“In a polemical vein, [the biblical author] named the Babylonian claim an instance of hubris and filed it in the incrementally growing catalog kept since the beginning of history. Babel is the apex of arrogance. It involves the harnessing of all humanity for a single purpose devised by a totalitarian regime, with all the means it can muster. [Genesis 11 contains] an intrinsic textual scorn for the robotization of the Babylonians. They share not only one language but also uniform concepts. All the energies are mobilized for the construction of monuments to their own glory … This and the likeness of the material used in Babylon and by the Pharaohs for the erection of pyramids … bring the Bible to condemn equally the Babylonian and Egyptian megalomania. As a symbol of this, the tower plays a major role.” —LaCocque, Andre (2010). The Captivity of Innocence: Babel and the Yahwist. Wipf and Stock. 17, 19.
“In the late third millennium the ziggurat was developed by creating a succession of massive platforms on top of which a small shrine was located. This ziggurat was situated either adjacent to the main temple, or at a distance, but then connected to the temple by a succession of courtyards. It towered over the rest of the city, and must have presented an impressive sight, considering that the authors of the Biblical book of Genesis saw in Babylon’s ziggurat a prime example of man’s hubris.” —Van De Mieroop, Marc (1999). The Ancient Mesopotamian City. Oxford University Press. 77.
Babylon is actually an Akkadian word put into Hebrew. It means gate of the gods. The doorway through which runs all the traffic between gods and humanity.
Ziggurat
Etemenanki
https://en.namu.wiki/w/%EC%97%90%ED%85%8C%EB%A9%98%EC%95%99%ED%82%A4
“The Anunna-gods, of heaven and earth, made ready to speak,
To Marduk their lord they said,
“Now, Lord, you who have liberated us,
(50) What courtesy may we do you?
We will make a shrine, whose name will be a famous saying,
Your chamber that shall be our stopping place, we shall find rest therein …”
(55) When Marduk heard this,
His features glowed brightly, like the day,
“Then make Babylon the task that you requested,
Let its brickwork be formed, build high the shrine.”
The Anunna-gods set to with hoes,
(60) One (full) year they made its bricks.
When the second year came, They raised up Esagila, the counterpart to the deep-waters,
They built the high ziggurat …
For Anu-Enlil-Ea they founded his … and dwelling.
(65) Majestically he took his seat before them,
Its pinnacles were facing toward the base of Esharra …
(70) The Lord, on the Exalted Dais, which they built as his dwelling,
Seated the gods his fathers for a banquet,
“This is Babylon, your place of dwelling.
Take your pleasure there, seat yourselves in its delights!”
The great gods sat down,
(75) They set out cups, they sat down at the feast.”
After they had taken their enjoyment inside it,
And in awe-inspiring Esagila had conducted the offering,
All the orders and designs had been made permanent,
All the gods had divided the stations of heaven and netherworld,
(80) The fifty great gods took their thrones,
The seven gods of destinies were confirmed forever for rendering judgment …
After Anu had ordained the destinies of the bow,
He set out the royal throne which stood highest among the gods,
Anu had him sit there, in the assembly of the gods.
(95) Then the great gods convened,
They made Marduk’s destiny highest, they prostrated themselves …
They granted him exercise of kingship over the gods,
(100) They established him forever for lordship of heaven and earth. —Enuma Elish, Tablet 6. Quoted in Hallo, William W. and Younger, K. Lawson (2002). The Context of Scripture: Volume 1 Canonical Compositions from the Biblical World. Brill Academic Publishers. 401.
Source DKFindOut (2023) Joel Edmund Anderson
“At that time my lord Marduk told me in regard to Etemenanki, the ziqqurrat of Babylon, to ground its foundation in the lap of the underworld, to make its summit like the heavens. I fashioned pick-axes, spades and brick-moulds … and set them in the hands of a vast workforce enlisted from my land. I had them shape mud bricks without number and mould baked bricks like countless raindrops. I had the River Arakhtu bear asphalt and bitumen like a mighty flood …
Through the sagacity of Ea, through the intelligence of Marduk, through the wisdom of Nabû and Nissaba, by means of the vast mind that the god who created me let me possess, I deliberated with my great intellect, I commissioned the wisest experts … The master-builders drew taut the measuring cords, they determined the limits. I sought confirmation by consulting Shamash, Adad and Marduk and, whenever my mind deliberated (and) I pondered (unsure of) the dimensions, the great gods made (the truth) known to me by the procedure of (oracular) confirmation …
I constructed the building … and raised its top as high as a mountain. For my lord Marduk I made it an object fitting for wonder, just as it was in former times.” —Nabopolassar Cylinder A, 1.30-3.37, Translation by George, A. R. (2005). The Tower of Babel: Archaeology, History and Cuneiform Texts. Archiv Für Orientforschung. 51, 75-95.> Nabopolassar Cylinder A, 1.30-3.37, Translation by George, A. R. (2005). The Tower of Babel: Archaeology, History and Cuneiform Texts. Archiv Für Orientforschung. 51, 75-95. —Wenham, Gordon J. (1987). Word Biblical Commentary, Vol. 1: Genesis 1-15. Thomas Nelson. 172-173.> “Babel as a name solicits our attention … for it means ‘the gate of the divine’ … This empire’s ultimate achievement is a tower, a rigid monument erected upwards as a channel of communication with the divine, with a guaranteed stability and permanence. From an Israelite perspective, the tower is an assault on the divine, because it is linked with a religious illusion. God is not reached by any human construct; he comes down by choice and establishes relations by covenanting with people. He is not the God of Etemenanki, but of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” —LaCocque, Andre (2010). The Captivity of Innocence: Babel and the Yahwist. Wipf and Stock. 14.
