A Deeper Dive - Interpreting Babble
August 8, 2021

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.
Genesis 11:1-9

Moses (writer of Genesis) uses the story of the flood and the story of
Reveal Answer
for two purposes.

  1. to characterize the ways of humankind

  2. to demonstrate God’s acts of judgment toward humanity’s proud efforts to rule over the creation, not as God’s faithful representatives but as rebels.

The Human Heart is Arrogant and
Reveal Answer

By building the tower, the inhabitants of the city wanted to make a name for themselves and to unify the people by preventing the population from being scattered across the earth (See Gen 11:4)

God
Reveal Answer

He perceived their intentions, and in his infinite wisdom, he knew this great tower would only lead the people

Reveal Answer
from God.

The goal of the people was not to

Reveal Answer
God and lift up his name, but to build a name for themselves.

Lessons from the Tower of Babel

Sin

Reveal Answer
our lives
The people were building a monument to
Reveal Answer

Unity is
Reveal Answer
the problem

Questions for Reflection

  1. Are there any human-made “stairways to heaven” you are building in your life?

  2. Are your accomplishments drawing more attention to yourself than bringing glory to God?

  3. Are your goals in line with God’s will?

  4. Are you seeking the plan of God for your life?

  5. Are you in need of the saving grace that Only God can provide?