Week 16 of the Devotional Series
***Note – We just completed the book of Job. Now, as we continue our journey through the Bible in chronological order, this is our fourth devotion in Genesis. Though we’re in Week 16 overall, we’ll be in Genesis for the next several weeks.
Devotional Format: I Do – We Do – You Do
Focus: Genesis 10 – 11
Tip: I highly recommend journaling your responses to the questions, prompts, and reflections. Writing them out can help you process more deeply and see how God is working in your life.
This week’s devotion includes:
Chapter 10 – “The God Who Sees the End from the Beginning”
Chapter 11 – “God’s Plans Always Prevail”
(Remember: This is a once-a-week devotional that can be broken up over several days.)
Bible Memory:
Did you memorize last week’s Bible verse?
Hiding God’s Word in our hearts is such a valuable practice. Since I’ve been memorizing Scripture, I’ve experienced so many moments where God brings a specific verse to mind just when I need it most. It’s amazing how He uses His Word to speak into our lives right where we are.
This Week’s Memory Verse — A man’s heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps. – Proverbs 16:9
I Do – Watch Me Study
Genesis Chapter 10
“The God Who Sees the End from the Beginning”
(Read Genesis Chapter 10 First)
Genesis 10 is often called the ‘Table of Nations.’ When you first read it, it can feel like just a long list of names that are hard to pronounce. But if you take the time to slow down and look closely, you realize it’s actually a map of where the nations came from and a reminder of God’s hand over all of our history.
1. God sees the end from the beginning
From Japheth (Noah’s son) came Javan, whose descendants became the Greeks. As we read on, we will discover that the Greeks become a mighty empire that shaped world history and even appear in prophecy (Isaiah 66:19; Daniel 8:21; Joel 3:6). This reminds us that God knows how every story begins and ends. Nothing in our lives is too small for God to incorporate into His bigger plan.
2. Human pride versus God’s rule
From Ham’s (Noah’s son) line came Nimrod, who built kingdoms like Babel, Nineveh, and Babylon. Josephus records that Nimrod led people away from trusting God, turning them toward tyranny and pride. His story shows us what happens when humans try to build their own kingdoms instead of submitting to God’s. Nimrod’s cities later become the very places God’s people struggle against (Babylon in Daniel, Nineveh in Jonah, Assyria in 2 Kings). Pride always sets us up against God, but His kingdom stands forever.
3. God’s promises are trustworthy
Ham’s (Noah’s son) son, Canaan, fathered the Canaanite nations of the Jebusites, Amorites, and others. These are the very nations God promised Abraham that Israel would overcome (Gen. 15:18–21). Generations after Genesis 10, God’s Word proved true as Joshua led Israel into the land. What God says, even in genealogies, comes to pass.
4. The nations are in God’s hand
From Shem (Noah’s son) came nations like Elam and Assyria. From these names we see the spread of people across the earth, just as God commanded after the flood. The nations, both then and now, are not random or out of control. Acts 17:26 reminds us that God “determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation.” He is the Lord of history, directing all nations toward His ultimate plan of redemption in Christ.
Key Takeaway: Genesis 10 reminds us that all of history is guided by God. From great nations being formed to the little names we tend to skip over, everything is part of His plan.
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We Do – Let’s Study Together
Genesis Chapter 11
“God’s Plans Always Prevail”
(Read Genesis Chapter 11 First)
Part 1: The Tower of Babel (vv. 1–9)
After the flood, everyone spoke the same language. As people journeyed east, they found the plain of Shinar (Babylonia/Chaldea—modern-day Iraq). This was a valley with two rivers, and I imagine that it was fertile and appealing, so they settled there. They were planning a great city and a tower that reached the heavens.
We find their goal in this verse… “Let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth” (v. 4).
This was a direct rebellion against God’s command in Genesis 9:1 to “be fruitful, multiply, and replenish the earth.” Instead of spreading out to fill the earth, they resisted God’s plan and wanted to settle for their own glory.
The Lord came down to see their work. He said, “Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language… and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do” (v. 6). God wasn’t intimidated by their power, but I believe He knew that their coming together apart from Him would end in disaster.
So I think it was in mercy that He confused their language and scattered them across the earth. The city was called Babel, meaning “confusion.” It’s no coincidence that later, Babel/Babylon became a biblical picture of human pride standing against God.
Life Application: Pride always leads to confusion. God’s will cannot be stopped. Obstacles in our plans may actually be His way of protecting us from building our own “tower.”
Part 2: The Lineage of Shem (vv. 10–32)
From Shem’s line comes a genealogy leading to Abram (later Abraham).
What we learn about Abram’s family:
• His wife, Sarai, is barren (v. 30).
• His brother Haran dies, leaving his son Lot (v. 28). Lot becomes significant later.
• Terah, Abram’s father, leads the family from Ur of the Chaldees (southern Iraq) toward Canaan, but they stop and dwell in Haran (southern Turkey) where Terah dies (vv. 31–32).
After God scattered nations at Babel, He focuses in on one family through whom He will carry out His covenant plan. Genesis 12 will show God calling Abram to Canaan with the promise of blessing all nations.
Even in the middle of human rebellion (Babel), God was already working out His covenant plan through Shem’s line. Our failures never derail God’s purposes.
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You Do – Apply It Personally
Journal Questions:
1. What “small” areas of my life do I need to entrust to God, believing He sees the end from the beginning?
2. Where am I tempted to build my own “kingdom” instead of seeking God’s kingdom first?
3. How does seeing God’s promises fulfilled in history strengthen my faith in His promises for me today?
4. Do I trust that God is sovereign over the nations even when the world seems unstable? How can I rest in His control this week?
5. Where in my life might I be building a “tower” for my own name instead of God’s glory?
6. How have I seen God lovingly “scatter” my plans when they didn’t align with His will?
7. What gives me comfort when I realize that no matter how chaotic the world seems, God is still unfolding His plan?
Heavenly Father,
Your Word tells us that our hearts plan out what we want to accomplish and the direction we want our lives to go, but You are there directing us and helping us stay on the right path. We thank You for Your guiding hand. We trust that You know the end from the beginning. Help us not to be prideful in thinking that we need to make a name for ourselves instead of exalting Your name. Help us to remember that pride always leads to confusion and that above all we need to seek You first.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen
The Georgia Nest 