Summary of passages: Genesis 11:1-9: A bit after the world had been repopulated some people moved eastward and settled on the plain of Shinar (Babylonia). They used bricks and tar to build a city with a tower that reaches to the heavens so that they could make a name for themselves and not be scattered over the face of the whole earth.
The Lord saw what the men were doing. He confused their language as punishment to prevent more un-Godly actions. God scattered them over the earth. Babel sounds like the Hebrew word for confused; hence the name “Tower of Babel.”
Psalm 2: Why do people conspire and plot against the Lord and the Anointed One? It is all in vain. Man fights against God who merely laughs. God rebukes and terrifies them. David tells other kings to be wise and serve the Lord with fear and joy for God’s anger can flare in a moment. Blessed are those who take refuge in Him.
Ask God and He will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession. With God you will rule.
Questions:
5a) Both try to self-aggrandize and put themselves above God. It is useless to plot and conspire against God and Jesus. We are nothing in comparison. Yet man tries through ambition and pride. And every time he is vanquished, defeated, chastized, rebuked, or punished by God. You’d think we learn. But we never do.
b) Personal Question. My answer: We deliberately disobey God and think His laws don’t apply to us. In the end, we end up suffering because of it. It teaches me to obey God as much as my sinful nature can. To submit for He is King. To recognize my weakness and beg for His mercy. To follow Him till the end of my days. This is my prayer.
6a) Both verses say belief in Jesus and what Jesus did for us.
b) In the passage, literally through a tower. Today, through works, prayer, obedience, His word.
c) Personal Question. My answer: Through Jesus.
Be careful not to interpret this as “drawing near to God”. I think the point of the question is that the only way to God is Jesus and anyway else is false.
Conclusions: Have you noticed this theme in the questions, comparing people in Biblical times and in our times? Like I concluded yesterday, man never changes. His nature is the same. He sins. Repeatedly. Since the Fall–the beginning of time. This will never change.
It’s why we need Jesus. God knew this. He knows we have no hope without Christ. And that’s what the entire Bible is trying to tell each and every one of us. And that’s why it’s our job to tell others. So they can be saved.
I love your blog. Sometimes I just look at your comments and really looking for any answers or the easy way out. It’s like fellowship before class time