The Story Continues

The Beginning: HisStory in Genesis 1-11

Week 10: The Story of the Tower of Babel – Genesis 11

I. The Descendants of Japheth – Genesis 10:1-5

II. The Descendants of Ham – Genesis 10:6-18

“Nimrod was a grandson of Ham through Cush, and his name means ‘rebel’. He was a mighty tyrant in the sight of God, the first dictator. The word ‘hunter’ does not refer to the hunting of animals, but rather to the hunting of men. He was the founder of the Babylonian empire and the organizer of the enterprise that led to the construction of the tower of Babel” (Warren Wiersbe, Logos).

“Babylon, the land of Nimrod” (Micah 5:6), the origin of which is described in 11:1, grew to be a great city covering an area of 225 square miles, reached its highest glory under Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 4:30), and succumbed to the Medo- Persian power under Belshazzar (Daniel 5:31)” (H.D.M. Spence, Genesis,Logos).

III. The Descendants of Shem – Genesis 10:19-32

“Shem’s third son, Arphaxad, is the most important in the entire list of nations because it was through him the royal line led to Abram and thence to Christ” (John Phillips, Gleanings in Genesis, p. 99-101).

It would be during the time of Peleg that the people would be scattered – Genesis 10:25 & 32

The Bible lists ten generations from Adam through Seth to Noah and ten generations from Noah through Shem to Abram.

IV. The Tower of Babel – Genesis 11

Nimrod was the ruler of Babylon and the one behind the building of the Tower of Babel.

Genesis 11:3-4
“Let us make bricks and burn them thoroughly” “Let us build for ourselves a city”
“Let us make for ourselves a name”

V. Satan – The Great Rebel

“How you have fallen from Heaven,
O star of the morning, son of the dawn!
You have been cut down to the earth,
You who have weakened the nations!
But you said in your heart,
‘I will ascend to Heaven;
I will raise my throne above the stars of God, And I will sit on the mount of assembly
In the recesses of the north.
‘I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’ Nevertheless you will be thrust down to Sheol, To the recesses of the pit” (Isaiah 14:12-15).

“You had the seal of perfection,
Full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.
You were in Eden, the garden of God;
Every precious stone was your covering:
The ruby, the topaz and the diamond;
The beryl, the onyx and the jasper;
The lapis lazuli, the turquoise and the emerald;
And the gold, the workmanship of your settings and sockets, Was in you.
On the day that you were created
They were prepared.
You were the anointed cherub who covers,
And I placed you there.
You were on the holy mountain of God;
You walked in the midst of the stones of fire.
You were blameless in your ways
From the day you were created
Until unrighteousness was found in you.
By the abundance of your trade
You were internally filled with violence,
And you sinned;
Therefore I have cast you as profane
From the mountain of God.
And I have destroyed you, O covering cherub,
From the midst of the stones of fire.
Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty;
You corrupted your wisdom by reason of your splendor.
I cast you to the ground” (Ezekiel 28:13-17).

“And there was war in Heaven, Michael and his angels waging war with
the dragon. The dragon and his angels waged war, and they were not strong enough, and there was no longer a place found for them in Heaven. And the great dragon was thrown down, the serpent of old who is called the devil
and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him” (Revelation 12:7-9).

“So have all such wicked combinations in times past been overthrown. Witness the great world empires of Babylon, Persia, Greece. Rome. So in the end will the great mystery of iniquity, of which that early Babel was the first type.” (H.D.M. Spence, Genesis, Logos).

VI. The Promise – Genesis 12:1-3

Abram’s lineage would be the one chosen to produce the seed of woman who would bless the nations.

VII. The First Advent – Matthew, Mark, Luke and John

Jesus is Immanuel – God with us!

VIII. The Second Advent – Revelation 19-22

The Reverse of the Curse:

Revelation 20 – The devil, his demons, the antichrist, and his followers along with death and Hades are thrown into the lake of fire.

Revelation 21-22 – The New Heavens and the New Earth There is no more curse! (Revelation 22:3)

God’s desire is accomplished:

“And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, ‘Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.’” (Revelation 22:3-4).

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