Genesis 11:1-9

I am convinced that moving is one of the worst experiences that a human can endure. If you have never been through the painstaking process of finding boxes, packing boxes, wrapping breakables, labeling boxes, loading boxes, moving heavy furniture, untangling electronic cords – all just to do it reverse in a new unfamiliar house – count yourself lucky. Add on top of all that, buying and selling property comes with jumping through a lot of hoops that involve bank papers, realtor calls, walk-throughs, and inspections! My blood pressure is going up now just thinking about it. We have moved homes more than a couple of times in our marriage. Each time, the move has marked the beginning of a new and exciting adventure that I wouldn’t ever want to change, but man I hate the process.

The story known as the “Tower of Babel” in Genesis 11, as weird as it may seem at first glance, is really a story of a necessary move. Let me explain. Go back and read Genesis 1:28 and 9:1. In the beginning, God commanded Adam and Eve to multiply and fill the face of the earth. God wanted man to rule over all creation. Adam and Eve obeyed God’s command to multiply and move, but unfortunately, sin multiplied, too. So, God stepped in with the flood in Genesis 7-8, saving Noah, the only righteous man found. After the flood, God gave Noah and his family the same command to multiply and fill the face of the earth.

As we get to Genesis 11, two things jump out to me. First, we see that the descendants of Noah didn’t obey God’s command to fill the earth. They multiplied but didn’t really move. Eventually, they settled together in the plains that many scholars believe would become the Babylon of the Old Testament. Secondly, as the people multiplied and settled, pride multiplied and settled in their hearts. Read Genesis 11:4-5 and count the number of times the people say “us” or “ourselves” in their speech. The people set out to build a giant tower with a goal to reach the heavens (the Old Testament way of saying the dwelling place of God) in order to make a name for themselves.

Basically, they believed If they could climb to where God dwelled, they would be as powerful as God, and nothing or no one would be able to make them leave their dwelling place. Genesis 11:4

Pride. Arrogance. Disobedience. So again, just like the flood and many times since then, God stepped in. I think about the phrase, “This is going to hurt me worse than it hurts you.” Admittedly, I’m not a parent, and I have never had any reason to say those words. However, all of us can still understand the implications that this phrase expresses. The unfortunate reality is that discomfort sometimes has to be introduced in order to experience a positive outcome. The responsibility of introducing that discomfort falls on the one who understands the outcomes and who cares the most. A parent loves their child, and they understand that the outcome of eating ice cream for every meal will not be a positive one for anyone involved. Out of love and understanding, a parent is responsible to introduce discomforts, saying no in order to provide a positive outcome for their child. Who has more love and understanding than our Heavenly Father?

The judgment of their pride at the tower was also a gift given by God to help experience the good outcome He had always intended for their lives. Just like the whale was sent to Jonah. Judgment and rescue aren’t always two different things.