So I just finished reading Genesis 10 through 12, and Matthew 4 as well. This Scripture covers the descendants of Noah, the tower of Babel, God’s call to Abram to leave his country, and Abram’s first brush with people of whom he was scared would take his wife, Sarai. Matthew 4 covers the temptation of Christ in the wilderness, as well as His calling the disciples in Galilee.
Things that stood out? Well, for one thing I always thought that the nations were ‘born’ – that is, each nation was made distinct from one another since the events at the tower of Babel. Imagine my interest when I noticed that, of the descendants of Ham, son of Noah, some of them were not listed by name – rather, instead of being named, some of the descendants of Ham included ‘the Jebusite, the Amorite, and the Girgashite’; Now, I’m only making this assumption considering that the discussion of Noah’s descendants preceded the narrative of the tower of Babel, and therefore these people were known as Jebusites, Amorites, and Girgashites while the world was still speaking just one language. Could it be possible that nations were not just distinguished and gathered together according to languages in common, but according to family relationships as well? Just a question I’m thinking now, but I’m not really going to dwell on…
…Or, I’m not going to dwell on that as much as I now appreciate that those of us who are aware of being members of the ‘nation’ or the body of Christ belong to His family, and we all speak the same language – one that bursts out of us because of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. And let me clarify – this does not necessarily mean glossolalia, and in fact I believe the language we speak common among each other in the Body goes beyond words, pronunciations, grammar, and cultural factors – the language we speak goes beyond the abilities of our mouths and/or brains, but our entire beings; Our entire beings speak the language of love, overflowing from each and every one of us who have come to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, no matter how we are built and raised physically, mentally, and emotionally.
At Babel the people wanted to make a name for themselves. (Genesis 11:4)
At Christ’s resurrection, He was exalted and given the name above all names. (Acts 2:32-33. Philippians 2:9)
At Babel, the one language the people spoke was confused (implying that every language is a ‘confusion’ or a variation of an original one language). (Genesis 11:7)
At Pentecost, the Spirit descended upon the apostles, and they all set forth, speaking in utterances and different languages, but all proclaiming the mighty works of God (Acts 2:11)
At Babel, there was confusion and division. (Genesis 11:4, Genesis 11:7)
Through Christ, we have been given a Spirit of Power, Love, and Sound Judgment. (2 Timothy 1:7)
We understand Christ’s words further when He states that a house divided cannot stand (Matthew 12:25, Mark 3:25)… but here, clearly we see that the Spirit is all that holds our House together, deeper than family ties, and deeper than common language.
One other Scripture that caught my eye was Matthew 4:12-16:
Now when he heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew into Galilee. And leaving Nazareth he went and lived in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, so that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:
“The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles— the people dwelling in darkness have seen a great light, and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death, on them a light has dawned.”
According to the ESV, the exact Scripture where this was quoted was in Isaiah 9:1-2:
But there will be no gloom for her who was in anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he has made glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations.
The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone.
Interestingly enough, the subtitle the translators of the ESV decided to start Isaiah 9 with was: ‘For unto us a Child is born’. Handel’s Messiah now playing in my head. But going back: the words of Isaiah reveal that these lands of Zebulun and Naphtali were once brought into contempt, and this may or may not be a factor to the region being one of deep darkness, with the people dwelling in darkness and the shadow of death. This may have been literally fulfilled when Jesus Christ went and lived in Capernaum, BUT I feel as if it’s also another way for us to appreciate Christ’s birth: That is, when Christ was born, Light shone in the land and its people, who dwelled in deep darkness and the shadow of death.
John writes in the first chapter of His Gospel: In (Jesus) was life, and the Life was the Light of men. The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. (John 1:4-5)
Today, friends, I am reminded of the state of darkness and confusion that we were in, this hopeless state we were in before Christ saved us.
To understand how hopeless we were in darkness leads us to appreciate the Life and Light we now have in Jesus, who HIMSELF is our Life and Light.
Ending with something I may want to go through some time in the future:
Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not become partners with them; for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret. But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says,
“Awake, O sleeper,
and arise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you.”
Ephesians 5:6-14
Until the next post, God bless you, folks.
9310/365000
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