October 27, Genesis 10
These are the clans of the sons of Noah, according to their genealogies, in their nations, and from the the nations spread abroad on the earth after the flood. - Genesis 10:32
I don't always watch the last few minutes of a movie, and I doubt that you do, either. I know you watch to the end of the story. But the real end of the movie itself is after the credits roll by. In modern movies, it's not unusual for them to run ten minutes or more, naming everyone involved in creating the motion picture. There are dozens of cast members and hundreds of crew members. Among the dozens of on camera cast members, there are big name, well known actors who usually are in the starring roles. But there are also many unknown actors and even extras who played smaller roles, maybe even unnamed characters who appeared in the film. It takes a lot of people to make a story come to life on the big screen.
Genesis 10 is a long list of hard to pronounce names. It reminds me of movie credits that name not only the main characters, but also others who are part of the story but not central to it. Of course the real star and main character of the Bible story line is Jesus Christ. He doesn't even appear until three-fourths of the way through the Bible. But all that has gone before sets the stage and offers sneak peaks of the one who is coming. Promises and prophecies and types (symbolic representations) of Christ all point ahead. They tell us, "Wait. He's on his way."
But before we arrive in the New Testament and read about Jesus in the gospel, there are many other fascinating characters in the story line of the Bible. Only a few compared to all those who lived in those times are known by name. We've already met Adam and Eve and their sons. The entire human race started with them. We've met Noah and his family. The human race started over with them after the flood. Very soon we'll meet Abraham and his family. Abraham and his descendants are the branch of the human family tree through which the promised Savior will be born. Leading up to Messiah, the Bible story focuses and centers on that group of ancient people known as Israel.
But those people didn't live in a vacuum. Israel had neighbors and enemies. Genesis 10 sets the stage for the story of Abraham and his family by explaining how Noah's sons' families became the nations of the world. These lesser characters will play vital roles in the story, and they are introduced here. Here are the origins of the Canaanites, previous tenants of the land God would give Israel. They would fight fiercely against the Hebrew invaders, and later lead Israel to worship their fertility god idols. Here are the roots of the Philistines, long time dreaded rivals and perennial enemies of Israel. Here is the genesis of the nation of Egypt, the incubator where Jacob's family would grow into a great nation. Don't miss the origins of the Assyrians and Babylonians, fierce ancient peoples whom God would eventually use to take his stubborn, rebellious nation away into captivity.
The concept of all the nations and peoples of the world coming from Noah's sons contains a very relevant idea that our society, country and world need in these troubled days of racial strife. If we believe the Bible record of Genesis 10 (and even harsh critics acknowledge this list is without equal in sorting out the origins of ancient nations), then it's true that there is an equality and a brotherhood among all humanity. Hatred and animosity toward fellow human beings is at its core as disturbing and wrong as bitter family feuds. The human family is much bigger than us and ours. Do our attitudes and actions show respect for people who are different from us?
This list reminds me of movie credits in another way, especially some very old movies where the credits roll at the beginning of the film. The credits named not just the stars, but all the actors and the characters they played, before the story ever started. These named descendants of Noah were individuals who became families who grew into cities and nations who will appear in Israel's story. So God, the greatest Storyteller of the greatest Story ever, introduced them to his readers beforehand, setting the stage for what is about to unfold across centuries of history. Granted, a long list may not be the most exciting reading you can imagine. But don't skip it. There's a reason why it's there.
Copyright © 2021 by Michael B. McElroy. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Today in God's Word—October 2024
East Tallassee Church of Christ
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