Genesis 9:20-11:9
The Curse of Canaan (9:20-28)
- Sets up God’s command to clean the land.
- Ham’s sin was indicative of the sin of the Canaanites.
- The curse was spoken out of foreknowledge.
- Canaanites had opportunity to repent. (Gen 15:13-16 & Lev 18:24-30)
Overview of Chapter 10
- Table of nations with their origins.
- Two names stand out: Nimrod and Peleg.
- Names serve to connect events.
- Nimrod, a descendant of Ham, is most likely connected with the Tower of Babel event.
- Peleg serves as a point of reference to when the Tower of Babel event took place.
Tower of Babel
- The story has some difficulties.
- God is portrayed lesser than what he truly is:
- He seems finite.
- He seems fearful.
- He seems petty.
- Could be a literary technique to reflect the attitude of these people.
The Lesson
- Man constantly struggles with wanting to be godlike.
- God is omniscient, and man wants to be completely secure.
- God is omnipotent, and man wants to be all powerful.
- God is sovereign, an d man wants to be in control.
- When we attempt to attain such things we do so with no regard for others.
- What truly makes God is the fact that he is love.
- There is a difference between being godlike and godly.
- To try to be godlike is selfish.
- To try to be godly is loving.
- To be godlike is unattainable.
- To be godly is completely attainable.
- God did not create us to be god for there is only one God.
- God created us to be like him in showing perfect love.
Towers lead to confusion
- We can never obtain power, security or control by our own means.
- These things come through a relationship with Jesus Christ.
- Power, security and control are his in which he allows us to partake.
- The longer we try to obtain such things the more confused we will be.
So What?
- Are you trying to build a tower? Are you attempting to gain power, security, and/or control by your own means?
- Understand you will never attain such except if you submit to Jesus.
- Allow Jesus to turn the desire to be godlike to a desire to be godly.