The Tower of Babel: Poor vision and even worse strategy

4th in a series on Men and Women in the Bible 

dealing with waiting, disappointment and unemployment.

The Tower of Babel: Poor vision and even worse strategy

I am fascinated with beginnings.  Probably the opening five to ten minutes of a movie can be the most frustrating because the author/director is formulating the characters, developing the plot and creating scenes that seem impossibly disparate from one another.  We must resist the urge to give into the confusion and jump to another, more simplistic drama or worst of all….start talking to the other people in the room by saying, “I don’t get it. Who’s that? What does that character have to do with anything?”

But movies, as fun as they are, can only mimic real life.  Ever heard anyone say after an amazing human interest story, “You can’t make this stuff up” ?Reading the Bible is a great exercise in discovering the complexity of the human equation especially as we come in contact with the God of the universe.  The story of the “Tower of Babel” in Genesis 11 describes our history as a time when people had seemingly forgotten who they were.  As I recently heard someone say, we are not homo sapiens(one who is wise - meaning, as a result of evolution we are the only homo species left), but we are homo adoratus(one who worships).  As our story illustrates, when left to our own devices, we tend to worship ourselves as opposed to how we were designed…to worship God.

Following Noah, God had commanded the people to multiply and replenish the earth.  The people of Babel decided that it was safer to settle in one place so as not to be divided.  They took it upon themselves to redefine their mission.  Secondly, they chose to build a tower using inferior materials.  Bricks instead of stone and tar instead of mortar. These materials seemed more readily available and therefore made “common sense”.  

God, their creator/supervisor it is said, came down to see what they were doing.  He determined that due to their lack of wisdom (not sapien-like at all) and their self-centered tendencies, they needed to have their work stopped.  Thus, the origin of our multiple languages.  Sure, they were unified as a people, accomplishing a great task that would have only been capable through cooperation.  But unity at what cost?  Obedience to the mission is primary, not unity of the workers.

Therefore God intervenes and accomplishes what had been intended from the beginning.  He scatters them throughout the earth.  This earth becomes what God intended when it is filled with people who worship Him.  

If we have been in the workforce any time at all we will be able to identify with the transferable principles that Genesis 11 offers:

1. They forgot their mission and became misguided.  Obedience to the mission is primary, not unity of the workers.

2. They didn’t plan for the future. They were only thinking of the NOW and not the ramifications of what they were accomplishing for future generations.

3. Building with cheaper materials(principles) will be revealed in time and difficulty.  Trying to avoid trouble or work by going about something unethically or illegally only makes things worse.  

4. They didn’t respect the Owner’s wishes, did things their own way, without permission or right.

5. Our work should be for the benefit of the company as a whole and not to one individual.

6. Seeking to make your own name great will result in being forgotten.  We remember only those who benefit society as a whole rather than just themselves.

7. God looks into the matter to get the facts straight, so does a good boss.

8. God was not a micromanager.  The Scripture said, “He came down”.  He has allowed humans to choose their own way.  This is still happening today.

9. The Boss doesn’t have to take the concerns of the employees into consideration.  This sounds rather harsh, but oftentimes for the greater good, an owner or supervisor makes demands of the employees that in the short run may feel detrimental, but the long range vision is what benefits everyone.  

10. A good Boss is patient but still disciplines.

We may think we are getting away with our tower of bricks and tar but there will be a final reckoning.  For Jesus says in Matthew 25:31,32 “When he finally arrives, blazing in beauty and all his angels with him, the Son of Man will take his place on his glorious throne. Then all the nations will be arranged before him and he will sort the people out, much as a shepherd sorts out sheep and goats, putting sheep to his right and goats to his left.

Let us examine what we think we are accomplishing today and choose to exercise eternal principles which will not only benefit ourselves, but others as well and we will be fulfilling our calling as homo adoratus.