Back to Basics
A Survey of Genesis Genesis ch. 1-11
Derrick Harrison 11/11/2020
A Survey of Genesis An introduction to the Survey of the Bible, beginning with the first five books of Moses. God revealing His name LORD to Moses at the burning bush was strategic to His purposes because He sent Moses to rescue His enslaved people and demonstrate the power of His name LORD and bring out His people at the Exodus and deliver His people at the Red Sea. Then the LORD declared His name LORD to Moses by speaking/breathing His name into him, which I described as Moses’ baptism into His name. The anointing enabled him to lead Israel through the wilderness but also enabled him to write Scripture. Similarly, David was anointed to battle against Israel’s enemies, rule as the king of Israel but his anointing enabled him also to write scripture (Psalms). It was the same with the apostle Paul who was anointed to apostleship but his anointing also enabled him to write Scripture. I have emphasised that the backbone of Scripture is the speaking forth of the Lord’s word, but the speaking is followed by the writings which preserve the spoken word for future generations of God’s people who read Scripture. I mentioned in my last talk just how many times the Lord instructed Moses to write (Ex.24:4, 8; Deut.4:13, 5:22; 9:10; 10:2, 4; and 27:3, 8; 31:19, 22, 24, also v29). My talks on the Bible introduce us to the basic purpose of my teaching which is to survey the Bible. This is a huge undertaking because there are 66 books in the Bible and they are quite distinctive and unique in their message. A survey will give us a panoramic view – we will view the scene before us with a wide-angle lens. I will compensate a little for the big picture and when I feel it necessary, I will take a microscope and look at a few verses of particular interest in detail. I will not deal New Life Radio – Talk No 5
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with my library books in their biblical sequence but I will jump from OT to NT and back again. At times I will deal with a theme or a subject which is relevant to our talks. For example, in December I will look at the Emmanuel prophecies in Isaiah and then the birth narratives of Matthew and Luke. Moses, called by the LORD to lead His people is also now prepared by Him to write Scripture. The account of his birth and his miraculous preservation (autobiographical) begins the book of Exodus. Genesis is pre-Mosaic and raises the question regarding the origins of the accounts of creation and the history of humankind before human records began (pre-history). Let me remind you that a survey means that we are standing at a distance to take in the entire panoramic view and by necessity we are viewing things at middle-distance and beyond and not up-close. I will find this most frustrating not to get diverted into matters of theology which will arise, but let me remind you that the bulk of my work is contained in the notes which accompany the radio talk. Seven or eight pages of A4 notes accompany my talk which is for only 30 minutes! The proposed course of talks after this series will engage with the key teachings/doctrines of the Bible. I have produced for my own benefit a plan for the total programme of teaching, of course this will be altered as we proceed but it gives you an idea of what is in my mind for the coming weeks of talks. You will find this programme with your notes for today. Genesis (Ch. 1-50) Subjects & themes: the book of beginnings – we are introduced to God who is the creator of the world (the natural world/time/space & man/woman). The Fall – sin, its immediate judgement & results in the
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history of humans. The first Messianic promise (3:15), the covenants with Adam, Noah & Moses. Abraham’s sacrifice of Isaac. Patriarchs/Jews & Israel, Death, deceit, murder, anger, pride & hatred. Music, language, government, city etc. The biblical teachings of Genesis: all the teachings of the Bible have their origin in Genesis and thread their way in unfolding revelation until we come to the NT and see the full rich tapestry completed before our eyes in Scripture.
The truth about God (theology)
He is there, in the beginning of existence, but of course He was there before the beginning of matter or dust and before time and space. He is God eternal, He has no beginning or ending (immortality). The truth of His creatorship (and His creativity!) is there in Genesis 1 & 2 (see Ps.103:7; 148:5; cf.Ps.8:3; Mk.7:33). The accompanying truth is that God sustains His creation. The truth of God is focused in His names. The word used for ‘God’ is not the singular El, but the plural Elohim, which means three or more ‘gods.’ Thus, the first sentence in the Bible, using a plural noun with a singular verb, is grammatically wrong but theologically right, hinting at a God who is ‘triune.’ The plurality of God is evident in Gen.1:26; “Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness.” I have identified and underlined the importance of the name of God as LORD which was first spoken orally to Moses (Ex.2, 6, Deut.6:4) and I stated that Moses’ use of this name in the Pentateuch was the outstanding proof of his authorship (we encounter LORD in ch.2). It is the fundamental assumption of the Bible that God exists eternally, that He has always been there, that He will always be there, and that He is New Life Radio – Talk No 5
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the God who is. His name, ‘LORD’, is a participle of the Hebrew verb ‘to be’ - He has always been who He is and will always be just the same. Moses records the name of God revealed to Abraham, “When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am Almighty God; walk before Me and be blameless. And I will make My covenant between Me and you, and will multiply you exceedingly” (Gen.17:1-2).
