Genesis 10-11

Genesis 10

I don't feel like I'm alone in saying that these passages kind of bore me. Lineages in the Bible... Well, they're not my thing. Except for Jesus', because it's studded with people one wouldn't usually include. Like women. 

Last point: there's a person in the Bible named Nimrod, but he's the only person who got a description. He's a "great hunter." 

I know I'm really stretching it here, but the fact that Nimrod was great at ANYTHING proves that people are not always as they appear, or as you would expect.

Genesis 11

First, can we talk about how amazing I think it would be if everyone spoke one language? I understand that this is a tiny bit "communist" about myself, but it would make communication and conversation between people of different races so easy. At the same time, I wouldn't get the joy of French class, or the game that is trying to decipher my relatives' respective languages. 

The Tower of Babel. I had never thought about a little part of verse 4: "and let us make a name for ourselves." I'm not sure God was super fond of that idea. Honestly, I don't think God is really keen on us doing anything to "make a name for ourselves." Ideally, we would follow his plan, regardless of whether we're going to get famous from it or not. (But of course, a tiny little part of me craves fame.) 

The bigger issue here is that they were building a tower to reach heaven. I still don't wholly understand why God didn't like this; they were pursuing him, we're they not? All I could really come up with is the concept that they were going about it all the wrong way. Nobody can get into heaven by their own means. It is only by grace - and the Tower of Babel disagreed with that. 

So, in the end of the Tower of Babel, God confuses the languages, drawing a quick end to what I think of as the Tower of Babble. 

And here's what I imagine the monument to be like! 

Genealogies & such goes on.. 

I feel like Terah was probably an awesome dad. I mean, he lost one of his sons, which often shapes people into really incredible and caring people. And then, later in life, he took some of his family for an extended family vacation, en route to Canaan. In the travel aspect, he kind of reminds me of my dad. I have to imagine that the trip was awesome. Plus, to settle down with your family in some distant land sounds so exotic.

What do you think? Feel free to let me know in the comments!