Key verses: Gen 11:26-28

[Study Posted July 18, 2014]

We all descended from Adam through the three sons of Noah whose offspring were distributed and separated by God according to diverse languages after the global flood (Gen 9:1; Gen 10:5; Gen 11:1-9). The first eleven chapters of Genesis prepare us for the focus of the rest of Scriptures. From chapter 12 of Genesis, and for the next fourteen chapters, the Bible brings one man and his generation into our focus, namely Abraham and his family. Through Shem, one son of Noah, Abraham is the person whom God will use to introduce the vital aspect of faith in our spiritual life which will be the theme of our discussions for the next few weeks, God willing:

1Ch 1:24 Shem, Arphaxad, Shelah,
1Ch 1:25 Eber, Peleg, Reu,
1Ch 1:26 Serug, Nahor, Terah,
1Ch 1:27 Abram; the same is Abraham.

Abraham’s father, Terah, had three sons of which one, Haran, died even before His father died. Haran’s death opened the door for Lot, one of Haran’s three children, to be associated with Abraham. Lot also played an important role with regards to this aspect of how faith in Abraham’s life developed, for our learning:

Gen 11:26 And Terah lived seventy years, and begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran.
Gen 11:27 Now these are the generations of Terah: Terah begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran; and Haran begat Lot.
Gen 11:28 And Haran died before his father Terah in the land of his nativity, in Ur of the Chaldees.

Abraham and his other brother, Nahor, then took wives, and they all lived in Ur of the Chaldees, which was in the region of Shinar (later known as Babylonia) from where God also dispersed all nations according to diverse languages from the city of Babel (Gen 11:1-9). Marrying your blood relative was not at that stage prohibited:

Gen 11:29 And Abram and Nahor took them wives: the name of Abram’s wife was Sarai; and the name of Nahor’s wife, Milcah, the daughter of Haran, the father of Milcah, and the father of Iscah.

Gen 20:12 And yet indeed she [Sarai, later Sarah] is my [Abraham’s] sister; she is the daughter of my father [Terah], but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife.

Interesting to note at this stage is the fact that through Nahor and Milcah the generational line for the birth of Leah was established, who would later marry Abraham’s grandson, Jacob (Gen 24:45-47). Our attention is first focused on Abraham who was used by God to typify what “the faith of Christ” is all about, and this foundational theme helps us see how we can please God and be accepted by Him, and even more so when that gift of faith is taken through a fiery process in us (Php 3:9; Heb 11:6; Eph 2:8-9).

Rom 4:16 Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all.

Gal 2:16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.

The faith of Abraham is also the type of what the righteousness in Christ is all about, and in the life of Abraham this long process of spiritual sanctification and justification is introduced and further developed later through the life of His son Isaac and his offspring:

Gal 3:6 Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.
Gal 3:7 Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.
Gal 3:8 And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.
Gal 3:9 So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.

Gal 3:22 But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.

Gal 3:29 And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

No one in the first Adam has the faith of Christ by nature – it only comes in a prepared heart with the acceptance and receiving of the preaching of the Word of God only:

2Th 3:2 And that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men: for all men have not faith.

Rom 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

It is very significant that this type of faith, and the path and growth of that faith through Abraham’s life, was revealed in a much deeper way after the global flood. It points out that the gift of the faith of Christ is intimately linked with fiery trials and much tribulations. Faith needs trials and the fiery judgment of God to make it grow stronger to full maturity to produce fruits of righteousness to the praise and glory of God (Jer 5:14; 1Co 3:13-15; Heb 11:6):

Php 1:9 And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment;
Php 1:10 That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ;
Php 1:11 Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.

1Pe 1:7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:
1Pe 1:8 Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:
1Pe 1:9 Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.

