Genesis Part 6
Discussion Guide
Babel
April 10 | Genesis Series Part 6
Overview
We tend to think that the story of the Tower of Babel is about humanity’s attempt to ascend up into heaven, storm the divine command room, and take control. However, when we observe and respect the historical-social context, including the purpose of ziggurats in the ancient world, the meaning of the story shifts.
You see ziggurats are not temples. They are not designed for getting humans up to the heavens, but for God or the gods to descend down to earth. And so the Tower of Babel was made to bring the presence of God down, to bring heaven to earth.
But if this was the purpose, why would God be so disturbed? Why would he come down, confuse their language, and mess things up? Because of the motivation of the people: to “make a name for ourselves” (Gen. 11:4).
It sounds weird to us for God’s solution to be to confuse the language. Wouldn’t it be better if we could all speak the same language, be in the same place, and work toward a common goal? This story says no.
When any human civilization attempts to bring heaven to earth with the motivation to make a name for themselves, God sees it as a disaster waiting to happen. After all the greatest kingdoms have been responsible for the greatest accomplishments, but also the greatest atrocities.
This is true both through history, and in the church. The church is the entity who’s mission is the renewal of all things, to bring heaven down to earth, but ends up looking more like the Tower of Babel story again and again. We’ve seen powerful churches and leaders, where, behind the scenes it’s terribly unhealthy, and eventually it all comes out and comes crashing down. But of course, it’s not just those churches. This motivation, this tendency is in every church because it is in the heart of every human.
We all desire to make a name for ourselves. Perhaps it’s hidden under the banner of “influence” or “impact,” but we all have a tendency to seek after our own glory or celebrity. In Genesis 11, what looks like God’s judgment, to send confusion and division, actually turns out to be a strange form of mercy. In this story it is their failure that is their blessing.
Questions for Discussion
In the sermon, Ryan suggested that our desire for “influence” or “impact” is actually a mask for what we are really after: glory, or making a name for ourselves, as individuals, organizations, and churches. Do you agree with this parallel? In a culture obsessed with celebrity, status, and brand, how do you navigate doing meaningful work while avoiding glory? In other words, how do you work and till the garden without building the Tower of Babel?
Tell of a time when your plans or something you were working toward fell apart. Looking back on the situation, is it possible that the failure was strangely the mercy of God? How did God protect or provide or bless not in spite of the failure, but through it?
In what area of your life do you find yourself trying to make a name for yourself? Would you be willing to exchange that for true joy in relationship to God? What could it look like for you this week to practice the invitation to “rejoice that your names are written in heaven” (Luke 10:20).
Before You Close
Invite someone in your group to pray:
May God confuse all our plans,
and complicate all our strategies,
that we might learn to dance
in the joy and love of the Triune God.
Close in Prayer
Before you end your time, pray, asking the Spirit of God to fill and empower you. Take some time to pray for other prayer requests as they come up.
