A Work in Progress….

Genesis 10:15 Canaan was the father of Sidon his firstborn, and of the Hittites,

Sometimes the Bible feels bogged down in minutiae. In the devos we are doing for my church this week, we are looking at the genealogy of Jesus. In my personal studies, I am reading about the genealogy of Noah’s descendants. At the moment, it all feels like a lot for very little purpose.

Genesis 10:16 Jebusites, Amorites, Girgashites,

Interestingly, though, my oldest decorated our Christmas tree last night. Every ornament on the tree tells a story, contains a little piece of our family history. I love decorating the tree each year because I get to relive all those stories as I put ornaments on the tree. In hindsight, perhaps there is some correlation between remembering ancestors and remembering the stories connected to ornaments. It keeps us grounded. It reminds us. It encourages us and sometimes cautions us.

Genesis 10:17 Hivites, Arkites, Sinites,

Precious Savior, Thank You for precious memories, for the ability to relive them each year as we decorate the tree. Thank You for genealogies that can do the same–remind us, encourage us, caution us. Help us every day, with every breath, to draw closer to You. Amen.

Genesis 10:18 Arvadites, Zemarites and Hamathites.

Have a blessed day.

Genesis 10:10 The first centers of his kingdom were Babylon, Uruk, Akkad and Kalneh, in Shinar.

Let’s back up two verses: Genesis 10:8-9 Cush was the father of Nimrod, who became a mighty warrior on the earth. He was a mighty hunter before the Lord; that is why it is said, “Like Nimrod, a mighty hunter before the Lord.” Commentary assures me that the phrase “Like Nimrod, a mighty hunter before the Lord,” is not a compliment. It’s the complete opposite, in fact.

Genesis 10:11 From that land he went to Assyria, where he built Nineveh, Rehoboth Ir, Calah

Nimrod was a soldier, a warrior, a hunter, not of animals but of men. He fought ruthlessly and ruled ruthlessly and put himself above God. He was vile and violent and tremendously successful. Others turned from God out of fear of Nimrod’s power (at least that’s what I gather from commentary).

Genesis 10:12 and Resen, which is between Nineveh and Calah—which is the great city.

Precious Savior, It is beyond disconcerting when a tyrant comes to power–someone who has vastly different ideas and ideals, who rules through fear and force and coercion. Whether it is a position of power on a grand or a small scale, it can be terrifying. But You are still on Your throne. Always. You are in control. Always. Help us hold onto Your hope, no matter what we face. Amen.

Genesis 10:13-14 Egypt was the father of the Ludites, Anamites, Lehabites, Naphtuhites, Pathrusites, Kasluhites (from whom the Philistines came) and Caphtorites.

Have a blessed day.

Genesis 10:1 This is the account of Shem, Ham and Japheth, Noah’s sons, who themselves had sons after the flood.

Remembering where we came from is important, but it’s not destiny. We all have folks in our family lineage whom we love and who love us. We also have those who were less than supportive, whom we’d really rather not become.

Genesis 10:2 The sons of Japheth: Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshek and Tiras.

Remembering our roots is important. But remembering that we are not defined by those roots, that we have the power to become who we choose, that’s the true gift. You don’t get to choose your ancestry, but you do get to choose who you will become. Choose wisely.

Genesis 10: 3 The sons of Gomer: Ashkenaz, Riphath and Togarmah.

Precious Savior, Thank You for roots that run deep, that remind us of who we are, where we come from. Thank You that our roots, our genealogies, do not determine our futures. Thank You for the ability to choose who we become. Help us to choose love, choose grace, choose You. Amen.

Genesis 10:4-5 The sons of Javan: Elishah, Tarshish, the Kittites and the Rodanites. (From these the maritime peoples spread out into their territories by their clans within their nations, each with its own language.)

Have a blessed day.

Genesis 9:24-25 When Noah awoke from his wine and found out what his youngest son had done to him, he said, “Cursed be Canaan! The lowest of slaves will he be to his brothers.”

Again I am left with so many questions. Noah curses Canaan because Noah got drunk and passed out, naked, and Ham, father of Canaan, did not cover him, maybe laughed at him, told his brothers about him. That doesn’t make sense, so I feel certain that I’m missing something here.

Genesis 9:26 He also said, “Praise be to the Lord, the God of Shem! May Canaan be the slave of Shem.

Also, we hear nothing about Noah before the flood, but for some reason, God singles him out to build the ark and save humanity. But what we do see of Noah after the flood, drunk and naked, passed out in his tent, is less than stellar. Again, I feel certain I’m missing something.

Genesis 9:27 May God extend Japheth’s territory; may Japheth live in the tents of Shem, and may Canaan be the slave of Japheth.”

Precious Savior, The biggest lesson I can take from these verses is that You can and will and do use imperfect people in Your perfect plan. Thank You that our human weaknesses can’t stop us from fulfilling Your divine purpose. Help me, flaws and all, to shine brightly for You. Amen.

Genesis 9:28-29 After the flood Noah lived 350 years. Noah lived a total of 950 years, and then he died.

Have a blessed day.

Genesis 9:20 Noah, a man of the soil, proceeded to plant a vineyard.

I distinctly remember reading this section the last time I read through the Bible from start to finish. It definitely caught me off guard.  I can assure you that I have no memory from my youth of a verse about Noah, drunk and naked, laying in a tent. I’m still unsure what to do with this information. Why would this be part of Genesis?

Genesis 9:21 When he drank some of its wine, he became drunk and lay uncovered inside his tent.

I wonder if the lesson is in how Noah’s sons react to his condition. Ham sees his father, does nothing, and goes to tell his brothers. Commentary posits that Ham made fun of his drunk, naked father, citing the ancient Hebrew text, though I could find no English version that mentions Ham making fun of Noah. However, he does nothing when he sees his father except go tell his brothers. Shem and Japheth are the ones who covered Noah.

Genesis 9:22 Ham, the father of Canaan, saw his father naked and told his two brothers outside.

Precious Savior, I want to learn the lessons embedded in Your word. I want to draw closer to You with every reading of these verses. You want us to love You and love others–love without ridicule, without making fun, without simply going to tell others while doing nothing. Help us to be Your hands and feet in this world. Help us to love and care for Your people. Amen.

Genesis 9:23 But Shem and Japheth took a garment and laid it across their shoulders; then they walked in backward and covered their father’s naked body. Their faces were turned the other way so that they would not see their father naked.

Have a blessed day.

Genesis 9:12 And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come:

A covenant is an agreement, according to Google. A Biblical covenant is an agreement between God and his people, in which God makes promises to his people and, usually, requires certain conduct from them,” according to Dictionary.com. Literally, it’s a contract, but a contract implies two parties and two sets of actions: I’ll do this. You do that.

Genesis 9:13 I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth.

We know what God is agreeing to with His side of the contract: “Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life,”–and semantically this wording bothers me because I do not believe in a God who promises not to destroy by flood just to leave open any other possibilities of destruction. But back to today’s thoughts, what about humanity? What’s our end of this covenant?

Genesis 9:14 Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds,

Precious Savior, You sent Your Son for our sins, asking us to love You and love others. Sometimes we are really, really, really bad at that last part. We judge, we gossip, we condemn and complain, we do soooo many things other than love. Forgive us. Help us to do better. Help us to make You proud of our ability to love others as You love. Amen.

Genesis 9:15 I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life.

Have a blessed day.