August 19, 2026; Genesis 10

Daily Dose of Hope August 19, 2026   Scripture: Genesis 10   Prayer: Almighty God, As we move into a new day, we pray that today will be a day that we see glimpses of your glory.  We need you, we yearn for you.  Lord, help us set aside our distractions and settle our scattered thoughts so we can focus on you and you alone.  In the next few moments of silence, Lord, hear our prayers... In Your Name, Amen.   Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope Church daily Bible reading plan.  We are currently doing a deep dive into the book of Genesis, which will be followed by a deep dive into Exodus.  I think you have already realized there is a lot of substance in these chapters!  Today, our reading is Genesis 10.    Let's start out by stating that this isn't the most interesting chapter.  It's the list of the clans of Noah's sons.  But if we look a little closer, we realize there is much to learn in this chapter.   In the previous chapter, we learned about Ham and his curse.  His sons are listed here is verse 6.  They are Cush, Egypt, Put, and Canaan.  You probably immediately notice Egypt and Canaan, and we notice that for generations, they were the enemies of God's people.  But there is more.  In verse 8, we read that Ham's son, Cush, is the father of Nimrod.  Nimrod was a tremendous warrior and his kingdom was centered in Babylon (who eventually conquered the Southern Kingdom of Judah) and Shinar, where the tower of Babel was built (we will read about that tomorrow).  Nimrod's territory also extends into Assyria (who conquered the Northern Kingdom) and he builds the famous city of Ninevah.    In verse 13, we read that Ham's son, Egypt, is the father of the Kasluhites.  That is the group from which the Philistines were descended.  In verse 14, we read that Ham's son, Canaan is the father of Sidon.  From Sidon came the Hittites, Jebusites, Amorites, Girgashites, and Hivites – all of whom were removed from the Promised Land by Joshua and the Hebrew army.   It is fascinating to see how many of the cities, nations, and tribes, descended from Ham, become outright enemies of God's people.  That curse was real, my friends.   I know that genealogies can be boring, but they are included for a reason.  If we look deeper, what we realize is that these genealogies can unlock so much of the Old Testament.  Often, they even pave the way for the New Testament, and explain nuances that we just don't get unless we look beneath the surface.   Blessings, Pastor Vicki