A Genealogy Stretching from Shem to Abraham
Genesis 11:10-32

Lesson 25

background notes

doctrinal points

1. There is enough time between Noah and Abraham for wide spread repopulation.

2. There is enough time between Noah and Abraham for wide spread apostasy.

practical application
1. God’s will for your life may come in stages.

 

questions
1. Who was the great great great great grandfather of Abraham?

2. What is the difference between type chronologies and genealogies? Are the genealogies in Genesis 5 and Genesis 11 type chronologies or just genealogies?

3. If the genealogies are type chronologies, what would be the date of creation week?

4. If Genesis 11 is essentially a chronology, then only a few hundred years elapsed between the time of the flood and Abraham. Is that enough time for wide spread population by the time of Abraham?

5. What are some evidences of a wide spread population in Abraham’s time?

6. What is apostasy. 

answers
1. Eber

2. Type chronologies do not have time gaps, whereas genealogies may skip some generations.

3. Circa 4000 B.C.

4. Yes. The Tower of Babel was like a jump start which accelerated the birth and growth of the nations. Using equations with relevant input, it is possible to calculate future population levels. For example, starting with Noah and his three sons, using conservative estimates and using the years given in the Bible, these equations accurately predict today’s population.

5. By the time of Abraham, there must have been an Egyptian civilization. For example, when Abraham went down into Egypt, a Pharaoh already ruled. As another example of widespread population, there must have been a Hittite civilization because Abraham bought a tomb for Sarah from a Hittite.

6. Apostasy means a turning away from God and from the truth.

 

discuss / consider
1. Noah and his family were believers in the one true God. But by the time of Abraham, it seems that the whole world was given over to apostasy, had turned apart from God and the truth. See Joshua 24:2 and Judges 2:10-13. Ponder how quickly people can turn away from God. What are the warnings to us?

2.The bottom line of the New Age Movement (really an old age movement) is one-world government and one-world religion. How does this remind you of the Tower of Babel?

3. What would you predict for our country in the next few years concerning apostasy or faithfulness? God intervened in the Tower of Babel, scattering the people and confounding their language. How could God turn around the apostasy in our day?

 

challenge
God’s will for your life may come in stages. God’s will for Abraham’s life came in stages, with each stage setting forth a test of faith. Review some of the stages in your life. Are you looking for stages that God is planning for you?

memorize

• ““This is the genealogy of Shem...” Genesis 11:10

• “God created man in His own image.” Genesis 1:27