January 3, 2022

Now the whole earth had one language and one speech . . . And they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top is in the heavens; let us make a name for ourselves lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth.”  Genesis 11:1,4

The phrase “the whole earth” takes the reader’s mind back to the following two passages, one at creation and the second just after the worldwide flood. It reveals an underlying motive of rebellion against God.

Then God blessed [Adam and Eve], and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth… Genesis 1:28a

So God blessed Noah and his sons, and said to them: “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth.” Genesis 9:1a

Every thought and act of ingratitude on the part of man has been preceded by blessings from God. It is a lack of thankfulness for things already done that blinds us to His promises for the future.

The tower of Babel became the first symbol in God’s Word to represent a unity of people which places the purposes of people above the purpose of God. At the end of His Word, this unity of people is called Babylon the great (Revelation 18:2).

But God’s ultimate purpose for people surpasses any human purpose or ideal. The great, excellent, pure, and eternal purpose that God has for the people whom He has made does not compare to even the very best idea of man.

The Christian world is steeped in a merging-church philosophy. A leading precept in this philosophy says, “Our varying beliefs are inconsequential. We must unite over that which we share in common.” This campaign is meant to discourage a search of the Scriptures to discover truth (see Acts 17:11), to quench the fire of desire for knowing God, and to silence those who question the prevailing doctrines. It also serves as preparation among the very people who profess to follow Jesus to join the merger — sooner rather than later! — and eventually shift the world in its entirety toward a “one-world” system. Beloved, we are being called out of this system by the voice of the Lord in His Word!

Abraham, lovingly known as the “father of our faith” (Matthew 3:9, Romans 4:12, Galatians 3:7, and others), was called out of the Babylon of his time (compare Genesis 11:9 to 12:1). He answered the call and looked in faith to a city, but not a city conceived in the “utopian” ideas of man.

By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out . . . dwelling in tents . . . for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God. Hebrews 11:8a,9b,10