The Nations in God’s Plan

I tell my seminary students that it is important to read the Bible forwards, like a normal book, and not backwards. Few people go to the end of a book, and then work their way backwards. But that’s what some people do with the Bible. 

They go to the New Testament and then read it into the Old Testament. The New Testament is of course how the Bible climaxes, solves the problem of man’s Fall with the coming of Christ, and eventually ushers in a new heavens and new earth. So some people then decide to take New Testament ideas and read them back into everything they find in the Old Testament, and end up explaining away or even distorting what they find in the Old Testament. 

One of the ways that happens is with the biblical concept of nations. It is quite literally, one of the Bible’s biggest concerns. One commentator said, “The nations of humanity preoccupy the biblical narrative from beginning to end.” The word ‘nations’ comes up in the Old Testament 409 times. A related word peoples, 152 times. 

But in the New Testament, nations only occurs 36 times, peoples 7 times. And now the emphasis is on Jew and Gentile being one Body in Christ. So some Christians assume that nations is an Old Testament idea that is done away with in the New. They read what they think is the New Testament’s disposal of the idea of nations back into the Old Testament. The result is that vast portions of the Old Testament seem to them to be completely irrelevant. 

Much of the Old Testament is concerned with a particular nation and how it related to other nations – Israel. Consider how much of Old Testament prophecy is taken up with specific prophecies about specific nations: Babylon, Assyria, Moab, Phoenecia, Tyre, Sidon, Philisitia, Edom, Egypt, Persia, Greece, Lebanon, Gog, Arabia, Sheba, Libya, Lebanon, Cush (Ethiopia), Sudan, Iberia, Armenia. Chapters upon chapters of Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Obadiah, Amos, Jonah address the nations and will seem puzzling to you if you do not see God’s grand plan to redeem entire nations.

But even more importantly, the very last book of the Bible, Revelation has the words nations, peoples, tribes, languages, in abundance, by far the lion’s share of all New Testament uses. This means that the idea of nations is not done away with, but is very much part of the grand story of the Bible from beginning to end. It’s how the story ends. So instead of reading the New Testament into the Old, we should read each book of the Bible as part of progressive revelation, so that what the New Testament contributes to the idea of nations adds to what the Old Testament teaches, and then comes to completion in Revelation. Revelation is the twin to Genesis, that which completes and consummates what began in Genesis. 

So it is then in Genesis 10 and 11 that we begin to see God’s plan for nations. Genesis 11 describes the famous Tower of Babel incident where the nations are scattered. Genesis 10 gives a list of the nations that came from Shem, Ham and Japheth. 

It appears that before the Flood, the world was essentially one people group, speaking one language. But after the rebellion of man and the Flood, God’s plan shifted to the concept of nations, dividing up the world into people groups who would live in particular places, speak certain languages, develop particular folk cultures.

The Bible is about more than the salvation of individuals. It has a much bigger and grander plan that include God’s plans for angels, God’s plan for the created order, and God’s plan for the nations of the world.

To begin here in Genesis, and understand the biblical theme of nations is to enter into a much richer and fuller understanding of the whole Bible’s message. It also helps us put the pieces together of Old and New, Israel and church, individuals and nations. 

So what we will do with Genesis 10, which is a list of 70 nations descended from Shem, Ham and Japheth, is to study a theology of nations, God’s Plan for the Nations in Scripture. We’ll begin with the Design for the nations in Scripture. We’ll then look at the Details of the nations in Genesis 10, identifying some names and sketching the origin of nations. Then we’ll fast forward to the Destiny of nations, where all this is going. 

I. The Design for the Nations

Genesis 10 keeps using four terms for the nations.

