At least a dozen books in the Bible refer to the divine separation of mankind into races or nations, Gen. 10:25; Deut. 32:8. Within Israel it was forbidden to intermarry with other nations, Deut. 7:1-3. Such marriages were called a trespass which brought down the wrath of God, Ezra 10:2, 14. King Solomon’s unions with women from other nations were referred to as a great evil, Neh. 13:23-27.
Abraham forbade Isaac to marry outside his own people, Gen. 28:1. Esau’s marriage to Hittite girls brought grief to his parents, Gen. 26:35, and Moses’ marriage to an Ethiopian woman resulted in family trouble, Num. 12:1. Later intermarriages broke up families and led to tragedy for children, Ezra 10:19, 44. Such records anticipate the social problems produced by miscegenation throughout history and in modern times.
Nations or races will continue on into the eternal state, Rev. 5:9; 21:24. It is a striking fact that the original threefold division of mankind into descendants of Shem, Ham, and Japheth, Gen. 9:18-27, reappears in the NT offer of salvation. An Ethiopian is saved in Acts 8:26-38, a Semite in Acts 9:1-16, and a Japhethite in Acts 10:1-48. Whatever may be the reason God has made a difference among the races of mankind, it does not extend to the universal offer of eternal life through Christ.
William Evans, The Great Doctrines of the Bible, (Chicago: Bible Institute Colportage Assoc., 1912), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, Under: “Race”.
Pastor’s comments:
- We can not be 100% certain that Ethiopians are the descendants of Ham or that the Romans are the descendants of Japeth. This is conjecture.
- Race does not play a role in Christ because there is neither Jew nor Gentile, but one new man.
Galatians 3:26-29 (NKJV) 26 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise. - The reason every tribe and tongue and people and nation is mention in Revelation 5:9 is to indicate the universality of those who have been redeemed by the Lamb.
Revelation 5:9 (NKJV) And they sang a new song, saying: “You are worthy to take the scroll, And to open its seals; For You were slain, And have redeemed us to God by Your blood Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation,
AMEN.