Tag Archives: Poem devotional

GENESIS 10 NOAH’S DESCENDANTS FROM SHEM

Posted on by

November 19

GENESIS 10

21 To Shem also, the father of all the children of Eber, the elder brother of Japheth, children were born. 22 The sons of Shem: Elam, Asshur, Arpachshad, Lud, and Aram. 23 The sons of Aram: Uz, Hul, Gether, and Mash. 24 Arpachshad fathered Shelah; and Shelah fathered Eber. 25 To Eber were born two sons: the name of the one was Peleg, for in his days the earth was divided, and his brother’s name was Joktan. 26 Joktan fathered Almodad, Sheleph, Hazarmaveth, Jerah, 27 Hadoram, Uzal, Diklah, 28 Obal, Abimael, Sheba, 29 Ophir, Havilah, and Jobab; all these were the sons of Joktan. 30 The territory in which they lived extended from Mesha in the direction of Sephar to the hill country of the east. 31 These are the sons of Shem, by their clans, their languages, their lands, and their nations. 32 These are the clans of the sons of Noah, according to their genealogies, in their nations, and from these the nations spread abroad on the earth after the flood.

                                                                    – Genesis 10:21-32

GENESIS 10 NOAH’S DESCENDANTS FROM SHEM

A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA

It was from Shem that Abraham was descended. According to ESV study bible notes, many of Shem’s descendants are Arabian tribes or kingdoms. Eber is one of Shem’s great grandsons who receives special attention in verse 21 even before the sons were mentioned. Matthew Henry’s commentary states that Shem was called “father of all the children of Eber” even though Eber was his great grandson. Probably because Abraham and his seed, God’s covenant-people, not only descended from Heber, but from him were called Hebrews (14:13), Abram the Hebrew. Eber himself was a man well-known for religion in a time of great apostasy and a great example of holiness and the holy tongue being commonly called from him, the Hebrew.

Another commentary says that from Elam (Shem’s son) comes the Persian peoples. Asshur, another son of Shem was the father of the Assyrians and Lud was the father to the Lydians who lived for a time in Asia Minor. Aram was the father to the Arameans also known as Syrians. Arphaxad was the ancestor of Abram and the Hebrews. Uz was another one that came in a region in Arabia. Jobab may be the one we know as Job in the Old Testament.

REFLECTION

  • Why do you think Shem’s descendants were chosen by God?

GENESIS 10 NATIONS SPRINGING FROM CANAAN

Posted on by

November 18

GENESIS 10

15 Canaan fathered Sidon his firstborn and Heth, 16 and the Jebusites, the Amorites, the Girgashites, 17 the Hivites, the Arkites, the Sinites, 18 the Arvadites, the Zemarites, and the Hamathites. Afterward the clans of the Canaanites dispersed. 19 And the territory of the Canaanites extended from Sidon in the direction of Gerar as far as Gaza, and in the direction of Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim, as far as Lasha. 20 These are the sons of Ham, by their clans, their languages, their lands, and their nations.

                                                                    – Genesis 10:15-20

GENESIS 10 NATIONS SPRINGING FROM CANAAN

According to the following verses, Canaan was Ham’s son who gave birth to Sidon and Heth, Jebusite, Amorite, Girgashite, Hivites, Arkites, Sinites, Arvadites, Zemarites and Hamathites, totalling to eleven children. Notice that the names mentioned becomes nations as we read in the bible. Verse 19 describes the direction of the spreading of Canaan’s clan which was towards Sidon near Gerar and as far as Gaza and also near Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboiim and Lasha.

According to Wikipedia, scholars connect the name Canaan with Northwest Semitic region. The etymology of the name is uncertain, but one explanation says its original meaning is “lowlands” from a Semitic root “to be low, humble, depressed” in contrast with “Aram” which is highlands.

According to traditional Ethiopian histories, Canaan’s son Arwadi (the Arvadites) and his wife Entela crossed from Asia into Ethiopian in 2101 BC and the Qemant tribe were said to be descended from their son, Anayer. There is further Ethiopian tradition that two other Canaanite tribes the Sinites and Zemarites also entered Ethiopia at the time it was ruled by King Kush and became Shangella and Weyto peoples respectively.

