The Tower of Babel - Sunday School Stories part 3
The Great Tower at Babel
Our next story in our series is quite short, only 9 verses, however its implications can be seen through the rest of Scripture and certainly felt today. Now, before we simply dismiss this story as mythology, or some allegorical lesson regarding the nature of ethnicities, take a look at this picture.
Ruins of Eridu - 2011
What we are seeing are what was left in 2011 of the City of Eridu. Eridu is one of eight possible locations for the Genesis city of Babel, however what makes it extra special is the fact it is widely accepted to be the first city of human civilization. On top of that, it meets all the criteria to be the Babel we are reading about. I should note that many cities have held the name Babel, but as far as the ancient history we are unfolding today, this is most probably the place. Now, it isn’t much to look at now, but consider this next picture.
Diagram of the Temple complex and foundation found at Eridu
See a discussion on why Eridu fits the biblical story of the Tower of Babel here.
Here is an artist rendering of the temple complex at Eridu. That smaller rectangle with lines inside is an overhead diagram of the temple discovered in Eridu. The giant rectangle next to it is an enormous foundation laid catty-corner to the temple. What makes this foundation so fascinating for archeology is that the stones laid for the foundation do not match the stones discovered in the building of what became the great ziggurat. What they have found is that this massive foundation was laid just before a time of expansion called the Uruk Expansion. For some reason unknown to secular archeologists, the inhabitants of Eridu began construction of this massive building, and then they just left. It wouldn’t be until hundreds of years later a king of a neighboring city decided to complete this project.
Let’s recap:
In the city identified as the first human city, the inhabitants began to construct an enormous structure. Just after the foundation is laid, the builders inexplicably leave, not just the construction, but the city itself. And based on pottery findings in and around the area, it would appear the migration was very quick and very broad.
But, surely this whole scenario is mere coincidence, and the biblical story is just a story.
Or, it could be that with many fields of science, archeology is catching up to the biblical narrative.
That being said, today let us turn to Genesis 11 and read this very fascinating tale of human ingenuity and Divine action. Because ultimately, our story today is less about the scientific accuracy of the Bible writers and much more about what God desires for humanity.
United Humanity Destroyed : Genesis 11:1-9
Now the whole earth had one language and the same words. 2 And as people migrated from the east, they found a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there. 3 And they said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks, and burn them thoroughly.” And they had brick for stone, and bitumen for mortar. 4 Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be dispersed over the face of the whole earth.” 5 And the Lord came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of man had built. 6 And the Lord said, “Behold, they are one people, and they have all one language, and this is only the beginning of what they will do. And nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them. 7 Come, let us go down and there confuse their language, so that they may not understand one another's speech.” 8 So the Lord dispersed them from there over the face of all the earth, and they left off building the city. 9 Therefore its name was called Babel, because there, the Lord confused the language of all the earth. And from there the Lord dispersed them over the face of all the earth.
Now, what was the sin for these people? What is so wrong with building a great tower? After all we know that humans have been building giant structures ever since they learned to put two stones on another. What child has not used Legos or dominos to see how tall they make a tower? One of the great accomplishments in my adult life was showing my son how build a tower as tall as he was!
The problem is found in verse 4. They want to build the tower with its top in the heavens “in order to make a name for ourselves.” It is reminiscent of the promise made by the serpent in the Garden. Satan told Adam and Eve they would be like God if they ate from the fruit. Here, the people once again seek to be like God by uniting together, build a great structure to the heavens, and make a name for themselves.
The sin of the Tower is the attempt of humans to claim Divine authority and prestige.
The Lord sees what they are doing, and judges this should not be. He confounds their language so that the people cannot communicate with each other. Consider the confusion that would occur immediately. Each builder is trying to communicate with his neighbor, but neither understands the other. Then, slowly, they begin finding similarly sounding humans, and they all leave the area. Each language group moves out and resettles another area. We know some groups remain nomadic for thousands of years, and some begin new cities close by, while others migrate 1000s of miles before beginning new constructions. If you look back at chapter 10, you will see the Bible records many of these migrations in the genealogy following Noah.
The biblical narrative then returns to the genealogy of Shem in order to tell the generations leading to Abram which brings Genesis into its main focus which is the calling of Abram who becomes Abraham by God into a great family which in turn becomes the nation of Israel, but those are stories for another day.
With this very short story complete, I would like to make a very important point, but before I do, I should warn you to watch your toes. In our heated environment today, it is a lesson we all need, but not many will be ready for:
The conflict caused by diversity of language and culture is a product of the Fall.
Now, I do not mean that diversity is a bad thing...far from it. In fact, if you look again at verse 4, you will see part of the problem is the people did not want to be dispersed around the world. The Lord made humans to be diverse creatures, however we were originally designed with ones language which would have produced one culture. I propose that had humans not fallen, we would still have much diversity in terms of human development and achievement, however we would be united in one godly culture, but alas, that is, and will always be, conjecture.
