Babel: Scattered at the Tower. Reunited through Jesus.

Genesis 11:1-9

God’s story in God’s people always includes the struggle with sin. Sin attacks us from three fronts: the world normalizes it, the devil deceives us, and our flesh desires to engage in sinful actions. There was wickedness before the flood, and the sin nature remained after the flood, as God states, “the intention of man’s heart is evil from his youth” (Gen. 8:21). We know that to be true! 

Noah was a righteous man, living with the tension of his sinful nature. After his experience on the ark, Noah planted a vineyard, made wine, and became drunk. As his body grew hot from the wine, he uncovered himself while lying in his tent. Unfortunately, his son Ham entered the tent and “saw the nakedness of his father” (Gen. 9:22). This was not a quick glance. He took the time to gaze at what he saw, which was certainly inappropriate; however, in Noah’s time, it was considered a moral and ethical offense. 

Instead of covering his father, Ham disrespected Noah. As a result, Noah blessed his sons, Shem and Japheth, and cursed Ham’s sons—Cush, Egypt, Put, and Canaan. We will track the ripple effects of this curse throughout the Old Testament.

Ham’s son Cush had a son named Nimrod, who “was the first on earth to be a mighty man” (Gen. 10:8). Nimrod founded a kingdom called Babel (Gen. 10:10). Our passage today explains how Nimrod’s kingdom began. 

If my quick Google search is correct, there are currently 7,159 languages in use. But in Nimrod’s time, “the whole earth had one language and the same words” (Gen. 11:1). God instructed Noah and his sons to multiply and fill the earth (Gen. 9:1). Nimrod’s community had a different plan. They decided to settle in one place—specifically, a “plain in the land of Shinar” (Gen. 11:2).

Humanity is creative and resourceful, building everything from roads and bridges to skyscrapers and businesses to AI technology. When we see great building projects of ancient civilizations, such as the pyramids in Egypt, we are amazed at what they accomplished without modern equipment. These were not creatures that evolved to stand upright. These are people made in the image of God. And they dreamed big. 

This community did not want to be “dispersed over the face of the whole earth” as God intended. They decided to stay in Shinar and remain together. The land of Shinar didn’t have an abundance of stone, so they made bricks from mud and used tar for mortar. 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…” (Gen. 11:4). 

The tower here is probably a description of the early-day ziggurat, a term meaning “build high.” Ziggurats are temple-towers with outside staircases found throughout ancient Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq, eastern Syria, southeastern Turkey).[1] A temple to a pagan god was on top of the structure so the priests could be closer to the heavens. The oldest known surviving example is the Sialk ziggurat in Kashan, Iran, which is dated around the time of Noah. 

The use of hyperbole in this story, “a tower with its top in the heavens,” demonstrates the bold and independent spirit of this society. They were building a monument to themselves, an artificial mountain reaching into the skies. They desired recognition and fame. 

God knew that allowing this project would foster individual and communal pride, prompting people to continue working their way to God.[2] So he said, “Come, let us go down and there confuse their language, so that they may not understand one another’s speech” (Gen. 11:7). By removing their common language, God scattered them as originally intended, and “they left off building the city” (Gen. 11:8). The city was called “Babel,”[3] “because there the Lord confused the language of all the earth” (Gen. 11:9). 

Some things never change. People are still trying to build their own stairway to heaven, striving to achieve heaven on earth! Still striving to create monuments to themselves to be respected and remembered. But only Jesus can give us true significance and meaning. 

In Genesis 10, we are introduced to a man named Peleg, and the text further explains, “in his days the earth was divided” (Gen. 10:25). This seems to describe the events at the Tower of Babel in Genesis 11, when people were dispersed from the area. Thus, Peleg’s name is associated with that period. 

Another notable point is that Peleg is listed in the genealogy of Jesus (Luke 3:35). He is associated with the story of the Tower of Babel, where people tried to reach God and were scattered. Through his lineage came the One who would do the work for us, enabling us to have a relationship with God, not by works but by grace. 

Now, believers around the world experience the same peace with God through Jesus. He brings people from every language into one family. Paul said, “So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God . . . Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone…” (Eph. 2:19-20). 

At the Tower of Babel, humanity was scattered so they would not, on their own merit, try to work their way to God. Jesus came to bring believers together, and one day, “from every nation from all tribes and peoples and languages,” we will cry out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” (Rev. 7:9-10). 

PERSONAL TIME WITH GOD 
Time in the Word: Read and reflect on Genesis 11:1-9.

Talking to God: In what ways do you see the same Babel-like desire in your own life—to build security, identity, and significance apart from God?

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SAVE THE DATE: Bible Immersion trip to Israel: November 4-14, 2026.