Bible reading: Genesis 10, 11
“And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.” – Genesis 11:4 (KJV).
Today, we come to the spectacular sin of the building of the tower of Babel. After the flood, God had said to Noah and his sons in Genesis 9:1, “…. Be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth”. That’s what chapter 10 describes. People and languages multiplied. It looked like a simple fulfillment of God’s command.
In out text, the people aim to build a city, to build a tower in the city that reaches to the heavens. They aimed at making a name for themselves and not to be dispersed over the whole earth. Building a tower into heavens is the way one makes name for oneself. So the city and the tower are the outward expression of their inward sin: PRIDE! ; the love of praise and the love of security (building a city and don’t take the risk of filling the earth).
Hence, God’s will for us is not that we find our joy in being praised, but that we find our joy in knowing and praising Him. His will is not that we find security in cities but totally in God whom we gladly obey. So just like in Adam, humans will always want to decide for themselves what is best, they think they can even rise up and take the place of God.
Now, God’s response to this spectacular sin of pride in man, who has refused to fill the earth with God’s glory, was to confuse their language, so they may not understand one another’s speech. Because, as seen in Genesis 11:1–9, they weren’t spreading. They were clustering. God came down and shattered their disobedience and made their clustering impossible. He confused their language and broke humanity into many people and languages.
Pride destroys and always come with heavy consequences. Resist pride. Obedience may be costly but priceless. Whatever He tells you to do, just DO IT!!!
Prayer:
Father baptize me with the spirit of obedience; obedience to your will, obedience to your instructions.
Pastor Chido Iroham