Leaving a Legacy

Read Genesis 10

So, by now you’re probably wondering where in all of this you’re going to get a decent quiet time out of reading some random genealogy. When I think about genealogies I am reminded of my grandma who has a deep interest in family history and has done a great deal of research into our family on several sides during the past several decades. Whenever I go down to New Mexico to visit family I make a point of going over to my Mama Jeanne’s house and listening for a few days to see what I can glean from all of the things she has learned or remembered over the years which, as it turns out, is fascinating. She often speaks of “the need to remember where you came from, so you know where you’re going”. I think in many ways when we read biblical genealogies we need to remember this concept. It’s not simply a random list of unpronounceable names, these are stories, there is meaning behind every name and the way they are ordered. Lets look at a few examples.

“Cush fathered Nimrod; he was the first on earth to be a mighty man. He was a mighty hunter before the LORD. Therefore it is said, "Like Nimrod a mighty hunter before the LORD." The beginning of his kingdom was Babel, Erech, Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar. From that land he went into Assyria and built Nineveh, Rehoboth-Ir, Calah, and Resen between Nineveh and Calah; that is the great city.” (Genesis 10:8-12)

Notice to begin with that a large portion of the table of nations is dedicated to this man, Nimrod. Nimrod became a mighty man, a great hunter, and a hero which all sounds nice when you first say it, but hold on a second. This man was the first one on earth to believe that he was better than other men and exalted himself over them as their king. Nimrod established himself in a number of places we should be familiar with, just a few are Babel, Shinar (Babylon), Assyria, and Ninevah. True these places did become great kingdoms, but there was always an opposition between them God. The fruit of Nimrod’s legacy is empires in opposition to God.
Now let’s take another entry from this long list of names.

“Shem, the older brother of Japheth, also had sons. Shem was ancestor to all the children of Eber. The sons of Shem: Elam, Asshur, Arphaxad, Lud, and Aram.The sons of Aram: Uz, Hul, Gether, Meshech. Arphaxad had Shelah and Shelah had Eber. Eber had two sons, Peleg (so named because in his days the human race divided) and Joktan.” (Genesis 10:21-24)
Eber is the great grandson of Shem, but if you will note in the first line it says that Shem is the ancestor to all of the children of Eber. The link is significant because of all the other names in the passage and great grandchildren of Shem, why does God choose to point out Eber? What is the fruit of Eber’s legacy? The Hebrews. The children of Eber become the children of Israel. The chosen people of God. Jews even today recognize Eber as the first of the Hebrew peoples. His legacy is a legacy of godliness and, for us believers, ultimately redemption.

Here we have in one genealogy two different people, two different lives, and two very different lasting consequences. One was very successful if we’re gauging success by power and influence on worldly standards; the other chose to be used by God and emerged as a forefather of God’s redemptive work in the lives of all people. Reflect on your life and values for a moment. What are you pursuing? What is the end goal of your education? Your career? Your relationships? Your life? What are the lasting consequences of the way you are living now? Ask God to help define your view and the legacy of his redeeming work in your life.