I HOPE you understand, dear children, that, in calling Babel “The First Tower,” all that is meant is, that it was the first tower of which we read. We read of a city before the flood; and it is likely enough there were other cities, and that these cities were furnished with towers, either for ornament or defense. The way in which men spake of building “a city and a tower” suggests that they were already familiar with both, and that the two were associated in their thoughts. But, be this as it may, the tower of which we read in Genesis 11, is the first of which we have any recorded description. God did not suffer it to be completed, but put a stop to the work; and the means by which He did this have had a most important effect on all mankind, which continues to this day. This we shall see, as we examine the account which God has given us of these events.
Men had multiplied rapidly after the flood; but, numerous as they had become, they were all “of one language and of one speech.” As they increased in numbers, they required more land to yield them food and other necessaries; and thus gradually extending their borders, they reached a plain in the land of Shinar, and dwelt there. The place was favorable for making bricks; and they proposed to one another to build a city, and a tower whose top might reach unto heaven.
Was there anything wrong in this proposal? The result would seem to show that there was in it what God utterly disapproved. In the first place, the thought seems to have had its origin with themselves. It did not come from God. God had said nothing to them about building this city and tower. And let us always remember, dear children, that we have not only to obey God’s commands when He has given them to us, but that we have to wait for them. When Satan would have had Jesus make stones into bread, He did not reply that God had forbidden Him to do this, but only that God had not commanded Him to do it. He had no word from God to set Him doing it, and to have done it without would have been sin. Had the men of Shinar resembled Jesus, they would not have attempted to build the tower.
Then, secondly, their objects were wrong. As expressed by themselves, their objects were to make themselves a name and to avoid being dispersed over the earth. Now God had plainly expressed His will that men should be dispersed. To Adam God had said, “Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it” (Gen. 1:2828And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. (Genesis 1:28)). To Noah, this command had, in substance, been repeated after the flood (Gen. 9:1,71And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth. (Genesis 9:1)
7And you, be ye fruitful, and multiply; bring forth abundantly in the earth, and multiply therein. (Genesis 9:7)). But the men of Shinar sought to prevent this. “Let us build,” they said, “lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.” But, worst of all, they sought for themselves a name. “Go to, let us build a city, and a tower whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad.” Alas! how common has it been for fallen man to seek to make himself a name. Dear children, is this what you seek, or hope by-and-by to seek for yourselves? It matters not whether it be for learning, or eloquence, or success in trade, or successful ambition, or philanthropy, or even religion, that you desire a name — if it be a name for yourself you seek, you tread in the steps of these Babel-builders. O think of the One whose name is holy — the high and lofty One, who inhabiteth eternity — who yet humbled Himself to be the virgin’s son, and the victim for our sins upon the cross! Think of “Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God; but made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men; and, being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.” Lord Jesus, grant to both writer and readers, Thy lowly, self-emptying spirit.
One other point, as to these men of Shinar, claims attention. It was by their united efforts that they sought to build the tower. The eleventh of Genesis treats of the first association upon record. No one of these men could have attempted the work, which, by their combined efforts, they hoped to accomplish. They acted upon the maxim, so popular in our day, that “union is strength.” So it is, dear children, when God permits it; but the result of this first association proves that it is vain for man to combine against God. To another great confederacy of His enemies, God says, “Associate yourselves, O ye people, and ye shall be broken in pieces.” Isaiah 8:99Associate yourselves, O ye people, and ye shall be broken in pieces; and give ear, all ye of far countries: gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces; gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces. (Isaiah 8:9). God’s plan of associating people together now, is by saving their souls through Christ, and uniting the saved ones to Him by the Holy Ghost. Dear children, do you thus form a part of God’s family?
But what became of the tower men began to build? How far they proceeded with it we are not told; but while all hands were engaged, some making bricks, others burning them thoroughly, and others again building with them, there was an unseen Beholder of their work, whom they seem never to have taken into account. But though they had set to work without any command from Him, and even without consulting Him, He was not an indifferent spectator of their doings. “And the Lord came down to see the city and the tower which the children of men builded.” Dear reader, will your work bear divine inspection? If the Lord should come down to see what you have been doing throughout the day on which this question meets your eye, what would He behold? Depend upon it, He does see all. There is not a thought of our hearts but He knows it altogether. But not only did the Lord come down to see the city and the tower: He declared His determination to stop the work. “Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech.” What a day must that have been when fathers and sons, uncles and nephews, neighbors and fellow-workmen found that they could no longer understand one another’s speech A master or overseer wishes to give an order to the workmen; but, alas! the only sounds his lips can utter are in a language that the workmen cannot understand. The workmen wish to speak to one another, or to their overseers; but a like calamity has befallen them, and they cannot express their surprise save in words which make them foreigners to each other. “So the Lord scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of the earth; and they left off to build the city. Therefore is the name of it called Babel.” Babel means confusion. These builders sought to erect a center of unity around which men would always gather; but the Lord scattered them “abroad upon the face of all the earth.” They, in their pride and ambition, sought for themselves a name. God writes a name upon them and their unfinished work, but it is a name expressive of the confusion with which He confounded them. It is a bye-word for confusion to this day.
The effects of this event are still universally felt. All the varying languages and dialects of mankind bear witness to the judgment from God which fell on those proud aspirants after a name. Such as could understand one another would, no doubt, journey in one direction; while another group, who could speak to one another so as to be understood, would take another route. Thus did the division of mankind into nations begin. This, with all the diversity of tongues by which nations are distinguished from each other, is thus the fruit of man’s sin, however God may have overruled the whole for good. Whenever you meet a foreigner whose speech is unintelligible to you, or take up a book the language of which you cannot understand, you may call to mind that all this confusion flows from man’s vain attempt to be wiser, and stronger than God.
One beautiful contrast there has been to man’s sin at Babel and the judgment of God with which it was visited. At Pentecost, when the Good News of Salvation through Christ was to be proclaimed to a lost world by the Holy Ghost come down from Heaven, in what way, do you think, was His presence demonstrated? He sat upon the disciples in the form of cloven tongues of fire, and enabled those first believers to preach the gospel in languages they had never learned. Men of all countries had to exclaim, “We do hear them speak in our own tongues the wonderful works of God.” And though, dear children, the gift of tongues has ceased, the Spirit of God, the Holy Ghost, remains. It is by Him that the word of God has been written. It is by His power that the “good news” is applied to the hearts of men, women, and children in the present day; and whenever any one’s heart is opened to believe this “good news” about Jesus and His precious blood, the Holy Ghost comes and takes up His abode in that heart. May such be the blessed portion of every one of you, for Christ’s sake.