Through the life and pilgrimage of Abraham we can learn so much of our own journey and growth in terms of the faith of Jesus in us:

Heb 11:8 By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.
Heb 11:9 By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:
Heb 11:10 For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

Faith is indeed one of the “the principles of the doctrine of Christ” or what is also labeled the ‘milk doctrines’, which we are told to leave if God permits. That is causing confusion in some if one must have faith to please God all the time, and yet also leave it (Heb 11:6):

Heb 6:1 Therefore leaving [this verb is in the Greek aorist tense meaning a progressive process is to be understood – not in the sense of abandoning/leaving behind the principles, but moving onward] the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,
Heb 6:2 Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.
Heb 6:3 And this will we do, if God permit.

To understand the concept of the “leaving” of the principles of Christ, we also need to see how we ourselves, and the church of God in general, are typified in Scripture. Two of the metaphors used in Scripture in that regard are that of a garden and a building, and these types will also help us to understand the concept of “leaving” of the principles of Christ:

1Co 3:6 I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.
1Co 3:7 So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.
1Co 3:8 Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.
1Co 3:9 For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building.
1Co 3:10 According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.
1Co 3:11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

These two concepts used here, a plant and a building, have a few things in common, and one of these relates to the roots of the plant or the foundation of the building, which is invisible yet it supplies the important substructure on which the whole superstructure grows and develops. As a plant cannot grow strong (toward the light) without proper grounding, even so a building cannot stand without a solid foundation. There is a false doctrine that claims that we should totally let go of and even despise the ‘milk doctrines’ of Christ which allows for a false appearance of maturity in Christ, and even the unwise “comparing themselves among themselves” in the church through the years (2Co 10:12). This is why this following admonition is so important to see because we are naturally haughty and think we have arrived at the destination long before we really do, as the life and journeys of Abraham also reveals (1Co 10:13):

Rom 14:1 Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations.
Rom 14:2 For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs.
Rom 14:3 Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him.
Rom 14:4 Who art thou that judgest another man’s servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.

Both these opposing views have one thing in common – immaturity in one sense or another. Everything we have is received from God (a gift), and despising or judging before the time (or before the beam is removed from our own eye) have both a false sense of maturity and of fleshly perfection (Mat 7:1-5; 1Co 4:5-7). As Noah and His offspring were given meat to be added to the initial “green herb” diet after the flood, so both are still applicable as we grow and mature in different areas of our own life at different stages “until the harvest” (Gen 1:29; Gen 9:3; Mat 13:30). This harvest or judgment is also subjected to a multifaceted and progressive process (Exo 23:30; 1Co 15:31):

Isa 28:27 For the fitches are not threshed with a threshing instrument, neither is a cart wheel turned about upon the cummin; but the fitches are beaten out with a staff, and the cummin with a rod.
Isa 28:28 Bread corn is bruised; because he will not ever be threshing it, nor break it with the wheel of his cart, nor bruise it with his horsemen.

Faith, as one of the foundational or roots of the doctrine of Christ, gives us a wonderful picture of how each of these so-called “milk doctrines” (and those who are still limited to those doctrines) should be handled throughout a Christian’s growth process (Exo 23:19; Rom 14:1-13; 1Co 4:5; 1Co 5:12). Although a baby’s initial diet is exclusively based on milk intake, milk can still be consumed for the rest of earthly life to guarantee, among other benefits, strong bone structure and even good healthy teeth to chew the solids and the meat (Num 13:27; Deu 6:3). Faith “abides” always and is essential in the whole process, especially to those who will be “faithful” to endure every day and to eventually also be there at the end of the process (1Co 13:12-13):

Rev 17:14 These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.

The first thing we get to know about Abraham and his walk of faith in us, is something interesting about his wife which links to this initial stage in Christ in our lives:

Gen 11:30 But Sarai was barren; she had no child.

