The nations in Genesis 10& Ezekiel 38
Laindon Bible Class 20th & 27th January 2010
Part 1
The nations... 2
The objective of this study
“To obtain a better understanding:–of the origins of the nations, in a
Biblical context–of how we can identify the nations
referred to in Ezekiel’s prophecy chapter 38”
The nations... 3
Our approach to this study
• Where did the making of nations begin?• The families of Noah• The nations of Genesis 10 (also found in
1 Chronicles 1)• Placing the names found in Ezekiel 38• Interpreting the nations in their current
context
The nations... 4
An amazing diversity of
peoples
The nations... 5
Where it all began...
Genesis 11:1-9
The nations... 6
Language confounded...
6800 languages
in 200 countries
The nations... 7
• From ‘balal’ to confound• The ‘gate of God’
Babel or Babylon...
The nations... 8
Some factors to consider
• There have been almost 4,500 years of migration plus sustained growth from just 8 people to around 6,800,000,000
• We need to decide whether:– nations are places or races– prophets were speaking of the present or
future locations of nations
• Names have altered as languages have evolved and changed
The nations... 9
Noah’s children & grandchildren
Noah
Japheth Ham Shem
Gomer
Magog
Madai
Javan
Tubal
Meshech
Tiras
Cush
Mizraim
Put
Canaan
Elam
Asshur
Arphaxad
Lud
Aram
Source: Genesis 10
The nations... 10
Seventy in scripture
• 70 families/nations in Genesis 10 (Shem 26, Ham 30 and Japheth 14)
• 70 souls came down into Egypt (Genesis 46)
• 70 bulls at the Feast of Tabernacles (Numbers 29)
• 70 elders to assist Moses (Numbers 11)• 70 disciples sent out by Jesus (Luke 10)
The nations... 11
The 3 Great Races
The nations... 12
Inbuilt genetic information not evolution
Hodgson twins
Durrant twins x2
Richardson twins
The nations... 13
Japheth’s descendants
Japheth
Gomer Magog Madai Javan Tubal Meshech Tiras
Ashkenaz
Riphath
Togarmah
Elishah
Tarshish
Kittim
Rodanim
Source: Genesis 10
The nations... 14
Ham’s descendants
Ham
Cush Mizraim Put Canaan
Raamah
Sabtah
Havilah
Seba
Nimrod
Sabtecah
Dedan
Sheba
Ludites
Anamites
Lehabites
Naphtuhites
Pathrusites
Casluhites
Caphtorites
Philistines
Arkites
Sinites
Arvadites
Zemarites
Hamathites
Hivites
Girgashites
Amorites
Jebusites
Hittites
Sidon
Source: Genesis 10
The nations... 15
Shem’s descendants
Source: Genesis 10
Shem
Elam Asshur Arphaxad Lud Aram
Uz
Hul
Gether
Meshech
Shelah
Eber
Peleg
Joktan
Almodad
Hazarmaveth
Sheleph
Jerah
Uzal
Hadoram
Obal
Diklah
Sheba
Ahimael
Jobab
Havilah
Ophir
Abraham
The nations... 16
The dispersion of Noah’s family
Japheth
Ham
Shem
Source:Moody Bible Atlas
The nations... 17
Possible migration patterns
Source:Arthur C Custance
The nations... 18
Alternative maps of dispersion (1)
Source:Thomas Nelson Bible Atlas
The nations... 19
Alternative maps of dispersion (2)
Source:The Lion Atlas of Bible History
The nations... 20
Alternative maps of dispersion (3)
Source:Exposition of Ezekiel by John Allfree
The nations... 21
The ‘lost ten tribes’ view
Source: Origins of the Nations
The nations... 22
Thoughts on the 3 races
• “He shall dwell in the tents of Shem” Genesis 9:27
• The birth of Jesus: the shepherds, the wise men and “a light to...the Gentiles” (Simeon)
• The three synoptic gospels• The crucifixion: the Jews, Simon of Cyrene
and Pilate the Roman governor• The converts to Christ: the Ethiopian Eunuch,
Cornelius and Saul (Paul)
The nations... 23
The words of Daniel in chapter 2 of his prophecy
20 Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his:
21 And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding:
22 He revealeth the deep and secret things: he knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him.
23 I thank thee, and praise thee, O thou God of my fathers, who hast given me wisdom and might, and hast made known unto me now what we desired of thee: for thou hast now made known unto us the king's matter.
