Resumen del estudio de March 9

The idea here is to post a basic summary of what happenned at Sunday's study. We covered chapter 10, mostly dealing with Noah's sons, and why it was important to see who there were and what they became. We learned that among them they became the founders of seafaring people and mighty hunters/warriors (building kingdoms such as Babylon). This chapter shows us the post-flood development of the "world", whether we understand that to be in the literal sense or in the mesopotamian basin, it clearly shows an evolution from one stage of humanity to another. Also, once more we see God's use of younger children, in this case Shem, in a culture of primogenitry.

A couple of points I would like to make, since we didn't really talk about them during the study, although Roger has already referred to one of them: 1) God's punsihment of Ham and 2) the subsequent curse of his children (Canaan). Roger asked if it was too harsh. I do think we might want to discuss this a bit in the next study, because it will become important.

But back to the study. In chapter eleven we find the Tower of Babel. We see mankind at its egoistical best (and simultaneously its worst). Why did they want to build the tower to heaven? To be equals with God? Why was God so harsh? Because He knows what is good for us. Many people look at this passage as an example of the cruel and harsh God of the Old Testament. We discussed God's motives for this. Again, He understands us better than we understand ourselves. When humans get together our selfishness knows no bounds, and our pride becomes our weakness. Is the tower of babel an isolated incident? Well, look what we have done in the last centuries, with the mess of global warming we find ourselves in, largely due to our own desire to create bigger, faster, more, without thinking about the consequences.

Next Sunday we continue in chapter 11. Sergi and/or Susan will be leading the study, which will be at their place.