The oldest document extant for the chronologist is Gen. 5, and for the historian, Gen. 10. In these chapters we have Divine sources to draw from, and a Divine basis to work upon. The instructions, therefore, upon those useful branches of study, chronology and history, is authoritative and invaluable. All conclusions drawn from other sources ever prove misleading, and are generally overturned by others better taught. The moment we leave the sure pages of inspiration we are off the ground of authority, and all is mere theory and guess work.
In this chapter, and only here, have we an account of the rise of nations, peoples, and tongues, and of the dispersion of mankind. The peopling of the earth by families, all speaking one language, having one common interest, and dwelling together in unity, was certainly part of the Divine plan in the wise and beneficent government of God: "Be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth" (Gen. 9:11And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth. (Genesis 9:1)). This gracious provision for the blessing of man and creation was not accepted, and men sought to centralize them selves on the earth in direct independence of God. But what God would have accomplished in goodness, had man been obedient, He has brought about in judgment, because of man's self-will.
A name and a center were sought for in the "city" and "tower," which men began to build on the plains of Shinar, but which, blessed be God for His intervention, was not finished, for "they left off to build the city." This was the first general confederacy amongst mankind. How God viewed this daring and impious attempt, and how it was utterly defeated, we are informed in the early part of Gen. 11. "And the LORD came down to see the city and the tower which the children of men builded. 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.
Go to, let us go down and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech. So the LORD scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth and they left off to build the city." Thus the very thing they sought to avert—scattering abroad—was what God accomplished in judgment. Surely, too, there is mercy mingled in all this, for while self-will is as rampant now as on the plains of Dura, the numerous tongues and nationalities effectually hinder an intelligent combination of mankind. Most blessed it is that the many tongues given as an expression of governmental judgment are afterward found publishing the wonderful works of God in grace at Pentecost (Acts 2), and will yet be used in proclaiming the glories of the Lamb (Rev. 7).
Part of the Gen. 11, down to verse 19, precede the historical account of the separation of mankind into nations, as detailed in Gen. 10. This seems to us clear, from the fact that the moral reason of the dispersion is given in Gen. 11; and further, that "Peleg," in whose days the dispersion took place (Gen. 10:2525And 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. (Genesis 10:25)), is named in chronological sequence in Gen. 11:1919And Peleg lived after he begat Reu two hundred and nine years, and begat sons and daughters. (Genesis 11:19).
Adam is the one common head of the human family; the root and source of mankind. But the rise of nations as such, and origin of the many tongues—which ethnology resolves into three fountain heads—are in this highly important chapter traced up to the three sons of Noah. As individuals of the race, Adam was, of course, there as our progenitor; but viewed as heads and sources of families and nations, they stand in a peculiar and distinct relation to the world.
It must not be supposed that any of the peoples here named are extinct, that they have passed off the scene forever; for man, many of them are, but certainly not for God. It is a principle of great importance in the ways of God on earth, that every individual and every people who have here acted their part, and, as such, are accountable to God—the moral Governor of the universe—will re-appear in the closing days, to give an account of their stewardship. This is generally admitted in the case of individuals, but collective responsibility will as certainly have to be answered for, and this is not so readily allowed. All the peoples named in Gen. 10, will nationally or representatively re-appear in the coming crisis. All must come up for judgment, and the bearing of this truth upon the prophetic future, imparts immense solemnity and completeness to the dark period prior to the setting up of Christ's millennial reign on the earth.
The three sons of Noah were Japheth, the eldest, Shem, the second, and Ham, the youngest. When the order of grace is given, Shem is first named (Gen. 9:2626And he said, Blessed be the Lord God of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant. (Genesis 9:26)); when the order of birth or nature, Japheth comes first (Gen. 10:22The sons of Japheth; Gomer, and Magog, and Madai, and Javan, and Tubal, and Meshech, and Tiras. (Genesis 10:2)). Apart from the plural ending "im" of many of the names, as Mizraim, Ludim, it is clear that the persons here named do not appear as individuals merely, but as denoting races and nations.