After the story of the Noah’s flood comes to an end in
Genesis 9 we come to two chapters which at first glance might not seem that
important. These chapters record how people started to multiply on the earth
after the flood and then how God caused them to be divided up into different “peoples”
with different languages.
The division into different peoples speaking different
languages was given a big start at Babylon. People were building a tower, which
does not seem sinful in and of itself. But their heart motives were wrong. They
were focused on glorifying themselves, not God. So God causes them to speak
different languages. This jump starts a process of people spreading out all
across the globe, and as this happens their languages change over time.
The Bible uses several words to refer to different groups
of people who share a common language and live in a certain area. Most of the people in the group also
share some common distant ancestors. The Bible calls these groups “peoples”, “nations”,
and “languages”.
So in Genesis 10 and 11, we see the beginning of humanity
being split up into many different “peoples”, “nations”, and “languages”. Today
we call such a group an “ethnic group” or a “people group”.
Next, in Genesis chapter 12, God chooses one man and his family to
become a new nation, a new “people”. That man is Abraham. The nation God
chooses is Israel. God promises to bless the people of Israel. But that’s not
all. God promises to bless all the other
“peoples” through this one people!
While we could call this a “divide and conquer” strategy,
it is more accurate to call it a “divide and bless” strategy.
Later in Genesis, and throughout the Old Testament, it is
revealed that this blessing will come through One special descendant of
Abraham.
In the Gospels, we meet this man through whom all the
different peoples, nations, and languages will be blessed: Jesus. After
teaching us how to live, dying for our sins, and rising from the dead, our Lord
Jesus Christ leaves us with a Great Commission. We are to go into all the world
and share the Good News of salvation in Christ with all the “nations”. This is referring
to all the different peoples, nations, and languages.
We have been carrying out this great task for 2,000 years
now. We’ve come a long ways. But there are still more peoples and languages to “bless”.
You may see an estimate (based on lots of data and research) of how many
peoples have been blessed and how many are still waiting for the Good News and
God’s blessing here:
As we send people around the world to share God’s love
and truth, God is working mightily through us to fulfill the promise He made to
Abraham almost 4,000 years ago!
Hebrews 13:16 And do not forget to do good and to share with others . . .
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