January 4, 2024 - Genesis 10-11

The closing verses of chapter 8 set us up for what follows:  “The Lord said in his heart, ‘I will never again curse the ground because of man, for the intention of man’s heart is evil from his youth.  Neither will I ever again strike down every living creature as I have done.  While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease’” (8:21-22).

Chapter ten begins, “These are the generations of the sons of Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth.  Sons were born to them after the flood” (10:1), and it ends, “These are the clans of the sons of Noah, according to their genealogies, in their nations, and from these the nations spread abroad on the earth after the flood” (10:32).  After so much sin and rebellion and after the judgment of the flood, a new beginning!  Child after child was born.  Family after family was enlarged.  And “the nations spread abroad on the earth.”  How mercifully and graciously did God act toward the earth that he did not strike down every person.  Furthermore, he blessed man so that the people of the earth multiplied greatly in numbers.  Yes, the tower of Babel episode is next.  And, yes, surely God knew what was coming; after all, he had said, “The intention of man’s heart is evil from his youth.”  God knew and, still, he acted graciously.

All my hope on God is founded;

he doth still my trust renew. . . .

 Human pride and earthly glory,

sword and crown betray his trust;

what with care and toil he buildeth,

tower and temple, fall to dust.

But God's power,

hour by hour,

is my temple and my tower.   -- Joachim Neander (17th century)