Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Evening Sermon Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/ev/ev19990829.htm

GENESIS: THE SOURCES OF GOOD AND CALAMITY IN OUR ORIGINS
Part III - God's Ongoing Program Of Countering Man's Apostasy At Babel
A. Knowing And Adapting To God's Plan For Individuals In Current World History
(Genesis 11:10-12:7)
  1. Introduction
    1. There are times when the believer finds himself wondering just what he should be doing for God, and why and how! Perhaps he feels he is at an impossible dead end in his endeavors to find fulfillment.
    2. Genesis 11:10-12:7, in light of Revelation 17:1-5 marks a great turning point in Biblical history, and signals the origin of matters that must be known for the believer to know how to begin to gain real fulfillment.
  2. Knowing And Adapting To God's Plan For Individuals In Current World History, Gen. 11:10-12:7.
    1. As we learned last lesson, a worldwide apostasy was post-poned at ancient Babylon by God's dividing up the peoples of the earth with language and then geographical dispersions, Gen. 11:1-9; 10:25.
    2. However, Nimrod, the founder of Babylon (Gen. 10:9-10a), began a withcraft-based rebellion in Babylon that never died out even with the dispersion of Genesis 11. We know this since Revelation 17:1-5 shows this evil, personified as a harlot, will yet be judged because of its worldwide corruption of mankind!
    3. In contrast to this apostasy, God has a program through Abram that culminates in salvation in Christ:
      1. The woman clothed with the sun and the moon under her feet, and crowned with twelve stars in Revelation 12:1 calls to mind the prophetic dreams of Joseph in Genesis 37:9-10.
      2. There, the woman is the people of Jacob, with the stars representing the heads of the twelve tribes.
      3. This "woman" picturing Israel gives birth to the Messiah who is to rule all nations in Rev. 12:2, 5.
      4. Thus, in summary, Israel, the PROPERLY married woman with child is pictured as OPPOSITE the program of the ILLICIT harlot of Revelation: hence, God's program through Israel is meant to counter the wayward organized wickedness being promoted stealthily by Nimrodian error! This COMPETITION between the two "women" groups is what post-flood history is all about!
    4. Thus, to understand the specifics of that struggle, we view Genesis 11:10-12:7 where both major groups originate and see what part God would have the individual play in best affecting world history!
      1. We note a series of contrasts between the apostate thoughts and acts of the people at Babel in Genesis 11:1-4 and what GOD had for ABRAM to think and to do in Genesis 11:10-12:7:
        1. At Babel, the apostates wanted to help themselves where Abram was to follow in utter dependence on God, Genesis 11:3 with 12:1-2 and the obvious human helplessness here noted in Gen. 11:29-30.
        2. At Babel, the people leaned on each other (11:4b) where Abram was to trust only in GOD, 12:1-2.
        3. At Babel, the apostates concerned themselves with developing their own goods, dreams and fame (Gen. 11:3-4a,b) where Abram was to get these supplied from God's provision, Gen. 12:2-3.
        4. At Babel the nations were dispersed, but God sent Abram to Canaan, a land bridge of the continents to be strategically located to be in contact with these peoples as a witness, Gen. 11:7-9 with 12:6-7.
      2. Thus, God countered Nimrod's faithless ecumenism with starting a program of pure faith through Abraham, a program that culminates in Christ, Abram's seed, cf. Gen. 12:3; Gal. 3:8, 13-14.
      3. Accordingly, the individual today does God's will in history by accepting Christ as Savior, and in turn participating in discipling others to believe in Christ and live by faith in God versus a life of self-help!
Lesson: Today's INDIVIDUAL is caught in a STRUGGLE between TWO major schools of thought -- that of (a) Nimrodian self-help, ecumenical faithlessness to meet his needs and that of (b) God's program of faith in HIM for meeting all needs as provided t hrough His Son, the seed of Abram.

Application: (a) Know that all men sense personal needs in life! (b) If we turn to NON-GOD sources to interpret meaning for this life and address our needs accordingly, we participate in the ILLICIT world effort that looks to inadequate idols for help. (b) If we turn to GOD in faith, adopting HIS view of life and seek His help for needs, we share in the PROPER mentality of God's program through Abram! (c) If we sense great NEED and experience great PAIN in that sensing, we should INTERPRET our PAI N as a SIGNAL to look to the Lord versus the world's view! (Rev. 3:18a)