Genesis 10
Introduction of genealogy of Noahverse 1
Now these are the generations of the sons of Noah
Shem – Ham – Japheth
and unto them were sons born after the FLOOD
Descendents of Japhethverses 2-5
The sons of Japheth
Gomer – Magog – Madai – Javan – Tubal – Meshech – Tiras
AND the sons of Gomer
Ashkenaz – Riphath – Togarmah
AND the sons of Javan
Elishah – Tarshish – Kittim – Dodanim
By these were the isles of the GENTILES divided in their lands
every one after his tongue – after their families – in their nations
Descendents of Hamverses 6-14
And the sons of Ham
Cush – Mizraim – Phut – Canaan
And the sons of Cush
Seba – Havilah – Sabtah – Raamah – Sabtechah
and the sons of Raamah – Sheba – Dedan
And Cush begot Nimrod – he began to be a mighty one in the earth
he was a mighty hunter before the LORD
wherefore it is said
Even as Nimrod the mighty hunter before the LORD
and the beginning of his kingdom was
Babel – Erech – Accad – Calneh
in the land of Shinar
Out of that land went forth Asshur – and built Nineveh
and the city Rehoboth – Calah – Resen between Nineveh and Calah
the same is a great city
And Mizraim begot Ludim – Anamim – Lehabim – Naphtuhim – Pathrusim
Casluhim (out of whom came the Philistines) – Caphtorim
Descendents of Canaan the son of Hamverses 15-20
And Canaan begot Sidon his first-born – Heth – Jebusite – Amorite
Girgashite – Hivite – Arkite – Sinite – Arvadite – Zemarite
Hamathite – and afterward were the families of the Canaanites
spread abroad
And the border of the Canaanites was from Sidon
as thou come to Gerar unto Gaza
as thou go unto Sodom – Gomorrah – Admah – Zeboim
even unto Lasha
These are the sons of Ham – after their families – after their tongues
in their countries – in their nations
Descendents of Shemverses 21-31
Unto Shem also the father of all the children of Eber
the brother of Japheth – the elder – even to him were children born
The children of Shem
Elam – Asshur – Arphaxad – Lud – Aram
And the children of Aram
Uz – Hul – Gether – Mash
Arphaxad begot Salah
and Salah begot Eber
And unto Eber were born two sons – the name of one was Peleg
for in his days was the earth divided
and his brother’s name was Joktan
And Joktan begot Almodad – Sheleph – Hazarmaveth – Jerah
Hadoram – Uzal – Diklah – Obal – Abimael – Sheba – Ophir
Havilah – Jobab – all these were the sons of Joktan
And their dwelling was from Mesha
as you go unto Sephar a mount of the east
These are the sons of Shem – after their families – after their tongues
in their lands – after their nations
Conclusion of list of generationsverse 32
These are the families of the sons of Noah – after their generations
in their nations – and by these were the nations divided
in the earth after the FLOOD
COMMENTARY:
DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers
: 1 Now these are the generations of the sons of Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth: and unto them were sons born after the flood. (8435 “generations” [towladah] means descendants, successors, genealogies, race, families, origins, or order of their births)
DEVOTION: There are places you can go on the internet to find out your family history all the way back as far as you want to go. I have a cousin who traced our family history back to Wales. He has gone over and met some of our relatives from England. There is a lot of interest in looking into family history.
Here we have the descendants of Noah after the flood. There is something that caused them to divide into different locations that will be covered in the next chapter. To begin with they all lived together in one area until this event took place.
We have the order of the sons born to Noah in this verse. The firstborn was Shem whose descendants includes Abraham. The second was Japheth.
The third born was Ham who was cursed by his father for something that happened when the father was drunk.
In this chapter Japheth is the first son covered as far as births are concerned. The next one is Ham who was the youngest. Finally, we see the offspring of Shem the oldest. This is not done in the birth order but done to emphasize the descendants of Shem.
Abraham came from Shem’s descendants. One line stayed close to the LORD while the other lines went away from the LORD. It shows that God is Sovereign in choosing who will follow HIM. HE knew before the foundation of the earth who would be close to HIM.
We make choices in our life that affect the next three or four generations of our family. The Bible states that the sins of the father visits the children for the next four generations.
