The Message Behind The Tower Of Babel Series

26 "If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor.

Until a person sees the bigger picture of God’s plan, they will cling to their own life and seek their own works. The one who responds to God’s plan will follow Jesus’ call. When we die to ourselves for the sake of submitting to God, He will produce a fruitful and fulfilled life. Alone, we are like the grain of wheat that can do nothing. When we die, in Christ we are made alive. It is impossible to follow Christ without choosing to die to myself. When I die to myself, I live and abide in Christ and He produces the fruit in my life. God blesses what He produces, not what I produce. It is God that gives me significance and belonging. Good works are produced when we yield ourselves to God. I don’t ask God to bless what I am doing, but I pray and seek to find where God is leading and I take up what God is blessing. God doesn’t change, I do. In John 15, Jesus said,

4 "Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.

5 "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing"

The key is abiding. God directs me to the work and produces the fruit of that work. The people of Babel sought to reach the heavens by their own labors and were climbing the tower of their own works.

3. "Let Us Make a Name for Ourselves"

Only God can make a name great. Romans 13 says,

1 Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God.

2 Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves.

All authority comes from God and is appointed by God - even those who are wicked and are in authority. God appoints evil men for judgment, to accomplish His purpose or so His name can be glorified. Those who seek to exalt themselves, God will humble (Matthew 23:11). In the account of Babel, we see that kingdoms banded together to build a tower with the ultimate goal of making their name great instead of acknowledging God. Let’s jump ahead one chapter. Genesis 12 says:

1 Now the LORD had said to Abram: "Get out of your country, From your family And from your father’s house, To a land that I will show you.

2 I will make you a great nation; I will bless you And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing.

3 I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed."

Abram (or Abraham) submitted himself to God. He humbled himself and God exalted him but the people of Babel exalted themselves and God scattered their plans and divided the people. Abraham humbled himself, left his secure place at the command of the Lord and God made Abraham’s name great. God gave Abraham the very thing the people of Babel sought. Abraham received the promise of God because he died to himself and to his own plans and followed God. Abraham found the promise of Isaiah 57:15