25 lesson plans for children, young people and their teachers.
Lesson 5 God scatters all the people – Babylon Bible reference – Genesis 11:1-9. God wanted the earth He had made to be filled with people. From the time of Noah this process began again, Genesis 10 verse 32. Chapter 10 lists the families that came from Noah’s three sons: Shem, Ham and Japheth, 10 verse 1. From Genesis chapter 12 onwards the Bible pays attention to one family chosen from all of the people of the world. It tells that family story beginning with Abraham. The family grew to become the people of God, God's chosen people. Genesis tells us the beginning of different languages. Remember that chapters 10 and 11 do not describe events in the order in which they happened.
In Genesis 11:1 it says: ”the people of the whole world had only one language and used the same words”.
In Genesis 10:5, 20, 31 it speaks of people living in: “different tribes and countries, each group speaking its own language”. The Bible is not saying untrue facts. It is not contradicting itself. Chapter 11 records one event that happened during the time taken by chapter 10.
Stop and discuss (1) The Bible – God’s word – cannot contradict itself. Make sure everyone understands that the verses above do not contradict one another. Perhaps one student (or more ) can try to explain this to the class? Humans once more rebelled against God’s will and plan. God wanted them to “live all over the earth and bring it under their control”, Genesis 1 verse 28. But, they chose to stay in one place, chapter11 verse 4. God is the Creator. Humans are made in God’s image. People also like to make things. In this case, they wanted to build a hard brick city, with one tall, tower going a long, long way up - even as high as the sky! Sadly, they were not like God, because they did not make things to be kind to other people. (God had made creation for humans to enjoy). These people built this tall tower only to make a great name for themselves. God saw everything that was going on. He also knew the motives inside peoples’ hearts. God knew the reasons people did what they did. God’s plan is for people to follow His way, not their own. God once more judged humanity for disobedience. This time God did not send a flood, but His judgement is still seen among us today, verses 7-9.
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Stop and discuss (2) What did God do in judging humanity for this disobedience?
Genesis 11 verses 7-9. 1. God gave them different l . 2. God made them not u one another. 3. God s them over all the earth. The different languages we speak today, and our cultures in different places of the world, all come from this event of Genesis 11. God shows He is much greater and stronger than the skills and ability of all this world’s people added together, 11 verses 4,9. We will learn in the next lesson that God does not forget the people He has spread everywhere over the earth, even though they disobey Him. “All nations” may still be blessed by what He is going to do Himself through one family,
12 verse 3. God would never forget His own plan – which He had right from the very beginning – His plan to live together with His own, obedient, people.
Stop and discuss (3) In the story of the Bible so far, how many ways has God shown He is willing to judge people who disobey Him? Let one class member explain to the rest of the class how God judged people from one of these passages, another student explain the next, and a third explain the last one: 1. Genesis 3 2. Genesis 6,7 3. Genesis 11 Lastly today, notice in Genesis 11 verse 7 another reference to ‘one God talking with Himself’. “Let us go down and mix up their languages”. (In Genesis 1 verse 26 God had said “Now we will make human beings”). The Bible constantly shows us there is one God and this one God exists in three Persons. We see one God and we see three Persons. We will learn in later lessons that they are ‘God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit’. All have important roles to play in God’s plan. All are one God. Answers to ‘Stop and discuss’. 1. The period of time covered by Genesis chapter 10 is quite long, at least three generations. It is at some time within this period of time that people get together to build the ‘Tower of Babylon’. 2. 1. languages 2. understand 3. scattered
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3. 1. In Genesis 3 Adam and Eve were sent out from the Garden of Eden, and guards
were placed outside the gates, stopping their return. See verses 24 and 25.
2. In Genesis 6 and 7 the flood destroyed all of humanity, except for Noah and his
family.
See 6:15-17; 7:21-23.
3. In Genesis 11 all people were spread throughout the earth, and made unable to
understand each other in word, and in other ways.
See 11:7,9.
Remember to teach the ACTIONS and VIDEO overview
found and demonstrated on the homepage
and introductory lesson.
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