This helps us understand what is going on in our life. Ham made a choice when he looked on the nakedness of his father. The New Testament informs us that each of us has a besetting sin that we inherit from our great-grandfather. We can overcome the family sin if we turn our life over to the LORD and allow HIM to give us the strength through the Holy Spirit to overcome the family sin.
CHALLENGE: Our family sin doesn’t have to control us because we have strength given to us from the LORD. Our family history is not an excuse for yielding to our besetting sin.
DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers
: 5 By these were the isles of the Gentiles divided in their lands; every one after his tongue, after their families, in their nations. (6504 “divided” [parad] means separate, scattered abroad, dispersed, to move away from each other or be moved away from each other, or diverge)
DEVOTION: Here we have the descendants of Japheth recorded. They were the ones who were those who liked to be on the water. They are a seafaring people who traveled the Mediterranean Sea. They are the ones who sailed to establish colonies on the coast of what was to become the Promised Land.
One of the comments in this chapter states that these individuals had their own language. When Noah and his family got off the ark they all had one language. It would be simpler if we only had one language today. Of course, we would say that it should be American English but then there would be others that would object to that choice. In heaven, everyone will understand each other because their will only be one language.
These three sons of Noah established many nations around the world. They spread out and started nations that either honored the LORD or dishonored the LORD. Language was part of what makes a difference. There is good language use and bad language use. Our language can either honor the LORD or dishonor the LORD. There are words in every language today that can do one of these two things.
Christians should always honor the LORD with their language. That means also how expressive we are with even good language.
CHALLENGE: Anger should not be a part of our language. When we are angry we should not talk.
: 8 And Cush begat Nimrod: he began to be a mighty one in the earth. (1368 “mighty one” [gibbowr] means a person noted for physical strength, often related to fighting ability, energy, vigorous, champion, warrior, or valiant man)
DEVOTION: History can be boring or exciting. It depends on our attitude toward it. We can learn a lot of lessons from history. We can see where individuals did good things or bad things. We can see how nations handled their people whether it was good or bad. We can see how natural it is for people to like sin instead of following the LORD.
Here we have a man who established the kingdom of Babylon. We will learn more about this city in the next chapter but here we find that Nimrod was a descendent of Ham. Remember Ham was cursed because of his actions regarding his father. So here we have a family whose descendants were living under this curse.
Nimrod is described as the first great warrior. He was a great hunter. People talked about all his battles. People talked about his ability to hunt for food. He is given three verses in this chapter to introduce us to his great accomplishments.
Nimrod had children who established the city of Nineveh. This also became a great city in the history of the children of Israel. Remember that two Old Testament prophet went to this city. One recorded a revival. The other recorded the judgment on this city.
As we learn about different places in the Bible we can see how they started and sometimes even how they finished. Some started good by honoring the LORD and others started poorly in their relationship to the LORD.
CHALLENGE: How is your life in relationship to honoring the LORD? Remember you are starting another generation whose future can be one of honoring the LORD or not allowing the LORD to have a place in your heart and in the hearts of those
DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers
: 25 And unto Eber were born two sons: the name of one was Peleg; for in his days was the earth divided; and his brother’s name was Joktan. (6385 “divided” [palag] means cut open, dispersed, split or cleave)
DEVOTION: If we read the genealogies carefully, we will see things in them that God wanted us to see. The list of names gives us the beginning nations that existed in the generations after Noah. Each of his sons had children that started nations. These nations become important in the history of the children of Israel. The children of Israel were descendents of Shem.
So we have the human race started again by Noah and his family. Noah only had three children. Most of the other patriarchs had other children listed after their names as having other sons and daughters. This does not appear after Noah’s name.
In this chapter of the sons of Noah we find this verse that talks about the earth dividing. The name Peleg means divide. The word used to state that the earth was divided is the same Hebrew word.
This is where some think that the one continent was divided into our present continental divides. When scientist look at the earth and try to put the continents together to form one land mass, it works. When God created the world there was one land mass and water around it.
However, after the flood the people were supposed to multiply and fill the world with people. When we study the next chapter, we will find that they disobeyed God. Nimrod was a mighty warrior who started the nation of Babel. He was a descendant of Ham. Remember that Ham was cursed of his father for an action of dishonor.
