Day 4 Chronological Bible Study Timeline. Map. Go to today's Bible reading (use your browser arrow to return): Genesis 9:18–11:26; 1Chronicles 1:5-27
Family Trees
Note: This Bible study is also available in audio format.
Many people find it interesting to trace their family trees. Through library genealogical societies and internet searches, it is easier than ever to trace ancestry. Where are you from? Are there any interesting characters in your family line? Do your relations give you joy or grief? There are some bramble and wild limbs in every family tree. There are no guarantees, but how can we better ensure that our branch in the tree will be godly?
In today’s Bible reading, Noah is the father of three sons—Shem, Ham, and Japheth. From these sons and their wives issue all the peoples and nations of the earth.
Ham
Ham’s descendants formed the eastern and southeastern Mesopotamian nations (Ethiopia, Sudan, Egypt, Libya, Jordan, Israel, Syria, and northern Iraq). One of his sons, Cush, and his descendants, built the first Babylon and Nineveh in Assyria.
Canaan was a prominent son of Ham. For some unknown reason, Noah cursed Canaan when his father shamed him (i.e., Noah). Why? We don’t know for sure, but it appears Ham seriously violated cultural laws by not giving his father, Noah, privacy and proper respect. He saw his drunken father sleeping naked and then boasted about it to his brothers! This made Noah lose respect in the eyes of his sons. For this, Noah cursed Canaan, one of Ham’s four sons. Why did Noah put the curse on his grandson? Perhaps Canaan was a lot like his father, Ham. The curse was, therefore, prophetic.
Indeed, Canaan’s descendants would become proud and sexually immoral. After God’s long patience with the Canaanites would finally run out. they would be servants to his people.Lest we become judgmental of Ham and his son Canaan, we should remember we are all under the curse of sin. We all do wrong or fail to do right (Romans 3:23). They were immoral, idol worshippers, and consumed with evil. Without Christ, we are the same, to one degree or another.
Here is the good news — thousands of years later, Jesus would bear our sins in his body on the cross and become a curse for us. He would do this to set us free from the curse of sin and death (Galatians 3:13; 1 Peter 2:24; Romans 6:23). Have we accepted his sacrifice for our sins? Have we called on him to forgive us and set us free? Romans 10:9-13 tells us how to do that (more...).
Japheth and Shem
The genealogies given in Genesis 10 are not all-inclusive but represent family groups of people. From the records of Noah’s other sons, we know Japheth would be the father of the European nations, and Shem would become the father of the Elamites that settled in eastern Babylon. Later, Abraham’s family would move from Ur of the Chaldees (Babylon) to Israel’s future inheritance, where the Canaanites lived. Other sons of Shem would live in the Mesopotamian region.
The Tower of Babel
What happened at this tower, and why is it called Babel?
Noah’s descendants weren’t obeying the command to fill the earth (Genesis 9:1). Instead, they were prideful, seeking to make a name for themselves. God hates pride. All glory belongs to him, so he confuses their languages and scatters them over the entire earth. They would then form their own nations with their own languages and dialects. The unfinished tower became known as the “Tower of Babel” since they couldn’t understand each other’s languages.
Do we give glory to God? If we do, he will provide us with peace and direction. If we don’t, our lives could become chaotic with no sense of purpose.
God Chooses a Family line
A significant part of Genesis supplies the historical basis for God’s covenant with his people. With the tracing of each genealogical line, there is a narrowing with the chosen line continuing (a Toledot). Here are some examples:
- In Shem, Ham, and Japheth’s family, the line of Shem continues.
- In the line of Terah, Abraham’s line is continued.
- In the line of Abraham’s sons, Ishmael and Isaac, the LORD continues Isaac’s line.
- In the line of Isaac’s sons, Esau and Jacob, God favors Jacob’s line.
Scholars say each chosen line has an element (a motif) of blessing, cursing, and deterioration because of sin.
To us, this is a continual reminder of humanity’s need for forgiveness and restoration. We all need to own a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ to be saved.
Our Family Line
How can we ensure our branch of the family tree will be godly? We can’t. We each must struggle and make our own choices to believe Jesus died in our place and rose again to receive forgiveness.
However, we can draw others to the Savior by living a good Christian life, a life of love, service, godliness, humility, integrity, and forgiveness. And, when God gives us the opportunities, we can share with our family, friends, and neighbors what the LORD has done for us. We can and should pray fervently and consistently for him to work in their hearts.
God doesn’t wish anyone to perish. Perhaps, this is the year God will save them. It happened in my family, and it can happen in yours.
Write a private prayer response to today’s Bible study:
Please send your comments to me, Rod
Looking Ahead: In our next lesson, we will visit a character called Job (pronounced with a long vowel). The book bears his name. Chronologically, Job’s life lines up with the time of the Patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. A lot of bad things happen to Job. The theme for our following Bible study is, Why do the Innocent or Righteous Suffer?
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