What I mean is that in the Fall of Humanity, humans decided to be their own god. They were supposed to be the image of God, but they chose to subvert God’s place of authority. Here, at the Tower, they once again wish to subvert God’s authority. In response, so that humans cannot corrupt the earth as they did before the Flood, the Lord confounds the language making them separate. Fast forward thousands of years, and humans have forgotten they all belong to the same family.
The separation of humans into diverse nations, languages, and people is a culmination of 1000s of years of history. Genetically, the only difference in humans is how much melanin is in the skin, and this is simply a product of adaptation. The further away from the equator humans moved, the less melanin needed, so the skin produced less until the ones crazy enough to live in frozen climates became pasty white and had light hair. Those who preferred the warmth of the sun at the equator kept their darker pigmentation, because God designed the skin to not burn in the sun so long as it keeps its melanin.
But skin tones do not cause division and conflict in humans, it is the language barriers, the cultural differences, and at the root, it is the pride that my way is better than your way.
Arrogance of one’s language and culture over another’s is the cause of ethnic conflicts.
There is quite a bit of noise today about multiculturalism, diversity, and racism. I say ‘noise’ because very few are actually ‘communicating’ and ‘discussing’, they are simply babbling on. And, I use the word ‘babbling’ purposefully.
The failure to communicate at Babel continues today with more ‘babble’.
So what, as Christians, are we to do? I am so glad you asked. Turn with me to Acts 2.
Divided Humanity Bridged : Acts 2:1-8
When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3 And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. 5 Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. 6 And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. 7 And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language?
“The Lord gives and the Lord takes” (Job 1:21). In Genesis the Lord confounds the language, because with a united language and purpose, “nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them.” (Gen 11:6). Now, in Acts 2, we see God reunites the languages. It is absolutely important to note that the sign the Holy Spirit gave upon dwelling in the Apostles is the ability to speak in other languages. Some of our charismatic brothers and sisters emphasize the gift of tongues to be angelic babbling, but look closely.
The indwelling Holy Spirit brought with Him the ability for the diverse languages to communicate with one another.
Hopefully you are seeing the pattern with this series of stories:
The world is created, and then corrupted, so God sends His Son to restore and make all things new.
The Lord floods the earth with water to wash away the effects of sin’s corruption, and one day Christ will return and flood the earth with fire to transform it.
The Lord confounds the language of sinful man, curtailing their arrogance, but through His Son, His Spirit comes to believers reuniting them as One People for God’s Pleasure.
Do not miss this very important point:
The conflict of diverse people is a result of the Fall, but reconciliation of diverse people comes through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Christians are reconciled to God through Christ and given the ministry of reconciliation by Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit. The Great Commission is to make disciples of all nations. Failure to seek reconciliation—whether in forgiving or seeking forgiveness—failure to be hospitable, or failure to create bridges of communication and love with those outside of “your people” is to live in disobedience to the Great Commission and disobedience to God.
Now, I am speaking to the Christians in the audience. I do not expect those who live in sinful disobedience to God to reconcile with their fellow humans. In fact, I would argue it is only by the grace of God these groups are able to find any reconciliation. But for the Christian, it is a pillar of the Gospel story that Christians are One people gathered from the many nations, languages and ethnicities.
For the Christian to maintain divisive attitudes regarding people groups is for the Christian to fail to assimilate into the Christian culture.
Consider the irony of this situation. In US history, we see the story of people from all over the world coming into North America to start new lives and build this new country. But, of course, conflicts occur because some groups fail to assimilate with others. The great sinful irony for much of this history is that the very ones who complained about their neighbors failing to assimilate would sit in a church pew on Sunday singing God’s praise. Of course, there were many Christians who do not fall in this generalization, but consider the irony for those who do. They complained about those unwilling to assimilate which only demonstrated their failure to assimilate to God’s standard of culture.
We may not be able to do anything for our ancestral brothers and sisters, but we can certainly consider today a new day and take stock of our own attitudes. For any who still buck at this idea, turn with me to Revelation 7, and let’s read what God has in store for His New Creation.
United Humanity Redeemed : Rev 7:9-10
After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, 10 and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”
What does John see at this culmination of history? Who is before the throne of God singing praise for salvation? Who are the multitudes who have washed their robes and serve the Lord?
It is a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages!
Failure to repent of cultural arrogance and reconcile with all people groups is a failure to join in God’s mission of Redemption.
If God is in the process of reconciling all people to Himself, it is absolute foolishness on our part to say we cannot build bridges of communication, reconciliation, and love with our neighbors and fellow humans.