When was the division of the earth? It is thought by some commentators that this took place when God confused the language. With the coming division of people, this would help there to be confusion in the nations. Something happened in Peleg’s time. We are not sure what did happen but we will one day see the plan of God in motion in our own day.
God is sovereign. HE is working HIS plan. HE has worked HIS plan from the beginning of time and will continue to work HIS plan until the end of time. HE is sending warnings to our world but most are not heeding the warning. Are we?
When people rebel against God there is division in the land. When Christians rebel against God there is division in the church. When couples rebel against God there is division in the home. The starting point of all rebellion is in individuals who don’t want to listen to the LORD. This shouldn’t start in the lives of those who are honoring the LORD.
CHALLENGE: Ask the LORD if there is rebellion in your life that is causing division in the family, church, and nation.
:32 These are the families of the sons of Noah, after their generations, in their nations: and by these were the nations divided in the earth after the flood. (1471 “nations” [gowy] means 1 nation, people. 1a nation, people. 1a1 usually of non-Hebrew people. 1a2 of descendants of Abraham. 1a3 of Israel. [Strong, J. (1995). Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon. Woodside Bible Fellowship])
DEVOTION: How many nations exist in the world today? The United Nations lists 193 member nations in its general assembly. It is difficult to believe that there are so many different political groupings, yet we know that this does not take into account different people groups or tribes (or especially dialects of languages). Beginning with Noah and culminating at the Tower of Babel, there was a deep divide in the world’s peoples which has not yet been fully bridged. This chapter contains the first mention of nations in the Bible.
The only way that this division of people will ever be resolved will be at the Lord’s return. He is establishing a kingdom where all peoples will be together (Revelation 5:9, 7:9, and 14:6). God’s promise to Abraham was that in his lineage one would be born (Jesus) in whom all the nations of the earth would be blessed (Genesis 12:3). Those who love the Lord will be once again one in their worship of Him.
What is clear, then, is that cultures are not inherently good or bad in and of themselves. We need to think of ways to bridge them cross-culturally so that we have the opportunity to lead others to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. We are tempted to think in terms of our culture being superior to the other cultures of the world, but we need to remember that the ground is level at the foot of the cross. This will enable us to love those who are not like us culturally.
CHALLENGE: Who are you reaching out to today? There are people from many different cultures all around us. Seek to get to know someone of a different culture today and love them for Christ’s sake. (MW)
DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:
BODY
Chastity (Purity in living)
Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)
Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)
Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)
Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)
SOUL
Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)
Frugality (wise use of resources)
Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)
Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)
Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)
SPIRIT
Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)
Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)
Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)
Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)
Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)
DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:
Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)
God the Father (First person of the Godhead)
LORD (Jehovah)verse 9
God the Son (Second person of the Godhead –God/man, Messiah)
God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)
Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)
Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)
Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)
Genealogy of Noahverses 1-32
Sons of Japhethverses 3-5
Sons of Hamverses 6-20
Sons of Shemverses 21-31
Land divided: Gentiles divided the landsverse 5
Nimrod – mighty hunter before the LORDverses 8-10
Beginning of his kingdom: Babel
Ninevehverse 1
Canaan – son of HAMverses 15-20
Border was Sidon- Great –Gaza
Sodom – Gomorrah – Admah
Zeboim – Lasha
Jebusite
Amorite
Girgasite
Hivite
Arkite
Sinite
Arvadite
Zemarite
Hamathite
Shemverses 21-31
Eber
Japheth – the elder
Elam
Asshur
Arphaxad
Salah
Eber
Peleg – earth divided
Joktan
Almodad
Sheleph
Hazarmaveth
Jerah
Hadoram
Uzal
Diklah
Obal
Abimsrl
Sheba
Ophir
Havilah
Jobab
Dwelling: Mesha to Sephar
Lud
Aram
Uz
Hul
Gether
Mash
Families of the sons of Noahverse 32
Nations divided after the floodverse 32
Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)
Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)
Israel (Old Testament people of God)
Church (New Testament people of God)
Last Things (Future Events)
DONATIONS:
Remember that all donations to Small Church Ministries are greatly appreciated. The treasurer will send a receipt, at the end of the year unless otherwise requested. Please be sure to make check out to “Small Church Ministries.” The address for the treasurer is P.O. Box 604, East Amherst, New York 14051. A second way to give to the ministry is through PayPal on the website: www.smallchurchministries.org. Also, if you can support this ministry through your local church please use that method. Thank you.
