COME, LET US……. Genesis 11:1-9
Read all of Genesis 11:1-9. Today’s message addresses human pride, fear, and sin. Very apparent to us at this point: It is a message of judgment; but upon closer examination of its context, we also find a message of grace.
When a televised baseball game went into extra innings one evening NBC sportscaster Curt Gowdy announced: “The “Tonight Show” has been cancelled, the “Tomorrow Show” will be seen later tonight and the “Today Show” will be seen tomorrow.” Confusion had a large part to play in this story; and only through the work and initiative of God would that confusion begin to be eliminated. We know that God is not the author of confusion; but of peace. That fact will be confirmed in His work in Genesis.
1. MAN SAYS, COME LET US MAKE/BUILD ….. (v.3-4) Why did they say this? Why did they sin? Very simply, pride!
ILLUS> A Sunday School teacher had done a good piece of teaching her class of boys, explaining the hard heart of the Pharisee. What a thing for a man to say: “I thank thee, that I am not as other men are!” This surely was no attitude for anyone to take. At the close of the lesson she had the youngsters lead in short prayers, and one boy, without any apparent beating on his own chest, prayed: “We thank thee, God, that we are not like that Pharisee!” Do we sometimes pray like that boy? (Luke 18:11) —United Presbyterian
A. I found these words about pride in a dictionary: “PRIDE is a lofty and often arrogant assumption of superiority in some respect”(online dictionary) In the case of Genesis, pride speaks to the arrogance of man against his Creator. Everything that God had purposed to do in Creation; man rebelled against. In Genesis 6:5, “that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time.” And even after the flood, the graciousness of God went unnoticed, In Genesis 8:21 God affirmed that “every inclination of (man’s) his heart is evil from childhood”
B. Pride can be caused by many things, but its result is always the same: it erects a brick wall against the goodness of relationship and ultimately love. “On one of Mr. Moody’s western campaigns, he was followed from city to city by an aged and broken man of venerable appearance who, in each place, asked the privilege of saying a word to the great congregations. He would stand up and in a quavering voice would say: “Is my son George in this place? George, are you here? O George, are you here? O George, if you are here, come to me. Your old father loves you, George, and can’t die content without seeing you again.” Then the old man would sit down. One night a young man came to Mr. Moody’s hotel and asked to see him. It was George. When the great evangelist asked him how he could find it in his heart to treat a loving father with such cruel neglect, the young man, said: “I never thought of him; but Mr. Moody, I have tried to do all the good I could.” That is a good picture of a self-righteous prodigal in the far country. He was generous with his money and with his words—yet every moment of his infamous life he was trampling on the heart of a loving father.” —C. I. Scofield You see, when we think of ourselves, we fail to think of others before ourselves. And when we only think of and rely on ourselves, we have only ourselves to rely upon.
ILLUS> Pride was spoken of in the following experience of “one of Spurgeon’s students went into a pulpit with every expression of confidence but he had an extremely difficult time. He came down distressed, almost brokenhearted, and he went to Spurgeon about it. The words of Spurgeon to him were these, “If you had gone up as you came down, you would have come down as you went up.”—Al Bryant
The point is made: pride does go before a fall. This student of preaching boldly went to his; when in all actuality; humility should have lead the way.
Let’s read some of God’s Word that will help us get some perspective concerning pride: Psalms 111:9 (READ) (how the word ‘awesome’ is used to liberally today) when something is said of God…it can never be used to describe anything else. (reverend)
Psalms 31:14-18 (READ) Those who are prideful speak against God and his people; but those who live for God are protected by God’s love as is “a strong city” Call attention to (v.21).
TRANSITION: Pride was not the only problem of these people in Genesis though; but so was fear! The people actually had the audacity to think that God was not in control of their situation and, as a result; they were taking things into their own hands. Also, consider this: The pride that gives confidence also can result in fear.
ILLUS> It is reported that the newspaper counselor, Ann Landers, receives an avenge of 10,000 letters each month, and nearly all of them from people burdened with problems. She was asked if there was any one of them which predominates throughout the letters she receives, and her reply was the one problem above all others seems to be fear. People are afraid of losing their health, their wealth, their loved ones. People are afraid of life itself. —The Bible Friend
C. In verse 4, of Genesis 11 the people say “otherwise we will be scattered abroad,” indicating they don’t want to be scattered. It is here that we get the first strong hints that the people are in direct opposition to God. Remember, I said that pride can be caused by many things…..and so can fear. This time, the reason was rebellion! In Genesis 9:1, we have a direct command to these people: READ.
D. It seems that fear can coexist with rebellion. Further, fear exemplified their pride. In a sense, they were self-deceived. In the Commentary of the Old Testament it says, “But the fact that they were afraid of dispersion is a proof that the inward spiritual bond of unity and fellowship, not only “the oneness of their God and their worship,” but also the unity of brotherly love, was already broken by sin. Consequently the undertaking, dictated by pride, to preserve and consolidate by outward means the unity which was inwardly lost, could not be successful” In other words, in their pride; they had not only lost their relationship with God, but their relationships with each other.
E. 1 John 4:18-21 (READ) Do you think that when the people hatched this plan to build this tower that they were thinking of anyone but themselves? … pause… But, John solidifies what we have just heard concerning what fear has to do with relationships. Fear is driven out by love! Now isn’t that a wonderful thing!
