The tower of Babel was built to reach into the heavens. So Nimrod could be a ruler "like God". Satan wanted to be a ruler "like God " too, he was removed from heaven. God confused the languages to scare the people so that they would scatter throughout the earth as per the original plan. The Bible account shows how God got people back on track as far as populating the EARTH instead of just a small corner of it. God also showed Nimrod and the people the power of the true God, that power can't be obtained by the mere fact that humans have the ability to create great monuments that reach into the heavens. It can't be obtained by all people being of the same mindset, having the same goals, or even the same language. God "freaked them out" and the people took this new/personal display of God's power with them to the different areas where they settled.
Can someone explain to me the story of the tower of Babel?
by tippysock 80 Replies latest watchtower bible
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funkyderek
Good summary, myelaine, but can you explain it?
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heathen
Maybe the story has another application . The people began to build a publishing empire but were found to be in error on so many issues that God decided it was time to confuse languages so that people couldn't all be confused at one time .
I think it an interesting story . Nimrod clearly wanted to sit in heaven as God and the people were helping him . Since God already pronounced to Noah he would not destroy the earth again in like fashion they were also calling God a liar if they believed they needed salvation from another global flood ( of course that part is nothing but WTBTS speculation anyway) . I guess God realized that this was the 3rd time that all mankind deserved to die that he could get nothing done on earth if he destroyed everybody so tried a little different strategy .
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myelaine
Funkyderek,
If everyone was of the same mindset (wanted to make a name for themselves[like God]) there is no room for God's plan of salvation for mankind. Once the people are seperated, in the manner that they were, there are bound to be people that have a healthy "fear of the Lord" this seperation was needed to ALLOW for a people to be called out for His purposes and His plan of salvation. In that way also, no one could have said to be forced into obeying the Lord. The people left Babel with their own "idea" of what God could do and at the same time might have decided whether they wanted to serve the God that was capable of doing this or to serve their own interests. You might say that when God confused the languages He also seperated the believers from the non-believers to some degree.
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funkyderek
If everyone was of the same mindset (wanted to make a name for themselves[like God]) there is no room for God's plan of salvation for mankind.
Salvation from what? If this "God" character would just leave people alone, they'd be fine. Instead he's tempting them with talking snakes and forbidden fruits, drowning them, confusing their languages etc.
Once the people are seperated, in the manner that they were, there are bound to be people that have a healthy "fear of the Lord" this seperation was needed to ALLOW for a people to be called out for His purposes and His plan of salvation.
But if God confuses all the languages, then only speakers of one language have the opportunity for "salvation" (at least in the beginning).
In that way also, no one could have said to be forced into obeying the Lord.
Are you serious? Wasn't the whole purpose of confusing the languages to force people into obeying him (not that they were specifically disobeying him anyway, they were just doing things he didn't want them to do). The god of the Old Testament consistently and repeatedly forces people into obeying him.
The people left Babel with their own "idea" of what God could do and at the same time might have decided whether they wanted to serve the God that was capable of doing this or to serve their own interests. You might say that when God confused the languages He also seperated the believers from the non-believers to some degree.
Surely everyone would believe in God after a miracle like that, especially as it came only a couple of generations after the flood?
Your explanation isn't a very good one, myelaine. But then the legend isn't a particularly well thought out one anyway. It's really just a linguistic pun. You do realise that, right?
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MelbaToast
Valis: would that be considered Solomon Islands Pidgin you were just speaking?
dey used brik fe stone an' tar fe mortar. 4thun dey said, "come, let's build ourselves da turf an' da towa dat reaches heavun. let's make ourselves famous so we won't be scattered in da house an' dere across da earth."
If you ever had the chance to see any literature from that language, you would understand what I mean...its really very phonetic.
MT
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Valis
Hey Melba. Actually I ran that bible verse through the Ali G translata...respect!
Eh I kind of think this is just another story like the tree of knowledge. If they could build a huge temple to the sky and be capable of anything, we certainly wouldn't want that as an all powerfull being now would we? Pesky humans never learn...
AND if god was somehow separating his "true" people AGAIN, what happened after the flood? Did they become naughty again even after he had whacked all those people who didn't hop a ride on the ark? Pesky humans never learn...Would of been better off scrapping the lot and starting over IMO.
Sincerely,
District Overbeer
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myelaine
Funkyderek,
But if God confuses all the languages, then only speakers of one language have the opportunity for "salvation" (at least in the beginning).
Surely everyone would believe in God after a miracle like that, especially as it came only a couple of generations after the flood?
There is a big difference between believing there is an all-powerful God and serving that God. Perhaps there was only one "group" or dialect that God found to be willing to serve Him out of love and it was through this "group" God chose to open the way for salvation to everyone.
It is interesting the way that you worded the top statement, in that, according to the Bible there is only one way or language of salvation, The Word.
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funkyderek
There is a big difference between believing there is an all-powerful God and serving that God. Perhaps there was only one "group" or dialect that God found to be willing to serve Him out of love and it was through this "group" God chose to open the way for salvation to everyone.
OK, I guess yoiu must have been reading a different story. I don't see how anyone could take that from the Babel legend.
Just to clarify, you do realise it's only a legend, right? I mean, you don't actually think God really confused people's languages in this manner, do you?
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czarofmischief
Of course, there's also the theory that it represents a shattering of an early empire by an act of God. I mean, if you imagine Nimrod as a Hitler type and therefore being ruled by him as utter misery...
CZAR