QUOTES regarding passage
Gen. 10:25. Among the descendants of Arphaxad, Eber’s eldest son received the name of Peleg, because in his days the earth, i.e., the population of the earth, was divided, in consequence of the building of the tower of Babel (Gen. 11:8). His brother Joktan is called Kachtan by the Arabians, and is regarded as the father of all the primitive tribes of Arabia. The names of his sons are given in vv. 26–29. There are thirteen of them, some of which are still retained in places and districts of Arabia, whilst others are not yet discovered, or are entirely extinct. Nothing certain has been ascertained about Almodad, Jerah, Diklah, Obal, Abimael, and Jobab. Of the rest, Sheleph is identical with Salif or Sulaf (in Ptl. 6, 7, Σαλαπηνοί), an old Arabian tribe, also a district of Yemen. Hazarmaveth (i.e., forecourt of death) is the Arabian Hadhramaut in South-eastern Arabia on the Indian Ocean, whose name Jauhari is derived from the unhealthiness of the climate. Hadoram: the Ἀδραμῖται of Ptol. 6, 7, Atramitae of Plin. 6, 28, on the southern coast of Arabia. Uzal: one of the most important towns of Yemen, south-west of Mareb. Sheba: the Sabaeans, with the capital Saba or Mareb, Mariaba regia (Plin.), whose connection with the Cushite (v. 7) and Abrahamite Sabaeans (Gen. 25:3) is quite in obscurity. Ophir has not yet been discovered in Arabia; it is probably to be sought on the Persian Gulf, even if the Ophir of Solomon was not situated there. Havilah appears to answer to Chaulaw of Edrisi, a district between Sanaa and Mecca. But this district, which lies in the heart of Yemen, does not fit the account in 1 Sam. 15:7, nor the statement in Gen. 25:18, that Havilah formed the boundary of the territory of the Ishmaelites. These two passages point rather to Χαυλοταῖοι, a place on the border of Arabia Petraea towards Yemen, between the Nabataeans and Hagrites, which Strabo describes as habitable. (Keil, C. F., & Delitzsch, F. (1996). Commentary on the Old Testament (Vol. 1, pp. 108–109). Peabody, MA: Hendrickson.)
The note on Eber’s son Peleg—that in his time the earth was divided—seems to pinpoint the Babel experience (11:1–9). The verb pālaḡ is used in the Old Testament to describe division into languages. So the Babel event occurred five generations after the Flood. (Ross, A. P. (1985). Genesis. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 1, p. 44). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
Significance. This list of names and places carries with it some important theological truths, not the least of which is that Jehovah God is the Lord of the nations. God gave the nations their inheritance (Deut. 32:8) and “determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation” (Acts 17:26). In spite of despots like Nimrod, Jehovah is the God of geography and of history; He is in control. What God promises, He performs; and Noah’s prophecy about his sons came true.
Second, in spite of external differences, all nations belong to the same human family. God made us all “of one blood” (Acts 17:26) and no race or people can claim to be superior to any other race or people. While in His providence, God has permitted some nations to make greater progress economically and politically than other nations, their achievements don’t prove that they are better than others (Prov. 22:2).
Third, God has a purpose for the nations to fulfill. The account in Genesis 9:24–11:32 makes it clear that God’s chosen nation was Israel. From chapter 12 on, Israel will be center stage in the narrative. But God also used Egypt, Babylon, Assyria, Media-Persia, and Rome to accomplish His purposes with reference to the Jewish people. God can use pagan rulers like Nebuchadnezzar, Cyrus, Darius, and even Augustus Caesar.
Fourth, God is concerned for all the nations. Frequently in the Book of Psalms you find the phrase “all ye lands” or “all nations.” Psalms 66:1–8 and 67 both express this universal vision that all the nations of the earth come to know God and serve Him. The church’s commission to go into all the world isn’t a New Testament afterthought; it’s written into the warp and woof of the Old Testament story.
