Living in Divided Times  

Based on the sermon by Phil Hibbert on Sunday 5 October
Genesis 10:25; 1 Chronicles 1:18–19; Luke 3:35–36

Have you ever left yourself a reminder — a post-it on the fridge, a note in a diary, or even a phone alarm that simply says “Don’t forget”? A reminder doesn’t tell the whole story, but it points you to something bigger.

That’s exactly what Peleg is like in the Bible. He’s not famous for anything he did — just for his name, which means division. He only appears three times:

Genesis 10:25 — Eber’s son, whose very name records the dividing of the nations.

1 Chronicles 1:18–19 — the reminder repeated in Israel’s family tree.

Luke 3:35–36 — quietly included in the genealogy of Jesus.

No mighty deeds, no epic tales — just a name. Yet it’s as if God has stuck three bright post-it notes across Scripture saying: “Remember: the world was divided, but I was still at work.”

Peleg may be little more than a footnote, but he speaks powerfully into the world we live in — a world that still feels fractured and divided.

Division Born Out of Pride

Peleg lived in the days of Babel. Humanity was united in language and culture, but instead of using that unity to glorify God, they used it to glorify themselves.

“They said, Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves” (Gen 11:4).

They wanted unity without God. They wanted to reach heaven without Him. And so God scattered them, confusing their language and breaking apart their project of pride.

Peleg’s very name is a warning label: This is what happens when we build without God — division follows.

Think about social media. It promised to make us one global family. Instead, it’s often become a breeding ground for arguments, envy, and hostility. What was meant to connect has ended up dividing. The lesson is clear: pride divides.

God’s Purposes Keep Moving

But here’s the hope: even in the middle of division, God’s plan carries on.

Trace Peleg’s line forward and you find Abraham — the man through whom God promised, “All nations on earth will be blessed.” Babel’s scattering wasn’t the end of the story. God wove His rescue plan through a fractured family tree until, ultimately, it led to Jesus.

Like the Japanese art of kintsugi, where broken pottery is repaired with gold, God doesn’t erase the cracks of history — He fills them with His grace. The brokenness becomes part of the beauty.

So even in our fractured world, God is still writing His story. Division can’t stop His promises.

A Future of Healing

At Babel, languages scattered the people. But at Pentecost, the Spirit brought people from many nations together — each hearing the gospel in their own tongue. God was beginning to undo Babel’s curse.

And the Bible ends with the great vision of Revelation 7:9 — a vast multitude from every nation, tribe, people, and language gathered before the throne.

It’s like an orchestra tuning up. At first it’s just noise — all over the place. But when the conductor lifts the baton, the chaos is shaped into harmony. Out of Babel’s confusion, God is composing a symphony of praise.

Peleg was a post-it note saying, “The world was divided.” Jesus is the promise saying, “The world will be healed.”

How Do We Live in Divided Times?

Peleg’s name still speaks. It reminds us of three truths: pride divides, God’s purposes carry on, and Christ heals. But it also challenges us to live differently in our divided world.

Here are three practical ways:

Choose humility over pride.
Pride builds towers; humility builds bridges. In conversations, online or in person, ask: Am I trying to win, or am I trying to love?

Look for God’s work in broken places.
Don’t despair when families, friendships, or even churches feel fractured. Ask: How might God be using this mess to write a bigger story of redemption?

Be a preview of unity.
Live as a foretaste of heaven’s future — a community where divisions of race, class, or politics don’t have the last word, because we are one in Christ.

Peleg’s story may be short, but his name still carries weight. He reminds us that even in divided times, God is still at work — and that in Christ, division is never the final chapter.

You can watch the whole sermon on our website, here.

Or subscribe on Substack.