Sarai could not conceive children initially and had to wait until after she was ninety years old before that could happen (Gen 17:15-21). Ninety has the number nine multiplied with the number ten, emphasizing again that spiritual fruit comes through the judgement (9) on the flesh (10). The proper noun “Sarai” is the feminine version of a ruler or a person who has dominion. As with Sarai’s initial barrenness, sterile faith cannot produce or take hold on God’s spiritual promises. In our delusion when we think we are mature in faith, those carnal convictions will be the instrument God uses to get us into a position where we will take wrong advice. Like with Eve in the garden of Eden, the spiritually immature flesh will always take the lead to draw the weak husband to follow the wife’s leadership and doubtful disputations – all as God ordained it for our personal learning (Gen 3:1-6; Rom 14:1). Although we naturally follow the wrong leadership of flesh, we are admonished to learn from those mistakes and then turn from around and convert from those wrong models to be diligent in doing what is right – “wherein dwelleth righteousness” (2Pe 3:13-14):

2Co 11:3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

The carnal faith of Sarai and her “doubtful disputations” convinced Abraham to obtain a fleshly offspring and then, God willing, to be despised and be dragged to the desired haven in the faith of Christ (Psa 107:23-32):

Gen 16:1 Now Sarai Abram’s wife bare him no children: and she had an handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar.
Gen 16:2 And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the LORD hath restrained me from bearing: I pray thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may obtain children by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai.
Gen 16:3 And Sarai Abram’s wife took Hagar her maid the Egyptian, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife.
Gen 16:4 And he went in unto Hagar, and she conceived: and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes.
Gen 16:5 And Sarai said unto Abram, My wrong be upon thee: I have given my maid into thy bosom; and when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her eyes: the LORD judge between me and thee.

By Godly design and plan, the faith of the flesh will indeed produce miracles in the physical realm, and that is one of the most powerful delusions from which few escape in this age. To receive something from God in the physical realm is always of a temporary nature and will be taken from us only through severe trials which few can receive now (1Pe 4:12-19). Ishmael, the first born of Abraham, represents our firstborn and our attachments to our earthly faith in its fleshly solutions:

Gen 16:15 And Hagar bare Abram a son: and Abram called his son’s name, which Hagar bare, Ishmael.
Gen 16:16 And Abram was fourscore and six years old, when Hagar bare Ishmael to Abram.

Gen 17:18 And Abraham said unto God, O that Ishmael might live before thee!

Sarai is the symbol of our time in the beliefs of the false church in us with all its delusions and counterfeits of the real faith of Jesus. This time of barrenness in the lives of God’s elect relates to our time when the Lord’s wife, the church in us, is unfruitful and clinging to its own fleshly answers and beliefs. We are overwhelmed by our own convictions according to “the wisdom of men” – a kind of natural or carnal orientation of faith when we also know Christ “after the flesh” (Joh 8:15; Joh 20:25; 1Co 2:5; 1Co 3:1-3; 2Co 5:16; 2Co 11:17-18). Natural or carnal faith in God (or what is perceived to be God) is also what is given to all evil spirits (Mat 8:29; Luk 4:34; Act 16:17; Act 19:15):

Jas 2:17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
Jas 2:18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.
Jas 2:19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
Jas 2:20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?

Many people talk about “their” faith, and that can be an indicator of carnal-orientated faith which cannot produce spiritual fruit but can indeed perform natural wonders and physical miracles through which the whole world is deceived by God. This is also for what the religious beast on the earth is well known:

Rev 13:13 And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,
Rev 13:14 And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.

It is only at a later stage that Sarai’s name was changed to Sarah which coincides with the name change of her husband Abram who became Abraham. This is when Sara obeyed Abraham and the Godly order is established in us, and even the deadness of a womb is no obstacle to the faith of Christ in us (Gen 17:15-16; 1Pe 3:1; Rom 9:9).

1Pe 3:6 Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement.

Rom 4:19 And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara’s womb.

The new name, Sara, means “noblewoman” and princess of the true doctrine of Christ in us. This name change connects with the covenant cutting between Abraham and God which also relates to the new covenant and the faith of Christ in which all nations of the whole earth will be blessed:

Gal 3:14 That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
Gal 3:15 Brethren, I speak after the manner of men; Though it be but a man’s covenant, yet if it be confirmed, no man disannulleth, or addeth thereto.
Gal 3:16 Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.

