Christ's Family is Preserved in the Middle of Apostasy and Confusion; Genesis 11

The sacred historian relates in this Chapter an awful proof of man's fallen nature, and thereby confirms the divine declarations concerning it, that 'every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.'

For notwithstanding that the Flood had swept away the whole human race, excepting that part preserved with Noah in the ark; and God's displeasure against sin had manifested itself in this dreadful judgment, yet the sin of man soon broke out afresh; and in the daring attempt of building the tower of Babel, evidently discovered that man ventured to defy the Omnipotency of God.

The relation of this foolish, as well as impious undertaking, is contained in this chapter, together with the divine judgment which followed.

Towards the close of the chapter, the reader is first introduced to the history of Abram, of whom such honourable testimony is afterwards given throughout the whole volume of Scripture.

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"These are the generations of Shem ......." (Genesis 11:10-26).

These verses are all highly interesting in that they lead to Him, after the flesh, 'in whom all the families of the earth were to be blessed'; Matthew 1:1-16.

I would desire the reader to remark with me how careful the Holy Ghost hath been, through all His sacred Word, to preserve the names of the faithful. Certainly they occupy more place in the Bible than those of all the world beside.

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I cannot close this chapter without stopping to remark, how striking an instance of the sovereignty of Almighty grace is here given when we consider that from the confusion of languages, sent as a judgment in this instance, arose, in after ages, an occasion for the display of mercy in the gift of tongues to the Apostles; so that the wonders of the Day of Pentecost sprung out of the ruins of Babel.

What a precious testimony to the truth of that scripture: 'surely the wrath of man shall praise Thee; the remainder of wrath shalt Thou restrain' (Psalm 76:10).