The truth about creation
God created the world in 6 days of 24 hours duration. He created the world out of nothing, “Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. So, the evening and the morning were the sixth day” (1:31).
The truth about sin & judgement
Genesis records the beginning of sin and its subsequent history; this is one of the central themes of Scripture. As well as recording the advance of sin it also records God’s judgement of sin. Genesis ch.3 records the entry of sin into the human race when Eve fell to satan’s temptation and Adam was complicit in her sin. (1) The personal judgement of Adam and Eve, their expulsion from the Garden and the effects of sin with regards to creation spelled out by the LORD (ch.3), (2) the judgement of Cain resulting from his murder of Abel (fratricide), Cain killed his brother Abel, showing how sin is not only personal but endemic in families, extending throughout the entire human race and coming to climax in the Flood. Noah is the only remaining righteous man on the earth. The LORD intervened at this point in consequence of two factors – the Nethinim (6:1-4) and the total corruption of New Life Radio – Talk No 5
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humanity (6:6:5-8), resulting in (3) the judgement of the flood (Gen.ch.7). (4) The final judgement of humanity’s rebellion took place at the Tower of Babel (ch.11) when God scattered humankind and divided their language. (5) The destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah in the second part of Genesis takes place when God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah (ch.19).
The truth about salvation
God seeks Adam and asks: “Where are you Adam?” this question by God expresses poignantly His loving anguish as He seeks His lost children. A seeking which is embodied in the coming of Jesus to seek the lost. Linked to salvation is the coming of the Messiah. The first Messianic prophecy is uttered by God, “And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel” (Gen.3:15). The sacrifice of Isaac anticipates the death of Jesus and thus speaks loudly about salvation. Jesus Christ is the Good Shepherd who gives His life for the sheep.
The truth about man/woman
Moses records the fact that man is created in God’s image, “Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in His own image; in the New Life Radio – Talk No 5
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image of God He created him; male and female He created them” (1:26-27; 5:1). We are made in His image, so we must be in some ways like Him and He must be like us. The image of God in us was marred through sin but not destroyed. The image of God in us enables us to understand Him in some measure. If we are created in His image then he must be like us!
The truth about godly experience
The story of man’s sinfulness is counterbalanced by godly men and women who encounter God. These choice individuals are recorded in Scripture (4:26) from Enoch who “walked with God” to Noah and each of the Patriarchs – Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph.
