My Plans or God’s Purpose?

Posted on August 12, 2007

 

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Genesis 10:1-11:9

ONE GREAT TRUTH: We can invest this life in “making a name for ourselves,” inheriting the wrath of God, or in bringing glory to the name of Jesus Christ forever.

I.          The Table of the Nations.

It is an incomplete summary of the spreading forth of humanity. Chronologically, the story of the tower of Babel fits within the table of the nations three times, once for each of the sons of Noah.

A.         The sons of Japheth (10:1-5) spread to the northwest and northeast, becoming the Gentiles, the Indo-Europeans.

B.         The sons of Ham (10:6-20) remain in the Mesopotamian Valley, where civilization first began. In the midst of this genealogy, the first emperor of Babylon (Babel) arose, named Nimrod. He was a cruel and controlling dictator, as well as the creator of the Babylonian cult which promoted blasphemy toward Jehovah and the worship of false gods.

C.         The Sons of Shem (10:21-32) eventually produced Abraham, whom we will revisit in the next chapter.

II.         The Tower of Babel.

(Proverbs 19:21) God’s purpose has always been that His name might be glorified in all the earth. His command to Noah’s sons was to “go forth” and to “replenish the earth.” Why? So that many more people may come to call upon Him and glorify Him as God. But man’s plans were different.

A.         Man’s plans.

Let us make brick… let us build a city… let us worship the heavens. Nimrod led the people to populate the city of Babylon and to build a ziggurat, a tower designed as an observatory of the astrological signs. The New Age movement and humanism had their beginnings here. These are celebrations of what man can do without God.

            B.         God’s purposes.

1.         To scatter and confound. This passage is reminiscent of Psalm 2, which describes the nations in a rebellious plot to overthrow the sovereignty of God. His purpose of filling the earth will be accomplished.

2.         To restore and unite. In Christ, all people may become one.

            a.         People from all nations will hear the gospel. (Matthew 24:14; 28:18-20)

            b.         People from all nations may be saved and redeemed. (Galatians 3:28)

            c.         People from all nations will worship together. (Acts 2:4-6; Revelation 7:9)

We’ve examined a question for all of humanity – our plans without God, or God’s purposes? But how does this question relate to you today? Are you going to choose to live according to your plan, or God’s purpose?