E100, Lesson 5, The Tower of Babel

The Tower of Babel, Genesis 11.1—9

In the story of Babel the primeval history of humanity comes to a conclusion. Humanity realizing they have creative abilities seek to glorify and fortify themselves through collective efforts. Their plan is grandiose. People who feel vulnerable, gather together and build a fortified tower for themselves. They determine to build a tower that reaches to heaven. The express purpose is to “make a name for themselves,” to glorify themselves, to make themselves feel safe by building up great fortifications around them.

God comes to view the project and He sees that when they come together they are able to accomplish virtually anything, and God does not conclude that unity and creative strength is good for humanity. Remember what God said after the flood? In Gen 8.21, after the flood, God says, “…the LORD said to Himself, "I will never again curse the ground on account of man, for the intent of man's heart is evil from his youth; and I will never again destroy every living thing, as I have done. An humanity, intent on evil, is destined to use their collective abilities for evil purposes as well. And so God determines to keep them divided by confusing their language. The problem is the human heart, and until the human heart is somehow transformed for good, unity is no good.

The Day of Pentecost opened a new chapter in the story with God opening the ears of people to hear the Gospel message in their own tongue, restoring unity among all people around a saving message. This gospel message has the ability to turn the human heart towards good and so God reverses himself. This is the reversal foretold by the prophet Zephaniah in chapter 3, verse 9: "For then I will give to the peoples purified lips, That all of them may call on the name of the LORD, To serve Him shoulder to shoulder.”

Comments on the text:
11:1 “used the same language”, literally, “the same set of words”

2 “the land of Shinar” refers to Mesopotamia, that land between the Tigris and the Euphrates Rivers. That area is located in modern day Iraq. Later, Ur, is in this same area and God calls Abram out of Ur.

4 there are, in fact, towers that fit the description of a tower that were built in ancient Mesopotamia. They are called ugarits and the remains of them have been excavated in modern times.

5-8 this is actually a word play. Earlier we are told that humanity came to the project, they “came” to the area and they “came” to build. Now God comes to the project and when he sees what they are about God comes to confuse their language. God comes and confuses the peoples and scatters them.

9 Babel sounds like the Hebrew word Balal which means “to confuse.”


E100 Prize Question for Sunday, December 5th:
In what modern country would Shinar have been? What is another name for that region?

Study Questions:

What do you think motivated the people to build the tower?

Have you ever felt vulnerable and afraid? How did you respond? Did you seek to control your environment? Did you flee?

What is the significance of God confusing the people’s languages? What does this have to do with God giving everyone the ability to understand the words of the disciples on the day of Pentecost?

If God wanted any message to be understood universally, what would that message be?