The truth about the covenants
“So, God heard their groaning, and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob” (Ex.2:24; 6:4,5; 19:5; ch.24; 31:16; ch.34). God enters into covenant relationship with key people in the Pentateuch, - Adam, Noah, Abraham and renewed with Isaac, Jacob and Joseph. At Sinai the LORD enters into covenant with the nation of Israel, this is called the Mosaic Covenant. Note the promises contained in each covenant and each sign associated with each covenant (see also the Davidic Covenant). Each covenant established the basis/terms of a relationship, the conditions for that ongoing relationship, promises and conditions of the relationship and consequences if those conditions were broken. One of the most familiar examples of a covenant is marriage. Covenant
Scripture
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Adam
Gen.1:26-30
Noah Abraham/Isaac/J acob
Gen.6:18; 9:8-17 Gen.12, 15:18, 17, 22; Ex.2:24; 6:4; etc. Ex.19-20; 24:1
Moses/Israel David Jesus: new covenant
fruitfulness, rule rainbow circumcision
land, son, world
Law/sabbath/bl Blessings/cur ood ses son/kingship
2Sam.7:14-29 Jer.31:31; Mat.26:28;1Cor.1 1:25 The LORD established his covenant with Noah which embraced the whole of humanity (as the Mosaic covenant). He makes committed promises to Noah and He seals it with the token of the rainbow. The LORD links this covenant with the everlasting covenant (see the Davidic covenant which has similar overtones). Note that each of these covenants are conditional, in the small print is the word “If” (e.g. 2Sam.7:14). “And as for Me, behold, I establish My covenant with you and with your descendants after you, and with every living creature that is with you: the birds, the cattle, and every beast of the earth with you, of all that go out of the ark, every beast of the earth. Thus, I establish My covenant with you: Never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of the flood; never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth” And God said: “This is the sign of the covenant which I make between Me and you, and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations: I set My rainbow in the cloud, and it New Life Radio – Talk No 5
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shall be for the sign of the covenant between Me and the earth. It shall be, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the rainbow shall be seen in the cloud; and I will remember My covenant which is between Me and you and every living creature of all flesh; the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh. The rainbow shall be in the cloud, and I will look on it to remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.” And God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant which I have established between Me and all flesh that is on the earth” (Gen.9:8-17). The authorship of Moses: (see my previous talk no.4 and the paragraph above with reference to Moses’ use of LORD/Jehovah/Yahweh). The question is crucial because the whole of the OT is founded on Genesis, with many references throughout to characters such as Adam, Noah, Abraham and Jacob. The NT also builds on this same foundation and quotes it far more than the OT does. Ch’s 1-6 are quoted in detail in the NT and all eight major NT writers refer to Genesis. Jesus confirms its historicity by his frequent references to the Bible characters in Genesis as real people and the events as real history. Jesus regarded the account of Noah and the Flood as historical events. He also claimed to know Abraham, He said to the Jews: ‘Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day; he saw it and was glad.’ Later he said, ‘before Abraham was born I am.’ When Jesus was asked about divorce and remarriage (Mk.10:1-12; Lk.16:18), He referred his questioners to Genesis 2. The apostle Paul assumes that Genesis is historically true, in Romans 5 he contrasts Christ’s obedience with Adam’s disobedience, explaining the results in life for the believer. This point assumes that Adam was a real historical figure. New Life Radio – Talk No 5
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One crucial question regarding Moses’ authorship is this: where did Moses get his account of creation? The book of Genesis ends about 300 years before Moses was born. I think that we have several possibilities, no doubt some of the material would have been directly communicated to Moses via key Biblical characters, taking us directly back to Adam himself (trace back through the genealogies to Adam). To get back to the 6 days of creation we are dependent on God alone for this knowledge and I think it is one occasion where the Lord communicated/dictated this first chapter (1:1-2:3) orally to Moses who then wrote it down. I think that these facts were communicated to him when he was on the mountain with God (see Ps.103:7). Moses would have been informed of Israel’s oral history from the Israelites. Did we not entitle our series of talks: “Back to Basics?” Its simplicity is evidenced by its clear and