Gen. 10:1-7
The table of
nations, as it is known, begins here.
It is unclear
why God only mentions certain descendants beyond the sons of Noah. We know that
everyone is important to the Lord. So, perhaps He only includes those who
actually founded large enough cities which then would grow into nations.
This is quite
plausible, since not everyone has the personality to lead like that.
Some people,
like a Gideon, live quiet lives until called upon to do great things, and not
everyone in that generation is called to do what that one mighty man of Valor
did. God doesn't expect us all to do amazing things. Rather, He has a special
plan for each of us, and for some, it is to quietly raise children, work at our
jobs, and be the best examples of Christ we can be wherever we are.
Another
possibility is that the others started nations, but were quickly conquered
before anything could be done.
In each
generation, there are people who are oppressed because of the ways of sinful
man, and who cry out to God for justice. And, He delivers the justice, but in
His time.
Remember the
parable of the rich man and Lazarus. Lazarus suffers in this life and goes to
Abraham's bosom, where people went before the crucifixion when the veil was
torn in two from top to bottom and they were free to enter Heaven. The rich man
who had oppressed him was in torment, and God said that he had had his good
things in this life, but because he did not trust God for mercy and show mercy
to others, he did not get to go to Heaven. Oh, if only he had realized he was a
sinner, and trusted God for forgiveness. God would have led him to show mercy
to Lazarus for Christ's sake, and to all those who were oppressed, and then by
virtue of his faith in what Christ would do on the cross that rich man would
have been in Heaven.
Of course, it
is also possible that these people died violently before they were able to do
anything. Perhaps they were caught up in sin so much that they never got to
accomplish anything. This is the sad state of some people's lives, that they
never get around to accomplish the great things God could have given them to do
because they were so caught up in their own sin.
Whatever the
reason, we see that one very important man began to rise above all of them, a
man who would attempt to build the first major world empire, just as people do
today.
