Our word for today is תּוֹלֵדוֹת generations, descendants, successors. It is used 39 times in the Old Testament. As we land in chapter ten, we see our word used in the first verse as an introduction to what the chapter is about and in the last verse as part of the summary of all the names of families, clans and nations. Genesis 10:1 These are the תּוֹלֵדוֹת generations of the sons of Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Sons were born to them after the flood. Genesis 10:32 These are the clans of the sons of Noah, according to their תּוֹלֵדוֹת genealogies, in their nations, and from these the nations spread abroad on the earth after the flood.
This serves as a pause from all the action that has taken place in Genesis up to this point. It also provides details of where not only the Hebrews, Israelites, Jews came from but everyone regardless of where they now live up to the present day. We are all related to Noah and his family. God uses our word תּוֹלֵדוֹת to provide an explanation of where we and everything came from. Why does he do this? So, we will have the evidence we need to trust him with the future. Let’s look at some of this evidence God has given us using our word תּוֹלֵדוֹת.
Genesis 2:4 These are the תּוֹלֵדוֹת generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created, in the day that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens. Before this verse God is detailing how the world in which we live in now and are dependent on for our survival, was made. Air, water, food, shelter, etc. all came from God’s original creation. Then right after this verse God shows where people came from showing us about Adam and Eve. Genesis 5:1 This is the book of the תּוֹלֵדוֹת generations of Adam. When God created man, he made him in the likeness of God. Male and female he created them, and he blessed them and named them Man when they were created. God tells us right here what the purpose of the book of Genesis is. It is an explanation where everyone and everything came from. The Latin word Genesis means beginning. And that is what Genesis is all about. After chapter ten we leave this wide view and the book starts to zoom in focusing on the true stories of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph.
I’m so grateful that God loves us enough to give us evidence that he is who he says he is and accomplishes His good, pleasing and perfect will in our lives as we trust in Him. I like how Paul points to this evidence in his speech before King Agrippa and Festus the governor. Acts 26:24-26 And as he was saying these things in his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, “Paul, you are out of your mind; your great learning is driving you out of your mind.” But Paul said, “I am not out of my mind, most excellent Festus, but I am speaking true and rational words. For the king knows about these things, and to him I speak boldly. For I am persuaded that none of these things has escaped his notice, for this has not been done in a corner. God doesn’t hide the evidence that we need to believe in him. It was not in a corner where no one could see. People saw Jesus for three years in public. Then he died and rose again and made physical appearances to prove he was alive, and all of this is true. God can be trusted. When Job was faced with his very challenging situation and not sure about his future what did God do when he answered him. He gave a very long answer. God pointed to example after example of how he was currently working all around the world so that Job could have the evidence he needed to continue to trust in Him. Psalm 19 says this well. Psalm 19:1-4 The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge. They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them. Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.
