“But the Lord came down to see the
city and the tower that the men were building.”
Genesis 11:5 (NIV)
A few short
chapters after the powerfully moving narrative of the flood, which chronicles Noah’s
abundant faith along with God’s amazing grace, we are presented with an account
that highlights mankind’s abominable nature. Consequently, humanity’s
propensity to engage in evil behavior is a theme repeated throughout Scripture.
As people began to repopulate the earth post-flood some determined to form
manmade kingdoms. One of Noah’s great grandsons, a man named Nimrod, was one of
the forefathers of self-glorification through empire-building efforts. According
to Genesis 10, Nimrod settled in many different locations and helped oversee
the expansion of villages throughout Babylonia and Assyria. Evidently, Nimrod
was not one to be content with his lot. He wanted more and chased after more,
so-much-so that he constantly moved and developed new territories in an attempt
to advance his name and legacy.
One of the
communities Nimrod established was called Shinar. Located in southern
Mesopotamia, Shinar would later become the site for the ancient Babylon. At
some point after Nimrod’s passing, the people living in Shinar followed in the
prideful path that Nimrod had blazed for them. Per Genesis 11:4, the Shinar
community determined to build a city unlike any other with a tower as its
centerpiece, a tower that would presumably reach to heaven. The people of
Shinar were an industrious bunch, utilizing bricks and mortar to fashion sturdy
walls and structures. But their ingenuity gave way to something very sinister. By
seeking to assemble a tower that ascended to heaven, the people of Shinar were
effectively touting their worthiness of being in heaven. Their frightful
pursuit dishonored the position and authority of God. Shinar’s residents sought
to force their way into heaven rather than worship God on earth and await the
Lord’s invitation to eternally dwell with Him. In essence, Nimrod’s descendants
were attempting to enjoy the benefit of heaven’s glory without recognizing the
One Who makes it glorious: God. They hoped to insert themselves on the throne
of heaven and earth by constructing a portal between the two realms.
The tower of
Babel story signifies a most disdainful tendency within the heart of man: the
tendency to consume our thoughts with ourselves and this world. If we allow
ourselves to get engulfed with the temporal things then we will surely miss out
on treasuring a relationship with God. The people of Shinar wanted a memorial,
a memorial that would forever etch their heritage in the annals of earth’s
history. It’s one thing to attempt to leave a noble heritage through propriety;
it’s quite another to attempt to instill a heritage through plunder and
property.
Clearly, the
privilege of dwelling on earth was not enough for Shinar’s inhabitants. They
hungered for more than what they had. And thus God decided to observe the labor
of Shinar’s people firsthand. There is something profoundly stirring about this
truth. God is not passive or detached from our daily work. He is near and
up-close. Before God responded to the atrocities in Shinar He studied it
intently. He patiently measured His recourse by examining Shinar in direct
proximity, which confirmed His love for the people of Shinar (and all of
humanity for that matter). God knew the wickedly-focused hearts of Shinar’s
inhabitants, but rather than deal with it from a distance or pull away the Lord
drew in. May we not overlook this pearl of inspiration in the tower of Babel
incident. Even in mankind’s moments of weakness and shame God proves Himself attentive
and near.
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