Canaan was the ancestor of the tribes who originally occupied the land of Canan, all the territory of Sidon or Hamath in the north to Gaza in the southwest and Lasha in the southeast. In Exodus 23, God declares a pestilence to these nations to annihilate them and let the Israelites occupy their land. It must have been connected with the curse that was on Canaan in Genesis 9:25, where Canaan will be a slave to his brothers.

REFLECTION

  • Why do you think God destroyed the Canaanites in Deuteronomy 20:16-17?

Posted on by

GENESIS 10 NOAH’S DESCENDANTS THROUGH JAPHETH & HAM

November 17

GENESIS 10

These are the generations of the sons of Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Sons were born to them after the flood.2 The sons of Japheth: Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras. 3 The sons of Gomer: Ashkenaz, Riphath, and Togarmah. 4 The sons of Javan: Elishah, Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim. 5 From these the coastland peoples spread in their lands, each with his own language, by their clans, in their nations.

6 The sons of Ham: Cush, Egypt, Put, and Canaan. 7 The sons of Cush: Seba, Havilah, Sabtah, Raamah, and Sabteca. The sons of Raamah: Sheba and Dedan. 8 Cush fathered Nimrod; he was the first on earth to be a mighty man. 9 He was a mighty hunter before the Lord. Therefore it is said, “Like Nimrod a mighty hunter before the Lord.” 10 The beginning of his kingdom was Babel, Erech, Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar. 11 From that land he went into Assyria and built Nineveh, Rehoboth-Ir, Calah, and 12 Resen between Nineveh and Calah; that is the great city. 13 Egypt fathered Ludim, Anamim, Lehabim, Naphtuhim, 14 Pathrusim, Casluhim (from whomthe Philistines came), and Caphtorim.– Genesis 10:1-12

GENESIS 10 NOAH’S DESCENDANTS THROUGH JAPHETH & HAM

In this whole chapter, we are given the list of descendants of two sons of Noah, Japheth and Ham. This account leads us to the formation of many different nations that arose from the people that God saved from the flood. According to ESV study bible notes, Japheth’s offsprings spread through the coastal regions and islands of the Mediterranean Sea. Ham’s descendants formed many of Israel’s enemies, such as the Egyptians, Babylonians, Philistines and various Canaanite groups. Ham, Put and Cush are regions south and west of Egypt and Cush is linked geographically with Africa.

Nimrod is linked with the great cities of Babel and Nineveh in Assyria. In verse 8, Nimrod was described to be the first on earth to be a mighty man. According to commentaries, this description is more a rebellion against God. In the following verses, Nimrod built Babel and Nineveh. We hear of these cities that were eventually destroyed because of their wickedness. Remember Jonah’s story where he was told by God to prophesy to Nineveh but he didn’t want to because he knew how evil the Ninevites were?

Here, we get a glimpse of the different nations

REFLECTION

  • Why do you think it is important for us believers to know Noah’s descendants?

GENESIS 9 THE CURSE OF NOAH OVER CANAAN

Posted on by

November 16

GENESIS 9

18 The sons of Noah who went forth from the ark were Shem, Ham, and Japheth. (Ham was the father of Canaan.) 19 These three were the sons of Noah, and from these the people of the whole earth were dispersed. 20 Noah began to be a man of the soil, and he planted a vineyard.21 He drank of the wine and became drunk and lay uncovered in his tent. 22 And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father and told his two brothers outside. 23 Then Shem and Japheth took a garment, laid it on both their shoulders, and walked backward and covered the nakedness of their father. Their faces were turned backward, and they did not see their father’s nakedness. 24 When Noah awoke from his wine and knew what his youngest son had done to him, 25 he said,

“Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be to his brothers.” 26 He also said,

“Blessed be the Lord, the God of Shem; and let Canaan be his servant. 27 May God enlarge Japheth, and let him dwell in the tents of Shem, and let Canaan be his servant.”

