When Noah’s descendants began to repopulate the earth after the Great Flood, they all spoke the same language. By speaking the same language, there were no barriers to communication, which meant they could do anything they set their mind to do. The descendants decided to build a tower to Heaven, one that would bring them great glory.
During this time, it is important to remember that the people believed the Heavens were a short distance away. A tower of impressive height would be enough to reach the heavens, and by ascending it, they could become like gods themselves. Their endeavor was not to create something magnificent to be admired; rather, it was to taste a bit of God’s power for themselves.
The Lord saw this and was not pleased. God looked down on the city of Shinar and saw that they were able to build this because they could communicate with ease. The best way to stop them from going forward was to scatter their languages, so that no one could understand another. God did so, and soon the frustrated townspeople abandoned the project, and the town, and wound up in different areas of the world, where they spoke the same language.
Biblical scholars believe the Tower of Babel was built by the Babylonians. The people there built towers called ziggurats, or pagan temples meant for sacrifices and other rituals. Babylon was located about 30 miles away from the modern day city of Baghdad, Iraq.
But where does the term “Babel” come from? It’s the Hebrew name for Babylon, which means “gate of God.” It is also similar to the Hebrew words of “balal” which means “to confuse.” Ironically, it was meant to be the “gate of God” but burned out to be filled with “confusion”!
The story of the Tower of Babel offers an explanation for the many languages spoken on earth. But it is much more than that. It also shows what happens when people become arrogant and think they are mightier than they really are. When someone falls into the trap of arrogance, all the things they create tend to fall to ruin…much like the Babylonians and their beautiful tower to the heavens.
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