What's All this Babel About?

Genesis 11:1–9 NASB95

Now the whole earth used the same language and the same words. It came about as they journeyed east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there. They said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks and burn them thoroughly.” And they used brick for stone, and they used tar for mortar. They said, “Come, let us build for ourselves a city, and a tower whose top will reach into heaven, and let us make for ourselves a name, otherwise we will be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth.” The Lord came down to see the city and the tower which the sons of men had built. The Lord said, “Behold, they are one people, and they all have the same language. And this is what they began to do, and now nothing which they purpose to do will be impossible for them. “Come, let Us go down and there confuse their language, so that they will not understand one another’s speech.” So the Lord scattered them abroad from there over the face of the whole earth; and they stopped building the city. Therefore its name was called Babel, because there the Lord confused the language of the whole earth; and from there the Lord scattered them abroad over the face of the whole earth.

INTRO: How many of you took a foreign language in school? How did you do with that? I took Spanish in high school… I guess I did ok- but I can honestly say that I was a bit distracted. Spanish class is where I met my wife… didn’t know her real name for the first few months! Anyway, I have since studied Greek and Hebrew. To say that I struggled through the classes is an understatement.

Language fascinates me. There are roughly 6500 different languages spoken in the world today. I don’t know how some folks get their mouths to make those sounds! And then, there’s the languages within the language. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, just spend a little time listening to a group of teenagers. I love you guys, but sometimes I have no clue what you are saying!!

When we go to Haiti, we have translators. In fact, I usually get to preach and teach a good bit while we are there. It’s not as easy as you might think! Not only is there a need to translate the words, but sometimes the words I use are not translate-able… and no, these are not just the words that I make up!

But what is equally amazing is that there was a time when everyone spoke the same language. This was the case in the days following Noah. Noah and his family were tasked with filling the earth following the flood. Even several generations beyond Noah, the people all spoke the same language - We see that in Gen 11:1. But all that changed at Babel. And, if you have read Genesis, you might just note that chapter 10 is not chronologically before chapter 11, but- like Gen. 1-2, gives an overview of the people then the details of how that came to be.

Today, we are going to examine this account in Gen. 11. My prayer is that we will leave here with more than a history lesson, as we search out the timeless truths of God’s Word. If you picked up a bulletin, you can ready your sermon guide and pen as you follow along with me this morning. As always, I hope you will make use of the discussion questions this week as you seek to grow in your walk with the Lord.

There is a lesson for us imbedded in this account, so let us learn together “What’s all this Babel about?”

Babel is about man’s rebellion (2-4)

As a kid, I was so confused about this story. What was so wrong about building a tower? I liked building towers with my legos and linkin logs… was that inherently wrong? But the focus really isn’t on the buildings- the city or the tower, but rather is a picture of man stepping outside of God’s will and rebelling against God’s command to “fill the earth”

If you remember several weeks ago, we talked about man being made in God’s image. As such, man is a visible representation to all of creation of God’s rule and reign. God set man upon the earth in order that they would fill the earth and would be a glorious picture of God’s kingdom. Noah and his family were commissioned with this task even as Adam and Eve had been.

But what we see in Genesis 11 is a rebellion of man. We can break this rebellion down to two interacting parts:

Lack of trust. (2-3)

For reasons we can only speculate about, man began to fear spreading out. Perhaps it was the uncertainty about the types of land they would come to or the food supply that would be available.

Maybe it was just the fear of the unknown. They were unsure about what they would face- the dangers, the difficulties, etc.

Either way, the people had somehow lost their trust in God to provide, protect, and guide them as they fulfilled their mission.

This isn’t all that difficult to imagine. I know many people who, lacking trust in God, have not pursued the calling placed on their lives. Can you imagine if Noah had not have trusted God? In fact, I wonder how many of you sitting here this morning are ignoring God’s call on your life because you don’t trust that God will see you through it.

The people of Babel saw a plain that seemed safer than God’s plan.

Desire for praise (4)

In v.4, we see that the people were intent upon making a name for themselves. They had the idea that they could do better for themselves than God could do for them.

Here is what we can see- they knew that they were mortal… that they would only be on this earth for a short while. So, in order to make a name for themselves, they would need to create a lasting legacy. This was done through the building of cities. The tower that would reach heaven (4b) was not an attempt for man to get to God’s heaven, but rather a description of a tall building. We use similar wording with “skyscraper”- it doesn’t literally scrape the sky, but it’s really tall.

History shows that kings and countries have all taken this same approach. The famous kings- the ones we know much about- all built great cities. These cities would stand for long enough that generations beyond would know the names. Think about the pyramids in Egypt or the Roman coliseum. In America, we name cities after people or after a city of a great nation (think New York, New Hampshire, New Jersey).

