Genesis 10-11

This week we conclude our series of “the effects of sin” from Genesis chapters 6-11. Our study this week we look at its conclusion in from Genesis 10 and 11; and the significance of genealogies and the emphasis God places upon them from the fall of man to life after the flood. God has here over the past eight chapters from Genesis four through eleven has been showcasing and highlighting the tension between following God’s value system versus man's. We see God laying out a distinction between those who trust God and those who rely on human wisdom, like the lines of Cain and Seth, and later, the genealogies of Noah's sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

In Genesis 10 and 11 there is a large focus on Nimrod, a descendant of Ham, who epitomizes rebellion against God’s Word, promises, and values. We look in our study how the structures such as Babel demonstrate the human tendency to rely on our values over God's, and the importance of adhering to divine values to avoid societal decay. God brings alongside the life of Nimrod, those of the family of Shem, and the Tower of Babel, to exemplify rebellion against His order and the attempts to place man's wisdom above His divine guidance. God also introduces to us of Abram and that true peace and societal restoration come when God's values are embraced through the Holy Spirit and the transformative power of God’s eternal perspective. The significance of the Holy Spirit's role in the life of the individual aligns our lives with God's value system and promises.  We are introduced to at the end of Genesis 11 in the life of Abram, God’s call for humility and adherence to His promises.