It is only after the name change and after the failure of bringing forth the true seed, that the following words can be said of the faith of Sara when she was “past age” (at the proper time of her maturity in that respect):

Heb 11:11 Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age [Greek: “kairos” = proper time + “hēlikia”= maturity], because she judged him faithful who had promised.

This “past age” also indicates the end of the carnal age of our old man and how that reflects on all the Old Testament proponents of faith who all “died in faith” (1Co 10:11):

Heb 11:13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

Carnal-orientated faith is dead faith because it comes from the spiritually dead natural mind:

Rom 8:6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

Carnal faith causes a strong conviction in many to be brazen and actually believe they can present that faith to God to obtain spiritual salvation to enter the spiritual kingdom of God!

Mat 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
Mat 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

Jas 2:14 What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?

———-

Detailed studies and emails relating to these foundational themes in Scripture are available on the www.iswasandwillbe.com website, including these topics and links:

http://www.iswasandwillbe.com/the-faith-of-christ/
http://www.iswasandwillbe.com/the-three-barren-wives-of-the-patriarchs/
http://www.iswasandwillbe.com/refuge-of-lies-and-mingling-of-faith/
http://www.iswasandwillbe.com/does-everyone-have-faith/
http://www.iswasandwillbe.com/studies/numbers-in-scripture/

(Key verses: Gen 10:21-31; Gen 11:10-28; 1Ch 1:17-27)

[Study Aired June 19, 2014]

The spiritual meaning of the number three in Scripture relates to spiritual progression to maturity. Natural life on earth is a shadow of that process because the natural reflects a parable of the spiritual (Rom 1:20; Heb 11:3). For those interested in natural things, the spiritual things of God are foolishness and not worth spending much time and effort on (1Co 2:14). The natural is indeed applicable in its own time and context, and is a very important first step in us becoming the spiritual image of God eventually (Gen 1:26; Jer 18:4; 1Co 15:22-28). The three sons of Noah are indeed the progenitors of all people living on the earth today, and the Scriptures are clear about that (Gen 6:7-10; Gen 9:1). However, these three sons of Noah and their offspring also represent our own growth process to fill and rule the whole earth, meaning we are to overcome every evil in our own lives by the indwelling Christ – and that is a lifelong war (Isa 45:7; Rom 8:20; 1Jn 2:16; Rev 17:14; Rev 12:10-11). God’s covenant after the flood also conveys His commitment with all flesh through these three sons of Noah that all in the first Adam will be made new through a work of grace by the spirit of God in Christ (Gen 9:9-17; 1Co 15:22-28; Tit 2:11-12; 1Co 3:13-15). Noah’s prophecy regarding his sons is also very insightful as through those words the continual interrelatedness between these sons and their offspring are indicative, even as they typify our own inward spiritual realms:

Gen 9:24 And Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his younger son [Ham] had done unto him.
Gen 9:25 And he said, Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren.
Gen 9:26 And he said, Blessed be the LORD God of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant.
Gen 9:27 God shall enlarge Japheth, and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant.

Although Canaan, the youngest son of Ham, was particularly mentioned here with regards to his servant role, Ham’s offspring were in general also part of these symbiotic relationships between these families as the building of the tower of Babel also proves. It was actually only after God brought confusion to the “one language” which they all spoke at that time, that division and separation took place for the first time. According to the Word of God it is indeed languages, more than anything else, which was used by God to bring division on earth:

Gen 11:6 And the LORD said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do.
Gen 11:7 Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech.
Gen 11:8 So the LORD scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city.
Gen 11:9 Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the LORD did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the LORD scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth.

Gen 10:5 By these [Japheth’s offspring] were the isles of the Gentiles divided in their lands; every one after his tongue [language], after their families, in their nations [Hebrew: “gôy”/Greek: “ethnos”].

