After the flood, Noah and his three sons, Shem, Ham and Japheth, went forth and "of them was the whole earth overspread" (Genesis 9:18,19).

1. The family of Noah
   Genesis 9:24-27 -- "Cursed... blessed." The prophetic declaration of Noah.
   1. Ham (v.25) -- The first civilization after the flood seemed to disprove the prophecy for it was of the origens of Ham and located in the Euphrates and Nile valleys. But that civilization was infertile spiritually. Building monstrous structures, the descendants of Ham originated nothing of eternal value.
   2. Shem (vs.26,27) -- The descendants of Shem continued to follow the Lord. It is sufficient to point out that Shem's posterity have written -- under inspiration -- every word of the Bible, and that the Lord Jesus Christ was, after the flesh, a descendant of Shem.
   3. Japheth (v.27) -- Japheth was the ancestor of the great Gentile nations. This group of people was "enlarged" in numbers and in the great literatures and arts of the world.
2. The dispersion (scattering) of the descendants of Japheth (Genesis 10:1-5)
   1. Gomer -- Ancestor of the ancient Cimbri, from whom are descended the many branches of the Celtic family including Welsh, Bretons, Irish and Scotch.
   2. Magog -- Ancestor of the ancient Scythians or Tartars, whose descendants are largely the people of Russia.
   3. Madai -- Ancestor of the ancient Medes.
   4. Javan -- Ancestor of those in Greece.
   5. Tubal -- Tubal's descendants lived in a region south of the Black Sea, and became widely extended. A branch of this race also settled in Spain.
   6. Mesheck -- Broadly speaking, Russia, is the land of Tubal, Magog, and Mesheck (see Ezekiel 38:2; 39:6; Revelation 20:8).
   7. Tiras -- Ancestor of the Thracians.
3. The judgment of the dispersion

   With the tower of Babel, Genesis 11 marks the merciful judgment whereby widespread unity of all people was made to cease (Genesis 11:6). It henceforth became possible for one part of earth's population to perfect, in separation, a skill or wisdom which might in time minister to other nations. Israel and Greece are illustrations -- the one nation had a great religious ministry, while the other perfected literature and art.

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