What about Babel?

     Despite its brevity, the story of the Tower of Babel stands as a noteworthy bridge between pre-history and history. At first glance, we might conclude that the author of this story was simply trying to provide a rudimentary explanation as to why there is a multiplicity of languages. Though that may be true, such a superficial survey from a modern mindset does not do justice to this passage, which God, in His eternal wisdom, placed in the Bible for our benefit.
     As with any passage of Scripture, context is one key to a deeper understanding. In relation to what precedes it, Babel is the last episode of biblical prehistory characterized by mankind’s futile attempts to reach heaven and divinity by its own efforts. In relation to what follows, it provides a concluding contrast which makes what seems to be another boring genealogy even more interesting and significant. In relation to the time it was written, Babel is a final counter-cultural criticism of the reigning empire at that time in Israel’s history -- Babylon.
     Context also helps us to determine what the author, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, is trying to reveal to us. Discovering that intention requires that we know what type of literature we are reading. In this case, we are reading a religious narrative that expresses religious truth and history in a symbolic and figurative manner.
     In the first 11 chapters of Genesis we journey through hundreds of years, from the Creation to the call of Abraham. With the Fall of Man in Genesis 3, a cycle of sin, punishment, and mercy demonstrating the wickedness of mankind begins. The narrative of Babel continues in that cycle. Man, created good by God, but deceived by the serpent, listened to his own desires and reached out to become like God in his own way, not according to God’s design. God justly punishes Adam and Eve, but is merciful. Then Cain kills his brother, Abel, and though God punishes Cain, God spares his life. There is also the Flood account, describing how man had become so wicked that God opts for a re-creation of the earth and a new beginning for mankind. Again, God punishes justly, but is merciful to the righteous Noah and his family.
     This short review brings us to the Tower of Babel. First, the story shows us that even after the flood, man is still sinful and full of pride. Once more, man is reaching out for divinity. This time a great number of people work as one to build a tower that will reach to the heavens. They think this is a great and mighty work, but the author exposes exactly how insignificant it is to the eternal God, who has to come down from the heavens just to take a look at it. Note the satire: man is laboring so hard just to reach heaven, and the Lord simply “came down” to man without any effort at all. Upon seeing the tower God wonders if there can be any end to their pride and sinfulness.
     So, what’s a good God to do with all these people who just keep sinning? There is a clue in this passage to help answer this question: Their purpose for building the tower was to make a name for themselves. In Hebrew, the word for name is shem, so let’s say that they were trying to make a shem for themselves. Looking ahead to the genealogy that follows, we read that Abraham was a descendent of Shem, the son of Noah, and God says to Abraham, “I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name [shem] great.” Here we have crossed the bridge and we are standing at the beginning of “salvation history”, the history of our salvation wrought by a loving God.
     The final twist in this passage is that Babel refers to the Babylonians. During the author’s time, Babylon was the strongest kingdom of the world and the foremost oppressor of Israel. He portrays the Babylonians as arrogant, self-important, and ignorant heathens who trust in themselves and make plans without a thought of the Lord God. The just punishment for such a people is confusion and dispersion. Their great name and great kingdom passes away and will be forgotten.
     Many people today are still caught up with being important. They want to be noticed, to leave a legacy, to “make a name for themselves”. They do not care about God plans. They have agendas of their own. Sadly, even in the Church people are eager to establish a reputation for themselves and to bring their own ideas to fruition.
     The Babel account offers an enlightening contrast. In his pride, man will try to make a great name for himself and fail over and over again, but only in his humility before his God and in submission to God’s divine plan will man’s name be made great. What is more, it is GOD alone who can make a great name for man. As we know, he went so far as to truly descend from heaven and be the One Man, Jesus Christ, who could ascend to heaven and make our own ascent possible.
     Where are you in relation to the Tower of Babel? Are you still trying to build a name for yourself or are you truly allowing God to make a name for you? Men and women will pass away and so will their greatness. If we wish our human efforts to be of any eternal value, they must be acts done for God, in Christ and through the Holy Spirit. His legacy is our legacy if we follow His plan in faith as our father Abraham did at the beginning of salvation history.