Right side of the divide

DEVOTION

GENESIS

RIGHT SIDE OF THE DIVIDE

Gen 10:21-32

21 Sons were also born to Shem, whose older brother was Japheth; Shem was the ancestor of all the sons of Eber. 22 The sons of Shem: Elam, Asshur, Arphaxad, Lud and Aram. 23 The sons of Aram: Uz, Hul, Gether and Meshech.   24 Arphaxad was the father of Shelah, and Shelah the father of Eber. 25 Two sons were born to Eber: One was named Peleg, because in his time the earth was divided; his brother was named Joktan. 26 Joktan was the father of Almodad, Sheleph, Hazarmaveth, Jerah, 27 Hadoram, Uzal, Diklah, 28 Obal, Abimael, Sheba, 29 Ophir, Havilah and Jobab. All these were sons of Joktan. 30 The region where they lived stretched from Mesha toward Sephar, in the eastern hill country. 31 These are the sons of Shem by their clans and languages, in their territories and nations. 32 These are the clans of Noah's sons, according to their lines of descent, within their nations. From these the nations spread out over the earth after the flood.

NIV

There seems to be nothing of great importance within the line of Shem other than who begot who and of course from this line Jesus came into the world. But we are not there yet, and so we simply have these sons of Shem and their sons. We are told something about one of the sons of Eber which is inserted for some reason. Peleg was but six generations down from Shem. What our scholars have spent some time at is the number of people all this who begot who has brought into the world. From three families, or six people, they have counted the number of people who would be on this earth at the time Peleg was born, or during his time when the earth was divided. Their calculations fix about five hundred families at his time of birth. With an average size of ten people per family, which is what is supposed. That would be about five thousand full grown people on this earth. From these people all the tribes or nations scattered. But why was the earth divided during his time? If the chronology is correct he could have been living during the time of the building of the tower of Babel and this is the reference to that division. Why would God want us to know that? Of what importance is knowing it was during his time? What we do know is Jesus came through the line of Peleg. Is this the reason we are told something special about him? We are told all the sons of his brother, but none of his sons. He was the great, great, great, grandfather of Abraham. So why was the earth divided during his time? It would seem the earth has been divided ever since that time. If this was a reference to who was living during the confusion of tongues that would be just fine. But then why would it be stated as divided rather than what it was, a confusion of tongues because man was trying to show their ability to reach God? Although we still have multitudes of languages today, we have learned how to communicate with each other, with the ability to know more than one language. So then the earth is no longer divided by a confusion of tongues. Has man been able to overshadow the effects or actions of God? Certainly not! This division must mean something else other than the time of the confusion of tongues. What we are seeing is Peleg was the ancestor of Abraham with whom God made a covenant. In fact God put his middle name in the middle of Abram’s name as part of this covenant. This division still exists today, it is those who are of the seed of Abraham and those who are not. God knew this would be the way the world would be and we are being told it began during the time of Peleg. If our math is right Peleg who lived a total of two hundred and thirty-nine years was only one hundred and nineteen years old when Abram was born. He would have been in his time that the earth was in fact divided between the seed of Abram and all others. As we are the seed of Abraham, we also are part of the division of the earth.

Gal 3:29

29 If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed , and heirs according to the promise.

NIV

The world is divided now between believers and non-believers. This is the true division which exists. This is what will be the factor at the time of judgement. Nothing else divides us more than this one thing. Although there seems to be a great divide between some of the world’s ideologies, both political and religious, in the final analysis it comes down to who has accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior and who has not. We will forever be divided over this one reason. Although we make massive efforts to spread the Gospel message throughout the world, there will always be those who refuse it, and those who accept it. We know this because of the last judgement.

Matt 25:31-33

31 "When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

NIV

We know from the rest of this narrative in Matthew the sheep will enter into his rest and have eternal life, the goats will be cast out and experience eternal death. This is the great divide between all peoples of the earth. Praise God we are on the right side.