Sermon Tone Analysis

Genesis 11:1-9

Pray

Start in Genesis 10

Genealogy of the descendents of Noah

Explain Ham

Ham youngest son of Noah

Ham had a number of sons listed in Genesis 10

The names of these individuals became the name given to the region where they settled.

Ham has an unfortunate history.

After the flood, Ham stumbled upon Noah who was asleep.

Noah was uncovered and Ham saw this.

Ham mocked his father to others.

When Noah found out, Noah cursed the decendents of Ham for making a mockery of him.

Dr. Michale Lake makes this comment regarding this event:

“Ham’s reproach was not in seeing his father unclothed, though this was a shameful thing, but in his outspoken delight at his father’s disgraceful condition.

The penalty against Ham’s son may be thought too severe for mere sibling gossip, but this is because we fail to understand the gravity of Ham’s offense… In the ancient world insulting one’s parents was a serious matter that warranted extreme penalty of death.

The patriarchal incident illustrated the abrogation of the Fifth Commandment, “Honor thy father and mother.”

To do so means divine retaliation, for the crime is not against the parents alone but is viewed as contempt for God’s hierarchal order.”

Ham’s offense was taken very seriously.

It could have gotten him put to death based on the law of that time.

Noah cursed the sons of Ham as a consequence of Ham’s disrespect.

What Noah was doing, as Dr. Lake points out is reminding everyone of God’s design for respect of our parents.

The respect we hold for our parents is really a reflection of the respect we should hold for God.

One of Ham’s sons was named Cush.

Cush would have been a grandson of Noah.

Cush eventually settled in the region of the Upper Nile river, South of Egypt.

We call this region Ethiopia today.

Unfortunately, Cush suffered as a result of Ham’s iniquity.

Remember, iniquity is intentional sin.

Click #1

1. Ham committed an act of intentional sin against Noah in his disrespect.

The mockery of Noah was not accidental.

It was intentional.

Unfortunately the thread of sin wound its way into the descendants of Noah.

The sons of Cush will be cursed to deal with the influence of the sin nature.

These verses list the sons of Cush.

I want to focus for a moment on Nimrod.

Nimrod founded many cities in the region of Iran, Iraq and Syria.

This region was given to violence then, as it is still an extremely volatile region today.

Nimrod is only mentioned by name 4 times in the Bible, but his legacy became the template by which the antichrist can be identified.

Joseph E, Smith, bible commentator states this about Nimrod

“The text furnishes scant information concerning Nimrod.

He was a descendant of Cush, a Hamite… Nimrod began to be or he set out to be a mighty one in the land (10:8).

The term tyrant captures the intention of the original language.

Nimrod’s very name is an encapsulation of his lifestyle.

His name means, “Let us revolt.”

He must have been a ruthless ruler who was opposed to all existing order.

Nimrod was especially noted as ‘a mighty hunter before the Lord (10:9).

One of the royal responsibilities of kings in ancient times was to keep the wild animal population thinned out so that citizens would not be threatened.

The text may refer to this function.

The documents , however, also speak of ancient kings hunting men of a city, capturing them, and carrying them off into slavery.

Perhaps Nimrod hunted men.

He did this ‘before’ the Lord i.e in opposition to God.

The Septuagint rendered, ‘a mighty hunter against the Lord.”

Nimrod was an empire builder.

He started his rise to power in Shinar, in the lower Mesopotamian river valley.

He gradually extended his influence over Babel, Erech, Accad and Calneh.

Nimrod eventually expanded his influence into Assyria where he built Nineveh, Rehaboth, Calah and the great city of Resen.”

Click #2

2. The name Nimrod is based on the Hebrew word chalal which means to become “profaned, defiled, polluted, or desecrated.”

Finnis Dake suggests this of Nimrod: “he began to be a mighty on in the earth by bold and daring deeds.

His rebellion is associated with the beginning of his kingdom and suggests that his hunting and mighty deeds were related primarily to hunting men by tyranny and force.”

Josephus says that Nimrod persuaded people to ascribe their happiness to him rather than God.

Click #3

3. Nimrod sought to subjugate people under his influence.

He strove to cause others to trust in his provision rather than look to God.

Apparently Nimrod achieved this by force.

He is considered the first empire builder.

Meaning he build fortified cities and subjugated people under his authority.

He founded cities in the region that became the Kingdom of Assyria.

This region has a vile reputation as presented in the Bible.

Cities such a Nineveh, Babel which later became known as Babylon

We know the reputation of Nineveh from the account of Jonah and the prophet Nahum.

The city is described as a city of bloodshed.

The people that lived in this city and the region of Assyria were violent.

They conquered other by fear and by force.

We can see that the influence of Nimrod directed the people of this region.

Click #4

4. Nimrod is a type and shadow of the antichrist.

What do I mean by type and shadow?

A type and shadow is a Biblical Hermenutic

Hermenutics is a fancy way of saying rules.

Bible Scholars use Hermenutics to help rightly divide the Word.

Click #5

5. Type and Shadow means example, model, or pattern.

A few examples:

Click Romans 5:14

Paul is saying that Adam is a type of fallen man pointing to the necessity of the second Adam, Jesus.

The pattern of sin started in Adam and ended in Jesus.

Click 1 Corinthians 5:7

Leaven is a type pointing to sin.

Jesus is compared to the Passover Lamb.

The sacrifice of Jesus made a way for us to be unleavened, without the penalty of sin.

Click Hebrews 11:17-19

This event points to the ultimate sacrifice in Jesus.

He was given by God to be the atoning sacrifice for all those who call upon His Name.

There are many other examples of types and shadows that we can point to in the Bible.

Click #6

6. God gives us these patterns so that we are not surprised.

He tells us the end from the beginning.