Finally, what’s written in Genesis 9–10 must have been an encouragement to the people of Israel when they conquered Canaan. They knew that they were the chosen people of God and that the Canaanites would be their servants. They also knew that their God was the Lord of the nations and could dispose of them as He pleased. The conquest of Canaan was a victory of faith in God’s promises, which explains why God admonished Joshua to meditate on the Word of God (Josh. 1:8).
Noah’s three sons left a mixed legacy to the world, but the Lord of the nations was still in charge, and history is still His story. (Wiersbe, W. W. (1998). Be basic (pp. 132–133). Colorado Springs, CO: Chariot Victor Pub.)
Ver. 25. And unto Eber were born two sons; the name of one was Peleg, &c.] Bochart thinks, that either Peleg, or one of his posterity, in memory of him, gave the name of Phalga to a town situated on the Euphrates; though the reason of the name, as given by Arrianus, as he himself observes, was because it divided between the two Seleucias, as the reason of Peleg’s name was; for in his days was the earth divided; among the three sons of Noah, and their respective posterities; their language was divided, and that obliged them to divide and separate in bodies which understood one another; hence that age, in which was this event, was usually called by the Jews the age of division; whether this was done about the time of his birth, and so this name was given him to perpetuate the memory of it, or in some after part of his life, and so was given by a spirit of prophecy, is a question: Josephus, Jarchi, and the Jewish writers, generally go the latter way; if it was at the time of his birth, which is the sense of many, then this affair happened in the 101st year after the flood, for in that year Peleg was born, as appears from ch. 11:11–16 and his brother’s name was Joktan, whom the Arabs call Cahtan, and claim him as their parent, at least, of their principal tribes; and say he was the first that reigned in Yaman, and put a diadem on his head; and there is a city in the territory of Mecca, about 7 furlongs to the south of it, and one station from the Red sea, called Baisath Jektan, the seat of Jektanm, which manifestly retains his name; and there are a people called Cataniæ, placed by Ptolemy in Arabia Felix. (Gill, J. (1810). An Exposition of the Old Testament (Vol. 1, p. 82). London: Mathews and Leigh.)
Blessing Reaffirmed (10:1–32). The “table of nations” demonstrates the fulfillment of God’s command to be fruitful and fill the earth. The climactic position of the Shemites focuses attention on Eber for whom the Hebrews (ibri) were named. This ancestor of Abraham anticipates the Jewish patriarchs who are the focus of the second half of Genesis. (Merrill, E. H. (1998). The Pentateuch. In D. S. Dockery (Ed.), Holman concise Bible commentary (p. 10). Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers.
Truth for today.—In spite of the many difficulties of identification in Genesis 10, there is one fact that is evident: all races of men are descended from the three sons of Noah (v. 32). Therefore, we all belong to one family. If this is true, we should be able to live together in peace. The problem is how to move from where we are to where we ought to be. If we could see that our present hostile stances are unrealistic and irrational, then we would find a way to correct them. Genesis 10 must not be ignored by the Christian. (Francisco, C. T. (1972). Genesis. In H. F. Paschall & H. H. Hobbs (Eds.), The teacher’s Bible commentary (p. 22). Nashville: Broadman and Holman Publishers.)
10:1–32 Reaffirmation of God’s Blessing
The “table of nations” (Gen 10) demonstrates the fulfillment of God’s command to be fruitful and fill the earth. The climactic position of the Shemites focuses attention on Eber (10:21, 24–25), for whom the Hebrews (Hebrew ibri) were named. This ancestor of Abraham anticipates the Jewish patriarchs who are the focus of the second half of Genesis. (Dockery, D. S. (Ed.). (1992). Holman Bible Handbook (p. 127). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers)
FROM MY READING:
(Remember the only author that I totally agree with is the HOLY SPIRIT in the inerrant WORD OF GOD called THE BIBLE! All other I try to gleam what I can to help me grow in the LORD!!)
The question most central to defining a worldview, other than “Who is God?” and “What does it mean to be human?” is “What’s really wrong with the world?” It’s a tricky question, because there are a lot of things wrong with the world. The question is what is the core problem that needs to be addressed in the world, the root cause of evil and human suffering, and what solution can be offered to fix it?
