“The Tower of Babel”

 

 

1.       One of the things that I will need for the work in Russia is a translator.

2.       Most of the people where I will be going cannot speak English.

 

I.       IT WOULD BE A LOT EASIER IF EVERYONE IN THE WORLD SPOKE THE SAME LANGUAGE.   WHY ARE THERE MORE THAN 3,000 LANGUAGES IN THE WORLD?

 

          A.   Some have attempted to answer this question.

                   (1)          It has been said there was no real language when men 1st existed.

                   (2)          People grunted, groaned, and made barking sounds.

                   (3)          Communication also came through bodily gestures.

                   (4)          This may please the average evolutionist,

                   (5)          This explanation surely does not please God.

                   (6)          Adam and Eve, the first people, spoke.

                   (7)          They did not use monkey like sounds & gestures they spoke words.

                   (8)          When we study the subject of different languages,

          B.   One of the passages that need to be consulted in Gen: 11.

          C.   Gen: 11:1 says that everyone on the earth spoke the same language.

                   (1)          This was not something that was bad or sinful.

                   (2)          There were only eight people who got off the ark.

                   (3)          The eight people surely all spoke the same language.

                   (4)          There is no record of their being told to create new language.

                   (5)          The problem was not so much that the language was the same,

 

          D.    But that people were congregating together.

          E.     After Noah exited the ark a command was given 9-1          READ

          F.     Man was to inhabit all the earth.

          G.    With only 8 people to start with this would take some time.

          H.     Though populating the earth would not be immediate, it was possible.

          I.      If Adam & Eve (2 people) could be the vehicle to create a sizeable population    

          J.      Four couples would have no difficulty carrying out this command.

          K.     Although this was God’s will, man was disobedient.

                   (1)          Instead of starting to spread across the earth,

                   (2)          Many decided to band together.

 

          L.      This brings us to the first thing to learn from Gen: 11.

          M.     When people decide to disobey God, there is trouble.

          N.      Disobedience comes with a price that needs to be paid.

          O.      When people failed to do what Gen:  9: 1 said.

          P.       They became involved with wrongdoing & they were punished.

          Q.       People became preoccupied with building a “tower”

                   (1)          The location of this tower was in Shinar, 11:2

                   (2)          Shinar was in the area of Mesopotamia,

                   (3)          Before more is said about this tower,

                   (4)          A couple things can be said about building materials.

 

          R.          The construction that was going to be done would be with bricks, 11:3

                   (1)          We now know some things about this area of the world.

                   (2)          The timber in the area with this tower was build (at least now)

                   (3)          Is not durable enough for long lasting, permanent structures.

                   (4)          Since this area is on the plains of a river,

                   (5)          Good building stone is not easily accessible.

                   (6)          What this area does have is clay soil.

                   (7)          When properly heated, this soil can make excellent bricks

 

          S.          The bricks that were made were good bricks.

          T.          These bricks were” furnace treated“(lbs.)

          U.          The “cline” that was used to make these bricks was likely material from. Asphalt pits.

                   (1)          These people had good building materials

                   (2)          They had the ability to build things that would last a long time.

                  

          V.          Some seem to think that these people only wanted a tower,

          W.          This is not what the text says.  These people wanted a city v.4 READ

          Y.          This tower was rooted in pride.

          Z.          Let’s look at the firs part of verse 4

 

          A.          “Lets US build US a name.”

          B.          God was not in this picture or in this city.

                   (1)          Here is lesson number two.

                   (2)          People have and still do cut God out of their life.

                   (3)          Some make decisions - minor and major - with out being mindful.

                   (4)           Some live their lives based around themselves.

                   (5)          “What do I want to do” instead of “What does God want me to do.

                   (6)          When God is cast aside there are going to be problems.

          C.          God was not only cut out of there lives,

          D.          These people wanted to be contrary to the ways of God.

          E.          These people willfully did what was wrong.

          F.          Verse 4 also says, “lest we be scattered

                   (1)          Here is lesson number two.  

                   (2)          People have and still do cut God out of life.

                   (3)          Some make decisions - minor and major - with being mindful.

                   (4)          Some live their lives based around themselves.

                   (5)          “We don’t want to be scattered

                   (6)          “We are going to do things like we want.”

                   (7)          “We are going to believe what we want and live a we want.”        

                  

                  

G.       How many times do we hear this same type of attitude from people?      

H.      Most of us hear it week after week.

I.       The next time someone says to us,

          (1)          “This is what I believe; I don’t care what you say;”

          (2)          “We do things this way and have no plans to change”

 

J.       Come back to Gen. 11.

K.      We are going to learn what happens to people who thing and act like,

L.      When people use expressions like I just mentioned          

          (1)          They often have in mind religion

                   (a)          Many already have their religious beliefs.

                   (b)          Quite a few have little regard for what the Bible really says.

          (2)          This is exactly what Gen: 11 describes.

          (3)          These people had access to the truth.

          (4)     God’s will would be determined.

          (5)          Knowing right from wrong was a possible at this time just as it is now.

          (6)          Through these people could have stayed with the truth,

          (7)          They wanted to be involved with religious error.

 

M.     There was a desire to build a “tower”.

N.      There may be some misconceptions about this tower.

O.      Some think that this tower was designed to “reach to heaven”

          (1)          There are some who view this passage literally.

