God Disperses the ProudThe Tower of Babel

Genesis 11:1-9

BACKGROUND – THE TABLE OF NATIONSFOLLOWING THE FLOOD

Genesis 10

The descendants of Japheth

Japheth … descendants (10:2–5) were largely responsible for the founding of much of what is now Eastern Europe. Some of the settlements included Ukraine (Gomer), Turkey (Magog, Tubal, Meshech), Greece (Javan), southern Russia (Ashkenaz), Cyprus (Elishah), and the Greek Isles (Kittim).– Strassner, K. (2009). Opening up Genesis

(51). Leominster: Day One Publications.

The descendants of Ham

Ham’s … descendants (10:6–19) are the ancestors of many of the peoples of North Africa and the Middle East—all along the southern and eastern coasts of the Mediterranean Sea. The nations settled by Ham include Sudan (Cush), Egypt (Mizraim), Libya (Put), Yemen (Sheba), Lebanon (Sidon), and Palestine (Canaan)– Strassner, K. (2009). Opening up Genesis

(51). Leominster: Day One Publications.

The descendants of Shem

Finally, Shem’s … descendants (10:21–31) grew into the dominant nations of the Middle East. They settled in regions like modern Iran (Elam), Iraq (Asshur), Assyria (Aram), and Saudi Arabia (Joktan). Most significantly, Eber settled in Ancient Mesopotamia and, through his descendants Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, fathered the nation of Israel. In fact, the designation “Hebrew” is probably a derivative of the name Eber.– Strassner, K. (2009). Opening up Genesis (51).

Leominster: Day One Publications.

From Ham – Nimrod builds Babel

Genesis 10:8–12 (NET) 8 Cush was the father of Nimrod; he began to be a valiant warrior on the earth. 9 He was a mighty hunter before the Lord. (That is why it is said, “Like Nimrod, a mighty hunter before the Lord.”) 10 The primary regions of his kingdom were Babel, Erech, Akkad, and Calneh in the land of Shinar. 11 From that land he went to Assyria, where he built Nineveh, Rehoboth-Ir, Calah, 12 and Resen, which is between Nineveh and the great city Calah.

THE REBELLION – THE TOWER OF BABEL

Genesis 11:1–9 (NET)1 The whole earth had a common language and a common

vocabulary. 2 When the people moved eastward, they found a plain in Shinar

and settled there. 3 Then they said to one another, “Come, let’s make bricks and

bake them thoroughly.” (They had brick instead of stone and tar instead of mortar.)

4 Then they said, “Come, let’s build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens so that we may make a name for ourselves. Otherwise we will be scattered across the face of the entire earth.”

5 But the Lord came down to see the city and the tower that the people had started building.

6 And the Lord said, “If as one people all sharing a common language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be beyond them.

7 Come, let’s go down and confuse their language so they won’t be able to understand each other.”

8 So the Lord scattered them from there across the face of the entire earth, and they stopped building the city.

9 That is why its name was called Babel – because there the Lord confused the language of the entire world, and from there the Lord scattered them across the face of the entire earth.

A United People

Gen. 11:1 The whole earth had a common language and a common vocabulary.

The Rebellion of Disobedience

Gen. 11:2-3 2 When the people moved eastward, they found a plain in Shinar and settled there. Then they said to one another, “Come, let’s make bricks and bake them thoroughly.” (They had brick instead of stone and tar instead of mortar.)

Before the FloodGen. 1:28 God blessed them

and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply! Fill the earth and subdue it!

After the FloodGen. 9:7 But as for you, be

fruitful and multiply; increase abundantly on the earth and multiply on it.”

The Rebellion of Arrogance

Gen. 11:4 Then they said, “Come, let’s build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens so that we may make a name for ourselves. Otherwise we will be scattered across the face of the entire earth.”