28 After the flood Noah lived 350 years. 29 All the days of Noah were 950 years, and he died. – Genesis 9:18-29

GENESIS 9 THE CURSE OF NOAH OVER CANAAN

A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA

After the flood, Noah and his sons followed through God’s mandate

Noah began to be busy with toiling the soil and planted a vineyard

One day, he became drunk with the wine that he harvested

And Ham, one of his sons saw him naked but did nothing.

Shem and Japheth, seeing their father without clothing

The two brothers got a garment to cover their father’s nakedness

They were very careful not to look at their father’s exposed body

Noah upon learning what happened gave a curse to Canaan, Ham’s son.

In our modern day, we would be confused by Noah’s reaction to Canaan seeing his grandfather’s naked body. In some commentaries, it was explained that Canaan neglecting to cover him up was a mockery of his authority. So, it wasn’t just mockery but a form of disrespect and insubordination to his grandfather’s elderly role over him. There was also a mention in the comments that when we get drunk, we are susceptible to abuse.

REFLECTION

  • What is our biggest lesson in these following verses?

GENESIS 9 THE RAINBOW IS A REMINDER OF GOD’S PROMISE

Posted on by

November 15

GENESIS 9

8 Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him, 9 “Behold, I establish my covenant with you and your offspring after you, 10 and with every living creature that is with you, the birds, the livestock, and every beast of the earth with you, as many as came out of the ark; it is for every beast of the earth. 11 I establish my covenant with you, that never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of the flood, and never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth.” 12 And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations: 13 I have set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. 14 When I bring clouds over the earth and the bow is seen in the clouds, 15 I will remember my covenant that is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh. And the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh. 16 When the bow is in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.” 17 God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant that I have established between me and all flesh that is on the earth.”  – Genesis 9:8-17

GENESIS 9 THE RAINBOW IS A REMINDER OF GOD’S PROMISE

A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA

As the Lord continue to mandate Noah and his sons after the flood

He continually reminds them of the covenant he makes with them

As a sign to solidify that promise, God gave them the rainbow

Each time that bow is set in the cloud, it will remind them of that vow.

God told them that he will never again bring a flood to destroy all flesh

And since God is a promise keeper, he wants us to remember that vow

Let us then think of that assurance from the Lord when we see a rainbow

We can dwell on God’s mercy as we focus our eyes on the colors of that bow.

What a beautiful visual sign of God’s covenant to humankind in the form of a rainbow in the sky. We don’t always see a rainbow daily but those who belong to the Lord can be assured of such promise because they know his word. It is such a beautiful sight to look at the various colors of that rainbow.

REFLECTION

  • How do you usually react when you see a rainbow?

GENESIS 9 GOD’S MANDATE TO INCREASE AND MULTIPLY

Posted on by

November 14

GENESIS 9

And God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth. 2 The fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth and upon every bird of the heavens, upon everything that creeps on the ground and all the fish of the sea. Into your hand they are delivered. 3 Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you. And as I gave you the green plants, I give you everything. 4 But you shall not eat flesh with its life, that is, its blood. 5 And for your lifeblood I will require a reckoning: from every beast I will require it and from man. From his fellow man I will require a reckoning for the life of man. 6 “Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in his own image. 7 And you, be fruitful and multiply, increase greatly on the earth and multiply in it.”  – Genesis 9:1-7

GENESIS 9 GOD’S MANDATE TO INCREASE AND MULTIPLY

A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA

When Noah and his sons got out of the ark, God commanded them

“Be fruitful and multiply and all animals and birds will fear you”

“You can eat every moving thing that lives apart from the fruits of plants

“But you cannot eat flesh with blood in it for life is in the blood.”

The Lord prohibited them from shedding the blood of man

This is because all man were made from God’s own image

For if one man’s life is taken, they shall be answerable to God

Noah and his sons were mandated to increase greatly and fill the earth.

When Noah and his sons were given the mandate to increase and multiply, we remember also how God gave the same command to Adam to have authority over all the animals and living things and fill the earth and reproduce.

