Scriptures: Gen.11-9, Isa. 13:1

 Memory Verse: Gen. 11:7

"Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech."

In studying these miracles, we have seen a marvelous display of sovereignty of God. We have also seen how the sin of the people brings sorrow to the heart of God.

When we think about incidents in our own lives or in the lives of those who know, where we have given someone every opportunity and every advantage, and have done all that we could for them humanly possible, and then to have that individual turn in rebellion against us. That is heartbreaking and causes a sorrow unlike any sorrow that I have ever known. In many instances it is a greater sorrow than giving up loved ones.

Yet, here is God, disappointed again and again in the creature that He created.

After the creation, Adam and Eve failed Him. After Noah’s miraculous deliverance, he failed God.

Now, we are at Babel, and man again fails God.

NOTE:
For the third time, God did not utterly destroy sinners, but preserved a line which led to Calvary and redemption for all who will come to God by Jesus Christ.

Note the brevity with which the story is told. God merely states facts. God does not seek to justify Himself, and God does not paint man to be something that he is not.

a. Nimrod was a mighty hunter - He hunted men, the souls of men - men that would submit to his leadership and direction.

b. He was the world’s first dictator - building himself an empire over which he was the chief ruler.

c. He ruled without the help of, or the direction of, or without seeking the leadership of God.

d. He was determined (like Communism) that he could build an empire and leave God completely out.

f. The name "Nimrod" means "the rebel" - see 2 Thes. 2:8 where anti-Christ is the lawless one.

g. Gen. 10:9 indicates that he was a mighty hunter before the Lord meaning he pushed his own designs in brazen defiance of his Maker.

Thus with anti-Christ, Dan. 11:36, 37.

Nimrod was a king - the beginning of his kingdom is mentioned here Anti-Christ will be a king, king of all the earth.

i. As Nimrod was connected with Babylon, so anti Christ will be connected with "mystery Babylon" in Re v. 17:3-5.

j. Nimrod’s chief ambition was to "make himself a name" as he wanted his name to be above every name that is name, and that right is reserved for the Lord only.

It is at the name of Jesus that every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess that He is Lord to the glory of God.

Anti-Christ will so exalt himself.  2 Thes. 2:4

k. Babylon stands in scripture for that which is in opposition to God.

It was the Babylonish garment that led to the first sin of the nation of Israel in Canaan.

In Rev. 17 it is the apostate system of Babylon headed up under the guise of Romanism that is judged as the ‘great whore’ of religious practice.

2.     Not only was Babylon builed, but other cities came into being because Nimrod had the desire to establish a world empire.

Note:
God’s people were not to be a "city-building" people but were to look for a city whose builder and maker is God.

 3.     The whole earth used only one language ... one kind of words.  Everyone understood everyone.

a. Evidently God gave Adam and Eve words, and this is the language that was used. b. We do not know what language or which language that might have been.

b. It was a universal language.

4      Note some things about the spiritual condition of these people that we learn from the symbolism here.

a.     They journeyed "from the east" - meaning they were journeying away from God.

They were traveling in the wrong direction toward the sunset.

They had turned their backs on the Sun of Righteousness that ariseth with healing in His wings.

That means that they were not looking for the coming of the Messiah.

That means that they were deciding their own fate ... they were masters of their own souls.

That means they had ruled God out of their lives.

b.     They found a "plain."  This speaks of self-existence, self sufficiency.

 They found a plain that was well-watered, hence no need to look to God for anything. They could do it themselves.

God’s people have always been mountain people -traveling from mountain peak to mountain peak.

NOTE:

Note the things in the Word of God that have taken place on tops of mountains. Note the great mountains of the Bible - Sinai, Nebo, Carmel, Olivet, Calvary etc.

c. They "dwelt there."

This means that they were completely and totally satisfied and wanted nothing better than they had.

God’s people have here no permanent abiding place.

God’s people are strangers and pilgrims in the world.

We look for our Saviour who shall change our vile body and fashion it like His body, because our citizenship is not here but in heaven.

d. In building a tower, "they consulted with each other."

They did not counsel with God.

God was not included in their plans.

NOTE:
The general opinion is that they looked back to the same type of wicked and vile world that was in existence before the flood and wanted such a world without the judgment of God. So they decided to build a tower to take them out of and beyond the judgment of God. This meant that they did not believe the promises of God concerning the rainbow. This meant that they did not accept the Word of God. This was the same as self-salvation.

How many have tried that same thing since that day, and how many are still trying to save themselves!

