When The World Scattered

Genesis 11

When the world scattered

I am a native Floridian. I was born and reared here. Those folks running around with Flo-grown stickers in their back windows. Newbies. When I was a teen it was “Florida Native stickers and tags and I have 2 of the license plates in my shed. That being said, I had never gone to Miami other than to get a passport, or to the key until several years ago.

Several years ago a friend of mine asked me if I wanted to use his time share. We were excited. Gladys, Drew and I and one of our nieces went to Miami. They got a little irritated the I picked up and couple of donated Christmas trees for Christmas in the Country while we were down there, and stored them in our room, but other than that we had a good time in Miami and for the 2 days we ran over to the keys.

Now, when my friend offered us the time share, one thing he didn’t tell us was that it wasn’t in the nicest part of town. As a matter of fact, the whole week we were there, we only saw 2 other gringos in that community, and the restaurant owners in that area were surprised we didn’t speak Spanish.

I’m in Florida, born and reared here, and english is not acceptable?

I’ve spent a little time out of the country, and each time I’ve needed a translator. Why is that? Why is it that I cannot communicate with everyone living in my home state? Why is it that when I leave the country I often need a translator? Why have Tim and Bunny, and so many other missionaries spent years having to learn new tribal languages so they can share the Gospel? Why is it that we are working to get people out of Afghanistan who worked as translators for us. Why were their services needed in the first place? The answer to that and so many other questions is found in the Bible.

Turn with me please to . . .

- Read Genesis 11:1-9

Verse 7 says the Lord confused their languages, and verse 9 tells us He scattered them throughout the earth.

Why do we have different languages? It’s because God caused it, and scattered them.

Now, when I’m talking about God confusing their languages, I’m not talking about little differences, like my sister-in-law and others from England who don’t know the difference between a boot and a car trunk; or a dust bin and a trash can; and I am certainly not talking about those confused folks from up north who don’t know where yonder is. My word, we used to have a couple in the church from the bronx who tried to get my little son to say ya’ll with a northern accent.

That’s not what I’m talking about. I’m talking about Greek, and Hebrew, and Latin, and English, and Spanish, and the 700 languages spoken in India, and the 297 languages spoken in China, and the many other languages spoken in the world. Why are there so many and why do we have so much trouble understanding one another? The answer is that God caused it.

God told folks, after they came off of the ark, be fruitful and multiply and cover the earth. And what did the people say?

I. MAN’S PLAN

1. Let’s improve what we have. - v3

- Read Genesis 11:3

There were no stones in that area. Concrete hadn’t been invented, so man discovered how to make bricks, first by drying them in the sun, and later by firing them in a furnace.

There were tar pits in the area, so they decided to use asphalt as a mortar to hold the bricks together.

Folks began to develop some technology, they began to improve on their environment and their setting. They used the God-given talents and skills and creativity they had and they began to invent and build. They said, “Let’s improve what we have.”

2. Let’s build a city and a tower into the sky - v 4

- Read Genesis 11:4

Let’s build a a city and a tower into the sky. Archeologists have uncovered the foundations to some towers in that part of the world, in Iraq. In many of the ruins they have uncovered, they have found evidence of the zodiac. In other words, one of the reasons they were building was to worships the stars, the moon and the heavens. They wanted to worship what was created instead of the Creator.

How often do we get things out of order and set our priorities on the wrong thing. We worship the gifts instead of the Giver. God blesses us, and we are more excited about the blessing, than we are about the One Who took notice of us, and Who helped us in our difficulty, in our situation.