From these the coastland peoples of the Gentiles were separated into their lands, everyone according to his language, according to their families, into their nations. (Genesis 10:5)

These were the sons of Ham, according to their families, according to their languages, in their lands and in their nations. (Genesis 10:20)
These were the sons of Shem, according to their families, according to their languages, in their lands, according to their nations. ³²These were the families of the sons of Noah, according to their generations, in their nations; and from these the nations were divided on the earth after the flood. (Genesis 10:31–32)

“Languages” “families” “lands” “nations”. Instead of one mass of humanity, people will now be divided into groups that will live in separate lands, speak separate languages, and be a distinct branch of the human family, a distinct ethnicity. Now the distinct languages took place at Babel, but even leading up to it there was already some recognition of tribe, family identity, genealogy. But it is after Babel that the differences now become actual boundaries, like barriers between people. 

So why did God set it up this way?

First, the design of nations is to fulfil the blessing and command given in Genesis 1:28: fill the earth, subdue it. The earth cannot be subdued if man all stayed in one place and built a megacity. Man must spread, multiply, and subdue all sorts of places, regions and climates throughout the world. 

Second, the design of nations is to produce variety and diversity. We know God delights in the explosive variety of colours, shapes, sizes, textures, sounds, fragrances, of both the animal and plant kingdoms. So it is in the human kingdom: God delights not only in the diversity of physical appearances, but in whole groups of humans taking on particular kinds of customs, dress, music, art, architecture, manners. This diversity is not sinful or a result of the Fall, though the Fall has affected it. God delights in diversity.

Third, the design of nations is to slow the spread of sin, and promote the seeking of God. Paul says exactly this in Acts 17: “And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; (Acts 17:26–27)
By creating language barriers, land borders, ethnic differences, it meant that the error and evil that was at Babel would be slowed, retarded, filtered out. Satan’s doctrines would take much longer and idolatry spread slower. After the Flood, every people group had been taught by their direct ancestors, the sons of Noah of the one true Creator God. People like Job, who lived close to the time of Abraham, even though he lived far from Israel, had a very correct theology of God. Alongside the slowing of sin, Paul says that the isolation brought about by being separate nations would actually encourage the seeking of God. so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us

When man gathered at Babel, there was a proud, arrogant defiance of God. But when men were scattered, isolated, facing the elements and wild creatures and harsh climates alone, it was the common grace of God pushing nations to turn to God and not self. Every culture on earth has experienced general revelation and God’s common grace. That is, every culture has experienced God’s authoritative witness to them through creation and conscience, and every culture experienced God’s goodness drawing them to seek Him. Paul also says this in Acts 14

…to the living God, who made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and all things that are in them, who in bygone generations allowed all nations to walk in their own ways. Nevertheless He did not leave Himself without witness, in that He did good, gave us rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness.” (Acts 14:15–17)

This shows God is concerned for all the nations. Frequently in the book of Psalms you find the phrase “all ye lands” or “all nations.” Psalms 66:1–8 and 67 both express this universal vision that all the nations of the earth come to know God and serve Him. God desired to slow sin, and to draw to salvation.

Fourth, to select one nation to be the witness to all other nations. Genesis 11 has the scattering of the nations, and Revelation 22 has the healing of the nations. The whole Bible in between those chapters is God’s mission to select one nation to become His nation, a messianic nation to reach all the other nations. Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel.” (Exodus 19:5–6)
The nation Israel is the chosen ethnic group to reach all others. That is the design. And indeed, chapter 10 and 11 of Genesis are really getting us to chapter 12, when the story of Abram begins, the father of the Hebrew nation. So consider an overview of the details of the nations.

II. The Details of the Nations 

Chapter 10 is more than a genealogy. Those four words “Languages” “families” “lands” “nations” tells us this is a genealogy plus an atlas plus a history book. This will show us who came from whom, where they went. 

The idea is Genesis 10 is to show that Shem, Ham and Japheth really are the ancestors of all the people of the earth. Now a few qualifications. It lists seventy nations, not because that summarises every nation that has ever existed, but because it gives us the 70 nations prominent in the biblical world. Some names are not mentioned like Edom and Moab. A second qualification is that nations change. People migrate from one place to another, they intermarry, one nation conquers and assimilates another. Over time, names change, languages are modified, and new people groups emerge, and old ones go extinct. We are all descended from these people groups, but none of know any Hittites, or Phoenicians or Aramites. In fact, of all the ancient people groups, there is only one that still exists today, and that is the Hebrews. That by itself should tell us something. 