Nowhere in the Scriptures are the sons of Noah and their offspring classified in terms of outward features, including skin color, as some believe. The division of nations and families was based on language primarily. There are many unscriptural and unscientific divisions of nations propagated by those who advocate the theory of evolution or racial segregation on the grounds of certain specific physical features. These fleshly divisions are types of what the scriptures call “sensual” and carnal divisions which are always seen as immature and sinful as they are all contrary to the doctrine of Christ (Num 12:1; 1Co 3:4; Jas 3:14-16; Jud 1:17-19). For the spiritual mature the only true division God ordained “from the beginning” is the separation from sin and disobedience to His commandments (2Jn 1:5-6; Luk 12:1; 1Co 5:6-8; 2Co 7:1; Tit 3:10; 1Jn 2:15-17; 1Jn 5:21; 1Pe 1:15-16):

Rom 16:17 Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.

That is the golden line of division that threads right through the Scriptures since the beginning when light and darkness were divided (Gen 1:1-5):

2Co 6:14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?

All barriers of flesh that we put up in our spiritual ignorance against those we naturally “have no dealings with”, are coming down by the effectual work of the indwelling Christ:

Joh 4:7 There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink.
Joh 4:8 (For his disciples were gone away unto the city to buy meat.)
Joh 4:9 Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans.
Joh 4:10 Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.

Although God has ordained an elect to be few and separate from their earthly brethren, they are still in this world and are the salt and the light to those around them. This is typified by Joseph and king David, among other examples, who were effectual workers in their own generations – to give others the “living water” in type (Mat 5:13-16):

Gen 49:26 The blessings of thy father have prevailed above the blessings of my progenitors unto the utmost bound of the everlasting hills: they shall be on the head of Joseph, and on the crown of the head of him that was separate from his brethren.

Act 13:36 For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell on sleep, and was laid unto his fathers, and saw corruption:

The theme of being effectual workers in our generation is foundational to the elect of God that helps to see how the three sons of Noah and their offspring spiritually apply in our lives. Even outwardly we should be known as the servants of God, as we also are not to resist God’s work through the evil and the many adversaries He created for His purposes in us (Mat 5:38-39; Phm 1:6; 1Co 16:9). This is also what all those names and long lists of genealogies in Scripture, even here in Genesis 10, want to make clear to us. Everyone God places in our lives serves an important purpose to bring forth His holy generation in Christ:

Mal 3:18 Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.

Japheth and his offspring are first mentioned in the genealogies we find in Genesis 10. The role of Japheth and his offspring in the prophecy of Noah was that of much growth and expansion, but more so especially in his relationship to Shem. The “enlargement” to different parts of the world of Japheth’s offspring, for example, were connected to the “tents of Shem”:

Gen 9:27 God shall enlarge Japheth and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant.

We all first believe we have a free will as we grow and expand in fleshly terms and are isolated in our own ambitions and islands surrounded and engulfed by the restless sea of mankind. This also relates to our initial way of understanding ourselves and things around us which is what is known as our first heaven in spiritual terms (Hab 1:14; Rev 17:15; Rev 21:1). The delusions of growth or expansion in the flesh with all its limitations help us to understand our own fleshliness in all its vastness and earthly glory which was never to be the ultimate habitation and glory for all in the generation of Adam (2Co 3:7-11). We recognize, God willing, that our old barren tent of flesh is our biggest hindrance to obtain spirit life as we give up the earthy wells over which the Gentiles strive (2Co 5:1-5; Gen 26:22):

Gen 10:5a By these [Japheth’s offspring] were the isles [Hebrew: “ı̂y”; Greek: “nēsos”] of the Gentiles divided in their lands…

