apostasy.
11:26-33 Begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran: Abram was not the oldest, but is mentioned first since God chose him for
the messianic line (5:32 for the same pattern). According to 12:4, Abram was 75 years old when he departed from
Haran; and according to verse 32, Terah died when he 205, which means that Abram was born when his father was
130. Abram means "Exalted Father." This signified his honored status as progenitor of God's chosen people. Later,
in 17:5, his name would be changed to Abraham, which means "Father of a Great Multitude." He was born in
approximately 2165 B.C. Most locate Ur of the Chaldees in Sumer, in southern Mesopotamia, while others locate it in
northern Mesopotamia, at Urfa, Haran. The Sumerian Ur was one of the most spectacular cities of the ancient world .
If indeed Abraham migrated from this city to Haran, he left behind an advanced culture, to put his faith in the
promises of God.
Genesis chapter 12
12:1-10 Genesis 12:1-9 records the call of Abram and his obedience. The first three verses record the call and the
promises; the rest of the section describes the obedience of Abram. The passage is constructed on two imperatives.
The first is the basic call for Abram to leave the land in verse 1: Get thee out: These elements are mentioned: (1) out
of his country; (2) away from his kindred; and (3) away from his father's house. Joshua 24:2 states that his family
practiced idolatry. He is not told where he is to go, only unto a land that I will show thee, which requires faith on his
part. If he leaves, there are three promises that Yahweh makes to him. They might even be translated in each case
as a cohortative, "Let me": (1) "Let me make of thee a great nation," and (2) "Let me bless thee," and (3) "Let me
make thy name great." The last promise certainly contains some irony. The quest for a name had been the driving
ambition of the "sons of God" in Genesis 6:1-4 and of the architects of the Tower of Babel in 11:1-9. Now God will do
for Abram what others had so selfishly sought but failed to attain. The last words in verse 2 may be translated "so
that you shall be a blessing." Abraham is to be a great nation, be personally blessed, and receive a great name--so
that he may be a blessing. Certainly this is true for us today
(Galatians 3:29). To whom and how he was to be a blessing are both answered in verse 3. It may be translated, "and
I will bless them that bless thee, and curse them that curseth thee in order that in you all the nations of the earth shall
be blessed." Abram's first act of obedience is recorded in verse 4 as he departed out of Haran. The second is in
verses 5 and 8 as they came into the land of Canaan and builded an altar unto the Lord, and called upon the name
of the Lord (4:26). The Book of Genesis is divided into two main sections. The first 11 chapters deal with the history
of the human race, and the last 39 with the family of Abraham. This in the twelfth chapter, God turns our attention
from a rebellious humanity recently scattered by the judgment of Babel, to this one family through which the Savior of
the world would ultimately come.
12:1-10 (continued) The Canaanite was then in the land: These were wicked people, and in Genesis 15:16 and
Deuteronomy 7:1-5 they were later destroyed because of the abominations they practiced. Right in the locality of
God's call for Abram were wicked sinners! It would be hard for him to live for God and be pure. And there was a
famine in the land: In addition to the wicked Canaanites, now he was tested by a famine (James 1:2-8, and those in
Genesis 26:1 and 41:56).
12:11-20 Say, I pray thee, thou are my sister: that it may be well with me for thy sake. According to 20:13, Abram lied
about Sarai everywhere he went to save his life, even after he had been saved and called by God. But God's
sovereignty overcame Abram's sin. God plagued Pharaoh and his house, and Abram was rebuked by Pharaoh. Sarai
was his half sister (20:12), but his statement was a lie.
Genesis chapter 13
13:1-18 In verse 4 he called on the name of the Lord (12:8). The material wealth occasioned a shortage of available
grazing land and caused strife between Lot's shepherds and Abram's. Abram condescended to the younger man,
Lot, and gave him choice of all the land. Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom.
Later he dwelt there (14:12) and subsequently served on the town council (19:1). And the Lord said unto Abram,
after that Lot was separated from Him indicates that God gives the best to those who leave the choice to Him, for He
reaffirmed His promise to give the land of Canaan to Abram and his seed [descendants] for ever (verse 15). Again it
is noted he built there an altar unto the Lord. He was not ashamed to publicly worship his God.