For example, we should want to see justice flourish and racism of all kinds come to an end, especially in light of our nation’s history and evidence that our African American neighbors are not treated equally before the law. But not everyone who talks about ending racism and creating justice means the same thing. For a growing number of people, including some Christians with good motives, these goals are shorthand for an ideology that divides instead of reconciles, that sees people as either oppressed or oppressor rather than as divine image-bearers created from “one blood.”
The ideas of Critical Theory, especially since the horrific killing of George Floyd, have become a central part of our national conversation. Once largely limited to the academy, these ideas have trickled down the way ideas do, to the media, through popular culture into the cultural imagination. Even those not familiar with the term “critical theory” will likely recognize its central tenets.
Critical Theory originated with a group of political philosophers who applied Karl Marx’s ideas about economics to society as a whole, especially across additional categories of class distinction, such as race, sex, and gender identity. The result was an all-encompassing worldview that purported to reveal hidden power structures behind society’s problems and institutions, by dividing people along the lines of oppressed and oppressor.
As Colson Center Senior Fellow and historian Glenn Sunshine explained in a recent episode of The Theology Pugcast, Critical Theory, like the classical Marxism it borrows from, views human beings in purely materialist terms. So, according to Critical Theory our race, sexual orientation, gender identity aren’t mere aspects of who we are, they are our defining characteristics. In each of these areas, we are either part of oppressed groups or we are oppressors.
According to critical theory, the oppressed group automatically has moral authority, while the oppressor group does not. Someone who is a racial minority, or a sexual minority of some kind are automatically victims of oppression and have claims against oppressors and the unearned privilege that makes their life easier (and this part is critical) at the expense of their oppressed neighbors.
Overlooked in this analysis are individual choices and life situations, which often hold a far greater impact on a person’s life. For example, whether or not a child grows up with a father is statistically more important than their ethnic identity. Other factors, such as religious commitment, education, sexual decisions, and family stability have profound power to shape the lives and futures as individuals, families, and whole communities.
Critical theory, however, ignores every other factor or squashes it into the oppressor-oppressed dynamic. This view distorts reality, and often turns on itself.
A recent article at Quillette described a Danish professor and critical theorist attacked by fellow critical theorists. They claimed his branch of Critical Theory was racist. This is no isolated case. Critical Theorists have produced scholarly articles and whole books claiming that everything from logic to math are tools of white, heteronormative oppression.
The problem, as is explained in a recent “What Would You Say” video, is that Critical Theory’s answer to the question “what’s wrong with the world” is just wrong. Specifically, critical theory gets the human condition wrong and the human problem wrong. As a result, its solutions are simplistic and, at times, dangerous. They’re not compatible with Christianity, and we should reject them.
Now, to be clear, I believe racism still plagues our country, and is embedded in the hearts of individuals and in institutions and systems. We can reach this conclusion by care, by listening, and by statistical data, not to mention from how the Christian worldview describes about the cause and condition of fallen humanity.
Too often, any attempt to listen and to engage the race issue is dismissed as critical theory. It’s not. At the same time, Critical Theory’s analysis and answers to the problem of racism violate what we know to be true about the human condition. Only the Biblical story frames for us human value, human sin, and human hope, which both allows us and calls us to confront racism wherever it rears its ugly head, without embracing a theory that sees people as nothing but their race. (BreakPoint)
2 Kings 2
The Lord takes Elijah to heaven in a whirlwind.
INSIGHT
Miracles don’t permeate the entire Bible. They tend to be concentrated during the times of Moses, the prophets, and Jesus. They occur other times as well, but these are the times of greatest concentration; and Elijah and Elisha represent one of the strongest periods. In our lives today, God seems rather inactive in comparison. Yet that is not because He is unable to act-but rather because He has chosen not to act in the same way. The power is still there, and we can rest in the confidence that He still has all things under control.
