Genesis 10: Living Near the Border of a Downfall

(upbeat music) - Welcome to chapter by chapter four year journey through the greatest book given to the human race, the word of God, the Bible. And we get to go through it chapter by chapter, seven minutes a day and seven days a week. Join us each day and share it with others so they can join this journey that will be life changing. We'll stop at unexpected places on the journey and be challenged. Some verses will create awe and wonder. We'll have chapters that will be instructive and in others we'll find joy and comfort. And we will occasionally be convicted and want to change. But all in all, the journey will be worth it. Once in a while we may take a detour on the journey and hear from some of God's servants on their favorite passages from a chapter of scripture and let them give you their insight. Every journey needs a small detour occasionally. The best way to get the most from this podcast is read the chapter we're discussing before after. It's his word that transforms. You will find more and see more than I can ever articulate. Welcome to chapter by chapter. And today's chapter is Genesis 10. You knew what would eventually happen as we go chapter by chapter through the Bible. You knew we would come to that place that some call the phone book of the Bible, the genealogies, the boring parts. It's just a list of names and I can't pronounce. It's how some see the genealogy chapters of the Bible. So many times they seem like a construction zone on the trip. You're flying down the highway thinking this is great. The time is going by so fast and then you see the orange signs and orange cones, construction zone ahead, slow down. Now the highway is one lane. You're driving at such a low speed filled with impatience, wondering why is this happening to me. We will hit some more of these construction zone on our chapter by chapter journey. It may be good to address why they are there. First they are important because they substantiate the physical existence of the people you're reading about. It shows you a family tree. Genealogies are history and historical proof that this is not a myth or a parable. Second, genealogies play an important part even in biblical prophecy. Eventually we'll end up at Matthew chapter one and see the most important genealogy list that of Christ. These historical records allows us to see that where God told us that the Messiah would come from really did happen. We also take note that God sees people in the midst of his enormous work of redemption. These names in your name mean something to God. He knows your name and your genealogy. And finally the genealogies are worth reading because you may find a treasure in the construction zone. You may get a small two or three verse biography that will speak to your heart. They're not filled with just names, but once in a while God will drop a bio in it. Those small bios have huge lessons. Don't be mad when you see the construction cones. We just have to slow down. Genesis 10 is one of those construction zones. We're zooming down the road with Adam and Eve, the fall of man, Cain and Abel, Noah and the Great Flood. And then we have to hit the brakes for Genesis 10, the genealogies after the flood. And just like we said, in the midst of the 70 names mentioned in Genesis 10, the Holy Spirit pauses with one name. His name is Nimrod. The living Bible says it like this in verses 8, 9 and 10. One of the descendants of Kush was Nimrod, who became the first of the kings. He was a mighty hunter, blessed of God, and his name became proverbial. People would speak of someone as being like Nimrod, a mighty hunter, blessed of God. The heart of his empire included Babel. Nimrod was a mighty man on the earth, and his kingdom was Babel. This is huge. I've seen it many times, too many times. In my years in the ministry, men and women mightily use by God, blessed by God. A name that is associated with success, and then all that they did turned into Babel. They would take the blessing of God and make it an empire of man instead of promoting the kingdom of God. This is the biography of Nimrod. We will read about his Babel empire in Genesis 11, but here we see who started the project. The part of the Babel project that sends shivers down my spine were these words. Listen to it in Genesis 11, 4. Let us make a name for ourselves. The man who was mighty and the man who was blessed and the man who was known wanted more followers. He thinks if I build this monstrosity, this tower, my name will be in everyone's mouth. 2,000 years later, a very rich man who took a massive fall wrote these words in Proverbs 16, 18. First pride, then the crash, the bigger the ego, the heart of the fall. These were written from experience. These were written by Solomon. We are told that the attitude of pride is seen before the downfall of a ministry, a man, a life, and a tower called Babel. Usually the massive blessing of God is dangerously close to the border of Babel and downfall. When God blesses you with abundance, you must keep an eye on your soul. You must pray for humility. You must pursue to make his name great and not yours. Be aware when you find yourself upset that your name is left out of someone's mouth and it upsets you. Be aware when someone doesn't give you the credit and you want to chime in about it being your idea. All of these little pride markers move you closer to Babel. Is it any wonder that the name Nimrod means lettuce rebel? No one knows how much time has passed from this little biography in Genesis 10 to the building of the tower to heaven, Babel in Genesis 11. Nimrod said this in Genesis 11 4. Come, let us build for ourselves a city, a tower whose top will reach into heaven and let us make for ourselves a name otherwise will be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth. And God said this a few verses later in Genesis 11 8. So the Lord scattered them abroad from there over the face of the whole earth. They stopped the building of the city. Therefore its name was called Babel because there the Lord confused the language of the whole earth. And from there the Lord scattered them abroad over the face of the whole earth. This is so important. Nimrod said let us make for ourselves a name otherwise will be scattered. God did this, the Lord scattered them abroad the face of the whole earth. God's will wins. God's plan wins. I wonder if Nimrod's mightiness was wearing off and his renownness was waning and his plan was to keep it going somehow. God has no intention of keeping any of our names at the forefront of his mission. One name counts and that's the name of Jesus. Be careful of perpetuating what God has put an expiration date on. God is in charge of the time clock. And when men won't let go because they have enjoyed the notoriety and the popularity, the next thing that happens is men will build a tower. It's the building of Babel. Nimrod and Babel are two names that end in failure. If God has blessed you massively and God has given you a reputation globally, the wisest thing to do is not build more followers but give glory to God. Remember the difference between man's empire and God's kingdom. Thank you for joining chapter by chapter. Every chapter from the greatest book, the Bible, the Word of God. Seven minutes a day, seven days a week. We'll see you tomorrow.