TRANSITION: I have given you a chart of the literary form of Genesis 11:1-9; which emphasizes several things…. But I will reveal them as we continue in this message. They have to do with not only the forms, but the words used. Case in point, (correlate what God says with what man says..COME, LET US)
2. GOD SAYS, COME LET US GO DOWN…. (v.7) This verse indicates the relative position and authority of God and men. In using the words, “Come, let us” the writer indicates a wordplay that brings to our minds the difference between what happens when God says He is going to do something AND when man says he is going to do something. How do God’s intentions differ from man’s intentions? Further, this short phrase conveys that God was coming down from an elevated position!
A. Verse 6, of Genesis 11, says “nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do.” Let me ask you this, “Is it not a fearful thing to think about what men have “imagined to do?” I mean, if you are going to fear anything, wouldn’t this be a big possibility? But, when the imaginations of men’s hearts are purposed to do one thing; God’s sovereignty is established.
B. These people said, “Come, Let Us make a name for ourselves” Today, a name does not seem to mean as much as it used to. In fact, some movie stars and singers take on stage names because their own names apparently do not sell. Nevertheless, God will not allow His Glory to be stolen. Psalms 115:1 says, “Not to us, O LORD, not to us but to your name be the glory, because of your love and faithfulness. (NIV)” Isaiah 42:8 says, “I am the LORD; that is my name! I will not yield my glory to another or my praise to idols.(NIV)” Acts 4:12 tells us that “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name given under heaven by which we must be saved. (NIV)" And Philippians 2:9 says, “God exalted him (Jesus) to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name”
C. You tell me there is no power in the name of Jesus! “Sounds like confusion to me!” In fact, this story takes place in the area of Babylon; which we find out by the Hebrew words that are used in this passage. They were not only used by the author to make the points that I am today; but to help people remember the story. In fact, it would be imperative that the scattered nations remember this day because of the importance of God’s will in their lives…and the life of their nations. “….the passage culminates (v.9) in a name play: Babel (bâḇel) sounds similar to the verb confused (bâlal). Written Babylonian accounts of the building of the city of Babylon refer to its construction in heaven by the gods as a celestial city, as an expression of pride (Enuma Elish VI, lines 55-64). These accounts say it was made by the same process of brick-making described in verse 3, with every brick inscribed with the name of the Babylonian god Marduk. Also the ziggurat, the step-like tower believed to have been first erected in Babylon, was said to have its top in the heavens (cf. v. 4). This artificial mountain became the center of worship in the city, a miniature temple being at the top of the tower. The Babylonians took great pride in their building; they boasted of their city as not only impregnable, but also as the heavenly city, bâb-ili (“the gate of God”).
D. One idea about this tower that was built in Genesis 11, is that it was a place of worship. O’ what men and women have imagined in their hearts; that they turn from their gracious; merciful; all-powerful; and Sovereign Creator; to worship (anything else) ….you fill in the blank.
E. Normally, in the modern melodrama..there is the fantastic ending! Where is it for these people? In Genesis 11:10 begins a geneology….or record of generations. What is interesting is that God chose from these scattered nations an heir from whom emerged a promise. It is found in Genesis 12; and it contains a founding principle for our salvation…. The promise of God. Galations 3:14 confirms this when it says, “in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we would receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.”
F. Walvoord mentions some parallels between this story and others in the Scripture when he writes, “The undoing of Babel was cleverly explained by Zephaniah, whose terms certainly retraced this event, anticipating the great unification in the millennial kingdom, when everyone will speak one pure language and worship in God’s holy mountain, being gathered from the nations into which they have been dispersed (Zeph. 3:9-11). The miracle at Pentecost (Acts 2:6-11) was a harbinger of that yet-future event.” (read the two references)
TRANSITION: OK, I have heard the story…I have seen what pride and fear can do to people as they destroy their relationships with God and others. So what should I do? Well, here are some very clear ideas.
3. COME, LET US………..
A. Put others before yourself! Don’t let pride deprive you of relationships that you could have had. The Scripture tells us that believers in Christ should abound in love; which allows the ability to discern what is best…. READ Philippians 1:9-11.
B. Rest in God’s Promises! Do not let fear scare you into actions that you would not have otherwise taken. 1 Thessalonians 5:2 says, that believers have a knowledge about a coming day that others do not. What have we to fear. Proverbs 29:25 says, “To fear anyone will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD is kept safe.”
C. Finally, Know that God loves you! God cares for you! In Genesis 11:6, it says this: “nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do.” Or in the NASB; “nothing which they purpose to do will be impossible for them.” Now, do you think this meant that people would have the power to do what they wanted…even against God’s wishes? NO! But, what it did mean: that whatever they might do, could turn out to be the very thing they hoped they would not do. Have you ever been in that predicament that you have put yourself into….and then found that it was possible to get yourself in even more trouble? God’s Word is stating that same thing here! God saw what could happen if the people were allowed to build the tower…and it did not look very good. (We could surmise? Already considered the imaginations of hearts. Also, what had already happened as a result of human sin.) In contrast, God wants the best for us! Sometimes when we want what is immediately gratifying, he speaks to us ever so gently… “Will you wait?” He says, “I have something better for you!”
INVITATION: The Bible says that Jesus loved you by putting you first and that he fully obeyed His Father to do it. You can rest in the knowledge that He loves you because “even while we were sinners, Christ died for us!” If you want to have the same assurance that I have, then you don’t have to build a tower or anything else to get to know Jesus. Just come see me when we are done if you have any questions about that.
INFO: In the KJV, the word slime is used instead of tar: “And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for mortar.” The slime referred to is bitumen, which literally bubbled from the ground in the area of ancient Babylon. Bitumens are naturally occurring mixtures of hydrocarbons, such as crude petroleum, asphalt, and tar. Bitumen was used as mortar to cement the bricks together.
