Re:Verse reading–Genesis 11:1-9 (day five)
If Genesis 11 is read apart from Genesis 9 and 10, some theologians argue that the reader misses valuable context. God tells Noah in Genesis 9, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth”. Genesis 10 appears at first read, to communicate that man was following God’s command. (Genesis 10: 5, 20, 31) So, why the sudden rebellion? Were they following God’s purpose in chapter 10? Perhaps the sequence is out of order.
Genesis 11: 1-9 might become clearer to process with the possibility that this passage explains why and how the people groups were scattered (by region and language). Just like Genesis 2 gives clarification and explanation to Genesis 1, Genesis 11 might help us understand Genesis 10 better. Perhaps, only the results of God’s punishment are being described in chapter 10, and chapter 11 explains both man’s rebellion and God’s punishment in detail.
The Good News: God continues His sovereign plan in spite of the rebellion and punishment of the human race. See Matthew 28 (Make disciples of all nations).
