Genesis 11:1-9 New International Version (NIV)
The Tower of Babel
11 Now the whole world had one language and a common speech. 2 As people moved eastward,[a] they found a plain in Shinar[b] and settled there.
3 They said to each other, “Come, let’s make bricks and bake them thoroughly.” They used brick instead of stone, and tar for mortar. 4 Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves; otherwise we will be scattered over the face of the whole earth.”
5 But the Lord came down to see the city and the tower the people were building. 6 The Lord said, “If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them. 7 Come, let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other.”
8 So the Lord scattered them from there over all the earth, and they stopped building the city. 9 That is why it was called Babel[c]—because there the Lord confused the language of the whole world. From there the Lord scattered them over the face of the whole earth.
So what are we to make of this story? What is the message?
@whodey
From my vantage point, the tower itself is not the target. After all, it's not like they were going to reach God with the tower. The issue seems to be man uniting in mass with a common goal to accomplish something, in fact, anything they so desire is the issue.
Is this a Biblical warning against globalism?
It is interesting that history is littered with men trying to achieve that state of unity last seen at the tower of Babel.
We have never changed.
@whodey saidMaybe just take it for what it is? These people were descendants of Noah's family. After the flood Jehovah said this to Noah:
Genesis 11:1-9 New International Version (NIV)
The Tower of Babel
11 Now the whole world had one language and a common speech. 2 As people moved eastward,[a] they found a plain in Shinar[b] and settled there.
3 They said to each other, “Come, let’s make bricks and bake them thoroughly.” They used brick instead of stone, and tar for mortar. 4 Then they said, “Come, let ...[text shortened]... m over the face of the whole earth.
So what are we to make of this story? What is the message?
Genesis 9:1
9 God went on to bless Noah and his sons and to say to them: “Be fruitful and become many and fill the earth".
So the command was to fill the earth, not stop and keep as one group in one place on the planet. The idea was to spread out and to use the entire earth to grow food and prosper. The plan of those people to stay together would bring on many bad issues such as sanitation, diseases, crime, etc. Pretty much like the cities of today have.
So man did not listen to those directions from God and Jehovah had to step in and take the actions that he knew were better for mankind to prosper
better.
I believe that's all there is to it.....
@galveston75 saidIs it any surprise then that major cities tend to be the most Progressive/Collectivist?
Maybe just take it for what it is? These people were descendants of Noah's family. After the flood Jehovah said this to Noah:
Genesis 9:1
9 God went on to bless Noah and his sons and to say to them: “Be fruitful and become many and fill the earth".
So the command was to fill the earth, not stop and keep as one group in one place on the planet. The idea was to sp ...[text shortened]... w were better for mankind to prosper
better.
I believe that's all there is to it.....
@whodey saidWell it depends on ones viewpoint of taking the good from large cities compared to the bad that comes with them. It's what most of us are used too and even with all the bad that comes with it, humans living in close quarters it's what most of the population wants. Things are convenient such as employment, shopping, etc.
Is it any surprise then that major cities tend to be the most Progressive/Collectivist?
Then there is all the bad such as pollution, dependence on food being brought from outside areas and all the things that can happen to not make that so easy. Most of us obviously depend on our local food stores to give us what we need. but in reality in the cases of natural disasters such as hurricanes , the local food stores actually only really have a few days of food in their stores to sell.
And we all know crime breeds in all the larger places that mankind lives together. Communicable diseases can thrive in cities much more dangerously then out in rural areas.
So we all know these things and we all know that with the world the way it is and with commerce, governments, schools, etc, there can be no other way things could be different.
But this was not God's plan when he created man. He did not want us to live as we do now because of all the negative issues that these large gathering of humans cause.
If we were able to spread out and use the earth as he created it for us and with his guidance of how we all can actually live on the land and really learn how to be more self sufficient, the world would be a better place and so many problems we have now would lesson such as the pollution cities generate.
But we all know that will not happen with the way society is structured.
@whodey saidThis yet another fairy tale which ignorant people think is an actual historical event.
@whodey
From my vantage point, the tower itself is not the target. After all, it's not like they were going to reach God with the tower. The issue seems to be man uniting in mass with a common goal to accomplish something, in fact, anything they so desire is the issue.
Is this a Biblical warning against globalism?
It is interesting that history is littered with men trying to achieve that state of unity last seen at the tower of Babel.
We have never changed.
I see that an understanding of real science is lacking among Bible literalists.
It is a story to teach morals, no history. Just a story, nothing more.
@caissad4
The Moslem Saudi governemt would have every reason that it not be true, so as to protect it from exploration.
Maybe both you and them have a vested interest in archological evidence be dismissed.
@galveston75 saidYou're kidding, right?
So the command was to fill the earth, not stop and keep as one group in one place on the planet.
Some people like to explore; some like staying where they are.
There is a danger in thinking the "Bible" has an opinion about everything.
@bigdoggproblem saidI can't find any dangers in anything the bible says.....
You're kidding, right?
Some people like to explore; some like staying where they are.
There is a danger in thinking the "Bible" has an opinion about everything.