What is Your Tower of Babel?

Many know the Tower of Babel was an attempt by the ancients to construct a tower up to heaven. It was an attempt to be equal with God. As a result, God confused their language and the population was dispersed through out the known world (as they were supposed to do from the beginning but didn’t.) They are often criticized and ridiculed for their arrogance and stupidity, yet the same thing happens on a fairly regular basis. Our goal from the beginning of history has been equality with God (see Eve and the Serpent), attempting to negate Him. Most of our attempts are significantly less obvious, but there is one which stands out above the rest and yet is hidden in plain sight.

Genesis 3:4-5 New American Standard Bible (NASB) (emphasis added)

The serpent said to the woman, “You surely will not die! For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

Evolution and the Age of Enlightenment

The theory of evolution has been around long enough most people now assume that those who do not believe in the Bible (and even some who do) have always believed in evolution. However, that is not true. Evolution was first theorized in the 18^th century during the Age of Enlightenment. The Age of Enlightenment was a time when mankind began to adopt the idea that humanity could reach perfection, that people are basically good, don’t need a Savior, and have the potential to be flawless of their own volition. It was a bold attempt to overthrow God and establish a person as his own lord. It was an attempt to seek equality with God and thereby negate His necessity.

Evolution was adopted to support this idea, completely contradicting the Biblical account of Creation in every way (note: creation and evolution are in no way compatible.) As with the Tower of Babel, it was a blatant attempt to throw God’s plans in His face, a bold declaration of independence from God.

Psalm 2:1-3 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

Why are the nations in an uproar
And the peoples devising a vain thing?
The kings of the earth take their stand
And the rulers take counsel together
Against the Lord and against His Anointed, saying,
“Let us tear their fetters apart
And cast away their cords from us!”

This has been the goal of mankind from the beginning. People have striven to pull away from God and Jesus (His Anointed), to be released from their accountability. This was written centuries after the Tower of Babel, and millennia before the Age of Enlightenment, yet nothing has changed. People still desire to be their own god, their own king, to be free from accountability. See, with no God, people are free to live as they want, free to hold their own morals with no prick of conscience or thought of punishment for doing wrong. That is the underlying motive in all of this, the selfish desire to live as one pleases with out consequences. That is why people want to rule their own lives, to be their own god.

Psalm 2:4-6 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

He who sits in the heavens laughs,
The Lord scoffs at them.
Then He will speak to them in His anger
And terrify them in His fury, saying,
“But as for Me, I have installed My King
Upon Zion, My holy mountain.”

God knows all of this. He knew it before Creation. And He laughs at their ignorance. He has established the King of Kings and no one can permanently thwart Him. No matter how hard we try to deny God, to rewrite history, to make our own moral laws, it won’t work and we are deluded to think that we can. In the end, God will have His way because He is King and nothing we do or think will change that truth. The Bible is absolute truth and the highest authority. Just because we choose not to believe it does not change what is true, it only deceives us.

At this point you might be thinking, “Yeah those people who came up with those ideas are really in for trouble. Glad I’m not one of them.” But are you? Do you always revere God as King? Are you obedient to His will in everything? Do you always regard the Bible as absolute truth, even when it contradicts what you want to do or believe? A negative answer to any of those, no matter how small, is proof that you are one of them. In those small ways, you are attempting to be your own god. You are denying His Lordship over you and saying you know better than He does. Let that sink in.

Psalm 2:10-12 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

Now therefore, O kings, show discernment;
Take warning, O judges of the earth.
Worship the Lord with reverence
And rejoice with trembling.
Do homage to the Son, that He not become angry, and you perish in the way,
For His wrath may soon be kindled.
How blessed are all who take refuge in Him!

The time is coming when He will remit punishment, when He will judge everyone for what they have done; every deed good or bad, every careless word we utter. Do you take refuge in Him or do you strive to build your own kingdom?

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