simple categories - vegetation is divided into three groups: grass, plants and trees, animal life also has three simple groups: domesticated animals, animals hunted for food and wild animals. These simple groupings are understood by everybody everywhere. Simplicity extends to vocabulary/words common to all languages on earth, thus making this chapter the simplest to translate into all the known languages in the world. Surely, the author of Scripture is underlining the importance of believing that God is the creator of the world as the starting point for revelation. Simplicity brings clarity to the use of words, tenses of verbs and the use of grammar. This attention to the details of the text emphasises the importance of Bible translation and the importance of reading proper translations! We do believe in the verbal inspiration of Scripture. Gen.ch.1 distinguishes between the words ‘created’ and ‘made’. The Hebrew word for ‘created’ bara, means to make something out of
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nothing and it only occurs three times in the whole of ch.1 – to describe the creation of matter, life and man. At other times the word ‘made’ is used, to indicate that something is made out of something which already exists. It is important to observe that to read the account of creation that the Bible requires faith in God who created the natural world, space, time and humankind, “By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible” (Heb.11:3). My talk last week was taken up with the authority and power of God speaking His word. Faith precedes understanding. How important this is when every honest and thinking Christian struggles over the six days (24 hrs) creation in relationship to scientific data and evidence which seems to contradict the account of Genesis ch.1. I have been reading books on creation since I was a young teenager and recently read again, Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology. I know nothing about science, so I could never argue for what I believe. We had the great advantage in our early days of having a brother in the church who gained his doctorate by arguing against his professors for Biblical creationism. There are some Christians who do not believe in a 6-day creation, certainly Moses believed that he was talking about days of 24 hours. If we do not accept that Genesis is true, it follows that we cannot rely on the rest of the Bible because so much of the Bible builds on the foundational truth in Genesis. Genesis gives a true account of our true origin as the children of God, created in His image. Undermine Genesis and the truth of God’s creatorship is undermined. It is not
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surprising that this book has been attacked more than any other book in the entire Bible. Information about the Bible characters which give interest and a sense of momentum and continuity to the narrative would have come down to Moses through the oral tradition of the families recorded by their genealogies in Genesis. Such oral traditions are very strong, communicated from generation to generation, they are dependable and they are held together by 10 genealogies which appear throughout Genesis and by key personalities, beginning with our first parents – Adam and Eve. Moses would have had access to these traditions through his parents, Amram and Jochebed and also the elders of Israel. Oral tradition precedes the ability to write, but language and orality were from man’s creation, but the ability to write came later. Moses grew up in the most developed civilization in the ancient world and we know that that he could write from the many references in the Pentateuch where God commanded him to write. From the book of Exodus onwards he wrote his own historical /autobiographical narrative of God’s ancient people, the Israelites under his leadership. Genesis 1–11 covers the ‘prehistoric’ period from the creation of the universe, the Fall of man in the Garden of Eden, the Flood and the Tower of Babel. The focus here is on humankind in general but also includes a spiritual line through Seth. The history of Israel can be charted from 2000 BC, when God called Abraham – ch.12 (although it would be centuries before the nation was formed). This period can be divided into four equal parts of about 500 years each, each period has key events, prominent persons and a certain type of leadership. 2000 (400
1500
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years) Call/Covenant
Exodus
Abraham
Moses
Patriarchs (AbrahamJoseph)
Priests/Prophets (Moses - Samuel)
Israel nationEmpire David Kings (Saul – Zedekiah)
400yrs) Exile – (70 years)
Isaiah (Jeremiah Ezekiel) Priests/prophets (post-exilic - Ezra)
