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After the flood, God told the sons of Noah- Shem, Ham and Japheth, to be fruitful and multiply, to populate the earth and subdue it. But Genesis 11 tells us that instead of following God’s word, they found a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there, saying, “Let us build for ourselves a city, and a tower whose top will reach into heaven, and let us make for ourselves a name; lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth.”

Notice the theme; “Let us build for ourselves…” And, “Let us make for ourselves a name…” That’s a formula for many troubles. Instead of doing the hard thing, the difficult thing that God would bless, they did the thing that would bring glory and honor and fame to themselves.

The idea of building a tower to reach into heaven was not to create direct access to God. Although that does remind me of a funny story. One day Billy Graham was invited to visit the Pope in Rome and while he was there in the Pope’s office he noticed a red phone on his desk…

No, the idea of building this tower was to create a name for themselves; to create such a magnificent building so as to draw all people onto it. It’s a bit like building the great pyramids in Egypt; it has made famous the names of the pharaohs who built it.

The world’s tallest building today is the Burj Khalifa in Dubai. It is 2717 feet tall. And of course, for almost 100 years the largest building in the world was the Empire State building. There’s a lot of pride associated having the tallest building in the world. It’s about making a name for themselves.

Historians of ancient Babylon describe a great tower or ziggurat at its center, a tower built of solid masonry that is 2 ½ football fields in length and breadth, upon which was raised a second tower, and on that a third, and so on up to eight towers. At the summit, on the topmost tower, there is a spacious Temple.

God frustrated their plans by confusing their language that they might be scattered and inhabit the earth as He had directed them. Their collective pride and evil would only bring their collective rebellion to new heights.

This is a significant story and a significant city because Babel later becomes known as the famous Babylon which has a direct connection to the latter-day events in the book of Revelation.

I. God Weighs the Motives of the Heart

 When they come to the plains of Shinar, in modern day Iraq, they decided to settle there and build a great city with a tower that reaches into heaven.

 Their motive is clear, “Let us make a name for ourselves.” That’s one of our great problems, our motives are so often in favor of self. It’s the desire of many to make themselves great; to have a great name for a great position, to receive great recognition.

James 4:2-3, You do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures.

 If they’re scattered abroad they will become obscure and they would rather build something so great that they will be remembered as the great ones who built this great tower.

 They reject God’s plan in order to make a great name for themselves.

A. Don’t be a Nimrod

 When I was young it was an insult to call someone a Nimrod. But in that day, it was a compliment. Nimrod was a great hunter and was a role model to many who wanted to be like him.

Genesis 10:8-10, Nimrod became a mighty one on the earth. He was a mighty hunter before the Lord; therefore, it is said, “Like Nimrod a mighty hunter before the Lord.” And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel…

 As a mighty hunter, he became powerful. He was skilled with weapons and aggressive.
Illus – Fishing with a spear versus fishing with a pole.
 Nimrod is seen in history as a strong leader who formed the world’s first empire at Babel and sought the power to control as much as possible.

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