Genesis 11:1-9
1 Now the whole earth had one language and the same words. 2 And as they migrated from the east, they came upon a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there. 3 And they said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks, and burn them thoroughly.” And they had brick for stone, and bitumen for mortar. 4 Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves; otherwise we shall be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.” 5 The Lord came down to see the city and the tower, which mortals had built. 6 And the Lord said, “Look, they are one people, and they have all one language; and this is only the beginning of what they will do; nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them. 7 Come, let us go down, and confuse their language there, so that they will not understand one another’s speech.” 8 So the Lord scattered them abroad from there over the face of all the earth, and they left off building the city. 9 Therefore it was called Babel, because there the Lord confused the language of all the earth; and from there the Lord scattered them abroad over the face of all the earth.
“… 7 Come, let us go down, and confuse their language there, so that they will not understand one another’s speech. …”
This is such a strange story especially in light of Jesus in John’s Gospel who calls all his followers to be one. It also seemingly contradicts the words of Ephesians 4 where we hear: There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of us all. In Genesis, God confuses their language and scatters them across the face of the whole earth while, later, God calls them back together as one people with a common language – that of the Spirit. So what’s up with God.
Scholars point out that the stories from the first eleven chapters of Genesis are just that – stories to illustrate the world in which we live. The two Creation stories tell us about a God who creates the heaven and earth and all that exists but has a special, personal relationship with human beings who are created in the image of God. We also discover the roots of sins in the Garden of Eden and the results of that sin with Cain and Abel. The Noah account mirrors other cultures’ stories of catastrophic events along with divine rescue. All point to God as Creator, Redeemer, and Sanctifier.
As for the tower story in Chapter Eleven, it likely sets the stage for the calling of Abram and Sarai from the scattered people so that God can establish a personal relationship with a particular people through whom God will draw everyone back together again. It’s a strange way of thinking but it seems to fit God’s overall plan of Creation, Redemption, and Sanctification – drawing the whole world once again together as one.
Prayer: Thank you, Almighty God, because You have made us in Your image, called us to be Your holy people, and sent us forth to manifest Your presence in the world. For that we give you praise and glory. Amen.