The Babylonian ZigguratEtemenanki (Sumerian: "temple of the foundation of heaven and

earth") was the name of a ziggurat dedicated to Marduk in the city of Babylon. It was famously rebuilt by the 6th century BC Neo-Babylonian dynasty rulers Nabopolassar and Nebuchadnezzar II.

Nebuchadnezzar wrote that the original tower had been built in antiquity: "A former king built the Temple of the Seven Lights of the Earth, but he did not complete its head. Since a remote time, people had abandoned it, without order expressing their words. Since that time earthquakes and lightning had dispersed its sun-dried clay; the bricks of the casing had split, and the earth of the interior had been scattered in heaps.“

Stated to be 91 meters by 91 meters and the same height.

4100 year old Great Ziggurat of Ur, near Nasirivah, Iraq

But God Comes down

Gen. 11:5 But the Lord came down to see the city and the tower that the people had started building.

Changing their goals

Gen. 11:6 And the Lord said, “If as one people all sharing a common language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be beyond them.

Contrast: Arrogance, self- edification - Gen. 11:4 Then they said, “Come, let’s build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens so that we may make a name for ourselves. Otherwise we will be scattered across the face of the entire earth.”

Confusion

Gen. 11:7 Come, let’s go down and confuse their language so they won’t be able to understand each other.”

Contrast: A Common Goal - Gen. 11:3 Then they said to one another, “Come, let’s make bricks and bake them thoroughly.” (They had brick instead of stone and tar instead of mortar.)

Forced to Scatter

Gen. 11:8 So the Lord scattered them from there across the face of the entire earth, and they stopped building the city.

Contrast: Security -Gen. 11:2 When the people moved eastward, they found a plain in Shinar and settled there.

From Unity/security to Confusion/scattering

Gen. 11:9 That is why its name was called Babel – because there the Lord confused the language of the entire world, and from there the Lord scattered them across the face of the entire earth.

Babel is a “paronomasia” or pun: In Akkadian Bab-ilim means “gate of the god”, In Hebrew Babel means “confuse” or “confound”.The Contrast: Unity - Gen. 11:1 The whole earth had

a common language and a common vocabulary.

The Nations continue to Rebel

Psalm 2 (NET)1 Why do the nations rebel? Why are the countries devising plots that

will fail? 2 The kings of the earth form a united front; the rulers collaborate against the Lord and his anointed king. 3 They say, “Let’s tear off the shackles they’ve put on us! Let’s free ourselves from their ropes!” 4 The one enthroned in heaven laughs in disgust; the Lord taunts them. 5 Then he angrily speaks to them and terrifies them in his rage, saying, 6 “I myself have installed my king on Zion, my holy hill.” 7 The king says, “I will announce the Lord’s decree. He said to me: ‘You are my son! This very day I have become your father! 8 Ask me, and I will give you the nations as your inheritance, the ends of the earth as your personal property. 9 You will break them with an iron scepter; you will smash them like a potter’s jar!’” 10 So now, you kings, do what is wise; you rulers of the earth, submit to correction! 11 Serve the Lord in fear! Repent in terror! 12 Give sincere homage! Otherwise he will be angry, and you will die because of your behavior, when his anger quickly ignites. How blessed are all who take shelter in him!

God Will Unify Mankind to Worship Him

Zephaniah 3:9–11 (NET)9 Know for sure that I will then enable the

nations to give me acceptable praise. All of them will invoke the Lord’s name when they pray, and will worship him in unison. 10 From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia, those who pray to me will bring me tribute. 11 In that day you will not be ashamed of all your rebelliousness against me, for then I will remove from your midst those who proudly boast, and you will never again be arrogant on my holy hill.

The Day of Pentecost was a foreshadow of the day the nations will worship God as one.

Lessons for Israel and Us

• Be no more impressed with the people of the Ziggurats as you should have been the people of the pyramids.

• God is not impressed with the goals/ambitions of man.

• God disperses the disobedient and proud.

• No man can reach into heaven. God must reach down to man.

John 3:13 (NET)13 No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven – the Son of Man.