These are the generations of Shem. When Shem was 100 years old, he fathered Arpachshad two years after the flood. And Shem lived after he fathered Arpachshad 500 years and had other sons and daughters. (11:10)
Shem was one of the three sons of Noah (and one of the two who showed honour to his father, Noah, by covering his nakedness.) He fathered Arpachshad when he was 100 years old and lived until 600 years old. When you add up the descendants that are listed, Arpachshad’s son, Shelah, Shelah’s son, Eber, and on down to Abraham, Shem would have still been alive when Abram was born (and lived for another couple of hundred years after Abram’s birth) and Noah would have been alive as well (seeing as Noah lived 950 years.) So, Abram could well have listened to his Great-great-great-great-great-(etc) grandfather, Noah, tell His first-hand account of the flood.
The last few verses of chapter 11 set up the hugely important story of Abraham:
“Terah took Abram his son and Lot the son of Haran, his grandson, and Sarai his daughter-in-law, his son Abram’s wife, and they went forth together from Ur of the Chaldeans to go into the land of Canaan, but when they came to Haran, they settled there. The days of Terah were 205 years, and Terah died in Haran” (Genesis 11:31-32).
God had a plan. He was working out so many things on so many levels. He is going to use Abraham and bring the Messiah through his descendants. But obviously no one except God knows that at this point. We can trust God that even when it appears He is not doing anything, He is. He might be working all sorts of things in us—faith, endurance, patience—while at the same time working out all sorts of other things in and through others all around the world.
I think of a South African woman that I met in Italy years ago. She was a friend of the people we were staying with. We really hit it off, even though I believe we only just saw each other that one day. After returning to Canada, I followed her on social media. Then, one day I realized (from one of her posts) that she was a website designer, which I seriously needed at that time. It turns out she was able to make me a beautiful website! I believe God was working in connecting us, giving us a sweet time of fellowship, but doing more than just that one thing.
Prayer: God, please give me faith to know that you’re always at work, even when I don’t see it. Help me to know that You are faithful, and help me to be faithful to You, keeping in step with Your Spirit.