Men keep trying to devise some method to save themselves because man does not want to be saved God’s way.

e. The materials used for the building of the tower:

BRICK - this is an imitation of stone. It is not real. Stone is God-made; brick is man-made. It looks like the real thing, but it is imitation.

All of the methods of salvation are man-made except the new birth.

SLIME FOR MORTAR - again this is imitation of the real thing, which would be pitch.

As the brick fell short of being the Rock of Salvation, so the slime fell short of being the perfect sealing power of God, the Holy Spirit.

There is no power that can hold together God’s plans and purposes except that of the Holy Spirit of God.

He it is that convicts of sin.

He it is that quickens, or makes alive, the inner man.

He it is that seals us until the day of redemption.

NOTE:
These people were, in effect, working their way to heaven as so many are trying to do in our day. They were interested in making themselves a name.

The cry of the modernists (ecumenists) is "let’s all get together." - That is what these people were doing.

As they ended in failure so the ecumenical movement is doomed to failure also.

LEARN
The one thing that would allow, and could allow, Nimrod to have a world empire, and to rule the world was the ONE LANGUAGE. I am sure that it has occurred to you that we are fast moving toward the place where once again there will be a universally recognized language, one language. This will pave the way for one world government and one man rule which is exactly the picture that is described in Revelation 6 and following chapters.

This can also be a purpose of the present charismatic movement.

11. GOD’S INTERVENTION

Gen. 11:5-8

This is one of the mightiest and most far-reaching miracles of history. Perhaps this transcends all of the mighty miracles of Egypt. There is no counterpart to this miracle until we come to the miracle on the Day of Pentecost in the New Testament.

1.     God interrupts these people in the midst of their hopes, their dreams, their plans and their schemes.

Illus:

A good illustration of this type of interruption is found in Luke’s Gospel in the story of the rich farmer. He laid his plans, tore down his barns and built larger and better barns until at last he felt that nothing - not even God - could interfere with his life. But God interrupted those plans and ambitions and said, "This night thy soul be required of thee."

a. Human sin is no match for God’s sovereign power.

God came down to get a closer view of man’s sinful debauchery.

God came to see the tower and the city first hand the city was man’s ultimate.

God then spoke with Himself saying, "If man has done this out of his own evil mind ... there is nothing that he will not try." - Judgment had to come.

2. God confounds their language ... THIS IS A MIRACLE.

This is a good place to allow your imagination to run wild with you. All these people working when suddenly no one can understand the other and there is gross confusion and consternation.

a. The first effect of such a judgment - the work stopped. No way to carry on the work if they could not understand one another.

b. They were conscious of a supernatural power intervening and they were seared. The were afraid.

Because they could not understand each other, they would go their separate ways. No communication was possible.

NOTE:
Perhaps they grouped naturally into the descendants of Shem, Ham, and Japheth and migration began in separate directions.

d. The confusing of tongues was God’s method of dispersing the race and getting the race to do what God had told them to do ... "subdue the earth."

We are told that there are now more than 7,000 different languages and dialects.

111. THE WHOLE EARTH OF ONE LANGUAGE AGAIN

1.     The whole earth ... the entire universe will be of one language again.

 a. This takes place when there will be one "pure language- " Zeph. 3:9

b. In heaven, with one tongue, the redeemed of all ages will sing the praises of God.

God will reverse the order that was sent at Babel.

Everyone will then speak the same language.

We will sing with new tongues, and new lips, and with perfect understanding.

2.     No one knows what the language of that time would be.

 a. We know that it will be a universal language.

b. We know that all the redeemed will understand one another.

IV. TONGUES IN THE NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH

1.     we are living in an age when there is still much "babel" which means "confusion" concerning tongues.

a. We hear of the new movements springing up all over the nation.

b. These groups are usually led by CBMA or some counterpart of that group ... which is a signified name for Pentecostalism.

c. The modern day Charismatic Movement has brought and is bringing confusion to the churches and since God is not the author of confusion in the church, the movement must not be of God.

2.     Tongues at Pentecost were different from the modern tongues movement.

 a. First of all, tongues at Pentecost were some 16 different named languages. \

b. At Pentecost the purpose of God was to get the Gospel to the whole world in a short time. c. God temporarily reversed the order of Babel and this became the means o f getting the Gospel over the world from that day forward.

NOTE:
The ONLY reason for tongues in the New Testament was to preach the Gospel, and the salvation of souls was always the result.

When that which is perfect (the completed Word of God) is come, then that which was in part was done away with, and this included tongues for "whether there be tongues they shall cease."

There is no need for the gift of tongues in our dispensation for the Gospel is complete, and has been translated in most ever language in the world.