It is also interesting that in the post flood, God added to the foods that we are supposed to eat. Before the flood, it was just plants and fruits from the trees but after the flood, he allowed humans to have every living thing that is moving and creeping on the ground. But he had exempt us from taking anything that has blood in it and cautioned humans to take another man’s life for man is made in God’s image.

REFLECTION

  • After reading the changes of man’s food to eat after the flood, what can you say about people who limit their foods to either vegetarian or carnivore diets?

GENESIS 8 GOD’S RESPONSE TO NOAH’S OFFERING

Posted on by

November 13

GENESIS 8

20 Then Noah built an altar to the Lord and took some of every clean animal and some of every clean bird and offered burnt offerings on the altar. 21 And when the Lord smelled the pleasing aroma, the Lord said in his heart, “I will never again cursethe ground because of man, for the intention of man’s heart is evil from his youth. Neither will I ever again strike down every living creature as I have done. 22 While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease.”– Genesis 8:20-22

GENESIS 8 GOD’S RESPONSE TO NOAH’S OFFERING

A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA

After God delivered Noah and his family in the flood

His response was to built an altar for the Lord

He got some of every clean animal and clean bird

And he burnt them to give it as an offering to God.

God was pleased when the fragrance of the offering reached him

His heart was touched and as a response to it, he gave a promise

He made a covenant with Noah that won’t curse the ground

He won’t blot out every living thing as he had done in the flood

What a great relief it was for Noah and his family to safely come out of the ark and have their feet touch the ground once again. We could witness Noah’s faithfulness to the Lord after they were delivered from the annihilation of living things. His heart is full of thanksgiving and so he built an altar to honor and show gratitude to his Master, Creator and Deliverer. Then he picked out the clean animals and birds without being told by God to do so. He did it out of his own thankfulness.

When the fragrance of the burnt offering reached God, he was very pleased and that act of gratitude of Noah made him vow not to destroy the ground and every living thing once again as he did in the flood. This is how important thanksgiving is to the Lord. He wants to be honored and praised for everything that he has done for us. It manifests our devotion and love for him, just like Noah did.

REFLECTION

  • What could we do to honor God since we no longer burn animals as offering?

Posted on by

GENESIS 8 NOAH WITNESSES SIGNS OF LIFE ON EARTH AFTER FLOOD

November 11

GENESIS 8

6 At the end of forty days Noah opened the window of the ark that he had made 7 and sent forth a raven. It went to and fro until the waters were dried up from the earth. 8 Then he sent forth a dove from him, to see if the waters had subsided from the face of the ground. 9 But the dove found no place to set her foot, and she returned to him to the ark, for the waters were still on the face of the whole earth. So he put out his hand and took her and brought her into the ark with him. 10 He waited another seven days, and again he sent forth the dove out of the ark. 11 And the dove came back to him in the evening, and behold, in her mouth was a freshly plucked olive leaf. So Noah knew that the waters had subsided from the earth. 12 Then he waited another seven days and sent forth the dove, and she did not return to him anymore.  – Genesis 8:6-12

GENESIS 8 NOAH WITNESSES SIGNS OF LIFE ON EARTH AFTER FLOOD

A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA

After forty days, Noah opened the ark as he was instructed

He sent forth a raven to see if the waters have retreated

But unfortunately, it went back and forth so he knew it wasn’t dried yet

Then he sent a dove as well, and it returned to him in the ark again.

Noah waited another seven days and sent the dove out once more

That evening, the dove returned with an olive leaf in his mouth

That was the sign for Noah to know that life on earth was restored

He waited another seven days until the dove didn’t return anymore.

It must have been challenging to be inside the ark all those forty days and forty nights and be locked in those dark walls of the ark. Although, it must be pretty noisy and busy with all those animals around them. What irony it was that inside the ark was full of life and outside there were no living things. Amidst the isolation from other people that the family of Noah felt inside the ark, there was much life in the other animals, beasts, other crawling things and birds. It was dead all around the ark, but so much life inside the ark.

