The Tower of Babel
11 Now the whole earth had one language and the same words. 2 And as people migrated from the east, they found 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, lest we be dispersed over the face of the whole earth.” 5 And the Lord came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of man had built. 6 And the Lord said, “Behold, they are one people, and they have all one language, and this is only the beginning of what they will do. And nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them. 7 Come, let us go down and there confuse their language, so that they may not understand one another's speech.” 8 So the Lord dispersed them from there over the face of all the earth, and they left off building the city. 9 Therefore its name was called Babel, because there the Lord confused the language of all the earth. And from there the Lord dispersed them over the face of all the earth.
Some Texts: Gen 9:1, 10:8-11, 11:1-9, Acts 2:1-13, 2 Cor 5:18-20, John 6:35, 12:32, Rev 21:1-2.
What was God's command to people in the beginning?
Why/how was what the people did at Babel sinful?
The people were trying to "go up", to put themselves in God's right place, to define their own right and wrong. How do people today try to do these things? How about you?
What is the significance of God "coming down"? How has Good come down to you?
Sin causes a fracturing and splitting in our lives, in our world. Where do you see that? How can the gospel break that and bring unity? How can you be an ambassador for reconciliation thru the gospel?
Jesus promises to draw all people when he is lifted up. When was he lifted up? How can we still lift him up?
People seek their identity in many different ways. How does God define us, name us, give us identity, in the gospel? In what ways have you found identity (good or bad)? How can you find meaning and identity in the gospel of Christ?
