The Tower of Babel and Beyond
Genesis 11:1-32
I. Let Us Make a Name for Ourselves (vs. 1-9)
a. What differs in verse 1 from today’s world?
b. Do Noah’s descendants immediately scatter?
c. Do our ancestors seem primitive (mentally simple) or does it seem they are intelligent and skilled?
d. What other characteristics do they demonstrate in vs. 4 that indicates a desire for self-determination?
e. Do you think the phrase “let us make a name for ourselves” is good or does it indicate humanity on a bad course?
f. Does the Lord take notice of humanity’s “progress?”
g. What does the Lord’s statement “and this is what they begin to do” reveal about the Lord’s sentiment?
h. How do the Lord’s actions derail the unified plan of mankind to join forces and press on without God?
i. What do we notice in the Lord saying, “let Us go down…”?
j. What does the phrase “the Lord scattered them abroad from there over the face of all the earth” help us understand?
II. Genealogy of Shem (vs. 10-32)
a. Verses 10-17 repeat details of Genesis 9:22-25. What do we still notice about longevity at this time?
b. Verses 18-25 details the descendants of Eber (often recognized as the father of the Hebrews). What is happening here to man’s longevity?
c. Who were the sons of Terah?
d. Which son draws your attention as most Biblically important?
e. Where did the descendants of Terah live?
f. What detail about Sarai is important in verse 30?
g. Where did Terah plan to take his family in verse 31?
h. Where are they living when Terah dies?
Application:
What is it in mankind that to this day still wants to “make a name for himself?”
When God draws us to salvation what changes in us and our ‘need’ to be the star of our story?
