Read Genesis 11:1-4. Why were the people of “the whole earth” so keen to achieve unity?
The phrase “the whole earth” refers to a small number of people, those alive after the Flood. The reason for this gathering is clearly indicated: they want to build a tower to reach the heavens (Genesis 11:4).
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In fact, their real intention is to take the place of God Himself, the Creator. Significantly, the description of the people’s intentions and actions echo God’s intentions and actions in the Creation account: “they said” (Genesis 11:3-4; compare with Genesis 1:6, Genesis 1:9, Genesis 1:14, etc.); “let us make” (Genesis 11:3-4; compare with Genesis 1:26). Their intention is explicitly stated: “Let us make a name for ourselves” (Genesis 11:4, NKJV), an expression that is exclusively used for God (Isaiah 63:12, Isaiah 63:14).
In short, the builders of Babel entertained the misplaced ambition to replace God, the Creator. (We know who inspired that, don’t we? See Isaiah 14:14.) The memory of the Flood surely must have played a role in their project. They built a high tower in order to survive another flood, were another to come, despite God’s promise. The memory of the Flood has been preserved in Babylonian tradition, albeit distorted, in connection with the construction of the city of Babel (Babylon). This upward effort to reach heaven and usurp God will, indeed, characterize the spirit of Babylon.
This is why the story of the Tower of Babel is such an important motif in the book of Daniel, as well. The reference to Shinar, which introduces the story of the Tower of Babel (Genesis 11:2), reappears in the beginning of the book of Daniel, in order to designate the place where Nebuchadnezzar has brought the articles of the temple of Jerusalem (Daniel 1:2). Among many other passages of the book, the episode of Nebuchadnezzar’s erecting the golden statue, probably on the same place in the same “plain,” is the most illustrative of this frame of mind. In his visions of the end, Daniel sees the same scenario of the nations of the earth gathering together to achieve unity against God (Daniel 2:43, Daniel 11:43-45; compare with Revelation 16:14-16), though this attempt fails here, as it did with Babel, as well.
| A famous secular French writer in the past century said the great purpose of humanity was to try “to be God.” What is it about us, starting with Eve in Eden (Genesis 3:5), that gets drawn into this dangerous lie? |
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