Ham and his offspring are the second to be mentioned in the genealogies in Genesis 10 (Gen 10:6-20). Through this family of Ham we learn how we grow and expand more in an upward manner as selfish pride and haughtiness cause us to build strong cities and fortresses of flesh in our dry land. This also links with our second heaven when our own understanding is elevated with strongholds of religious delusion and we are blinded to our own self-righteousness and immaturity when we think spiritual completion is perfection of the flesh (Gen 10:8-12; Rev 13). We are hunters against the Lord and His elect. This is when we are destroyed for lack of spiritual knowledge, and we play the role of the spiritual harlot (Hos 4:1-19). This is our man of sin within the strong city of his own conceit which is spiritual Babylon – rich in false doctrines and deceit in us (Rev 16:19; Rev 17:1-6):

Pro 18:11 The rich man’s wealth is his strong city, and as an high wall in his own conceit.

Here is a link to our discussion on Ham and his offspring: https://www.iswasandwillbe.com/foundational-themes-in-genesis-study-50/

The third son of Noah, Shem and his offspring, are mentioned last in this list of the generations of the sons of Noah in Genesis 10. The Scriptures give more importance to Shem and his offspring for a very good reason as the prophecy of Noah also reminds us:

Gen 9:27 God shall enlarge Japheth and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant.

Gen 10:21 Unto Shem also, the father of all the children of Eber, the brother of Japheth the elder, even to him were children born.

From this relationship between Japheth, “the elder”, and Shem it is clear that Shem is a type of the latter born which through several examples in Scripture, points to the new spirit man from heaven, Jesus Christ. In this respect we can reiterate a few examples in certain family relationships where the younger is chosen by God above the older; for example, Cain and Abel, Cain and Seth, Ishmael and Isaac, Esau and Jacob; Leah and Rachel (Gen 5:3; Gen 17:16-19). Of Jacob’s twelve sons, Joseph and Benjamin were born from his favourite wife, Rachel, whom he married after her older sister Leah, and Rachel was initially barren (Gen 29:16-17; Gen 30:22-24; Gen 25:16-19; Rom 9:11-16). The last Adam, Christ, was before the first Adam in God’s creation, but appeared only afterwards to mankind (Joh 1:1-14; Rev 3:14; Col 1:15-17; Mar 10:31). This all helps us to see that this new spirit man comes afterwards in our lives after we went through the full process of maturity, even the three sons of Noah and their spiritual application in our lives:

1Co 15:45 And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.
1Co 15:46 Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.
1Co 15:47 The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven.

The new spirit man is only brought forward through a judgment process on the old man of sin through which we are exercised by much tribulations and chastening to acquire the spiritual skills in the Word of righteousness (Act 14:22; 1Pe 4:12-13; 2Th 2:3-8; Heb 5:14). This “second man…from heaven” opens up our sealed book as we are given “an open door, [which] no man can shut” to enter into “the third heaven” when we take our seat with Him in “the paradise of God”, even in “earnest” while we are still here on earth (Rev 5:1-7; Rev 3:8; 2Co 12:1-4; Rev 2:7; Eph 1:13-14):

Eph 2:5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
Eph 2:6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.

The first thing mentioned here about the “effectual working” of Shem and his offspring is very significant to note, which will help us to see why Shem was chosen and favoured by God (Luk 3:35):

Gen 10:21 Unto Shem also, the father of all the children of Eber the brother of Japheth the elder, even to him were children born.

Our attention is firstly drawn to “the children of Eber” in relation to Shem although Eber was actually a great-grandson of Shem. The name “Eber” has an important connection with the word “Hebrew”:

Gen 40:15 For indeed I was stolen away out of the land of the Hebrews [Hebrew: “ibrı̂y” from “êber” = an Eberite]: and here also have I done nothing that they should put me into the dungeon.

An Eberite is a Hebrew person in the line of Shem’s offspring. Why are the children of Eber mentioned here even before the immediate sons of Shem are mentioned? Here are the five sons of Shem mentioned in the next verse which will help us:

Gen 10:22 The children of Shem; Elam, and Asshur, and Arphaxad, and Lud, and Aram.

