THE TOWER OF PRIDE
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In the eleventh chapter of the book of Genesis is a remarkable short short story. Its completely contained in nine verses, less than three hundred words, but it paints such vivid mental pictures that it has fascinated hearers for at least thirty centuries.
In this story, the descendants of Noah find "a plain in the land of Shinar" and decide to live there. Presumably they prosper greatly and reach a high stage of civilization. They are ambitious, energetic people who are highly unified. They all speak the same language. They all like to get things done. They have a very high opinion of themselves and family, as direct reflection of this high opinion, they decide to build a city and a tower so high that it will reach all the way up to Heaven.
They are skilled brick-makers, so they set to work with thousands of laborers and millions of bricks to make this presumptuous dream come true. And they are well on their way to succeeding when God intervenes. He doesn't like the arrogance of these people who consider themselves better than anyone else. He decides to take them down a peg or two.
How did He do it? He "did there confound the language of all the earth" so that the builders of the great tower. The Tower of Babel, could no longer understand one another. Imagine that scene; the astonishment, the dismay, the confusion, the angry shouting. No one able to transmit or obey any order. No one able to explain or carry out a plan. In the face of this total frustration, all work ceased. The great tower stood unfinished, looming against the sky. And gradually it fell into decay, because the workers split into countless groups, each with its own language, and the Lord "did scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth."
Unfortunately, one purpose of this story of the Tower of Babel was to explain to ancient peoples how all the languages and dialects of the earth came into being. Beyond that, the tower itself may be a historical echo, and criticism, of the soaring pagan temples of Ur or even the pyramid of Egypt, consructed with so much effort and human suffering to so little purpose. But the deeper message, surely, is that confusion awaits those who, in their blind pride, think that they can "get to the top" solely by their own efforts, who assume that they can do whatever they please without the help or approval of God.
: )
Jesus loves you!
Please also see
"DAILY DEVOTIONALS FOR PARENTS AND KIDS"
God Bless
1|1|again thank you|WillaD|wila111@bellsouth.net|19:30:25|03/17/2010|
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I JUST LOVE THIS HOBBY
Willa 2|1|Thank you!|Skaytes|skaytez@gmail.com|08:33:14|03/18/2010|
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