The Tower of Babel

August 28, 2011
Genesis 11

Genesis 11:1-9 is the story of the Tower of Babel. (We tended to pronounce it with a long A, as in Babe-L; but short A is also common.)

Perhaps this can be understood as a search for security. The class noted that the passage has “let’s stay together,” “let’s make a name for ourselves,” and a strong sense of “let’s build something for ourselves.” While exclusivity is not specifically mentioned, it is a reasonable assumption that the people wanted to set themselves apart from others.

What are our common sources of security? Good grades, paid-off loans, money so that we won’t be caught off-guard by circumstances, normalcy, food, and relationships were all mentioned.

Security may be defined as a lack of worry. As life progresses, the items we worry about change, but the underlying search for security continues. We are more secure when we know what to expect and can be prepared. (In side discussion, it was noted that some people carefully consider the bad things that can happen; do they also consider the good that could come?)

There is a spiritual dimension to security. In some cases, security lessens our awareness of God’s help. [Not noted in class, but Deuteronomy 6:10-12 foresees this possibility.] Increased education and wider experiences can cause us to reconsider what constitutes security for us. And the various phases of life involve changes to our perceived security.

Why did the people in Genesis 11 built the Tower for security? “Don’t mess with Texas” may be a similar attitude. There might have been a military component to the Tower; certainly such structures in that time had many purposes, and military was one. The people wanted to be significant, certainly in their own era and perhaps historically. If they could build it themselves, they’d feel secure, based upon being able to do it themselves.

Today, if we are in control, we tend to feel more secure. But God is the true security. Sometimes we seem to have more fear of other people than to have a (properly understood) fear of God.

Insights and applications:

A focus on security is a focus on a nebulous future. It removes the emphasis from today. Matthew 6:28-34 applies.

Normalcy, while helping with a feeling of security, is not necessarily good. Some things that are normal are actually bad. (Abusive situations were cited as examples.)

Our world has several ways to focus on security, but they have positive and negative sides. Medical advances are wonderful for us, but they can lead us to rely too much on “wonder drugs” (and maybe on “access to care”) rather than on common sense or alternative methods of taking care of our bodies. Technology allows us to be much better informed, but may be discouraging actual face-to-face encounters.

Security itself is not an evil. But it is possible to seek security in illegitimate ways.

There is a theological concept called “eternal security.” We didn’t get into this in detail, but one comment was made by a class member that this world doesn’t offer such a thing in any other aspect of life.

Next week, we will focus on pride itself. In Mere Christianity¸ C. S. Lewis has a chapter on pride, titled “The Greatest Sin.” We will pick up with these five statements:

1. Pride is the complete anti-God state of mind.
2. Pride is essentially competitive.
3. Pride is the chief cause of misery in every nation and every family since the world began.
4. As long as you are proud, you cannot know God.
5. Pride is spiritual cancer: it eats up the very possibility of love, or contentment, or even common sense.