The Bible records in Genesis 11, the attempt of man to reach God, by building a tower that reached unto heaven. This was a rebellious act of willful disobedience, for God had commanded the people to scatter and replenish the earth (Genesis 9:1), so that God’s name will be known to all the earth as these were the people of God, that came out of the flood (Genesis 10:32). But here the people rebelled to settle down in one place, in the land of Shinar (Genesis 11:1-2), wanting to make a name for themselves and not for God. But when the LORD saw this, the LORD said, “Let us go down” and God confused the language of the people making them babblers so that they could no longer be unified in their attempt to reach God by their own efforts.
From this account we can learn many hidden truths. The word “us” in “Let us go down” establishes the fact that the Trinity of God (God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit) came down to the tower and visited man. Secondly, we see that the act of willful disobedience against God’s commandments is not treated lightly and it warrants the Triune God in One to visit man. Thirdly, when we attempt to make a name for ourselves instead of making the name of God known, we can expect to have a visitation of Trinity that confound our plans. Fourthly and most importantly, man cannot reach God unless God comes down to man. This is evident in God’s plan of Salvation and redemption as well. Until God came down to the earth He created, in the form of a man, being born of virgin, in a manger, in the city of David, as a Savior and Christ the Lord, man did not have access to reach the throne of God in heaven. However, when God came to us, in the form of his very own Son, Jesus Christ, to be with us (Immanuel), all who put their trust in him, believing in him, have access to God the Father, through his Son. In fact, Jesus said, no man can come to the Father (God), except through Jesus (John 14:6).Point(s) to ponder:
Points to ponder:
Are you/I in willful disobedience to God’s given commandments?
Are you/I trying to make a name for ourselves, instead of making the Name of God known (to the ends of the world)?
Are you/I trying to reach God in our own efforts?
Without Jesus, you and I cannot reach God and there is no confusion around that, for it is not the plan of man, but it is the plan of God.
Genesis 11:1-9 (KJV)
1 And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech.
2 And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there.
3 And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them thoroughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for morter.
4 And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.
5 And the LORD came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded.
6 And the LORD said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do.
7 Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech.
8 So the LORD scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city.
9 Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the LORD did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the LORD scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth.
John 14:6 (KJV)
6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