Verses 2-5 gives us the descendants of Japheth. Japheth himself is connected to Iapetos the ancestor of the Greeks. The Aryans of India also claim Iyapeti as their ancestor. The name Gomer seems to be related to the words Cimmeria, Crimea, and even the name Germany and Cambria, indicating the people there may have descended from him. Ashkenaz was identified by the Jews as Germany, and the names Scandia and Saxon are related to this word too. 

Riphath is connected to Carpathia – in central and southeastern Europe. 

Togarmah is related to the words Turkey and Turkestan and the Armenian people.

Magog. Meschech & Tubal. The words Meschech is preserved in Muscovi and Moscow, associated with Rosh in Ezek 38:2 , which seems to locate these people in Russia. 

Madai is the father of the Medes and the Persians.

Javan is where we get the word Ionia  – the Greek people. Similarly, Elisha seems connected to Hellas, also Greece.

Tarshish is known to be Spain, while Kittim seems to be connected to the island of Cyprus.

Dodanim – connected to Dardanelles connecting the Black Sea and the Meditterranean. Tiras = Thracians who inhabited Bulgaria, Greece and Turkey. The descendants of Japheth populate Europe, Eurasia, parts of the Middle East, and parts of central Asia.

A full 15 verses is given to the descendants of Ham, from verse 6. Many of them are fairly easy to identify.

Cush is ancient Ethiopia (not the modern nation), Mizraim is Egypt, and Put may be Libya, Canaan were those people who settled in the land of Canaan.

Cush’s descendants in verse 7. Seba = Sabeans in Sudan. Havilah, Sabtah, Sabtecha, Raamah = Arabian tribes.

We have a short parenthesis about Nimrod, who seemed to have been more than a mere hunter of animals, but apparently an evil despot, a hunter of people. We read of the cities that he created, and the kingdom he set up. He is given extra space, probably because he is the mastermind behind the Tower of Babel. He fits the timeline of being two generations from the sons of Noah. Ham begets Cush, and Cush begets Nimrod. Same timeline: Shem begets Eber, and Eber beget Peleg, and verse 25 tells us that’s when the scattering of the nations at Babel took place. 

The sons of Mizraim have not all been identified, but appear to be groups who settled in North Africa, Lehabim seems to be related to the word Libya.

Sidon is the father of the Phoenicians. Heth seems to be the father of the Hittites.

The Sons of Canaan are well-known tribes who settled in Canaan ¹⁶ the Jebusite, the Amorite, and the Girgashite; ¹⁷; (Genesis 10:16–17)
But some of the other names have some interesting possibilities. The Sinite appears to be related to the word used for the Chinese – the Sino. The Arabic word for China.

It’s possible some of the names are the ancestors of tribes that spread to East Asia, and from there to Oceania and even to the Americas. Remember that after the flood, the sea levels would have been lower due to larger ice packs during a mini-ice age, more land bridges would have allowed migration across continents.

The descendants of Ham are located in areas we’d identify today as Africa, parts of Middle East, Asia, and possibly Oceania and the Americas.

Verses 21-31 gives us the descendants of Shem. Eber is where we get the word Hebrews from. Elam fathers the Elamites of Mesopotamian. Arphaxad appears to be the father of the Chaldeans. Assur is the progenitor of the Assyrians. Lud seems to be the origin of the Lydians. Aram fathers the Arameans and the Syrians. Uz is the people we find in the book of Job, apparently in Arabia. The sons of Joktan seem to have all been Arabian peoples.

There’s another “parenthesis” in 10:25 to discuss the “dividing of the earth” during the days of Peleg, which means “division.” Now some think this was a physical moment, when the continents divided. We cannot be certain, but it seems to me more plausible to imagine such an event happening during the Flood, and that this refers instead to the dividing of the people at the Tower of Babel. 