The people here desired that praise and attempted to exalt themselves through the building of a great city.

We see this too in people today- the celebrity culture, the lust for fame and power - How many have forsaken God’s design and traded it for self-exaltation?

Babel is a picture of man’s rebellion against God. As we move forward in the story, we also see that

Discuss: Do you trust God? How is your trust demonstrated in your life? In what ways have you allowed fear or pride derail you from God’s mission?

Babel is about God’s personal role in the world (5-8)

Do you believe that God is personal and active in the world? I do.

Some folks argue that God is a “hands-off” god.. in other words, they might agree that He created the earth, but then they say that he does not get involved, he just hangs out.

But friends, the God of the Bible is indeed a personal God. And He takes a personal role in the world. We saw that last week in the story of Noah. If you remember reading - God Himself sent the flood. It was His command, his idea, his judgment.

Likewise, we see that God took a personal role at Babel. Let’s read 5-8 again and I want to walk through this. (READ)

First off, language can be tricky. Some see v. 5 and say, well God must not really be omnipresent if He had to come down. Well, how do you describe God? You have to use human language - there’s a big word for it called “anthropomorphism” which simply means using human language to describe God. This happens a lot in Scripture and we won’t get off on that rabbit trail this morning.

But we ought to notice a couple things:

Even the great feat of man to build this city and tower is diminished to almost nothing when compared to God’s greatness. They built a tower to reach the heavens- something any man would be proud of, but the way this is presented here, God is described as coming down to see it.. it’s like he get’s down and goes- “Oh, that’s cute…”

God was not threatened by their buildings or their creation. God made man and gave him the ability to do that. So, God’s concern was not that man would somehow surpass His greatness. I’ve heard people claim that God was insecure… come on, folks… let’s be real. If you think that God is worried that His own creation might become greater than He, you’re off your rocker!

But God’s plan was for man to fill the earth, and they had chosen instead to rebel. And even though man had chosen to be obstinate, God is not thwarted. And so, God chose to scatter them by confusing their language.

In other words, God frustrated the plans of man to accomplish His will.

Thinking through this, I can see how God used this tactic when calling me to ministry. I had my plans- I was good at my job in hotel management, but God frustrated my plans one by one. He frustrated my plans with a hotel company in Asheville, so I went to Greenville. There, he continued to put people in my life to give me guidance as He frustrated those plans. Ultimately, I surrendered to His will. And He has been so good to me.

Discuss: Where has God taken a personal role in the world around you? Has He frustrated your plans in order to bring you into His will?

Babel is about man’s rebellion against God, and God’s personal role in the world. Finally, as we look to verse 9, we see

Babel is a symbol of God’s sovereignty (9)

Even though this city was a rebellion against God, it’s name comes from God’s action, not from man’s. I find it ironic that in man’s attempt to make a name for himself, God demonstrates that He is ultimately in charge of history.

The nation that would later be called Babylon comes out of this very event. And though this nation was wicked and secular, God used them to bring about His will. They acted out of self-exaltation, but God used them to judge Israel. And through their taking of prisoners, God would raise up Daniel and his companions to shine the light of the one true God to the kings of Babylon.

Time and time again throughout the Scriptures, we see this testimony.

Jonah sought safety and self-satisfaction, but God’s name was made known in Ninevah

In the book of Acts, the disciples were commanded to go to all the nations (Great Commission), but they chose to stay in Jerusalem. Yet, God allowed persecution to come and as Stephen was martyred, the church scattered as they were initially commanded, taking the Gospel to Samaria and eventually to Asia minor and even Rome.

Beyond the days of Scripture, wars and invasions has led to the Gospel being delivered to sinful nations

Even America’s beginning goes back to God’s command to take the Gospel to the ends of the earth.

And in Revelation 18, we see that Babylon- the great city that the world sees as it’s security and hope, becomes the symbol of God’s sovereign rule and reign as it falls in judgment.

You see, friends, God has given us His Word. There is no one like our God! None can compare to His greatness. His might and power are beyond our comprehension. His glory and goodness are beyond our imagination.

And so, as we draw our time to a close, I want to ask you church:

Are you walking in obedience to God’s call on your life? Or are you rebelling? Have you allowed your fear to keep you from following Christ’s command? Have you given into the lust of self-exaltation instead of proclaiming the rule and reign of Christ? What is your Babel?

I want to invite you to surrender it over to the Lord today.

Discuss: Looking back, where do you see God’s sovereignty amidst the Babels of the world? Read Proverbs 3:5-6 and discuss in light of this teaching.