THE TOWER OF BABEL
 
The account of the tower of Babel is found in Genesis chapter 11.This particular number has a clear consistent theme of confusion throughout the Bible and that is exactly what happened in this story. The number involves the judgment of God and a curse but the outgrowth of this can take place in an abstract form. Another words lighting is not necessarily going to come down from heaven. Noah did pronounced a curse upon Canaan after the flood and sure enough in Genesis 10 Canaan did have"eleven" sons. By the way Genesis 10 is a genealogy of who begot who leading up to the birth of Jesus Christ. Then of course there is Genesis Chapter 11.
 
After the flood in God's New Beginnings for the world He desired "Be fruitful and multiply,and replenish the earth." Genesis 9:1.God's original plan for people in His New Beginnings was that they scatter around the earth. In verse 7 it says "And you,be ye fruitful and multiply in the earth." This once again describes a scattering. Even when Jesus Christ issued forth the "Great Commission" in Matthew 28 to take the gospel around the world He told his children to scatter not gather in one place to accomplish this task.It is my opinion (this is just in the opinion realm) that God used the tower of Babel to further accomplish His goal of scattering around the world. Remember after the flood and before the tower everybody spoke Hebrew because the names we read in the Bible are Hebrew. Some history books attest to the fact that these were the Sons of Noah. These people listened to God and Noah in the scattering process.They dispersed in tribes. Also there may have been the Sons of men. They dispersed into more distant places because they were scared. They felt there was safety in numbers. I would like to make an observation that it did not take the world to long before this "group fear mentality" took place. They took this "group fear" thing one step higher when they decided to journey "from the east,that they found a plain of land of Shinar; and they dwelt there." Notice the implication is they talked about this "group fear" thing and they acted upon it to travel and to build as one people for one common cause. Every time I turn the television set on to watch the News I hear this one consistent theme being spoken of over and over and that would be "we are afraid and we must protect ourselves."
 
There must have been a lot of violence in the world at that time because they did gather into this "group fear" idea because they did not want to "be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth." Fear brought them together but contempt toward God scattered them in different languages. If somebody were to ask me if I thought they started out in contempt I would probably answer "no." In real simple terms contempt is " I don't like your rules, I will do what I want,leave me alone." Their common bond to protect themselves was more important than listening to God because they were scared. We as Christians do this all the time. We have our own towers in our heart and we honestly believe it will protect us. It could be money,a tower of worry,a tower of anger that we build but what always happens is it ends up in contempt toward God and people. For example if you know somebody and they are building a harmful tower and you try and tell them don't you usually receive a look of contempt.
 
There are so many similarities in Genesis chapter 11 and our day. Nimrod probably was the central figure that orchestrated the whole thing. He was known as a good skillful hunter.Rumor has it that his birthday was on December 25th and the main thing is he was seen as a protector of the people. It was also said he was born of a virgin. So it is not hard to figure out that this man was a type of the future Antichrist. Being that he was a skillful hunter and able to lead I can only surmised that he was a very charismatic man - a Messiah figure.His idea was if they are under my eye then they will be under my control.  I have made a personal observation in life.Usually when people desire control in a bad way it is the one thing they want but it is the one thing they will never get.
 
The tower did not just have it's roots in fear it also had it's roots in astrology. God probably originally wrote the Gospel in the stars but Satan perverts everything so the height of the tower was also for the purpose of false worship in the stars.  At least that was one of the reasons.  Another reason for doing what they did was so they could be their own God rather than serve the one true God that created them.The Bible says in Genesis 11:6 " And the Lord said, behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do."  The original gathering was not only for fear but false worship and this is no doubt where the roots of a Babylonian religion came from. This is why in Revelation 18 God finally judges this false system of religion and politics together into one as they will attempt to be bound in their fear and false worship with contempt toward God and man.
 
I find it very interesting that the tower of Babel was in the dispensation of human government. I believe the future Antichrist will succeed in running a Global government but I do not quite believe it will happen in the beginning of the future 7 year Tribulation period. Things take time and once again this is in the opinion realm. I don't believe he will take control until the 2nd half of the seven year Tribulation period-those final three and one half years.The indication of Scripture seems to lean this way. I believe the Rapture of the Church takes place before the start of the future seven year tribulation period. I believe the real hope lies in the Person of Jesus Christ through the resurrection of His children. This event is very close based on what I am seeing around the world. Anybody that is not prepared for the Blessed Hope should accept Jesus Christ into their hearts.
 
I would also like to point out two other similarities from Genesis 11 to our day. The Bible says "And they said one to another, Go to,let us make brick,and burn them thoroughly,and they had brick for stone,and slime had they for mortar." Genesis 11:3.The Bible says in Daniel 12:4 regarding end time Bible prophecy "But thou,O Daniel,shut up the words,and seal the book,even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro,and knowledge shall be increased."It is amazing to me that the people that built the tower in Genesis 11 used brick. Building with brick was an advanced form of construction. Back then with their efforts to become one and strong they were technologically advanced for their time. This verse in Daniel says that travel and knowledge shall be increased. To use the word exponentially would be an understatement to describe this technological reality of today. Do you see the correlation between the brick in Genesis 11 and our day with the computers and travel as spoken of by Daniel in Chapter 12?  I would also like to point out one more similarity in this story and relate it to end time Bible Prophecy.  The Bible says in Genesis 11:7 " Go to, let Us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech."  The Bible says in 2 Thes. 2:11 " And for this cause God shall send them delusion that they should believe a lie."  When the people of the Earth gathered as one in Genesis, Chapter 11 in fear and false Babylonian worship God confounded them.In the future Day of the Lord during the 7 year Tribulation period if people according to 2 Thes. 2:10 receive " Not the love of the truth, that they might be Saved" will as I previously quoted in verse 11 be in the midst of and experiencing a " strong delusion."  Do you see how accurate history and Bible Prophecy is if appropriated right?This would have to be just another sign that we are very close to the return of Jesus Christ.
 
There is a progression when an individual,group, or world builds a tower. It starts out in fear and a false security, then confusion, then a separation. They originally intended to unite and they ended up divided. If Jesus Christ is not in the center there will always be division. When the people started to speak a different language they had no other choice but to separate with people that spoke the same tongue.That is why we have so many dialects today. One word in our English translation could have 25 different meanings in another language. Of course true believers in Jesus Christ are trying to get the Gospel out around the whole world. As the people in Genesis 11 tried to unite in fear and false worship remember Jesus Christ Himself often times said and showed people by example that He was not to be feared if one followed Him because He is a God of love. Even an Angel introduced Jesus Christ by saying..."Fear not: for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy,which shall be to all people." Luke 2:10. If all this were not enough the Apostle Paul says in 2nd Timothy 1:7 "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love,and of a sound mind." What a delight to accept and follow Jesus Christ. It is refreshing to know that God replaces our fear with the peace of the Holy Spirit through His Son Jesus Christ.
 
Bob D.