Today, we begin Genesis Chapter 11.

For the Complete Jewish Bible, click here. For the King James Version, click here.

“Come, let’s build ourselves a city with a tower that has its top reaching up into heaven, so that we can make a name for ourselves and not be scattered all over the earth.”-Genesis 11:4

The story of the Tower of Babel is the story of anti-God imperialistic ambition.

The whole world spoke one language, making everyone feel united and powerful.

This story reminds me of Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan during World War II.

Germany wanted to take over all of Europe.

Japan wanted to be ruler over all Asia.

They both wanted to establish new orders in their respective countries that would last a thousand years.

No wonder these two nations became partners during World War II.

Both Germany and Japan had great ambitions for their nations, but they were NOT God’s ambitions.

The story of Babel is exactly the same.

It is the story of mankind unwilling to accept subordination to their Creator by building a tower “to make a name for ourselves and not be scattered."

The people went against God’s command to literally spread out and populate the planet.

Can you see the serious dangers technology poses when people don’t revere God?

The first hint of rebellion is that we’re told the world’s population journeyed from the East.

Remember, whenever we encounter the direction East, it’s almost always connected to God.

In this case, we’re told that mankind moved AWAY FROM the East as opposed to MOVING TOWARDS the East.

In other words, mankind wanted to separate themselves and be independent of God.

They wanted to make a name for themselves.

They wanted to establish their own city-state, their own tower in their own one language.

This desire is at the heart of nationhood to this very day!

And God wasn’t going to have any of it.

He came down and stopped them.

He confused their languages and forced them to scatter across the earth per His original command.

You see unity in the sense that mankind, including the church, defines it as a false doctrine.

The world during this time had a unified vision and purpose that they thought was good. Yet when we examine the Scriptures, we do NOT see God unifying.

We see God dividing, electing, and separating!

Moving forward in our Torah study, when we see Israel wind up in Egypt…

And when we begin studying the Levitical (priestly) laws…

We’ll see God hammer home repeatedly to Israel to separate themselves from unholy nations and customs…

And make distinctions between the clean and unclean…

And the pure and impure in every area of their lives.

In conclusion, the story of Babel informs us that ALL nations except Israel have at the origin of their history rebellion against God.

And God has appointed a day when He will judge this rebellion.

The fact that this judgment has not yet come is because He is still giving us a chance to repent and return to Him.

He is willing that not any should perish. Ya feel me?

CONNECTING THIS TEACHING TO THE NEW TESTAMENT

Because He hath appointed a day, in the which He will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom He hath ordained; whereof He hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.-Acts 17:31

Therefore, “Come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.”-2 Corinthians 6:17

© Richoka