The Nations

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

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Possible migration patterns

Source:Arthur C Custance

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Alternative maps of dispersion (1)

Source:Thomas Nelson Bible Atlas

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Source:The Lion Atlas of Bible History

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Source:Exposition of Ezekiel by John Allfree

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The ‘lost ten tribes’ view

Source: Origins of the Nations

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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.



To be continued

(God Willing)



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



1 Chronicles 1)

The nations... 28



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

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Likely location of the

Scythians

Source: Atlas of Biblical GeographyBy Coleman (1854)

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1st century BC location of the Scythians

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The wall of ‘al Magog’ (Arabic)

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Land of Magog

Chief Prince (Rosh)

Gog Tubal

Meshech

The nations... 35

Russia & State of Georgia

The nations... 36


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


The nations... 38


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

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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...

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...and the young lions

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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

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Britain’s greatest colony!

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Where are they now?


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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 end of our study

Spiritual

The Nations