God’s Heart for the Nations
“These are the clans of the sons of Noah, according to their genealogies, in their nations, and from these the nations spread abroad on the earth after the flood.” (Gen. 10:32)
Reading Genesis 10 and 11 almost seems out of order. The people are discussed in Genesis 10, dispersed in Genesis 11. Genesis 11 provides the theological “why” behind Genesis 10; however, this does not mean that we should skip Genesis 10 as simply a long list of poorly pronounced names. Genesis 10 provides a particular list with a particular goal. What is it?
Notice that the number of descendants is seventy. Numbers are important, and seventy would be one of those “perfect” numbers. Moses expresses the idea that all of the descendants of the earth spring from Noah’s three sons. This perfect number conveys to us the totality of all the peoples on the earth. In Genesis 4, we saw the conflict between two sons. In Genesis 9, we saw the conflict between a small family. With the increased division, we should expect increased conflict. As our world today seeks further and further division, we should expect to see further and further conflict. Even now, what do we see but wars and rumors of wars? We see families divided, marriages severed, and divisiveness as common as the day is long.
What is the solution? The answer comes in Genesis 12 where Abraham’s seed would be a blessing to the nations (Gen. 12:1-3). Through the gospel preached to Abram, the nations would enter into blessing – a stark different from the conflict they’ve known (Gal. 3:8)! Should it shock us that Jesus also sends out seventy disciples to spread the gospel (Luke 10:1; KJV)? Jesus comes to undo the travesty of the fall, to extend His kingdom as far as the curse is found. Thus, Matthew and Luke are emphatic in declaring that the Gospel should go out to the nations (Matt. 28:18-20; Luke 24:46). Within this overlooked chapter is the promise that the God of the nations would also be the Redeemer of the nations.
How often are we praying for such? How often are we staying within our silos while the world around us dies in darkness? Our God has a heart for the nations! If He gives us a new heart, shouldn’t we expect to have a heart for the nations as well? Too many resources exist to encourage prayers for missions and too many opportunities are presented before us now; we as a Christian people cannot lie idle while the heart of God goes forth in power. Let us too have a heart for the nations!
