SPRING QUARTER SUNDAY SCHOOL 2003 - The Study Hour



FALL QUARTER SUNDAY SCHOOL 2013

THEME: FIRST THINGS

Unit One: First Days Unit Two: First Nation Unit Three: First Freedom

“MAN’S ARMS ARE TOO SHORT TO BOX WITH GOD”

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Sunday School Lesson No. V – September 29, 2013

Presented by Rev. Frank A. Davis, III, Pastor-Teacher

Lesson Text: Genesis 11:1-9

Required Reading: Genesis 10:6-14; 11:1-9

Motto Text: Genesis 11:6, “And the LORD said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language;

and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have

imagined to do.”

Reliable Resources: Logos Bible Software; Union Gospel Press Expositor and Illuminator; Precepts for Living (UMI); Standard Commentary; Word Search 10 Electronic Library, Genesis by D. G. Barnhouse

Introduction

After the receding of the Flood, God gave specific instructions in Genesis 9:1: “And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth.” Truly mankind, who was under covenant agreement with God, moved with fear to disobey God! Author Donald Barnhouse shares the following words: “God has tested man under every conceivable condition and found him wanting. In our day there are those who think that bettering man’s environment will help him; they forget the environment of Eden. Others think that education will save man, forgetting that knowledge was received in the Fall and that conscience failed to keep man righteous. Still others think that something like the United Nations can enforce righteousness in the world.

But here in Babylon those conditions existed, and were a spur to blasphemous rebellion, and not righteousness. The Bible does not teach, merely, that man fell once in Eden, but that man always falls when confronted with fresh conditions that are calculated to reveal what he truly is.”

Regardless of matter man’s mental, physical, or spiritual ability, outside of total submission to the perfect will of God, man’s best efforts are futile! Why? Because “Man’s Arms Are Too Short To Box With God.”

Now let us examine the text for consideration and we’ll discover the following Anticipated Power Points:

• The Setting. Genesis 11:1-2

• The Scheme. Genesis 11:3-4

• The Scattering. Genesis 11:5-9

LESSON EXPOSITION

I. The Setting. Genesis 11:1-2

According to the skillful spiritual hand of the author Dr. Warren Wiersbe in his book, “Wiersbe’s Expository Outlines on the Old Testament,” we are exposed to his background research of The Setting. To every movement there is a mover who gives leadership. According to the research of Dr. Wiersbe, “Nimrod was a grandson of Ham through Cush, the first dictator.” Now how do we know this character? By taking note to read the post-flood genealogical accounts as listed in Chapter 10. Noah had three sons who were given the orders of God to “be fruitful, multiply, and replenish the earth.” We learn from chapter 10:2-5 that Japheth and his descendants were sent forth. In vss. 6-20, Ham and his descendants, and in vss. 21-31 we learn of Shem and his descendants. Some theologians see the events in chapter 10 as actually following chapter 11. But they could well precede, because God’s words in chapter 9 to “replenish the earth” could have personally been given to them. The areas to which they were to migrate in order to rebuild and repopulate the earth could have been given not long after the ark landed. Now the unified people of purpose and language became deceived.

Dr. Wiersbe, referring to notes from Alexander Hislop’s book “The Two Babylons” (London: S. W. Partridge, 1956), offers the following from Genesis 10:6-14 (read), “He (Nimrod) was a mighty tyrant in the sight of God, the first dictator. The word “hunter” does not refer to the hunting of animals, but rather the hunting of men. He was the founder of the Babylonian empire and the organizer of the enterprise that led to the construction of the tower of Babel. History informs us that Nimrod and his wife devised a new religion built around ‘the mother and child.’” Remember: “Man’s Arms are too Short to Box with God.” The migrants of verses 1-2 were moving but stopped at their own volition and did not move as God said (vs. 2).

II. The Scheme. Genesis 11:3-4

Verses 3-4 focuses on two words that are spoken three times, “Let us…let us…let us.” Now beloved, when these words are spoken from a heart of sinful, selfish humanity, they spell R E B E L L I O N! Barnhouse declares “Man in rebellion says ‘Let us’: man in submission says, ‘Thy will be done.’” Beloved, God declared that the renewed civilization should move as pilgrims and scatter over the expanse of the earth to subdue it. But no doubt, Nimrod and his cohorts saw a greater advantage in the people staying close together and build a great city, and make a name for themselves. It is interesting that today in our congested cities lies the unity of much sin, violence, and vices. God wanted the people to spread out and look up to Him, but the “Let us” mentality should be as said by Al Green, “Let’s stay together.”

The tower, according to archaeologists, was not a high-rise building built to reach the Home of God, or escape perhaps another flood, for remember, they built it in the plains of Shinar (“country of two rivers”), the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. If heaven was their goal, they would have started in a mountain. But rebellion was their goal. God said spread out and they said build up.

But why or what was the tower? It was a shrine to mankind’s vanity and a center for satanic worship. This structure was a “ziggurat,” a pyramid type structure with steps on the outside used for worship and in this case, not the worship of Jehovah but idols of the heavenly bodies, even zodiacs, etc. A place to call down the gods, for Babel means “the gate of the gods.” The whole scheme was to revolt against the true God, and this was totally done in arrogance and rebellion. (Read Psalm 2:1-3 and 2:4-6) Now note what God does as we summarize the lesson, “Man’s Arms are too Short to Box with God.”

III. The Scattering. Genesis 11:5-9

The Godhead had a conference and noted the unity of the people was being used for rebellion and not reverence, so God set the languages of the people into confusion (babel). God is never at a loss for words or thoughts. Man said in vss. 3-4 “let us go up,” but God says “Let us go down.” From this experience, God showed justifying grace! He broke up the party by simply confusing the languages. Then was His primary will accomplished (Gen. 9:1). Also read Gen. 11:8-9). “God has spoken, let the Church say AMEN!”

CLOSING

Beloved, “Man’s Arms Are Too Short To Box With God!” “Let God be true and every man a liar.” Man’s language has remained confused, but in Acts 2, God demonstrated that at a single moment, when man will humble himself before God and totally seek to worship and honor Him, the languages can be united again. (Read Acts 2:6-11).

Bibleway Missionary Baptist Church, New Orleans, LA & Little Bethel Baptist Church, Amite, LA

Mailing Address: Post Office Box 19768, New Orleans, LA 70179 - Phone: (504) 486-7876

Website: (See and hear lesson taught via Video)

Radio Broadcasts: WLNO AM 1060, Saturday 8:30 a.m.; Sunday 5:30 a.m.

WHNO TV-Channel 20, Sunday, 6:30 a.m.

LOOKING AHEAD: October 6, 2013 Genesis 15:7-21

Pastor Davis invites you to hear him teach the Sunday School lesson at Bibleway on Wednesday at noon.

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