Genesis Chapter 10

 

 In this chapter we don’t know the lifespan of all the individuals like in the previous chapters.

Now the flood has been estimated to have happened approximately 2350 BC. which stands for two thousand three hundred and fifty years before Christ.

This date comes from the genealogies written in previous chapters where the years they lived all the way back to Adam have been recorded. 

Verse 1

Genesis 10 is a record of the families of Noah’s sons, Shem, Ham and Japheth.

Many of the men mentioned in this chapter is important because they were leaders of great nations and significant cities historically.

Verses 2-5

Japheth had 7 sons and their families made their homes in the coastlands.

 Verses 6-20

Ham had 4 sons: Cush, Egypt, Put and Canaan. Cush fathered Nimrod who is described as a mighty man on the earth. He was king of several cities listed in this chapter including Babel which is Babylon and today modern day Iraq.

Nimrod means rebellion or against and he was a tyrannical leader. Cruel and wicked. 

The Philistines were descendants of Ham’s son Egypt.

Canaan’s descendants were the nations that are mentioned in other books of the Bible like Joshua and Judges.

Verses 21-32

Shem had 5 sons and details about his family will be in the next chapter. 

These genealogies are important details that help us acquire a Biblical timeline. It doesn’t just give us the dates in history of civilizations mentioned in these scriptures but the names of the individuals who founded those nations and cities.

After the flood Noah’s sons and descendants dispersed throughout many regions and lands and created new societies. This chapter would seem insignificant except it sets up the backdrop of the upcoming chapters and books of the Bible. 

God orchestrates the details just like he orchestrates our steps. Nothing is random. 

Psalm 37:23 & 24 says, “The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand.

Genesis Chapter 9

  

In this chapter we continue to learn about Noah and his sons after the flood.

Verses 1-7

God told Noah and his sons to have children and repopulate the earth.

Verses 2-3 is similar to the Covenant God gave Adam in Genesis 1:26 & 28 when he gave man dominion over all the animals. But in these verses it’s a bit more forceful using the words in verse 2 that animals are going to have fear and dread of man. God did that for the animals preservation. It’s a God given fear. Verse 3 God gives the animals to us for food. Before this man ate plants.

God told them not to eat meat that contained blood. Blood was to be respected because it gave life to humans and to animals.

In verse 6 murder was forbidden and a serious crime because God made humans in His image. This is where capital punishment originated.

Verses 8-17

God’s Covenant (a promise) to all people is in verses 8-9 I now establish my covenant with you and with your descendants after you.

 We are all descendants of either Shem, Ham and Japheth, Noah’s three sons. 

God promised never to flood the earth again and destroy every living creature.

Noah is not Jewish. The Jewish people will not begin for hundreds of years in the future. This Covenant is given before the Law of Moses and this Covenant is in effect for all time and for all generations.  Verse 16 says, everlasting Covenant. In verse 17, The sign of this Covenant is a rainbow.

Verses 18-29

Noah became drunk on the wine  and lay naked in his tent. Ham saw his father naked and told his two brothers. Shem and Japheth took a garment and covered their father without looking at him.

Noah woke up realizing what his son Ham did and cursed Ham’s son Canaan. The ancient Hebrew says that Ham “told with delight” what he saw undermining his authority as a man from God. 

He said that Ham’s offspring would be servants to his brother’s offspring. He blessed Japheth and Shem for covering him up.

Noah’s son Shem will become the ancestor to the Jewish nation. The Jewish people will come from Shem. Shem is a follower of God.

Ham will live a life of evil and it will get worse because he had seen the wickedness of those before the flood.

I have a difficult time watching the news because it is a reminder of the corruption and evil of this world. We always say or think that the corruption and evil of this world is getting worse but according to these scriptures it has always been this way since the beginning of time. God doesn’t have to watch the news to see what is going on in this world because He can see it all. God’s Covenant with Noah shows his mercy and grace all these thousands of years. Instead of obliterating this evil world God extends love and forgiveness to all who will take it. Now that is Amazing Grace!

Genesis Chapter 8

 

In this chapter we are continuing the story of Noah and his family. Only 8 people exist at this time, Noah, his wife, three sons and their wives.

Verses 1-5

God began to remove the flood waters by creating a wind which stopped the water level from increasing and began to decrease. 

The ark came to rest on the top of the mountains of Ararat. Some believe that because the ark was made with pitch (which is a sealer) on the inside and the outside that it is well preserved somewhere in the snow and ice of those mountains.

In the 10th month on the ark, the tops of the mountains became visible.

Verses 6-12

Noah releases a raven and it went to and fro until the waters dried up from the earth. Then Noah sent a dove, but it returned. 7 more days and it returned with an olive leaf. 7 more days and it did not return.

Verses 13-22

Noah and his family were on the ark 377 days according to verse 14. God told Noah, his family and the animals that they could leave the ark. 

Noah worshiped God. God promised Noah that He would never again strike down every living creature.

There is still judgement just like in the day of Noah but Revelation 3:20 says, Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him and he with Me. 

Everything that God does is for His purpose and according to I Peter 5:10, we serve the God of all grace.

God gave grace to Noah and his family and he continues to give grace to us as well.