The Tower of Babel

This is a subject that came up in my therapy session the other day. I want to take a look at this story from Genesis and see how it relates to us today.

Now the whole world had one language and a common speech. As men moved eastward, they found a plain in Shinar and settled there. Genesis 11:1-2 NIV

Those verses seem to have no inner meaning, but understand that the hold world spoke on language. Makes sense since Adam and Eve started the human race we should all speak on language.

They said to each other, "Come, let's make bricks and bake them thoroughly." They used brick instead of stone, and tar for mortar. Then they said, "Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves and not be scattered over the face of the whole earth." Genesis 11:3-4 NIV

Now the Verse three talks about building materials. Verse four is where it gets interesting. Why did they want to build a tower to the heavens? The answer can be found with further study. The tower was created for reasons of, pride and rebellion against God.

Now, keep in mind that the Lord built the earth for this reason:
Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground." Genesis 1:26 NIV

The Lord did not want us to come together in this way, but to rule over all the earth.

But the Lord came down to see the city and the tower that the men were building. The Lord said, "If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them. Come, let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other." Genesis 11:5-7 NIV

Why does the Lord want to make things impossible? I don’t have an answer to this one and may never have till the day I die. Now think about how confused the people where.

So the Lord scattered them from there over all the earth, and they stopped building the city. That is why it was called Babel—because there the Lord confused the language of the whole world. From there the Lord scattered them over the face of the whole earth. Genesis 11:8-9

Today we have many different cultures, different languages and countries. I am an American I am suppose to speak English. French people speak French. Mexicans speak Spanish. There is a reason why the good Lord made it this way. I fear for the future, because now a day we are tiring to unite the whole world with things like the Euro, free trade agreements and so on. Does man kind really think they can undo the Tower of Babel? You be the judge.

Striving to be Rich

Then Jesus said to his disciples, "I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." Matthew 19:22-24 NIV

Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, "How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!" Matthew 10:23 NIV

He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty. Luke 1:53 NIV

So why strive for riches? The Lord put a big halt to my striving for riches. Striving for riches is almost a sin in my book:

"You shall not covet your neighbor's wife. You shall not set your desire on your neighbor's house or land, his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor." Deuteronomy 5:21 NIV

Are you trying to keep up with the Jones? Are you eating good when your neighbor is starving? Keep in mind the Bible tells us in many spots that its harder for a rich man to go to heaven than a poor one.

I feel that a Rich man is one that has more money than they know what to do with. Poor in this article is in my mind middle class to the homeless. Its good to be prepared for the future, but don’t waste your time looking for riches.

The poor are shunned even by their neighbors, but the rich have many friends. Proverbs 14:20 NIV

When I was in the military, with plenty of money to blow it was amazing how many friends I had. Now, I budget my money a lot better and all those old friends seemed to just disappear. Only true friends have stayed in touch with me. If your one that flaunts your money STOP and see who your friends really are.

A warning to all those so called pastors that drive nice new cars and have nice new clothes. Pardon my language but, what the hell is wrong with you? A poor man will go to your church and see what you have done with your riches and feel shunned. Take the time to know that poor man. Spend time living in their shoes for a night. Your actions cause many to not even walk in the door. The Lord has moved you to a great calling and not only do you look for riches, you shun the poor. Jesus never wore a suit also, he rode a donkey.

Bottom line Jesus gave you everything he can also, take it all away. Do not flash your money. When Jesus puts it on your heart to help your fellow man DO IT. When you do it keep in mind that he also asks us to do it out of love not for the Thank yous.