Shem And Terah’s Descendants

The great Christian devotionals writer, Oswald Chambers, once wrote, “Laughter and weeping are the two most intense forms of human emotion, and these profound wells of human emotion are to be consecrated to God.” In Psalms 126:2 it says, “Our mouths were filled wit … More

Transition

In the last half of this chapter Moses brings us back to Abram’s family tree (vv. 10-32). He traces Abraham’s line from Noah through Seth. It was in this line that God reveals a man upon whose daring faith the rest of the Bible is made to hinge. In fact the story of Abraham is so important that God devotes 25 percent of the book of Genesis to its details. Abraham lived in Ur of the Chaldees which was an important city in Babylonia. It was a city of attainment, and a center of moon worship. Abraham, his father Terah, his wife Sarah and his nephew Lot at God’s prompting leave Ur and travel north to Haran (v 31). Haran like Ur was devoted to worship of the moon god. At this spot the whole pilgrimage bogged down for approximately 25 years and did not move forward till Terah died (v. 32). Then Abraham began to take great steps forward.

It is at the end of this chapter that the book of Genesis and for that matter the whole Bible takes a turn. The first 11 chapters have recorded four great events:

* Creation- Gen. 1-2

* The Fall- Gen. 3-4

* The Flood- Gen. 5-9

* The Tower of Babel- Gen. 10-11

With chapter 12 the emphasis turns from four great events to four important personalities:

* Abraham- Gen. 12-23

* Isaac- Gen. 24-26

* Jacob- Gen. 27-36

* Joseph- Gen. 37-50

Application

Some say that Abraham’s stay in Haran, to please his father Terah, was wasted time. However, this was a transition time in Abraham’s life and a time of preparation for the future. God may give me times of waiting and learning to better prepare me to serve Him in the future.

Genesis 11:10-32 (English Standard Version)


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