But here the Bible accounts for the peoples of Africa, Europe and Asia, and likely then those who migrated further to Oceania and the Americas. All of us descended from three men, the sons of one man, Noah. Like a family tree, the nations that came from these seventy nations are many. One estimate put the amount of distinct languages in the world at 7100. But just as all eight billion of us came from one man, so all the thousands of ethnic groups descended from this ancient 70.

So with a full detailing of the nations from Noah, and with the design in mind of having nations spread, and multiply, provide diversity, but also restrain sin and encourage seeking of God, what is the destiny of nations?

III. The Destiny of Nations

Step One: Babel. All these nations in chapter 10 acted in rebellion in chapter 11, because they refused to spread, but sought to dwell in one place in rebellion to God. Deuteronomy 32:8 is a fascinating verse which seems to describe the nations being divided up among spiritual powers. ⁸ When the Most High divided their inheritance to the nations, When He separated the sons of Adam, He set the boundaries of the peoples According to the number of the children of Israel. (Deuteronomy 32:8)

The Septuagint has the reading as “according to the number of the sons of God” which is a reference to angels. It seems the nations were divided up among the fallen spiritual beings. We find proof of this later in Daniel, when dark spiritual powers are called “the prince of Persia” and “prince of Greece”. Satan himself seems to be called the “king of Tyre” and “king of Babylon”. And under these dark powers, the nations went from the monotheism of Noah and His sons into deeper idolatry. Psalm 2 describes the rebellion of the nations.” ¹ Why do the nations rage, And the people plot a vain thing? ²The kings of the earth set themselves, And the rulers take counsel together, Against the Lord and against His Anointed, saying, ³ “Let us break Their bonds in pieces And cast away Their cords from us.” (Psalm 2:1–3)

Step Two: Israel. But of all these nations, God reserved one nation for Himself. One nation was selected to be the messianic. That’s why Genesis 10 and 11 are leading you into chapter 12, the call of Abram. Through Abraham, Isaac, Jacob come the twelve tribes of Israel. And after 400 years of slavery in Egypt, God leads them mightily out by the hand of Moses, and at Mount Sinai, they have a kind of wedding ceremony with Jehovah, where they accept His covenant. 

Now it’s important here to note that God selecting Israel was not because they were better than other nations, or, as the rabbis say, that God offered the Law to all seventy nations and only Israel accepted. No, Deuteronomy 7 says it was pure grace; ⁷ The Lord did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any other people, for you were the least of all peoples; ⁸ but because the Lord loves you, and because He would keep the oath which He swore to your fathers, the Lord has brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you from the house of bondage, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. (Deuteronomy 7:7–8)

In choosing Israel, the point was for Israel to bring the other nations back to God. If they keep the covenant, they will be a light to the Gentiles. He says to them at Mount Sinai, “⁵ Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. ⁶ And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ (Exodus 19:5–6)

When God chose Abraham, He said, ³ I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” (Genesis 12:3)

That’s because from Israel would come the written Word of God and the incarnate Word of God. The Scriptures, and the Saviour. Israel didn’t so much have to go to the world, because geographically, the world came to Israel. Israel was and is the land bridge between three continents. But we do also have the faith of Israel spreading through prophets like Jonah, through the exile and the Jewish communities that spread after that. 

But we know Israel failed in two ways: they failed to keep the covenant of Moses, and they failed to coronate the King. They disobeyed the Law and fell into idolatry, and when Jesus came, they did not accept Him. They wanted the kingdom, they wanted to be head of the nations, but to get the kingdom you have to accept the king, which they did not. 

But this was the plan all along. Israel had to learn that if you are going to be the head of the nations, you have to serve the nations. If you are going to be leader, you must first be humbled. It is the cross before the crown, serve before being served. Jesus taught this, and Israel could not receive it. 

Step Three: the church. And so comes the age of the church. The church is not a nation, but a new covenant community of many nations. In it, Jew and Gentile serve each other. Their ethnicities are not dissolved, but they become part of the diversity and unity in the Body of Christ. Christ tears down the wall of hostility between nations, but not of identity. The variety of nations in the body of Christ is just like the differences between male and female: they are not removed in Christ, but they do not hinder you from grace. 

