Christianity 101: “Repeopling” The Earth
Course 101 - Lesson 9
Prepared by: Ptr. Ronnie Tejada (Ref.: CBU Foundation to Build; “The Pentateuch” by L. Thomas Holdcroft)
MEMORY VERSE: “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:5
OBJECTIVE: To recognize that without God we can do nothing. But, with God nothing is impossible.
INTRODUCTION: Quick review. After the flood:
- Noah built an altar - God renewed the covenant - Noah planted a vineyard and get drunk - They traveled to the land of Shinar - They settled down and multiplied
DISCUSSIONS: Let’s examine what the Bible says about the following:
1.) HOW MANY LANGUAGES DID THE PEOPLE SPEAK AFTER THE FLOOD?
The whole earth spoke one language, and they all had one speech.
Genesis 1:1
2.) WHEN THE PEOPLE LIVED IN SHINAR, WHAT DID THEY DESIRE TO DO?
After the flood, they traveled east until they came to the land of Shinar. Here they lived, and here is where they conceived their great idea to build a tower to reach into heaven.
Genesis 11:4
3.) WHY WAS IT DANGEROUS FOR THE PEOPLE TO CONTINUE TO BUILD THE TOWER?
The people were in "unity” with the wrong motive. They could do anything that eventually can hurt them, so God decided to stop them. This is how powerful “unity” is.
Genesis 11:6
4.) WHAT DID GOD DO?
God came down from third heaven and gave them all different languages. They could not talk together anymore, so they scattered and stopped building.
Genesis 11:7-8
5.) WHAT WAS THE NAME OF THE CITY?
The city was called "Babel" because God confused the people's language. This is from where the name Babylon comes. Babylon means "confusion".
Genesis 11:9
6.) WAS THE EARTH REPEOPLED BY SHEM, HAM, AND JAPHETH? Yes. They scattered all over the earth.
A.) Shem had 5 sons, and they settled in Arabia.
Genesis 10:22
B.) Japheth had 7 sons, and they settled in Europe and Asia.
Genesis 10:2
C.) Ham had 4 sons, and they settled in Africa.
Genesis 10:6
Was it possible that Noah met Abraham?
Reference: Creation Ministries International
7.) WHO WERE THE ROYAL ANCESTORS OF JESUS CHRIST FROM SHEM TO ABRAHAM AFTER THE FLOOD?
A.) Arphaxad (12th descendant)
Arphaxad was the first son of Shem, and he was born two years after the flood. He died at the age of 438 years. He was the father of Salah.
Genesis 11:10
B.) Salah (13th descendant)
Salah was the son of Arphaxad and the father of Eber. He died at the age of 433 years.
Genesis 11:12
C.) Eber (14th descendant) Eber was the son of Salah and the father of Peleg. He was the third post deluvian patriarch after Shem. Eber is the founder of the Hebrew race.
Genesis 11:14
D.) Peleg (15th descendant)
Peleg is the son of Eber, and he was the fourth in descent from Shem. His brother's name was Joktan, and his son's name was Reu. His name was given him because "in his days was the earth divided".
Genesis 11:16
E.) Reu (16th descendant)
Reu was the son of Peleg and the father of Serug in the ancestry of Abraham. He lived 239 years. He is called “Ragau” in Luke3:35.
Genesis 11:18
F.) Serug (17th descendant)
Serug is the son of Reu, the father of Nahor, the grandfather of Abraham. Serug had Nahor when he was 30 years of age.
Genesis 11:23
G.) Nahor (18th descendant)
Nahor is the son of Serug, the father of Terah, and is Abraham's grandfather. Nahor lived 29 years and begat Terah.
Genesis 11:25
H.) Terah (19th descendant)
Terah is the son of Nahor and was born in Ur of the Chaldees. When he was 70 years old, he had Abram, Nahor, and Haran. Haran was the father of Lot. Through these three, the ancestors of five great families of the earth were born.
1. Israelites - From Abraham and Sarah through Isaac
2. Ishmaelites - From Abraham and Hagar through Ishmael
3. Midianites - From Abraham and his second wife Keturah
4. Moabites- From Haran through Lot and his two daughters
5. Ammonites- From Haran through Lot and his two daughters
Terah was an idolater, and he took part of the family and migrated toward Canaan. he died in Haran at the age of 205 years.
Genesis 11:24
I.) Abram (20th descendant)
Abram is the twentieth ancestor of Jesus Christ. Genesis 11:26
Reference: Wikipedia
Review Questions (statement of faith, answer “yes” or “no”):
a. I need Jesus in my life. YES or NO?
b. Jesus is my protection and my provision. YES or NO?
c. Without Jesus, I’m lost. YES or NO?
d. Apart from Jesus, I can do nothing. YES or NO?
e. With God all things are possible. YES or NO?
Memory Verse:
“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you ______in me and I in you, you will ______much fruit; apart from me you can do ______.” John 15:5
CONCLUSION:
1.) People are ambitious – we have tendency to want to succeed. Genesis portrays humans as so ambitious that they try to compete with, rather than serve, God. This was Adam and Eve’s sin (3:5, 22), and at Babel people were at it again, in a citywide effort. God frustrated theirs plans by confusing their effort.
2.) Sometimes, in our individual lives, we planned with high expectation that end up to frustration. The plan did not materialize the way we want them to be. Most likely, the reason was because we did not seek God’s guidance, we did not consult His plan for us, the instructions of His Word.
3.) We need Jesus in every plans and decisions we are making in our lives. We must seek all the time the leading of the Holy Spirit, the guidance of His Word, for without God we can do nothing. However, with God nothing is impossible (Luke 1:37). We can do (overcome) all things (trials in life) through Christ who gives us strength. (Philippians 4:13)
FUTURE TOPICS:
- Abraham, Father of Faith; Isaac, Jacob and Joseph; Moses, Israel’s Greatest Leader; The Ten Commandments; Etc.