Genesis

THE events of this section apparently happened earlier than some of those recorded in chapter 10, for it is probable that this gives us the detailed account of that division of the earth which happened in the days of Peleg (Gen 10:25). Dispersion may have been divinely intended, and notified to the sons of Noah, and this episode of Babel may have been the human response of unwillingness to follow the divine command. It should be observed that there is no trace of Babylonian origin in this story, and no indications of its being based upon Babylonian myth, the mythical element being entirely absent

Mankind is described as possessing at the time oneness of language, whatever that language was. There was also a natural nomadic element, for they were journeying from place to place. The conditions of agricultural life would doubtless necessitate a great deal of movement In their journeyings they at last arrived at the land of Shinar, the plain in which Babylon was afterwards situated (Gen 10:10). The fertility of this plain would be of special value, and we are not surprised to read that they dwelt there.

They soon conceived the plan of a prolonged stay and definite association, for they proposed to one another to make brick and build a city and a tower. The alluvial soil of the plain would give them facilities for clay and brick making, thereby providing materials for building. This was quite natural, because of the absence of stone in that region.

The primary motive in building the city, apart from the story of the tower, may well have been the innocent desire to remain associated, and to be protected by means of the city. At any rate, unless there had been a Divine revelation, it is difficult at this stage to charge them with any breach of a known law of God.

Before long their objects (if innocent) degenerated into evil. To have a rendezvous might not in itself have been wrong, though there may have been associated with this desire a wish to remain together which possibly conflicted with the purposes of God for mankind at that stage. Whether this was so or not, the desire for a tower whose top might reach to heaven seems to have been prompted by some thing like pride and self-sufficiency. It is thought by some authorities that a religious question was involved in this tower, and that it was intended for an idolatrous temple. At any rate it is certainly true that Babylon afterwards became one of the worst and most terrible strongholds of idolatry and false religion.

One thing, however, is perfectly clear they were filled with a godless ambition. Let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad. In view of the fact that the Hebrew word for name is "shem," it is not altogether impossible that the suggestion to make a "shem" had in it some covert sneer against the family of Shem, which had been assured of the Divine presence and blessing (Gen 9:26); and the fear lest they should be scattered abroad is fairly chargeable with distrust in God, Whose purpose it was that they should be dispersed and people the whole earth. He who commanded them to scatter abroad would not leave them unsafe and unprotected. Altogether, this is a revelation of human sin in the form of rebellion against God, and it has not been wrongly described as the first organization of the scheme of godlessness and irreligion.

The description of God’s attitude here recorded is striking in its simplicity. "The Lord came down to see." Man had just attempted to go up in his sin. God now comes down in judgment. Again we have what has been already seen several times in these early chapters, the revelation of the Divine scrutiny and examination, showing that God is intent upon His people’s ways and cannot be indifferent to their attitude to Him. The result of this scrutiny is that God anticipates what the people will do, and He decides that nothing will restrain them from that which they have purposed to effect. The fact of their oneness of language would give them this remarkable power of united effort on a large scale. It was necessary, therefore, to face the problem and deal with it in the best possible way.

The method employed was that of the confusion of their language, and their subsequent dispersion. We are told that they left off to build the city, and it is not known whether or not they finished the tower. Into the question of the identity of the tower ruins found on the site of Babylon it is unnecessary to enter here.

Dr. Dale thinks that dissension among the workmen was the first step leading to dispersion and that the confusion of language came as the necessary consequence of this dispersion, the language being modified by separation from one another. It is worth noticing that history and archaeology bear clear testimony to the fact of confusion of languages. Bunsen (quoted in Lange’s Commentary] says: "Comparative philology would have been compelled to set forth as a postulate the supposition of some such division of languages in Asia, especially on the ground of the relation of the Egyptian language to the Shemitic, even if the Bible had not assured us of the truth of this great historical event. It is truly wonderful, it is a matter of astonishment, that something so purely historical, something so conformable to reason, is here related to us out of the oldest primeval period, and which now, for the first time, through the new science of philology, has become capable of being historically and philosophically explained."

The memorial of their confusion remained in the city that they had built, and Babel from this time forward occupies a definite, not to say prominent part, in the record contained in the Scriptures.

Babylon is never long out of sight, until at length it finds its complete and final overthrow in the Apocalypse.

1. The danger and disaster of life without God.

It is very striking, that in connection with Cain we have the first elements of human civilization, and here again we have the building of a city connected with those who were evidently indifferent to God. At first it was not so much iniquity as simple indifference. God was not in their life, but from indifference soon came rebellion, as is always the case. Whenever a religious system glorifies humanity and makes man everything, it is not long before it minimizes God and makes Him nothing. Culture, civilization, intellect, cleverness, progress, are all among the natural gifts of God to human life, and there is no reason what ever why they should not all be consecrated to the Divine service. When they are thus yielded to Him they become doubly powerful, and are the means of blessing on every hand. When, however, they are not handed over to God who gives them, but are kept in man’s own power and authority, they lead men farther and farther from God, and are the means of nothing but trouble on every hand.

2. The danger and disaster of all false unity.

These people attempted to keep themselves together by means of the outward and visible tie of a common dwelling-place and rallying-point. They had nothing in common except the city which they built. This, however, proved fatal, and always will prove fatal to real unity. Unity must come from within. When outward unity is attempted the result will be, as in this case, separation, dispersion, confusion. What a lesson we have here in connection with all attempts at church unity. How often churches have attempted to keep Christians together by means of outward elements only or mainly. Sometimes it has been unanimity of opinion, and this has proved impossible. Sometimes it has been uniformity of observance and ceremonial, but this has proved equally futile. Sometimes it has been a unity of organization, but this has never once succeeded. Unity must be a unity of life, of love, of interest, of intention, of spirit, of service, and this unity can be obtained and maintained amidst a great variety of organization, of opinion, of ceremonial. Our Lord speaks of the Jewish fold, and then of the unity of a flock including other than Jews (Joh 10:16, R.V.), the latter being far the more important, for it is possible to have one flock consisting of very different kinds of sheep and in many folds, yet all belonging to the one Master.

3. The blessedness of true unity.

There are three pictures in God’s Word which ought always to be considered together. The confusion of tongues in Genesis 11; the real unity amid diversities of tongues as the result of the gift of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost in Acts 2; and the magnificent picture of all nations, and kindreds, and tongues in Revelation 7 as they stand before the throne. With the Babel of earth we set in contrast the Jerusalem that is above. To the city of man we oppose the city of God. True unity is always primarily the result of an organism, and only secondarily of an organization. It is based upon God and upon spiritual life in Him. "There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, Who is above all, and through all, and in you all" (Eph 4:4-6).