Wednesday, November 30

TOWER OF BABEL: ORDER VS. CONFUSION

Genesis 11: 1-9

This is the story of the tower of Babel. Up to this point in history, everyone shared the same language. It is hard for us to believe that, at one time, the whole Earth spoke the same language. Imagine the possibilities! Everyone could work together in unity. It seems odd that, when God saw what was happening, He put a stop to it. Doesn't He want unity? That seems to be what most churches are advocating these days. The problem with people working together in this story is that they have the wrong kind of unity. In verse 4, they say, "and let us make a name." Their purpose wasn't to build a tower to heaven to honor God; their purpose was to make a name for themselves, bringing glory only to themselves.

God chose to stop the building of the tower because, "behold the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do." (vs. 6) The imaginings of man will be a road to destruction. Yesterday, we read about the Flood. In Genesis 6:5, it says, "And God saw the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually." God saw the path that these people were headed down. In His mercy, He stopped it before the confusion could go too far.

There is a unity that God wants us to have, and a name that God wants us to honor—His! Romans 15:5-6 says, "Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded (unified) one toward another according to Christ Jesus: That you may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ."

This is the time of year that we hear a lot about peace and unity. We need to remember that the unity God desires is that of our hearts and lives joined with His. Herein the confusion vanishes, and God's order reigns supreme!

Lord, thank you for the gift of Christmas that makes it possible for sinners, which we all were, to repent, die to self, and to have true unity with you. Amen!

~ Karen Simcik