Genesis chapter 14
14:1-16 Fourteen years previous to the time of the incident narrated here (v. 5), Chedorlaomer (not Hammurapi) had
subjugated the plain of Jordan. At this time Abram was possibly still in Haran . Five cities of the plain revolted; and
Chedorlaomer, with three allies, marched against them. The reason for the allies’ presence is only a guess, but they
certainly came a long distance to control this area. So they may have come to control the copper mines south and
southwest of the Dead Sea . The Proto-Sinaitic Inscriptions reveal that the mines were worked for centuries. Later,
Solomon worked them. Trained servants, born in his own house, three hundred and eighteen: The term indicates the
might of Abram, especially the size and strength of his entourage. He actually had combat troops at his disposal. The
Ebla Tablets refer to an Ebrum, which was a dynastic title a few centuries before Abram. He is called a “mighty
prince” in 23:6, and thus is recognized by the inhabitants of the land as an influential person, possibly a ruler of a
section of the land.
14:17-24 Melchizedek king of Salem probably was not a theophany, but an actual king of Jerusalem or Salem (cf Ps
76:2). He is a priest of the most high God. It is interesting to note believers besides Abram and his descendants in
this limited account (chs. 12-50). He gave him tithes of all: Abram paid tithes to Melchizedek, indicating Melchizedek’s
superior priesthood, since Levi was considered to be in the body (seminally) of Abram when he paid tithes to
Melchizedek (Heb. 7:9, 10). Lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abram rich Abram refused to take anything, so as
not be obligated to the king of Sodom, and also demonstrate his total allegiance to the Lord. He took only food for his
men and gave his allies the liberty to accept the spoils that were due them.
Genesis chapter 15
15:1 Thy shield and thy exceeding great reward: This chapter introduces the Abrahamic covenant by which God
promises him an heir and eventual descendants who will one day possess the land of Canaan. The word shield is
translated in other passages as "believed." Thus, God is the object of Abram's faith and thereby the source of his
confidence. The promise of reward is especially significant in view of the fact that Abram had just refused a reward
from the king of Sodom. God Himself would be Abram's true reward (Psalms 127:3).
15:2-5 Childless: Ten years have passed and Abram is still without an heir. Following the custom of the day, he
suggests that perhaps he ought to adopt his steward...Eliezer of Damascus as his legal heir. However, God refuses
this offer and clearly promises that Abram will have a child out of thine own bowels (i.e., physically procreated). God
further promised that his eventual descendants would be as innumerable as the stars. Tell means "count."
15:6 He believed in the Lord: This was not his original act faith, but a further evidence of his confidence in God. In
light of Hebrew 11:8-10, clearly Abram had already experienced saving faith at the time of his original call. Romans 4:
6 and 22 cite instances of God imputing righteousness to the account of those who were already believers. Romans
4:18 refers to Abram's believing God's promise that he would have a posterity. Thus, the doctrine of imputation is
based upon man's faith. The fact that Abram was justified by God 14 years before he was circumcised is the basis for
Paul's argument in Romans 4:9-12 that faith, not works (e.g., circumcision), is the means of our justification.
Therefore, the Old Testament as well as the New Testament teaches salvation by faith, not works.
I will be delivering the Sacred Message at Unity Pentecostal Church of Christ located at 509 South Franklin Street,
Hempstead, New York on Thursday, April 23 2009 and April 24 2009 at 8 p.m. Follow Southern State Parkway to Exit
19N (Peninsula Boulevard). Follow Peninsula Boulevard to South Franklin Street. Turn Right, follow South Franklin to
509 just past Carl C. Burnett Funeral Home. Hope you can attend.
Those who are in my community, this church is in need of financial assistance, and I am attempting to help keep the
church doors open (Rent). Please feel free to bring a donation or mail a donation to 160-18 131st Avenue, Jamaica,
New York 11434 and a letter will be given to those who give a donation that will allow them to deduct it from their
taxes.
15:7-21 Divided them in the midst: "Cutting" a covenant conveys the idea that the same will be done to the one who
breaks this covenant. Ancient covenants were sometimes confirmed by the having of the sacrificial victims and the
two parties to the covenant passing between them (Mari Tablets and Jeremiah 34:18, 19). In this case, however, God
alone passes between the animal pieces, in the form of a smoking furnace from which torch-like flames shoot out
(Exodus 19:18), because this covenant with Abram is unconditional, and can be carried out only by God Himself. Thy
seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs: This is a prophecy of Israel sojourn in Egypt, predicted to take
place some three hundred years later and lasting about four hundred years (Exodus 12:40, 430 to be exact). Then
God would judge that nation (Egypt in Exodus 15), and bring Israel out with great substance (Exodus 12:34-36), and
use them as a means of judgment upon the inhabitants of Canaan, when the iniquity of the Amorites would be full.