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CapitolBibleDiscussionHandoutGenesis11“TheTowerofBabel”

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In Genesis 11, we come to a classic story about a city whose downfall holds timeless significance. 1. BABYLON’S PROBLEM WITH PRIDE “Now the whole earth used the same language and the same words. 2 It came about as they journeyed east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there. 3 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. 4 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.” Genesis Chapter 11 takes place early within the account in Chapter 10 and relatively soon after Noah’s flood, since Genesis 10:5 described how people were divided according to various languages and 11:1 takes place beforehand when the whole earth was still one language. God had told the people to spread out on the earth (Genesis 9:1), but instead they “settled” in Shinar, aka Babylon, located in modern day Iraq. This is the formation of the first world empire described in Genesis 10:8-12. It was led by Ham’s descendent Nimrod and included Babel (10:10) and many other cities. A Babylonian account called the Enuma Elish written 1600-1800 BC describes the building of the city of Babylon as a heavenly city constructed with brick, where each brick was said to be inscribed with the name of the Babylonian god Marduk. The Babylonians called their city “babbilie” = “the gate of a god.” The tower described in this passage was most likely a ziggurat, which was an ancient pyramid with stamps or ramps up the sides and a temple on top. Ruins of many ziggurats, some as tall as 300 feet high, have been found in this part of the world. The ziggurats were used to access the heavens and worship the gods. In fact, the zodiac signs were invented in ancient Babylon for this purpose. In summary then, this passage describes the rising of a large and godless world empire led by a dictator in direct violation of God’s command and with the aim to exalt mankind rather than to glorify God.

2. GOD’S SOLUTION TO BABYLON’S PROBLEM 5 The Lord came down to see the city and the tower which the sons of men had built. 6 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. 7 Come, let Us go down and there confuse their language, so that they will not understand one another’s speech.” 8 So the Lord scattered them abroad from there over the face of the whole earth; and they stopped building the city. 9 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. God knew that if the people succeeded in uniting as an evil one-world empire things would go bad. Godless autocratic empires always do, as history shows. If left to themselves, society would no doubt have found itself right back where it was in the days of Noah when almost no one knew God or sought Him. And so, God mercifully put an end to their plans and undid everything the people were trying to do. He somehow confused their languages. The Hebrew word balel means “confused,” and we still today say that someone who is not making sense in their speech is “babbling.” There is no indication of how long this confusing took, and so it may have been a gradual change over a number of generations. In the end, God achieved his purposes and the people were scattered across the earth as he had originally commanded them (9:1). Also, separate nations were established to serve as a check to others who might try to dominate in the future.

©2017FrankErb

Genesis11“TheTowerofBabel”continued…

A WARNING FOR THE GENERATIONS: The story of Babel is a warning about the danger of godless pride. In his arrogance, man often makes his plans without consulting God, each time building his own “tower,” so to speak. How often do people think, “Come, let us build for ourselves” and “let us make for ourselves a name” (Genesis 11:4)! But God has his ways of humbling those who exalt themselves. The city of Babylon continued after Genesis 11. In fact, many centuries later, in about 600 BC, the city was again the hub of a great world empire, this time led by a man named Nebuchadnezzar.

An ancient engraving with

an inscription of Nebuchadnezzar II.

The book of Daniel, chapter 4, describes how Nebuchadnezzar repeated Nimrod’s mistakes. Archaeologists have even found that the bricks of his city had his name inscribed on them. Nebuchadnezzar paid a price for his hubris.

Daniel 4:28-37 “All this happened to Nebuchadnezzar the king. Twelve months later he was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon. The king reflected and said, ‘Is this not Babylon the great, which I myself have built as a royal residence by the might of my power and for the glory of my majesty?’ While the word was in the king’s mouth, a voice came from heaven, saying, ‘King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is declared: sovereignty has been removed from you, and you will be driven away from mankind, and your dwelling place will be with the beasts of the field. You will be given grass to eat like cattle, and seven periods of time will pass over you until you recognize that the Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind and bestows it on whomever He wishes.’ Immediately the word concerning Nebuchadnezzar was fulfilled; and he was driven away from mankind and began eating grass like cattle, and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven until his hair had grown like eagles’ feathers and his nails like birds’ claws. But at the end of that period, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High and praised and honored Him who lives forever; … At that time my reason returned to me. And my majesty and splendor were restored to me for the glory of my kingdom, and my counselors

and my nobles began seeking me out; so I was reestablished in my sovereignty, and surpassing greatness was added to me. Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise, exalt and honor the King of heaven, for all His works are true and His ways just, and He is able to humble those who walk in pride.”

Still, the spirit of Babylon lived on. In the 1980’s Iraqi President Saddam Hussein embarked on a bold plan to rebuild the ancient city of Babylon on the very site of Nebuchadnezzar’s city, this time with each brick bearing Hussein’s name. It was an audacious project only cut short by the U.S. military invasion in 2003.

And so today, any nation that seeks to thrive without God repeats the error of Babylon, and rightly bears that name. In fact, the book of Revelation in Revelation 17 describes one last evil empire that will rise up against God someday in the end times. Its name? “Babylon the great.” We today should heed the words of the esteemed American founding father Benjamin Franklin, when he wisely advised regarding the formation of the United States:

“I have lived, Sir, a long time and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth -- that God governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without his notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without his aid? We have been assured, Sir, in the sacred writings that "except the Lord build they labor in vain that build it." I firmly believe this; and I also believe that without his concurring aid we shall succeed in this political building no better than the Builders of Babel.”