Wednesday, January 05, 2011

The Divisions of People

I'm following This plan takes you through the bible in two years. Todays' reading is : Gn 10.1-11.9 Ps 5

Genesis 10:1-11:9

Two things in this passage, the genealogy of Noah and the story of the tower of Babel.

I find it interesting to read genealogies only if they add interesting details. And in this one that mention that Nimrod was the first of the mighty men of God. The details are also added of how each son seemed to found a different people. Like three of the grandsons founded the coastal peoples. AND others into Assyria, Canaan and so forth.

and from one man came all these different people groups.

Which to me makes it sad to realize that from one family will come such huge divisions. Because the Assyrians will cause the Israelites grief as will many of the other people groups. It just seemed rather poignant to me this morning.

And then we get the Tower of Babel where once again it is pointed out to me how one family can become so divided. This time it was God who divided them because this ONE section of the family had become so united in purpose that they would be able to do ANYTHING they wanted, and God didn't want that.
6And the LORD said, "Behold, they are one people, and they have all one language, and this is only the beginning of what they will do. And nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them. 7Come, let us go down and there confuse their language, so that they may not understand one another’s speech."
I also noted the "let us" go down. A signal again that God is not one, but more than one in one being. Makes me wonder how people can say that God is just one when they read passages like this. How do they explain it? Do they think that God means he and the angels? But that wouldn't make sense because then the passage would say God and the angels instead of saying 8"So the LORD dispersed them". Just ponderings...

Next reading is Psalm 5

1Give ear to my words, O LORD;
consider my groaning.
2Give attention to the sound of my cry,
my King and my God,
for to you do I pray.
3O LORD, in the morning you hear my voice;
in the morning I prepare a sacrifice for you and watch.

4For you are not a God who delights in wickedness;
evil may not dwell with you.
5The boastful shall not stand before your eyes;
you hate all evildoers.
6You destroy those who speak lies;
the LORD abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man.

7But I, through the abundance of your steadfast love,
will enter your house.
I will bow down toward your holy temple
in the fear of you.
8 Lead me, O LORD, in your righteousness
because of my enemies;
make your way straight before me.

9For there is no truth in their mouth;
their inmost self is destruction;
their throat is an open grave;
they flatter with their tongue.
10 Make them bear their guilt, O God;
let them fall by their own counsels;
because of the abundance of their transgressions cast them out,
for they have rebelled against you.

11But let all who take refuge in you rejoice;
let them ever sing for joy,
and spread your protection over them,
that those who love your name may exult in you.
12For you bless the righteous, O LORD;
you cover him with favor as with a shield.

and the lad is up talking so no time to talk further about this passage. Just see how he pleads of God to hear him and then knows that he can take refuge in God. :)

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