There are two big gaps in the history of the OT, there is a gap of about 400 hundred years between the patriarchs and the prophets (around 1500 BC) and the second after the post-exilic priests/prophets from 400BC to John Baptist. During these two periods there is no prophetic word and therefore no Scriptures are written. However, in the first period the great civilizations of Egypt and China emerge and in the second period Greek philosophy developed through Socrates, Plato and Aristotle. Other great figures of this time include Buddha, Confucius, Alexander the Great and Julius Caesar. The history of the Bible is His-story and begins at creation – long before any secular historian appeared. Genesis 1-11 records pre-history and 12–50 covers the first period of Israel’s history, the patriarchal period, concluding with Jacob in Egypt with his 12 sons. An Outline of Genesis a) The creation Gen 1:3-2:25 a. First Day - light, Gen 1:3-5 b. Second Day - air spaces (firmament), Gen 1:6-8 New Life Radio – Talk No 5
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c. Third Day - dry land appears and plant life, Gen 1:9-13 d. Fourth Day - sun, moon, stars appear, Gen 1:14-19 e. Fifth Day - animal life (biology), Gen 1:20-23 f. Sixth Day - fertility of creation and creation of man, Gen 1:24-31 g. Seventh Day - sabbath, Gen 2:1-3 h. The creation of man and later woman, Gen 2:4-25. b) The Fall (3-4) Satan tempts, Adam & Eve disobey God’s command, God’s judgement on creation & man. Cain, Abel and Seth. c) The Flood (5-9) 1. Book of generations of Adam - through Seth. The beginning of man’s history through to the birth of Noah, Gen 5 2. Antediluvian Civilization, the cause of flood and construction of ark, Gen 6 3. Judgment of flood, Gen 7 4. Postdiluvian civilization, after the flood, Gen 8 5. Postdiluvian life, new beginning, Gen 9; covenant with Noah d) The Tower of Babel (10-11) 1. Ethnology, - sons of Noah, Gen 10 2. Tower of Babel, Gen 11 cf. Pentecost e) Abraham (12-23) 1. God’s call and promise to Abram, his response by lapse of faith, Gen 12 2. Abram returns to land from Egypt, he separates from Lot. God then appears the third time to Abram, Gen 13 New Life Radio – Talk No 5
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3. First war - Abram delivers Lot; first priest - Abram blessed by Melchizedek, Gen 14 4. God reveals Himself more completely to Abram - reaffirms His promises, Gen 15 5. Unbelief of Sarai and Abram, the birth of Ishmael, Gen 16 6. God makes covenant with Abraham (Abram becomes Abraham), God confirms the promise to Abraham about a son, Gen 17 7. God reveals the coming destruction of Sodom to Abraham who intercedes on behalf of inhabitants, Gen 18 8. Angels warn Lot to leave Sodom, God destroys the cities of the plain, Gen 19 9. Abraham repeats the sin at Gerar about his relationship of Sarah, Gen 20 10. Birth of Isaac - Hagar and Ishmael cast out. Abraham at BeerSheba, Gen 21 11. God commands Abraham to offer Isaac, the angel stops him, God reconfirms his covenant with Abraham, Gen 22 12. Death of Sarah - Abraham purchases Machpelah cave for burial place, Gen 23 f) Isaac (24-26) 1. Abraham sends servant to find bride for Isaac. Rebekah returns with him and becomes Isaac’s bride, Gen 24 2. Death of Abraham, the birth of Esau and Jacob (twins) to Isaac and Rebekah - Esau sells birth-right to Jacob, Gen 25 3. God’s covenant with Isaac, He lies about Rebekah - Isaac digs well in Gerar, Gen 26 g) Jacob (27-36)
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1. Jacob and Rebekah deceive & lie to get blessing intended for Esau, Gen 27 2. Jacob leaves home, at Bethel God appears to him, confirms Abrahamic covenant, Gen 28 3. Jacob arrives in Haran and meets Rachel and Uncle Laban, he serves for Rachel but is deceived into marrying Leah, Gen 29 4. Birth of the sons of Jacob - Jacob prepares to leave Laban; his bargain pays off, Gen 30 5. Jacob flees Haran; he is overtaken by Laban, Jacob and Laban Mizpah covenant, Gen 31 6. Crisis in life of Jacob: at Peniel a Man wrestles with him, name changed to Israel, Gen 32 7. Jacob meets Esau — Jacob journeys to Shalem, Gen 33 8. Jacob’s family scandal: Dinah defiled, brothers avenge by slaying men of Hamor, Gen 34 9. Jacob returns to Bethel, Rachel dies at Bethlehem and Isaac dies at Hebron, Gen 35 10. Family of Esau becomes nation of Edom, Gen 36 h) Joseph (37-50) 1. Jacob dwells in Canaan — Joseph sold into slavery, Gen 37 2. Sin and shame of Judah, Gen 38 3. Humiliation in Egypt, Gen 39, 40 a. Overseer in house of Potiphar, he is tempted/framed by Potiphar’s wife & imprisoned, Gen 39 b. Joseph in prison interprets dreams of baker and butler, Gen 40 4. Exaltation in Egypt, Gen 41-48 a. Joseph interprets dreams of Pharaoh & made overseer of Egypt, he marries Asenath, the birth of Manasseh and Ephraim, Gen 41 New Life Radio – Talk No 5
