Old Testament Characters (Part 4)
The Tower of Babel: Security Apart From God? - Gen. 11:1-9

(This sermon was shortened to fit a "Family Day of Worship" schedule and
an afternoon worship).

Genesis 11:1-9: "Now the whole world had one language and a common
speech. {2} As men moved eastward, they found a plain in Shinar and
settled there. {3} They said to each other, "Come, let's make bricks and
bake them thoroughly." They used brick instead of stone, and tar for
mortar. {4} Then 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 and not be scattered over the face of the whole earth." {5} But
the LORD came down to see the city and the tower that the men were
building. {6} The LORD said, "If as one people speaking the same language
they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be
impossible for them. {7} Come, let us go down and confuse their language
so they will not understand each other." {8} So the LORD scattered them
from there over all the earth, and they stopped building the city. {9}
That is why it was called Babel --because there the LORD confused the
language of the whole world. From there the LORD scattered them over the
face of the whole earth."

This event took place apparently during the days of Peleg and Nimrod:
· the earth was divided in the days of Peleg, the 5th generation from
Noah (Gen.10:25)
· Nimrod set out to build Babylon, the secular empire (Gen. 10:8-12)

Nimrod was a grandson of Ham through Cush, and his name means "rebel." He
was a mighty tyrant in the sight of God, the first dictator. The word
"hunter" does not refer to the hunting of animals, but rather to the
hunting of men. He was the founder of the Babylonian empire.

"Babylon" in the Bible symbolizes rebellion against God and confusion in
religion. We see Babylon opposing the people of God throughout the Bible,
culminating in the "Great Babylon" of Rev. 17-18.

This is the beginning of false religion after the great flood. Babylon is
called the Mother of False Religion... Revelation 17:5: ..."and upon her
forehead a name was written, a mystery, "BABYLON THE GREAT, THE
MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMI-NATIONS OF THE
EARTH.""

Some have suggested that the birth of astrology upon the earth began
here.

Two major facts about the early human race:
1. One language and one speech
2. People moved or migrated in mass

God knew the designs of the rebels and judged them.

The people were whole-heartedly behind this project: to build a great
city and a religious center in the form of a gigantic tower. They wanted
to use the very best building materials possible.

There is nothing wrong with building a great nation and people...every
leader and every person should desire to be strong. But they should be
strong in order to meet the needs of the people, including their need to
worship and serve God. They should be strong in order to build a healthy
and strong society, not to make a name for themselves.

This was the tragic mistake of the human race: they undertook the
building projects to gain fame, recognition, reputation, honor, and
glory. They were out to build a memorial to their name, to boost their
own ego and pride.

They purpose was totally secular: they were acting independently of God,
totally elimi-nating God from their plans and lives.

The people had a religious purpose for building the city and great tower:
they were out to reach heaven by themselves, through their own efforts.
Note several significant facts.
· There is no mention of God in the people's plans; no mention whatsoever
of the only living and true God, of the sovereign Lord and Majesty of the
universe, of the Creator and Sustainer of all things.
· This was definitely a religious center, a great tower. The tower was
what is called in the Middle East a temple-tower, a ziggurat.
· The NIV Study Bible gives the names of several riggurats to illustrate
the point: "The House of the Seven Guides of Heaven and Earth" (at
Borsippa). "The House of the Foundation-platform of Heaven and Earth" (at
Babylon). The House of the Mountain of the Universe" (at Asshur).

The point is this: the great tower was being built as a symbol that the
people were building a stairway to heaven, building a stairway up to God.


The people must have known they could not actually reach heaven: if that
were so, they would not have built on the plains of Babylon, but begun on
a mountain.

What did God do?
This was really an act of mercy as well as judgment, for had they
persisted in their plan, a more terrible judgment would have followed.

He changed their language and he scattered them...restraining man’s evil
purpose (vs. 8). Note he did not destroy them (as in the flood) but had
mercy on them...the name of God used in this text is Jehovah or Yahweh:
His redemptive name.
The description of God’s action here explains the origin of the languages
of mankind. It has often been pointed out that Pentecost was a reversal
of Babel—there was true spiritual unity among God’s people; they spoke
with other tongues but were understood; and their work glorified God, not
men.

Why can’t mankind reach God through their own efforts?
God is perfect and any person who is going to enter heaven and live with
Him must enter under God’s terms. That was is through Jesus Christ, His
Son.

Romans 5:8: "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we
were still sin-ners, Christ died for us."

1 John 3:5: "But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our
sins. And in him is no sin."

John 3:13-18: "No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came
from heaven--the Son of Man. {14} Just as Moses lifted up the snake in
the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, {15} that everyone who
believes in him may have eternal life. {16} "For God so loved the world
that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall
not perish but have eternal life. {17} For God did not send his Son into
the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. {18}
Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe
stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of
God's one and only Son."

We should not forget to realize what God set into place in Genesis 12 and
forward: to reach down to mankind and set into place the descendents of
faith who would fill the earth..through Abraham.
In a world filled with insecurity and uncertainty, we must learn to walk
by faith, or our lives will fall apart. This applies to all of God’s
children, regardless of how old we are or how long we have walked with
the Lord.

Living by faith means obeying God’s Word in spite of feelings,
circumstances, or conse-quences. It means holding on to God’s truth no
matter how heavy the burden or how dark the day, knowing that He is
working out His perfect plan.

Last modified: April 18, 2006