          (2)     A literal explanation of this passage is possible.

          (3)          May be these people wanted to build a tower thousands of mile high.

          (4)     If anyone wishes to view this passage literally,

          (5)     I have no objection

          (6)          However, I do ask that another possibility be considered.

 

P.      Let’s look again at the words in verses 4 READ

Q.      Two word (may reach) are in italics.

R.      As most of us know, this tells us that these words were not part of the original.

S.          Translators added these words.

          (1)     In some cases extra words are helpful.

          (2)     In other cases they are not helpful.

          (3)     In this case the extra words may not be very helpful.

          (4)     I understand this tower as being “unto” heaven.

          (5)     If, the literal height of the tower is not the point.

          (6)          Perhaps an illustration will help.

          (7)          suppose that during OT times some one said,

          (8)     “I will build an alter with steps so I may reach God.”

          (9)          Perhaps this man is talking about an altar so high it would reach God.

          (10)          Or, he may be saying, “This altar is to help access God.”

          (11)          The text, if I understand it correctly,

          (12)   Is not stressing the tallness of this tower;

          (13)          The emphasis is on the purpose.

          (14)          “This tower will help us reach the gods.”

 

T.      I am not going to get into even a few of the details reason for this.

          (1)          But some estimates have been given regarding Gen: 11.

          (2)          The events in this chapter may have happened.

          (3)          About 100 years after the flood.

          (4)     An estimate for the population has been placed at 30,000.

          (5)     If you would like to explore these figures in more detail,

          (6)     A helpful source is Kiel and Delitiszh.

 

U.      If thousands of people are working to form a community and build a tower,

V.      The effort should be impressive.

 

II.      THE BIBLE SAYS THAT THIS EFFORT WAS IMPRESSIVE.  LET’S SEE WHAT VERSES 6-7 SAY READ

 

          A.          God said, “This is just the beginning. “

          B.           Think of this statement in the contest of Genesis.

                  

                   (1)          If this tower was created about 100 years after the flood.

                   (2)          Not too much time has passed

                   (3)          Man kind was returning to his evil ways.                  

                   (4)          There was once a gain open defiance to God.

                   (5)          At least one has offered this thought:

                   (6)          Perhaps this tower was built as a way of saying to God,

                   (7)          “Ok, flood the earth again.

                   (8)          “We have a tower so tall the water can’t touch us.”

                   (9)          In Gen: 11 we have man rebelling against God.

                    (10)          We sometimes hear people say about children,

                    (11)   If they are not corrected now, what will they be like in 20 years?

                  

          C.          This is the same type of thing that is being said in verses 6-7.

          D.          God did introduce more than one language to mankind.

          E.          How this was done we do not know, but we do know who did it.

          F.      In addition to crating some new languages,

          G.          God did something else - verses 8-9 READ

          H.          Was it important for the command in Gen: 9:1 to be carried out?

          I        it was so important than when men failed to do it.

          J.          God did it himself.

          K.          Gen:  11 is not only a powerful story, it is filled w/meaning.

         

LESSONS:

 

1.  Jesus one time said that we should lay up treasures in heaven.

2.  Treasures on the earth decay and rust, treasures in heaven do not.

3.  A similar principle is in Gen: 11.

4.  Men wanted to build a city with a tower.

 

          A.          They had all the resources that they needed.

          B.          They could make bricks that would last and last.

          C.          They even had “slime”         to make a great product.

          D.          The best that man had is gone.

          E.          What should have stood the test of time was never even finished.

          F.          God and those on His side always win in the end our record sure and eternal.

5.  Those on the losing team, however, often offer excitement.

          A word “come” is in the text. “Come and lets us build

          B.  This word expresses excitement and enthusiasm.

          C.  If we look at those who are outside of Christ,

          D.  This same type of excitement is tilled found.

          E.   “We’re going to have a keg party Saturday night - come;”

          F.   “There is going to be a party with some you knowing what will be there:

          G.   Invitations like these can be exciting and enticing.

          H.  Gen: 11 shows us where these kind of invitations lead.

          I.    What a great lesson for all, especially our young people.

 

6.   Many want to achieve something great in life.

         

          A   Some have the desire to do big and noteworthy things

          B.  If we hope to big without God, we’re doomed.

          C.  Gen: 11 show that we are going to fail.

          D.  There is no true success in life without God.

          E.   The names of those who worked on this great project are in the dust.

 

7.   I learn from this chapter that if I challenge God I will lose.

          A.  God said, “Spread over all the earth”.  Many said “no”

          B.   In a like manner God still issues commands through His word.

          C.   If we refuse or fail to obey, our fate will be no different than

          D. What God says must be obeyed, and obeyed to the letter.

 

8.   Gen: 11 tell me that God is fair.

          A.  The text says that “God came down to see: what was being done.

          B.   If God knows all, and He does, He does not need to come to the earth.

          C.   This expression shows that God knew all the facts.

          D.   God did not unjustly or unfairly judge these people.

          E.    The fairness of God has not been altered.   He is still completely.

 

CONCLUSION:

 

1.   the most important thing in the lives of these people was being right with God.

2.    This is still true.

3.    If we build a city or just live in one,

4.    Nothing is more significant that being a faithful child of God.

5.    Is this true for each one here?