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b. Jacob sends his 10 sons to Egypt for corn - audience with Joseph, they leave Simeon as hostage and return home with corn and refunded money, Gen 42 c. Jacob sends his sons (Benjamin included) again to Egypt, they are entertained in Joseph’s home (he does not reveal his identity), Gen 43 d. Joseph sends brothers home, who are arrested by steward and cup found in Benjamin’s sack, Judah pleads for Benjamin, Gen 44 e. Joseph reveals his identity and he is reunited with brothers, Joseph invites Jacob and all family to Egypt, Gen 45 f. Jacob with family (70) move to Egypt, Jacob and Joseph are reunited, Gen 46 g. Jacob and brothers, dwell in Goshen - presented to Pharaoh. The famine forces Egyptians to sell land to Pharaoh. Joseph swears to bury Jacob in Canaan, Gen 47 h. Jacob on deathbed blesses Joseph’s sons, Gen 48 5. Death and burial of Jacob and Joseph, Gen 49, 50 a. Jacob gives deathbed blessing and prophecy for his 12 sons, Gen 49 b. Death and burial of Jacob in Canaan — death and burial of Joseph in Egypt, Gen 50 The Content of Genesis Ch.1-11 Gen. Ch.1 begins with God & God speaking creation into existence, climaxing in the creation of man and woman. Gen. Ch.2 moves the focus from God to man who is now named as Adam and his wife as Eve, taking us from his creation to our first parents and then to their fall in ch.3 and we encounter the entry of satan. The phenomenal spread of sin is immediate because man’s sin New Life Radio – Talk No 5
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brought about an immediate degeneracy of his nature and he and Eve’s children were born sinful and resulted in the firstborn committing the horrific murder of his elder brother Abel and so the ongoing narrative of man’s sinfulness has tragically begun. Gen.Ch.3 records satan’s entry into the Garden of Eden. His earlier history is recorded for us in Isa.ch14 and Ezekiel ch.28 with devastating consequences for Job. Of course, we recognise his footprint throughout Scripture, appearing again at the temptation of Jesus in the wilderness and Revelation records his final judgement in the eternal fires of hell (Rev.20:10). In Gen.Ch.4 there suddenly appeared a fragment of a verse totally out of context, “And as for Seth, to him also a son was born; and he named him Enosh. Then men began to call on the name of the Lord” (4:2). Seth was God’s chosen gift to Eve after the murder of her son. This verse records the first spiritual awakening in the Bible and Seth is a type of God’s spiritual sons. In Seth we gain new hope for humanity and he begins a spiritual genealogy represented by men like Enoch. A new beginning takes place with Abram, the first patriarch. Ch.11 concludes world pre-history, replaced by the narrower perspective of the Patriarchs. Ch.5 is devoted to family genealogies which demonstrate the Israelites esteem for their forebears and accurately records their history. Genealogies played an important purpose in Scripture, helping to determine the years of humankind’s history and the credentials of Joseph (Matthew) and Mary (Luke). Luke’s genealogy goes back to Adam (Lk.3:38), whereas Matthew’s genealogy begins with the patriarch Abraham and climaxes with Jesus (Mat.1:25).
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Ch.6-9 deals with Noah, he alone is righteous in all the world. He preaches righteousness for 100 years without one convert despite his message of judgement. The Lord judges the world’s sin by destroying the human race except for Noah’s family. The LORD saves the creatures of the earth from extinction by taking them into the Ark with Noah where they stay for one lunar year exactly, before leaving the Ark to live again on a renewed earth. Noah makes a sacrifice in gratitude to God for the preservation of his family. The LORD enters into covenant with him (see the paragraph on the covenants of the Bible). Noah takes a further step of faith as he prophesies the future of his 3 sons who will repopulate the world. His son Shem is singled out for the blessing of God, he represents the Semitic tribes - the children of Shem were Elam, Ashur, Arphaxad, Lud and Aram. Abraham, the patriarch of the Hebrews and Arabs, was one of the descendants of Arphaxad, from who the Hebrews will come via Abram. Japheth was the ancestor of the Gog and Magog tribes, the Turks, Khazars, and Slavs. Canaan represents the tribes of Canaan who were later conquered by Joshua. Ch.10 is a further chapter of genealogies, beginning with Noah. Ch.11 describes how one world with one language unite together to build a tower to reach up to heaven. The LORD saw this as rebellion and scattered the one world order and confounded and fragmented their common language. The confusion of tongues remains to this day causing a great hurdle and obstacle in the way of mission. At Pentecost the LORD in a moment overcame this impediment and caused all nations to understand the wonderful works of God through the gift of speaking foreign languages which we refer to as the gift of tongues. The scattering of the tribes is represented today by the vast number of
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people groups throughout the world. The second half of the chapter traces the genealogy of Seth leading to Eber (v14), to Terah, to Nahor and Abram. This chapter marks the conclusion of the first part of Genesis, preparing the way for the entry of Abram in ch.12 which marks a new beginning in the purposes of God regarding salvation.
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