The son of Shem that links with Eber is Arphaxad, the third son mentioned in that list. In Genesis 11 we see that this generational line through Arphaxad is the only one mentioned in terms of the sons of Shem, again emphasizing the importance of this family:

Gen 11:10 These are the generations of Shem: Shem was an hundred years old, and begat Arphaxad two years after the flood [this makes Shem about 97 years old when he entered the ark]:
Gen 11:11 And Shem lived after he begat Arphaxad five hundred years, and begat sons and daughters.

Here is a shortened version of this generational line of Shem through Arphaxad to derive at the very person who will bring in the focus of all Old Testament generations from this point onwards:

1Ch 1:24 Shem, Arphaxad, Shelah,
1Ch 1:25 Eber, Peleg, Reu,
1Ch 1:26 Serug, Nahor, Terah,
1Ch 1:27 Abram; the same is Abraham.

The name Eber in Hebrew means “the region beyond”, “to cross over” or “transition”, and that is what Abraham did when he and his family left the land of Ur of the Chaldees to cross over the river Euphrates to enter the land of Canaan across the Jordan River (Gen 11:28-32; Gen 12:1-5). The focus on Abraham and the Hebrew nation is God’s way of telling us the long route through many nations and people we will have to go to get to His spiritual elect in Christ. In these long lists of genealogies so many people and places must take up their ordained functions (many for evil purposes) to set the stage for spiritual maturity in our lives. None of these people and nations mentioned will ever be permanently discarded by God – they will also be saved eventually (Rom 11:30-32). Nevertheles, they are all relevant to the spiritual process of God’s elect first as per God’s design. All the names mentioned in these lists of genealogies serve their effectual purpose which forms an important route to bring us to Abraham through the generation of Shem. God indeed uses all people in His one plan to bring His purposes to fruition:

Gen 10:22 The children of Shem; Elam, and Asshur, and Arphaxad, and Lud, and Aram.
Gen 10:23 And the children of Aram; Uz, and Hul, and Gether, and Mash.
Gen 10:24 And Arphaxad begat Salah; and Salah begat Eber.
Gen 10:25 And unto Eber were born two sons: the name of one was Peleg; for in his days was the earth divided; and his brother’s name was Joktan.

Eber had two sons, namely Peleg and Joktan. Peleg’s name in Hebrew means “division”, and here again an emphasis is placed on his generational line because God is narrowing the focus as mentioned earlier. The other son of Eber, Joktan and his offspring, are mentioned here – but not Peleg or his offspring:

Gen 10:26 And Joktan begat Almodad, and Sheleph, and Hazarmaveth, and Jerah,
Gen 10:27 And Hadoram, and Uzal, and Diklah,
Gen 10:28 And Obal, and Abimael, and Sheba,
Gen 10:29 And Ophir, and Havilah, and Jobab: all these were the sons of Joktan.
Gen 10:30 And their dwelling was from Mesha, as thou goest unto Sephar a mount of the east.

Peleg’s offspring are not mentioned here in Genesis 10 but left until after the division of languages at Babel in Genesis 11 (Gen 11:10-27). It is only after God confounded the languages at Babel that Peleg and his generation were highlighted. It was indeed through Peleg that the generations of Abraham were brought forward. The stage is now set for one of God’s prominent types of Christ and His elected ones to appear from all that confusion and darkness (Gen 1:2-5). It is indeed the singleness of the faith and doctrine of Christ that stands out from the confusion all around (2Co 11:3). Abraham is the type of what the faith of Christ is all about and how we can please God only through that faith (Gal 3:16: Gal 3:29):

Gal 3:6 Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.
Gal 3:7 Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.
Gal 3:8 And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.
Gal 3:9 So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.

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Detailed studies and emails relating to these foundational themes in Scripture are available on the www.iswasandwillbe.com website, including these topics and links:

http://www.iswasandwillbe.com/numbers-in-scripture-three-the-process-of-spiritual-completion/

What Are The Three Heavens?

Genealogies

Who Is The Israel Of God?