The nations in Genesis 10& Ezekiel 38
Laindon Bible Class 20th & 27th January 2010
To be continued
(God Willing)
The nations in Genesis 10& Ezekiel 38
Laindon Bible Class 20th & 27th January 2010
Part 2
The nations... 26
The objective of this study
“To obtain a better understanding:–of the origins of the nations, in a
Biblical context–of how we can identify the nations
referred to in Ezekiel’s prophecy chapter 38”
The nations... 27
Our approach to this study
• Where did the making of nations begin?• The families of Noah• The nations of Genesis 10 (also found in
1 Chronicles 1)
The nations... 28
Our approach to this study
• Where did the making of nations begin?• The families of Noah• The nations of Genesis 10 (also found in
1 Chronicles 1)• Placing the names found in Ezekiel 38• Interpreting the nations in their current
context
The nations... 29
Structure of Ezekiel 38
• :1-12 The invading nations from the north
• :13 The resisting nations of the south• :14-16 The Gogian invasion• :17-23 The visible judgements of God
upon Gog and his confederates
The nations... 30
The aggressor nations
Land of Magog
Gog
The nations... 31
Likely location of the
Scythians
Source: Atlas of Biblical GeographyBy Coleman (1854)
The nations... 32
1st century BC location of the Scythians
The nations... 33
The wall of ‘al Magog’ (Arabic)
The nations... 34
The aggressor nations
Land of Magog
Chief Prince (Rosh)
Gog Tubal
Meshech
The nations... 35
Russia & State of Georgia
The nations... 36
The aggressor nations
Gomer
Land of Magog
Chief Prince (Rosh)
Gog Tubal
Meshech Persia Togarmah
Ethiopia
Libya
The King of the North and his confederates
The nations... 37
Gomer & Togarmah
Source:Exposition of Ezekiel by John Allfree
The nations... 38
The aggressor nations
Gomer
Land of Magog
Chief Prince (Rosh)
Gog Tubal
Meshech Persia Togarmah
Ethiopia
Libya
The King of the North and his confederates
The nations... 39
The intervention of the King of the South
• Daniel chapter 11:40-45 “And at the time of the end shall the king of the south push at him...”
• Ezekiel 38:13 “Sheba, and Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish, with all the young lions thereof, shall say unto thee, Art thou come to take a spoil?...”
The nations... 40
The resisting nations
Sheba* Dedan*Merchants of Tarshish
& the young lions thereof
The King of the South and his allies
* Descendants of Ham or Abraham? (Genesis 25:3)
The nations... 41
Merchants of Tarshish
• A far place or port eg Jonah took a boat to Tarshish when he fled
• Source of silver (Jeremiah 10:9)• Source of silver, iron, tin and lead
(Ezekiel 27:12)• Solomon sent ships there (2 Chronicles
9:21) but cargo included ivory, peacocks and apes
The nations... 42
The Phoenician trade routes
The nations... 43
Herodotus & the Cassiterides
“...nor am I acquainted with the Cassiterides (the Tin islands), from whence our tin comes ...from the remotest parts”
Source: Histories, book three, para 115
Note: Tin was critically important for the
production of bronze
The nations... 44
England’s Royal Standard...
The nations... 45
...and the young lions
The nations... 46
The link of Tarshish with Tyre
• “Howl, ye ships of Tarshish for it [Tyre] is laid waste” Isaiah 23:1
• The ‘latter day Tarshish’ has all the main characteristics of Tyre:– great trading nation (0.16% world territory; 0.88%
population; 8th largest trading nation)– very small but has been a great power– a seafaring and migrating people– an enduring monarchy...etc
The nations... 47
Britain’s greatest colony!
The nations... 48
Where are they now?
Source:Exposition of Ezekiel by John Allfree
The nations... 49
Revelation 20:7-9
7 And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,
8 And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.
9 And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.
The nations in Genesis 10& Ezekiel 38
Laindon Bible Class 20th & 27th January 2010
The end of our study