Sermon Illustrations

Genesis 11:1-9

v1: as Noah and his family continues life from the ark (likely they had other children)

A couple of things in context helps us:

Genesis 10 talks about the nations of people and their own languages

Gen 10:24 on – we only read about Joktan’s sons, not Peleg’s

Gen 11:10 – only 2 years after the flood Shem had a son

Gen 11:17 on – we only read about Peleg’s sons, not Joktan’s

v2: men moved eastward to Shinar

The name Shinar occurs eight times in the Hebrew Bible, in which it refers to Babylonia. This location of Shinar is evident from its description as encompassing both Babylon (Babel) (in northern Babylonia) and Erech (Uruk) (in southern Babylonia). In the Book of Genesis 10:10, the beginning of Nimrod's kingdom is said to have been "Babel [Babylon], and Erech [Uruk], and Akkad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar."

And so based on all of this who are “they” in v3? – v5 gives a clue also that at that time they were still a united people

What is significant about v3? – people were creative

What did the people do in v4? – built sometime for pride of themselves

What does v5-6 mean?

NKJV 5 But the LORD came down to see the city and the tower which the sons of men had built. 6 And the LORD said, “Indeed the people are one and they all have one language, and this is what they begin to do; now nothing that they propose to do will be withheld from them.

NRSV 5 The LORD came down to see the city and the tower, which mortals had built. 6 And the LORD said, “Look, they are one people, and they have all one language; and this is only the beginning of what they will do; nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them.

God intervened to remind people of their Creator, so as not to sin!

What did God do in v7-9? – God divided the One people by making them speak different languages therefore creating different tribes/nations.

Commentary: We are created in God’s Image, therefore capable of creating and doing many things, BUT if we neglect God, there will be consequences not for good.

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