After waiting for the signs of life, Noah patiently followed God’s instruction. How many of us can patiently wait in this very noisy and distracted world we live in now?

REFLECTION

  • What can you surmise from this account about Noah’s character?

GENESIS 7 THE EXTINCTION OF LIVING THINGS ON EARTH

Posted on by

November 9

GENESIS 7

17 The flood continued forty days on the earth. The waters increased and bore up the ark, and it rose high above the earth. 18 The waters prevailed and increased greatly on the earth, and the ark floated on the face of the waters. 19 And the waters prevailed so mightily on the earth that all the high mountains under the whole heaven were covered. 20 The waters prevailed above the mountains, covering them fifteen cubitsdeep. 21 And all flesh died that moved on the earth, birds, livestock, beasts, all swarming creatures that swarm on the earth, and all mankind. 22 Everything on the dry land in whose nostrils was the breath of life died. 23 He blotted out every living thing that was on the face of the ground, man and animals and creeping things and birds of the heavens. They were blotted out from the earth. Only Noah was left, and those who were with him in the ark. 24 And the waters prevailed on the earth 150 days. – Genesis 7:17-24

GENESIS 7 THE EXTINCTION OF LIVING THINGS ON EARTH

A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA

As the wrath of God continues over the corruption of man

The flood was non-stop for forty days above the ground

The waters were so mighty that it covered the highest mountains

Every living flesh died and extinguished all creatures and mankind.

The ark was the only thing that contained life inside it

And the Lord God made sure that they were unscathed

Noah and his family were the only righteous people in the land

Every living thing and human being died in that great big flood.

Let’s go back to Genesis 1:1-2 when the earth was without form and void and darkness was over the deep where God’s face was hovering over the waters. In this flood account, I have the same feeling that the whole earth was spiritually dark from wickedness and evil. Just like in the beginning God was watching over the darkness of the waters and during this flood, I somehow see the same vision that God was watching over the darkness (evil) in his created beings. When he said “Let there be light” at the start of creation, he did the same thing here as being the light shining on earth. He flooded wickedness and corruption and saved mankind through one man’s family. It was a foreshadowing of Jesus.

REFLECTION

  • What trait of God was depicted in the annihilation of living beings in this account?

GENESIS 7 NOAH’S FAMILY SHUT IN THE ARK

Posted on by

November 8

GENESIS 7

11 In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, in the second month, on the seventeenth day of the month, on that day all the fountains of the great deep burst forth, and the windows of the heavens were opened. 12 And rain fell upon the earth forty days and forty nights. 13 On the very same day Noah and his sons, Shem and Ham and Japheth, and Noah’s wife and the three wives of his sons with them entered the ark, 14 they and every beast, according to its kind, and all the livestock according to their kinds, and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth, according to its kind, and every bird, according to its kind, every winged creature. 15 They went into the ark with Noah, two and two of all flesh in which there was the breath of life. 16 And those that entered, male and female of all flesh, went in as God had commanded him. And the Lord shut him in.

                                                                             – Genesis 7:11-16

GENESIS 7 NOAH’S FAMILY SHUT IN THE ARK

A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA

It was long preparation for Noah’s family before the flood came

But the Lord God ensured that all his plans be meticulously done

What a privilege and honor for Noah to have been chosen

They were all protected by God’s love to redo his corrupted creation.

Those years of building the ark proved Noah’s obedience

His faithful devotion manifests also his total submission

As soon as the ark was ready and all the creatures were inside

God shut the door and they were all protected and covered.

Can you imagine if you were one of those members of Noah’s family? They must have been ridiculed and laughed at while they were building the ark. But because they belong to the Lord and were chosen by him, they followed faithfully what was asked of them.

The amazing thing in this account is that the Lord shut them in that ark as he destroyed everything that had life on earth. They were spared from being blotted out.  Four couples were preserved by God to start a new beginning for his people. Nothing is impossible with God. He could have just destroyed everything and work from a blank slate, but he chose one righteous man and his family to redo mankind.

REFLECTION

  • Why should we completely trust God when we don’t know what’s to happen?