The goal of Babel’s people was to build a tower that would reach up to heaven, yet God has to bend down, as it were, to look at their little tinker-toy project! So in verses 7-9, God disperses the people of Babel over the face of the earth. In a total turnaround, the rebellion of Babel in order to accomplish significance and security results in the opposite.

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” (Genesis 11:4).

The great sin of the city of Babel is not tower-building, or unified labor toward a societal goal. The sin of Babel is the sin of seeking independence from God.

The Strength of Humanity

The tower-building endeavor, we are specifically told, was an enterprise in self-sufficiency, in proud self-confidence: “let us make a name for ourselves” is their ultimate motivation and goal. And all this so that they would not have to disperse (as God had commanded in Genesis 9:1), but rather find strength in their numbers.

The people of Babel hoped to glorify themselves and fortify themselves. Whenever our chief goal goes from glorifying God and enjoying him forever, to glorifying ourselves, bad things always result.

Here at Babel there was such confidence in their social vision, their organizational ability, and their technological accomplishments that they feel sure of their success as a society. Does that sound familiar? This spirit has existed in every culture, in every age, since. Their “bricks” are our iPads, medical care, universities, political system.

Read More