(Quiet Walk)
|
DRAWING ASIDE
And Moses took the tabernacle, and pitched it without the camp, afar off from the camp, and called it the Tabernacle of the congregation. Exodus 33:7
Moses set the Tabernacle up outside the camp—“afar off from the camp.” Now here is the point at which I am most liable to be misunderstood, but it is here, and it is part of the teaching. There is invariably, in the history of every revival, this drawing aside. Let us not forget that the camp of Israel was then the “church” of God. In the Old Testament the nation of Israel was the “church” in the wilderness. This is the church we are talking about, and yet you see what Moses did? He took this tabernacle from the midst of the “church,” as it were and put it up outside, “afar off from the camp.”
No revival that has ever been experienced in the long history of the church has ever been an official movement in the church. That is a strong statement, is it not? But I repeat it. No revival that the church has ever known has ever been an official movement. You read of the great precursors of the Protestant Reformation, people like Wycliffe, Jan Hus, and others. It was always unofficial, and the officials did not like it. It was the same with Martin Luther. Nothing happened in Rome. No, it happened just to this monk in his cell. And so it has continued to happen.
Even after the reformation of the Church of England, there were men who began to feel dissatisfied, and they began to follow this pattern and do the self-same thing. That is the origin of Puritanism. Then you are all probably familiar with the story of Methodism in its various branches. The two Wesley brothers and Whitefield and others were members of the Church of England. But they did not begin to do something in the Church of England but formed what they called their Holy Club, outside the camp.
A Thought to Ponder: No revival that has ever been experienced in the Church has ever been an official movement in the church.
(From Revival, p. 166, by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)
Pleasing God
“Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him.” (2 Corinthians 5:9)
Paul’s great ambition was to please his Lord and Savior. In our text, the Greek for “accepted” often also is translated “well pleasing,” and this is the real meaning of the word. Since this also is the great desire of every sincere Christian, let us look at a few of those passages where the Lord tells us specifically how we can please Him.
Consider, for example: “But to do good and to communicate [i.e., to ‘share what you have with others’] forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased” (Hebrews 13:16; see also Philippians 4:18).
There is a special admonition to children: “Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord” (Colossians 3:20). For adults: “Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please [same root word] him who hath chosen him to be a soldier” (2 Timothy 2:3-4).
The same word appears in Romans 12:1-2, translated twice as “acceptable.” Paul urges us to present our bodies as living sacrifices, “holy, acceptable unto God,” being “not conformed to this world” but transformed by a renewed mind, thereby to prove “that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”
The common thread in these and other such passages is that in order to be pleasing to the Lord, we must be good stewards of all our possessions and all our days, serving Him totally. “For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable [i.e., ‘well pleasing’] to God” (Romans 14:18). This is our reasonable service, and it will be abundantly repaid if we hear Him say in that day: “Well done, thou good and faithful servant” (Matthew 25:21). (HMM, The Institute for Creation Research)
After grounding ourselves in solid doctrine, we are to be constantly evaluating the theological health of the church. In Ephesians 4: 11-14 we discover that the purpose of leadership is to prepare people for works of ministry so that the church can reach spiritual maturity (vv. 11-13). One of the essential characteristics of spiritual maturity is Doctrinal stability (v. 14). Consequently, in assessing spiritual health of the church, one of the areas we must examine is the theological health of the church. To do so we must be continually asking these questions: Does the congregation have a basic and accurate understanding of God. Do they understand the redemptive work of God? Is the church grounded in doctrine so that they are not influenced by the latest theological wind that sweeps across the religious landscape? Are decisions based upon a theological and biblical foundation or upon cultural pressures and expectations? Are people developing a worldview that is governed by right theology?
In this process the board must discern between major and minor theological issues. One of the reasons people view theology as divisive is because many churches have become embroiled in conflicts over minor areas of doctrine that subsequently split the church. While it is crucial that we understand and uphold without compromise the basic tenets of the Christian faith (the deity of Christ, the Trinity, the inspiration of Scripture, and salvation by grace through faith alone, to name a few), we also must recognize that there are many areas of theology that we can disagree upon and still remain in fellowship. … We must avoid doctrinal hobbyhorses.
(p. 161-2, Developing Leaders for the Small Church by Glenn C. Daman)
Visit our Facebook page for Small Church Ministries – please invite others to join us on Facebook. Thank you. Look for the logo from the devotionals.