The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Genesis 11:6,
"Then they [people who had moved eastward to a plain in Shinar] 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; otherwise we will be scattered over the face of the whole earth.'"
Here is mankind, repopulating the earth, but too many generations following the flood of Noah's day, that organized themselves apart from God. The context makes clear they were pursuing a project to establish themselves as a great people, "so that we may make a name for ourselves". A great people that had no need of God and building an edifice that would challenge God's domain, "Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens..."
Some feel these people determined to build a tall tower to protect themselves in the event of another cataclysmic flood. I think that misses the point entirely. Just how many human beings can occupy a tower that "reaches to the heavens"? Certainly not this mass of people.
It is my perspective that the effort to build a tower "that reaches to the heavens" was a physical expression of either a challenge to God or an outright dismissal of God on their part. In verse 6 God says that if they were successful in completing the project, because they were such a mass of people all working together (the singular language providing the opportunity for them all to participate together), they might find themselves beyond the reach of God's intentions for them. "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."
"Then they [people who had moved eastward to a plain in Shinar] 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; otherwise we will be scattered over the face of the whole earth.'"
Here is mankind, repopulating the earth, but too many generations following the flood of Noah's day, that organized themselves apart from God. The context makes clear they were pursuing a project to establish themselves as a great people, "so that we may make a name for ourselves". A great people that had no need of God and building an edifice that would challenge God's domain, "Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens..."
Some feel these people determined to build a tall tower to protect themselves in the event of another cataclysmic flood. I think that misses the point entirely. Just how many human beings can occupy a tower that "reaches to the heavens"? Certainly not this mass of people.
It is my perspective that the effort to build a tower "that reaches to the heavens" was a physical expression of either a challenge to God or an outright dismissal of God on their part. In verse 6 God says that if they were successful in completing the project, because they were such a mass of people all working together (the singular language providing the opportunity for them all to participate together), they might find themselves beyond the reach of God's intentions for them. "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."
God did not want them thinking they were masters of their own destiny - because it would only be an illusion. You can make all the towers you want and reach the stratosphere, but death comes one day and each have an appointment with God to give an account of themselves. To be able to reach "the heavens" was not an effort at "space exploration" like we have today, but an effort to establish independence from God, reject what he has in mind for humanity and establish their own agenda.
Which brings me to today. Human effort to establish ourselves apart from God, to establish forms of government that provide "safety nets", social programs, fix all the ills of mankind takes the same route as the people at the Tower of Babel. Ever wonder why communism seeks to remove God from society? Ever wonder why one of the first accomplishments pursued by socialism is the removal of God and all the things of God from the public square? Christmas displays, plaques of the ten commandments, etc.
When we organize ourselves apart from the recognition of God and dependence upon his provision we express our corporate dismissal of God. God no longer provides for us, we have a "social safety net". God no longer rights all the wrongs (we have social justice with a brand-spanking new definition of what "justice" is!), you get the drift.
Remember, politics and religion are not two different animals. Politics is simply the public expression of our religion. Splitting the two apart was the first deceit of those who attempt to remove God from our culture, society, our public square, our conversation.
The people who attempted the Tower of Babel are still with us today, pursuing the very same agenda. Not a tower, but you see their efforts every day in the news.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
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