Battle For The Truth (Part 48)
Battle For The Truth • Sermon • Submitted
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· 10 viewsThe languages are confused and the people scattered.
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Genesis 11:1-9, “And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech. (2) And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there. (3) And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them throughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for morter. (4) 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. (5) And the LORD came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded. (6) And the LORD said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do. (7) Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech. (8) So the LORD scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city. (9) Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the LORD did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the LORD scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth."
Introduction
As we continue our study in Genesis this morning, we will be covering Chapter 11:1-9. Let me remind you that Genesis means Beginnings or Origins. Thus far, we have seen many beginnings or origins. For instance, we have seen the beginning or origin of:
Time
Universe (earth, sun, moon, and stars)
Life (plant, animal, and man)
Sin and Judgment
Murder
Music, poetry, metallurgy
Demonic possession
Rain, flooding, and the rainbow
In Genesis 10, we saw the origin and genealogy of Noah’s three sons and the nations or people groups they established. From Genesis 10:5, we learned that the families were divided according to their language. And now, in Genesis 11, we learn the reason why these families dispersed according to their language. More specifically, how they came to speak different languages and the result of these differences.
Despite what anthropologist or linguist may speculate, there is no scientific, natural, or evolutionary reason for differences in language. The truth is that differences in language brought about because of God’s miraculous intervention once again due to human rebellion.
In terms of passage of time in our narrative, it has been about 100-years since Noah and his family have left the ark. According to the genealogy listing, we can calculate the number of years that have passed to determine the time when certain events occurred. Genesis 10:25, gives a marker at the birth of Peleg, whose name means “division” is linked to the dispersion of the families into nations. Thus, in a relatively short period of time, man has again grown is rebellion against God. Even though there are living eyewitnesses to the judgment of God against sin via the flood where all humanity was killed except for eight souls, man continues to drift further away from God and invariably plunge deeper into sin. Our text today, displays man’s rebellious heart and God’s mercy towards sinful man. Amen somebody.
Vv.1-2, “And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech. (2) And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there.”
A few interesting facts surrounding our text, what I like to call Humanity 2.0, is that they were of one language, and of one speech. They were nomadic (“as they journeyed”), and when they moved, they moved in mass as one family or civilization. Vv.1-2, informs us of these facts and one additional fact of significance—they came to an area later named “Shinar” which was “a plain” suitable to settle in.
Shinar was a region of Mesopotamia. A plain in the lower Euphrates-Tigris River system, from modern Baghdad to the Persian Gulf. This is significant because God instructed them to be fruitful, multiply and fill the earth. Nevertheless, showing their indifference towards God, we see that they were determined to stay in Shinar.
Vv. 3-4, “And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them throughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for morter. (4) 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."
Here we learn the extent of their determination to rebel against God. As already mentioned, in a little over 100-years man has stiffened his neck and devolved into the same attitudes as the pre-flood world. Listen to what “they said one to another...let us make brick, and burn them throughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for morter.” They seem to be in a hurry to accomplish their goal, because normally, bricks were sun-dried, but they did not have time to wait, so they burned the in ovens or kilns. Then we learn of their purpose, “they said...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." They wanted to build themselves a city for their social needs, and a tower with its top in the heavens for their religious needs. Indicating that they had already fallen into polytheism. Finally, they wanted to make a name for themselves.
We learned in Genesis 10:8-10, that the leader of this rebellion is a son of Cush named Nimrod, whose name means “to rebel.” Although called a “mighty hunter before the Lord,” Nimrod was not hunting game for sport. It is best to understand that he was a mighty warrior against God for the souls of men. Meaning, he was a tyrannical dictator with world dominance and the ascension of deity in mind.
The “Tower of Babel” was an ancient construction called a ziggurat—a step-pyramid building with a shrine at the top reserved for a divine being. The people built this tower in the plain of Shinar to make a great name for themselves and to avoid being scattered over the face of the earth. In other words, the tower was to be a temple for the false gods and a symbol of man’s ability to interact with these false gods. It is also possible that they wanted to build something that would survive another flood.
Vv. 5-6, “And the LORD came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded. (6) And the LORD said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do.”
Here we see the omniscient God ever watching over His creation. As Psalm 121:3-4, says, “...he that keepeth thee will not slumber. (4) Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.” Amen somebody. The LORD came down to inspect the work and it displeased Him. Now, God has something to say, “Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do.” God, knowing man’s evil heart and abilities determined to intervene and disrupt the building of the tower. He could have sent a strong wind or an earthquake to destroy the tower, but they would just try and build back better. Therefore, God performed a simple but profound act.
Vv. 7-9, “Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech. (8) So the LORD scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city. (9) Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the LORD did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the LORD scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth."
God chose to confuse their language so “that they may not understand one another’s speech.” The result was the LORD scattered them across the face of the globe and they left off building the city. And as a testimony to what happened, this great symbol of man’s ingenuity was called Babel, which means confusion, because it was there that the LORD confused their language.
Side Note:
In Nimrod, we see the Genesis of world dictatorship. Nimrod is evidence that what accompanies ungodliness is a desire to control the masses. History has borne this out in fallen leaders that have had plans of world domination: The Pharaohs, Nebuchadnezzar, Alexander the Great, Genghis Khan, The Caesars, and Hitler. Although these men are dead and buried, their dreams of world dominance are alive and well. Our world today is already headed towards a one-world economy, one-world government, to be controlled by a one-world dictator whom the Bible identifies as the anti-Christ. Referring to the anti-Christ, Revelation 13:16-17, says, “And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: (17) And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.” Amen somebody.
Conclusion
As I mentioned in the last message, what is going on in the Tower of Babel days is what the Apostle Paul describes in Romans 1:18-25, where Paul describes the reason for the wrath of God against sinful man. However, Romans 1:18-25 is not isolated to what was going on in the pre-flood world or the Tower of Babel period. But it is what society will devolve into whenever it chooses to suppress the truth of God and be unthankful for His grace and blessings upon us.