The wickedness of man after the fall had increased greatly and the intentions of man’s heart was evil continually and God determined to apply his justice. The earth was utterly destroyed save for Noah’s family and the select creatures of the earth. God preserved Noah’s family for he “shut him in” once the flood roared. They were kept in perfect safety after which the Lord blessed them that they might “be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth,”( Chp 9:1).
GENERATIONS AND A MERCIFUL GOD//V 1
Here, we have generations, a host of people, clans and their languages. It is perhaps forgivable but not excusable to nonchalantly read this without blinking. These people groups are borne out of a watershed moment in human history. The Lord’s anger burned against the earth and it’s occupants due to unprecedented wickedness. But the lives of Noah’s family was mercifully salvaged. These generations point to God’s mercy. The Lord kept them that there could be generations to savor and ponder. How cavalier and carefully ignorant are we of God’s great mercies everyday? The very perpetuation of our existence is testament to his long-suffering disposition. We owe our very breath to our merciful Father and therefore we ought to be grateful everyday to him.
Noah’s sons, Shem, Ham and Japheth had offsprings after the flood. This statement is significant especially against the backdrop of the devastating flood. The Lord’s good pleasure was that the earth should be filled with his image bearers in spite of their sin. And God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them, ” Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth” ( Gen 9:1). Birth is no ordinary, commonplace and mundane activity. The book of Samuel asserts that Hannah’s womb had been closed by the Lord himself ( 1Sam 1:5). Abram and Sarai wrestled infertility. The Lord promised a son, for he only gives such blessings. The earth could then be populated and filled because it thus pleased the Lord. He followed up his good pleasure by providing the means and the gift. It’s not news to find couples grappling with the eventuality and reality of childlessness. Yet such saints have a solid rock within which to stand up and cry to, a Father who gives good gifts to his own. It is baffling that today Man has invented a new way of sinning against God’s gracious design by assuming the role of creator. Man is his own creator and therefore has the audacity to mock God by heinously murdering the unborn. He calls himself pro-choice! He sinks into an endless abyss when he says in his heart that there’s no God. Man is God’s creation and he is good to them, in spite of them. The Psalmist exclaims, The Lord is good to all, and his tender mercies are over all his works.( Ps.145:9). All created things give him glory for all things were made through him and for him!
PEOPLE AND PROVIDENCE// V 2-20
The Son’s of Japheth are thus mentioned as coastland peoples. Their designation as coastland peoples is no unnecessary addendum but rather a clear depiction of the providence of God. That not only does God govern and direct all circumstances regarding our birth, upbringing, life and death but also our ethnicity and ancestry. The Westminster Shorter Catechism defines providence as, [1]
God’s work of Providence are his most holy, wise and powerful acts of preserving and governing all his creatures and all their actions
Where we live and are born is the work of the grand designer. David joyfully resigned, My frame was not hidden from you, when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in your book they all were written, the days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them.(Ps.139:16-16). The saint rests in God’s sovereignty in all things pertaining his entire life. All of God. Even with this, we still wallow in self pity regarding our various states that we have no control of. Our ethnicity, region of birth, parents, guardians and our physique. God is too wise to err The same is true of Ham and his generations. All his descendants, their clans, languages are but the wisdom of God. Even the enemies of his covenant people, Israel namely Egyptians, Philistines, Babylonians were all ultimately the work of his sovereignty. John Calvin observes,
Let our readers therefore remember that when we speak of Providence, we do not mean the providence of a God who sits idly in heaven and observes the things that are done on earth, but that of a God who controls and governs all events. His providence pertains to His hand as much as to His eye. [2]
All people belong to Him and are fashioned according to his good pleasure and image ( Ps.33:15). Our God-given uniqueness notwithstanding, Paul is quick to vanquish any conflict that should arise from this gift. Seeing and savoring the gospel, he joyfully reminds those who have believed in Christ, Gentile or Jew that they are one in Christ. To them he earnestly counsels, so then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God ( Eph 2:19). All human beings should therefore be accorded due dignity and respect. They do not belong to themselves but to their faithful creator and sustainer and every sinister or feigned attempt to usurp God’s authority is grave rebellion and ingratitude. The mention of Nimrod and his implications remains rather unclear but generally viewed negatively.
GOD’S FAITHFULNESS TO THE NATIONS // V 21-32
These bunch of names are not just names. They are not marginal issues to fill up the scriptures. They are not uninspired narratives. Far from it. They are, however hope giving. All scripture is God-breathed. These names therefore draw attention to something grand, intricately woven to curve out a magnificent outcome. We finally get to Shem. Eber, Shem’s great grandson is mysteriously mentioned even before Shem’s own sons. Bible scholars regard him to be the originator or founder of the Hebrew race. From Peleg, Eber’s son we find our way down to Terah then Abram (Gen11:10-26). Eber appears in Jesus’ genealogy ( Luke 3:23-38) and also ( 1 Chr 1:25). These elucidate God’s commitment through his works of providence to restore man to communion with him. From Shem we get to Abraham, then to David, the exile in Babylon and finally to the Christ. Christ became fully man and fully God. Paul exhorts the Galatians, But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.( Gal 4:4-5). Jesus, during his earthly ministry went about doing good. In the Gospel according to Mark, he succinctly and unequivocally said, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the Gospel. This was echoed by the apostles and throughout church history and still holds now. Every man everywhere is to repent and believe the Gospel for whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him. Isaac Watts in deep contemplation of his depraved state skillfully jotted down the following:
How sad our state by nature is, our sin, how deep it stains; and Satan binds our captive minds fast in his slavish chains. But there’s a voice of sov’reign grace sounds from the sacred word, “‘Ho, ye despairing sinners, come and trust upon the Lord” [3]
[1] Westminster Shorter Catechism
[2] Instruction in Christianity, A summary of Calvin’s “Institutes”, J.P Wiles
[3] How sad our state by nature is! Isaac Watts