Tower Building
"Now the whole world had one language and a common speech. . . They said to each other, "Come, let's make bricks and bake them thoroughly." They used bricks instead of stones, 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."
But the Lord came down to see the city and the tower that the men were building. 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 Come, let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other."
So the Lord scattered them from there over all the earth, and they stopped building the city. That is why it is called Babel -because there the Lord confused the language of the whole world. From there the Lord scattered them over the face of the whole earth." Genesis 11:1-9
The people here refers to those who had survived the flood (Noah's family) and their descendants. They worked together to build a tower. Teamwork is good. Their tower would be taller than any ever built. Inventive, well-built craftsmanship is good. The purpose of the tower, however, was what got them into trouble. Their desire was to make a name for themselves and to avoid being scattered over the earth. Making a name for yourself refers to reputation, fame or renown. A prideful motive is bad. This tower was being built for selfish reasons, and therefore was thwarted by God.
Ambition itself is not a bad thing. Max Lucado writes, "this world would be in sad shape without people who dream of touching the heavens. Ambition is the grit in the soul which creates disenchantment with the ordinary and puts the dare into dreams.
But left unchecked it becomes an insatiable addition to power and prestige; a roaring hunger for achievement that devours people as a lion devours an animal, leaving behind only the skeletal remains of relationships.
Blind ambition. Distorted values.
God won't tolerate it. He didn't then and he won't now." The work was stopped so man wouldn't continue to rebel against God. "God is not the author of confusion" (1 Corinthians 14:33), but in the world, God sometimes uses confusion to humble people and keep them from uniting against His will." (Warren Wiersbe)
By confusing the people's language, God created temporary chaos. Because the people couldn't understand and communicate with one another, they could no longer work together. They were forced to scattered "over the face of the whole earth" which was what they were trying to avoid in the first place. "God dispersed the people because of their rebellious pride" (NIV text note).
So in light of this reminder that "pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall" (Proverbs 16:18), we are asked, "Are (we) building any towers?" And we are admonished to "examine (our) motives". Max Lucado also reminds us that "blind ambition is a giant step away from God and one step closer to catastrophe." (From "God Came Near" by Max Lucado)
"What towers have you been building? Wealth? Success? Recognition? Focus on what God wants you to build. Simplify your life. Surrender your desire to him! Let him guide your efforts." (Max Lucado)
This was a good reminder. It's far too easy to let the things I do become for my own "reputation" or "fame" instead of to bring glory to the Lord. I hope I can always remember to check myself so that what I share isn't to say, "Look at me, look at me!" But to say, "Look at what the Lord has done in me or for me."
But the Lord came down to see the city and the tower that the men were building. 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 Come, let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other."
So the Lord scattered them from there over all the earth, and they stopped building the city. That is why it is called Babel -because there the Lord confused the language of the whole world. From there the Lord scattered them over the face of the whole earth." Genesis 11:1-9
The people here refers to those who had survived the flood (Noah's family) and their descendants. They worked together to build a tower. Teamwork is good. Their tower would be taller than any ever built. Inventive, well-built craftsmanship is good. The purpose of the tower, however, was what got them into trouble. Their desire was to make a name for themselves and to avoid being scattered over the earth. Making a name for yourself refers to reputation, fame or renown. A prideful motive is bad. This tower was being built for selfish reasons, and therefore was thwarted by God.
Ambition itself is not a bad thing. Max Lucado writes, "this world would be in sad shape without people who dream of touching the heavens. Ambition is the grit in the soul which creates disenchantment with the ordinary and puts the dare into dreams.
But left unchecked it becomes an insatiable addition to power and prestige; a roaring hunger for achievement that devours people as a lion devours an animal, leaving behind only the skeletal remains of relationships.
Blind ambition. Distorted values.
God won't tolerate it. He didn't then and he won't now." The work was stopped so man wouldn't continue to rebel against God. "God is not the author of confusion" (1 Corinthians 14:33), but in the world, God sometimes uses confusion to humble people and keep them from uniting against His will." (Warren Wiersbe)
By confusing the people's language, God created temporary chaos. Because the people couldn't understand and communicate with one another, they could no longer work together. They were forced to scattered "over the face of the whole earth" which was what they were trying to avoid in the first place. "God dispersed the people because of their rebellious pride" (NIV text note).
So in light of this reminder that "pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall" (Proverbs 16:18), we are asked, "Are (we) building any towers?" And we are admonished to "examine (our) motives". Max Lucado also reminds us that "blind ambition is a giant step away from God and one step closer to catastrophe." (From "God Came Near" by Max Lucado)
"What towers have you been building? Wealth? Success? Recognition? Focus on what God wants you to build. Simplify your life. Surrender your desire to him! Let him guide your efforts." (Max Lucado)
This was a good reminder. It's far too easy to let the things I do become for my own "reputation" or "fame" instead of to bring glory to the Lord. I hope I can always remember to check myself so that what I share isn't to say, "Look at me, look at me!" But to say, "Look at what the Lord has done in me or for me."
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