The Tower of Babel, Today

It has been an intense several months. I had another heart attack (mild, thanks be to God!), while still enjoying several blood and breathing disorders, as well as bone-spurs growing in various places (ouch!).

Being forced to kick activity down for a while, I decided to read a book entitled, "Babylon is Everywhere" by Wolf Schneider, subtitled "The City as Man’s Fate." Very dry reading, to say the least.

This book is NOT Bible-based. It uses the Bible in much the same way as a book about the old west might use the legend of the gunfight at the OK Corral. Just the same, it gives one a greater understanding as to what God’s point-of-view may be about cities in general, and why He destroyed the Tower of Babel.

Consider this; God made man (male and female) to be His companion(s). He placed us in the Garden so that our needs were met. The situation was not unlike having a canary in your house. You provide it with a cage, food and water. You enjoy its company, listen to it sing, care for it, and feel some affection for it. Your home feels more cheerful, right?

Suppose it began finding a way out of its cage, flew around your home, leaving "presents" in inappropriate places, tore open your loaves of bread and began acting aggressively toward your children. How long before you "invited" the bird to leave? You might just toss cage and all out the back door.

Now suppose that bird brought thousands of other birds to your front yard and began erecting a 400 foot tall bird house that blocked your view of the neighborhood. They leave hundreds of pounds of their "presents" all over your yard, home and car, AND start attacking you every time you attempt to enter or leave your home. How long do you think it would take you to get angry enough to begin some form of "pest control?"

You see, God wants us to choose to love Him, but, He lets us do the choosing. He will not force us. He wants us to rely on Him, giving Him the credit for all He’s done, asking Him for His help when times are rough, thanking Him for the good times and seeking solace in Him whenever the bad times come.

Do we do this? Any of this? For the most part, NO! We tend to blame Him for all of our hardships, and credit ourselves for all of our accomplishments. The tower of bab-el came about because people were trying to prove that they were like God, and could reach up to the heavens in a showy display designed to prove that mankind was as great as God.

Lets back up, just a tad…

Adam and Eve were evicted from the garden because they wanted to do things their own way, instead of God’s way.

Abel relied upon God’s bounty almost entirely, as does anyone who hunts or herds animals. He was very aware of his need and reliance upon God.

Cain, being a farmer, was much more likely to see himself as the author of his own good fortune. After all, he saw that his own efforts, his sweat, his vision, his planning, etc. resulted in his betterment, and was much less likely to thank God for His part in it. Sounds a bit like people today, does it not?

Cain killed his brother, Abel, but God did not kill Cain. Why? Perhaps it was partly to be a lesson to us as to the value of human life. Consider this when someone you know discusses abortion.

Cain invented cities, naming the first one "Enoch" after his own son. Farming, murder and cities, what an inventor Cain was! Since neither farming, nor murder gave honor to God, perhaps God had good reason to dislike cities, as well.

But, what can be wrong with a city? Look at Genesis 11:1-4 "At one time the whole world spoke a single language and used the same words. As the people migrated eastward, they found a plain in the land of Babylonia and settled there. They began to talk about construction projects. "Come" they said, "lets make great piles of burnt brick and collect a natural asphalt to use as mortar. Let’s build a great city with a tower that reaches to the skies - a monument to our greatness! This will bring us together and keep us from scattering all over the world." (nlt)

How do you suppose God felt about this? Remember the canaries in your front yard? Do not cities today build grandiose architectural endeavors that seem to only glorify those who claim that city as home? Are we not leaving God out of our lives today to an unprecedented degree? Why do you suppose there is a Tribulation coming? God wants us to rediscover our need for Him, yet we keep pushing the boundaries, trying to prove the opposite is true. Throughout history, God has allowed disasters of varying degrees to remind us that we MUST look to Him for everything, but we keep stubbornly trying to prove otherwise. In many ways, we are like those children, who must receive a swat on the rear every-so-often to keep them from mischief.

Remember, God sees all time as "now." He calls Himself "I AM" as an illustration of this. We do not see the future, we seem to forget the past, and ignore the present. God wants us to recognize our need of Him. He gives us chance after chance after chance after chance… But, there is an end coming, and it is coming soon. Don’t get your dander up, and say, "You don’t know when it is coming!" Of course I don’t know. Matthew 25:13 says, "So stay awake and be prepared, because you do not know the day or hour of my return." (nlt) None of us knows. God does not want to be our insurance policy. He does not want us flipping on the "salvation option" at the last instant before doomsday. He simply wants all of us to CHOOSE to serve Him because we WANT to. Don’t look to civilization to save you from the Tribulation. Don’t count on "having lead the good life." Don’t trust your soul to a religion, no matter which religion. Entrust it to God. He made you. He earned your trust by Jesus’ sacrifice, which paid your way to heaven.

I cannot pretend to understand why God thinks we are worth it. I just know He says it is so. Know in your heart that He loves you, even when you sin. Love Him back! Acknowledge your sinful nature. Cling with all you have to His Word, His Promise, and His Love. Then get out and help others to understand. The time is very short, the time of the rapture draws nearer every day. God loves you! Show Him a return on His investment in you!

See you soon, in Paradise!