The tower in Babylon represents a political, religious ideology that declares that this empire is the meeting place of Heaven and Earth. Dr. Tim Mackie
Influence on Pop Culture
Ghostbusters [ 4K - HDR ] vs Gozer the Gozerian ● Part 1 of 2 ● (1984)
The Reversal of Babylon in the Scriptures
Zephaniah 3:8-10
Joel 3:2
Acts 2:1-11
Acts 8:4-5
Revelation 18:1-4
Bibliography
https://bibleproject.com/classroom/noah-to-abraham
Smith, George (1873). The Chaldean Account of the Deluge (2). Transactions of the Society of Biblical Archaeology. 213-34.
Wenham, Gordon J. Genesis 1-15: word Biblical Commentary, Volume 1. Word Publishing, 1987.
https://hermeneutics.stackexchange.com/questions/8867/who-were-the-sons-of-god-bene-elohim-in-genesis-62
Heiser, Michael (2017). Reversing Hermon: Enoch, The Watchers, and the Forgotten Mission of Jesus Christ. Defender.
Annus, Amar (2010). “On the Origin of Watchers: A Comparative Study of the Antediluvian Wisdom in Mesopotamian and Jewish Traditions.” Journal for the Study of the Pseudepigrapha, Volume 19.4. 277-320.
https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2010/jan/01/noahs-ark-was-circular
Tremper Longman III, John H. Walton, et al. The Lost World of the Flood: Mythology, Theology, and the Deluge Debate
Gilgamesh subduing a lion, Louvre museum Darafsh [CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], from Wikimedia Commons
Heiser, Michael S. The Unseen Realm: Recovering the Supernatural Worldview of the Bible. First Edition. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2015.
Bible Study: “The Tower of Babel and the Ziggurat: A Lesson in Pride and God’s Sovereignty”
This study explores the historical and spiritual significance of the Tower of Babel, highlighting themes of human pride, God’s sovereignty, and our ultimate dependence on Him. Over 3-4 days, we’ll reflect on Genesis 11:1-9, delve into the cultural and theological backdrop of ziggurats, and apply these lessons to our lives today.
Day 1: The Tower of Babel—A Tale of Pride and Rebellion
Scripture: Genesis 11:1-4
Focus: Humanity’s pride and self-sufficiency
Key Reflection:
The Tower of Babel represents humanity’s desire to “make a name for ourselves” (v. 4) without regard for God’s will. By building a ziggurat, the people sought to reach the heavens on their own terms, symbolizing their rebellion and rejection of dependence on God.
Hebrew Word Study:
- Shem (שֵׁם) – “Name”
In Genesis 11:4, the people wanted to build a tower to make a “name” for themselves. This desire for personal glory contrasts with God’s promise to Abraham in Genesis 12:2, where God declares, “I will make your name great.” Consider how God desires to exalt the humble, not the proud (James 4:6).
Reflection Questions:
1. In what ways do we seek to “make a name for ourselves” today, apart from God?
2. How can we replace self-reliance with humble submission to God’s will?
Prayer Point:
Ask God to reveal areas of pride in your life and help you trust in His plan rather than your own efforts.
Day 2: The Ziggurat—Humanity’s Attempt to Bridge Heaven and Earth
Scripture: Genesis 11:5-9
Focus: God’s intervention and judgment
Key Reflection:
The ziggurat symbolized humanity’s attempt to reach the divine on their terms. However, God’s descent to confuse their language reveals His authority and the futility of human efforts to control divine matters.
Hebrew Word Study:
- Babel (בָּבֶל) – “Confusion”
The name Babel is a wordplay in Hebrew, sounding like “confusion” (balal, בָּלַל). This emphasizes the irony: what humanity intended as a place of unity and greatness became a symbol of disunity and failure.
Reflection Questions:
1. What does the confusion of languages teach us about God’s sovereignty over human plans?
2. How does this passage encourage you to trust in God’s wisdom rather than your own?
Prayer Point:
Pray for humility to recognize God’s authority and align your ambitions with His purposes.
Day 3: Anti-Eden and the Sovereignty of God
Scripture: Isaiah 14:12-15; Revelation 21:1-4
Focus: Comparing Babel to God’s redemptive plan
Key Reflection:
The Tower of Babel is often seen as an anti-Eden, a place where humanity sought to ascend to God rather than dwell with Him in harmony. In contrast, God’s redemptive plan through Jesus promises a new heaven and new earth where God dwells with His people.
Greek Word Study:
- Katabaino (καταβαίνω) – “To come down”
In Genesis 11:5, God “came down” to see the tower. This word reminds us of Christ, who “came down” from heaven to bring salvation (John 6:38). God’s descent highlights His initiative in engaging with humanity rather than humanity’s efforts to reach Him.
Reflection Questions:
1. How does the Tower of Babel contrast with God’s ultimate plan for dwelling with His people?
2. How does Jesus’ coming fulfill our desire to connect with God in ways Babel could not?
Prayer Point:
Thank God for His plan to dwell with us through Jesus, and ask for faith to live with an eternal perspective.
Day 4: Application and Preparation for Next Week
Scripture: Philippians 2:9-11
Focus: Living in submission to Christ’s Lordship
Key Reflection:
While Babel’s builders sought their own glory, Philippians 2:9-11 reminds us that God exalted Christ, and every knee will bow to Him. We are called to live not for our name but for His glory.
Reflection Questions:
1. How can you live humbly under Christ’s Lordship this week?
2. In what ways can you point others to Christ’s glory instead of your own?
Prayer Point:
Pray for the humility to exalt Jesus in every aspect of your life.