Sermon Tone Analysis

In our previous studies we looked at the account of Noah.

We focused on Noah's faithfulness in building the the Ark and also the faith that enabled Noah to survive in God's waiting room.

As a result of Noah's faith in God and His promises, Noah and his family were saved while the rest of the world was destroyed in God's just judgment.

When the flood was over, Noah presented an offering to the Lord.

God was pleased and made a promise to Noah, "Never again will I curse the ground because of man, even though every inclination of his heart is evil from childhood."

(8:21) And then God gave Noah (and us) a rainbow which was to always serve as a reminder of God's promise.

But did you notice something in the words I read?

The flood is over.

The ground has dried.

But the problem remains.

God still says that "every inclination of man's heart is evil from childhood."

He does not say this in the past tense . . . it is present tense.

This is our nature.

As someone has said, we "aren't sinners because we sin . . .

.we sin because we are sinners".

The idea that mankind is basically good or born innocent is something that is never supported in Scripture.

In the couple of chapters that follow we see a sad story about conflict in Noah's own family and then we read the story of the people of Babel and the tower or monument they tried to build.

These accounts reveal that the words of God are true . . .

people are naturally rebellious.

In Chapter 10 verses 8-11, in the midst of a long section of "begats" we read about a man named Nimrod.

We are told that he became a mighty warrior on the earth.

He built cities and the first cities he built were "Babylon, Erech, Akkad and Calneh, in Shinar."

Now that isn't significant to you right now . .

.but it will be in a minute or two.

In chapter 11 we read, "Now the whole world had one language and a common speech.

As men moved eastward, they found a plain in Shinar and settled there."

Did you get the connection?

The people in the story of the "Tower of Babel" settled in Shinar . . . the same place where Nimrod built a city.

In fact, I think we are right to conclude that the setting for the Tower of Babel story is the city of Babylon which was built by Nimrod.

Now I won't take a lot of time on the significance of Babylon in the Bible so let me simply summarize.

Babylon is synonymous with that which is evil.

As Jerusalem is seen as the City of God, so Babylon is often personified as the city of the Devil.

As we study the story of the early days of this city we will begin to see why.

*GREAT THINGS CAN BE EVIL*

The story of the Babylon temple is really a technoligical marvel.

"Come, let's make bricks and bake them thoroughly.

They used brick instead of stone and tar for mortar.

Then they said, "Come let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves and not be scattered over the face of the whole earth."*

*11:3,4 If you have ever seen the pyramids you realize what incredible structures these were.

These were the days before tractors, back-hoes, and dump trucks.

They didn't have any cranes to hoist materials.

What these people built was a marvel to their technological ingenuity.

It was an incredible feat.

When human beings work together, they can accomplish great goals.

God made us with minds that can solve many mysteries and with the ability to dream up and create great things.

But these great minds can be used for evil as well as for good.

Consider the many weapons of war that have been created.

Consider the minds of those who plan terrorist attacks.

Consider those who lay awake dreaming up schemes to scam others.

And this is where the Babylonian tower becomes sinful.

Look at what they were trying to do.

* to sidestep God's instructions and not "be scattered over the face of the earth" (9:7) as God commanded.

* to build a monument "to themselves" (they were seeking to be honored and revered by others . . .

a right that is God's alone)

* to reach to the heavens

This last item needs a little amplification if we are to understand correctly.

Even these early Babylonians realized that they could never build a tower that could literally reach into the Heavens.

In the Hebrew text the words "to reach" do not occur.

The text speaks of the top of the tower as "in," "on", "with," or "by" the heavens (all four being possible translations of the one Hebrew preposition).

This could mean that the top was dedicated /to/ the heavens as a place of worship or even that it had a representation /of/ the heavens (a zodiac) upon it.

[Boice, GENESIS] If this is the case, then the tower really represented a structure of Satan erected for the express purpose of making the people feel they were being spiritual, while really directing their attention away from God.

They were erecting an idol.

And they are doing this while the memory of the flood was probably still fresh in the history books.

It doesn't take long for us to forget.

We must be aware that just becuse something is new or innovative it doesn't make it better or even good.

The Coca Cola company found that out when they introduced "New Coke".

It may have been new . . .

but it didn't taste good!

In the same way the church must beware of the mentality that says new is always better.

Christians should indeed be constantly on the look out for new ways to present the message of the gospel with greater clarity.

But we must be sure that it is still proclaiming the same message not some perverted form of the truth.

There are lots of new styles of worship today.

Some don't even resemble the church of old.

In fact, some forms of church worship resemble a stage show more than a time of prayer and devotion.

These things may be slick, shiney and fun . . .

but that doesn't necessarily make them good.

*GOD'S GREATNESS FAR SURPASSES THE GREATEST EFFORTS OF MEN*

Notice the next section of our passage.

But the Lord came down to see the city and the tower that the men were building.

There is a sense of irony here.

Don't miss it.

Let's paint the picture.

These people decide to make a name for themselves.

They are going to build a tower that reaches to the Heavens.

They are going to make their way to God.

So they build this tower and are pretty darn proud of themselves.

Then note what happens; God decides to COME DOWN to see what was going on.

The greatest accomplishments of men cannot even come close to God.

I am always surprised when I fly into O'Hare airport.

The same city that seems so big and overpowering when you are walking around in downtown Chicago seems much smaller when you are flying over the city.

And imagine what it would be like to be in a space shuttle over the earth.

You wouldn't even be able to make out the city.

Now imagine that you are God.

Imagine how foolish the people of Babel seemed when they seek to "reach to the Heavens".

Imagine how foolish they seemed when they sought to construct their own Gods.

Imagine how foolish they seemed as they ignored the Almighty to worship that which has been devised or created by men.

Imagine how foolish we seem when we do the same things.

How prone we are to build towers.

* We build towers to our good works.

There are dozens of award shows on television and certainly thousands of awards given out every year.