Further, We don’t replace Israel as a nation. We are a distinct people, a new humanity in Christ, but the church is not an ethnic, territorial, geo-political entity. We set up embassies of the coming: every church we plant is a true united nations embassy of the kingdom that is coming. 

Step Four: the Kingdom. The Bible teaches that at the return of Christ, Jesus sets up His kingdom on earth, and brings the ethnic nation of Israel into full belief in Him. Paul predicts what blessing this will be. 

…But through their fall, to provoke them to jealousy, salvation has come to the Gentiles. Now if their fall is riches for the world, and their failure riches for the Gentiles, how much more their fullness! (Romans 11:11–12)
Zechariah 14:9 says that when Messiah returns, He will be “king over all the earth”. Jerusalem, the capital city of Israel, will be there (14:11). Zechariah 14:17 states that “the families of the earth” will be there. One nation singled out is Egypt (14:18–19).  Clearly, the kingdom is a time when God is again dealing with nations, and the messianic nation is their spiritual leader.

Yes, many peoples and strong nations Shall come to seek the Lord of hosts in Jerusalem, And to pray before the Lord.’ “Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘In those days ten men from every language of the nations shall grasp the sleeve of a Jewish man, saying, “Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.”’” (Zechariah 8:22–23)

So much so, that look at the result predicted in Isaiah 19:23-25

In that day there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrian will come into Egypt and the Egyptian into Assyria, and the Egyptians will serve with the Assyrians. In that day Israel will be one of three with Egypt and Assyria—a blessing in the midst of the land, whom the Lord of hosts shall bless, saying, “Blessed is Egypt My people, and Assyria the work of My hands, and Israel My inheritance.” (Isaiah 19:23–25)

Notice, other nations are here called God’s people. But notice, it doesn’t say, in that day, Egypt shall also be Israel, and Assyria shall also be Israel. It doesn’t teach that Israel is now the spiritual term for believers, and that all nations become spiritual Israelites. No, they retain their ethnic identity, they remain distinct from Israel in these verses, but they become God’s people, because they embrace the Messiah from Israel. 

Step Five: the New Heavens and New Earth. Now finally, all of this culminates in the New Heavens and the New Earth.

And the nations of those who are saved shall walk in its light, and the kings of the earth bring their glory and honor into it. Its gates shall not be shut at all by day (there shall be no night there). And they shall bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it.(Revelation 21:24–26)

In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. (Revelation 22:2)

Here in the eternal state, the resurrected people are still distinctively in their nations. Heaven still has both unity and diversity. There is no indication that the nations in Revelation 21–22 are all identified as “Israel.” Israel’s role is to bring blessings to the nations, but not to make everybody Israel.

But how will God reconstitute entire nations for the eternal state? What will it mean? What about nations that have passed away? What about those of us who are a mix of nations? But that is just like asking, How will God reconstitute your body? How will He reconstitute the Earth? How will He reconstitute animals so that they are as they were before the Fall? The mysteries of resurrection can lead us into the absurd. What we know is that Heaven will have the redeemed, resurrected nations as they should have been, could have been, would have been in Christ, with all their glorious diversity. 

God’s massive plan involves more than just the salvation of individuals, but the salvation of nations, ethnicities, with all their beauty. 

Jesus shall reign where’er the sun
Does his successive journeys run;
His kingdom stretch from shore to shore,
Till moons shall wax and wane no more.

Behold the islands with their kings,
And Europe her best tribute brings;
From north to south the princes meet,
To pay their homage at his feet.

There Persia, glorious to behold,
There India shines in eastern gold;
And barb’rous nations at his word
Submit, and bow, and own their Lord.

People and realms of every tongue
Dwell on his love with sweetest song;
And infant voices shall proclaim
Their early blessings on his name.

Where he displays his healing power
Death and the curse are known no more;
In him the tribes of Adam boast
More blessings than their father lost.