Genesis 11:9-29
THOSE who thought through their own schemes to avoid scattering are now scattered farther than they had ever imagined. Their hope of uniting with one another in both worldly and spiritual things, is dashed to the ground, as they now speak strangely to one another. All that is left of their tower is a monument to their own failure and distance from God.
Babel means “confusion” and well defines the sad ending to the foolish tower-building enterprise. Does it not also define the state of the world in which we find ourselves today? Over the ages man has tried in a wide variety of ways to bring harmony and understanding among all peoples. But in it all he fails to give God His right place and every attempt toward the desired goal therefore ends in disaster. Then too, man’s conscience tells him that he must answer to God concerning his sins, and as a result all kinds of “systems” professing to “reach unto heaven” have sprung up. Many of these are but the poor imaginations of man and can no more be accepted of God than could this pitiful tower of Babel. We read in 1 Corinthians 14:10,11: “There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and none of them without signification. Therefore if I know not the meaning of the voice, I shall be unto him that speaketh a barbarian, and he that speaketh shall be a barbarian unto me.” Further, in the same chapter: “Yet in the church I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that by my voice I might teach others also, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue... For God is not the author of confusion.” vv. 19,33.
God has made the way to heaven clear and simple in His Word, and tells us this is only through His beloved Son. “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” Acts 4:12. The world about us is a tragic modern-day “Babel” with many strange and confusing voices. God give each reader a desire to turn to the simplicity of His truth, finding from His Word the way which He has lovingly opened for all who will come to Him. Then, having accepted Christ as Saviour, may each further find that same Word making a clear path for him through a godless world.
“Now these are the generations of Terah: Terah begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran: and Haran begat Lot. And Haran died before his father in the land of his nativity, in Ur of the Chaldees.” vv. 27,28.
Abram, or Abraham, is now introduced along with other members of this family. We do not know exactly when they came to Ur, which is approximately 200 miles south of Babel, but at the time of Abram’s birth Terah had been there at least 70 years. He appears to have become comfortably settled there.
We know further, from Joshua 24:2, that this family, just ten generations from Noah, had fallen into idolatry. They had gotten far from God in their thoughts and ways.
Memory Verse “IT IS NOT THE WILL OF YOUR FATHER WHICH IS IN HEAVEN, THAT ONE OF THESE LITTLE ONES SHOULD PERISH.” Matthew 18:14.
ML-12/27/1964