The Tower Of Babel
Introduction
Genesis 11:1–9
records the building of the tower at Babel and God’s response. This
account reveals humanity’s pride, God’s purpose for the nations, and
the divine origin of languages.
One Language,
One People, One Direction
After the flood,
families spread from Noah’s sons. Scripture notes a key marker: “in
his days the earth was divided” (Genesis 10:25). Genesis 11 steps
inside that moment. “The whole earth had one language and one
speech” (Genesis 11:1). With a shared tongue and a shared culture,
people journeyed east and settled on the plain of Shinar (Genesis
11:2). Their migration fixed them in one place, contrary to God’s
charge to be fruitful, multiply, and fill the earth (Genesis 9:1). A
single voice without humble submission to God becomes a powerful
engine for the wrong goals.
A City, A
Tower, A Name
The people
resolved, “Come, let us make bricks,” and then, “Come, let us build
ourselves a city, and a tower whose top is in the heavens; let us
make a name for ourselves” (Genesis 11:3–4). They pursued permanence
and fame. They sought security in walls and height. They desired a
legacy in stone and fired brick. Their stated aim was to avoid being
scattered across the earth. God’s command pointed outward; their
plan curved inward. Pride seeks a name; faith seeks God’s name. When
people trade obedience for ambition, building projects become
monuments to self.
God Comes
Down
Moses writes
with holy irony: “The Lord came down to see the city and the tower
which the sons of men had built” (Genesis 11:5). Humanity strained
upward; God stooped to examine the work. The Lord assessed their
unity and trajectory: with one speech and one resolve, their
rebellion would rapidly multiply (Genesis 11:6). Divine mercy
intervened to restrain sin’s spread.
Confusion,
Scattering, and the Birth of Nations
God said, “Come,
let Us go down and there confuse their language, that they may not
understand one another’s speech” (Genesis 11:7). In a moment,
cooperation fractured. Conversation stalled. Construction ceased.
Groups formed along new tongues, and the Lord scattered them over
the face of all the earth (Genesis 11:8–9). Babel means “confusion.”
The place that tried to concentrate humanity became the fountainhead
of dispersion. Languages emerged by God’s decree, and the nations
began to fill the earth according to His purpose (Genesis 10:5, 20,
32; 11:9).
Pride
Humbled and Plans Redirected
God opposes
lofty self-exaltation and brings it low (Isaiah 2:12–15). “Pride
goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall”
(Proverbs 16:18). At Babel, the Lord overturned human plans and
established His counsel for the earth’s filling. He did not abandon
mankind; He redirected history toward redemption, ultimately calling
Abram from that same broad region (Genesis 12:1–3). When people
grasp for glory, God preserves His glory and keeps His promises.
A Glimpse
of Grace at Pentecost
Babel scattered
languages to restrain sin. At Pentecost, God used languages to
publish salvation. Jews from many nations heard the apostles declare
the mighty works of God in their own tongues (Acts 2:5–11). Through
the gospel, divided peoples hear one message. Peter proclaimed Jesus
as Lord and Christ, and the repentant were baptized for the
forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:36–41). Where pride once fractured,
grace now gathers in Christ.
Lessons for
Today
Babel warns
against settling for unity without truth and progress without
obedience. God’s people honor His mission to fill the earth with His
glory, not our reputation. We resist the lure of making a name for
ourselves and ask the Lord to magnify His name among the nations.
True security rests in God’s promise, not in towers, technology, or
human acclaim.
The Tower Of
Babel Sermon Outline:
Call to Action
Examine the
plans you are building. Ask whose name they magnify. Lay down
self-glory and receive the Lord’s mercy. Turn from pride, believe
the gospel, confess Christ, repent of sins, and be baptized for the
forgiveness of sins. Walk humbly with God and devote your life to
making His name known among all nations.
Key Takeaways
-
God
commanded humanity to fill the earth, and His purpose prevails
(Genesis 9:1; Genesis 11:8–9).
-
Pride seeks
a name; faithful obedience seeks God’s name (Genesis 11:4;
Proverbs 16:18).
-
Languages
began by God’s decree at Babel to restrain sin (Genesis 11:7–9).
-
The gospel
unites divided peoples through the word in every tongue (Acts
2:5–11).
-
Salvation is
in Jesus Christ—repent and be baptized in His name (Acts
2:36–41).
-
True unity
stands on God’s truth and mission, not human ambition (Isaiah
2:12–15; Matthew 28:18–20).
Scripture
Reference List
-
Genesis
9:1 — Post-flood command to be
fruitful and fill the earth.
-
Genesis
10:25 — “In his days the earth
was divided” (context for Babel).
-
Genesis
11:1–9 — One language, the tower,
God’s descent, confusion, scattering.
-
Proverbs 16:18 — Pride precedes
destruction; haughtiness precedes a fall.
-
Isaiah
2:12–15 — The Lord brings down
the lofty and the high tower.
-
Acts
2:5–11 — Pentecost: many
languages hear the mighty works of God.
-
Acts
2:36–41 — Jesus proclaimed Lord
and Christ; repentance and baptism commanded.
-
Matthew
28:18–20 — The Great Commission
to all nations.
Prepared by Bobby Stafford of the church of Christ at
Granby, MO |
The
church of Christ
