Building Babel

Genesis 11:1-9
The Tower of Babel
11 Now the whole world had one language and a common speech. 2 As
people moved eastward,[a] they found a plain in Shinar[b] and settled
there.
3 They said to each other, “Come, let’s make bricks and bake them
thoroughly.” They used brick instead of stone, and tar for mortar. 4
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;
otherwise we will be scattered over the face of the whole earth.”
5 But the Lord came down to see the city and the tower the people
were building. 6 The Lord said, “If as one people speaking the same
language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will
be impossible for them. 7 Come, let us go down and confuse their
language so they will not understand each other.”
8 So the Lord scattered them from there over all the earth, and they
stopped building the city. 9 That is why it was called Babel[c]—because
there the Lord confused the language of the whole world. From there
the Lord scattered them over the face of the whole earth.
If man knew and experienced God’s faithfulness, why would man chose
to disobey and pursue self-ambitions. If we build our names for
ourselves, we are interrupting God’s plans.
The teamwork and unified language are not
a problem v. 1 Now the whole world had
one language and a common speech.
Unity is what God seeks for His people
• Behold, how good and how pleasant it is For brothers to dwell
together in unity! - Psalm 133:1

Unity is what Jesus prayed for His disciples

• 20 “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will
believe in me through their message, 21 that all of them may be one,
Father, just as you are in me and I am with you. May they also be in us
so that the world may believe that you have sent me. – John 17:20-21

Unity is what the Holy Spirit does in the church

• 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. –
Acts 2:44
The attempt to unify and seek for his own Glory is a problem v. 4 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; otherwise we will be
scattered over the face of the whole earth.

Pride seeks for his own glory

• How can you believe since you accept glory from one another but do
not seek the glory that comes from the only God? – John 5:44

Pride contradicts God’s plan

• v. 3“…otherwise we will be scattered over the face of the whole earth.”
It is always against the plan of God. “Be fruitful and increase in number
and fill the earth.”(9:1); As for you, be fruitful and increase in number;
multiply on the earth and increase upon it.”(9:7)

Pride destroys relationships

• Pride will destroy a person; a proud attitude leads to ruin. Prov. 16:18
Thus says the Lord: “Let not the wise man boast in
his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his
might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but
let him who boasts boast in this, that he
understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who
practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness
in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares
the Lord.” Jeremiah 9:23-24 ESV
The plan of God shall prevail vv. 5-8 But the Lord came down to see the city and
the tower the people were building. 6 The Lord said, “If as one people speaking
the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will
be impossible for them. 7 Come, let us go down and confuse their language so
they will not understand each other.” 8 So the Lord scattered them from there over
all the earth, and they stopped building the city.

God looks at the intentions of the heart

• Jeremiah 17:10 “I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind,
God does not look as man looks; they see on the outward
appearance, but the Lord sees the heart.

God decides what He wants to do

• 4 “Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation? Tell
me, if you understand. 5 Who marked off its dimensions?
Surely you know! Who stretched a measuring line across it? –
Job 38:4-5

God cannot be stopped.

• and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his
kingdom will never end.” Luke 1:33