Tower of Babel 3 – Building a Spiritual House

"Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves and not be scattered over the face of the whole earth."
Gen 11:4 NIV

The inhabitants in the plain of Shinar decided to take it upon themselves to build a tower. They had two stated reasons for wanting to do this.

To make a name for themselves – notoriety and fame, i.e. pride, arrogance and an inflated ego.
To promote and provide for unity – outside and in spite of God.

Both of these reasons illustrate the fallen man at his best (worst?). The devil himself was so arrogant as to think,

"I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God;
I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain. I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High." Isa 14:13-14 NIV

Therefore, they were simply acting according to their nature, their human nature, their fallen nature, their sinful nature.

“You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” - Jesus
John 8:44 NIV

However, their desire for unity is a God-given desire that was perverted.

Understand this, the enemy, satan, is a creation. Therefore, he cannot create. He can only mimic, counterfeit and pervert. Music is God’s creation. Much of what we hear today is a perversion of its intended purpose. Sex was God’s idea as well but between one husband and one wife. What we see in society today is fornication (sex between people who aren’t married), adultery (sex between people who are married but to someone else), pornography and all forms of sexual relationships that are a counterfeit or corruption of the original purpose.

Looking at this need for unity, we can find a number of references in Scripture that indicate that this is God’s desire but within God’s kingdom. Let us begin with a prayer uttered by our Lord Jesus.

"My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” John 17:20-23 NIV

We must recognize that Jesus’ was praying the perfect will of His Father – that we would be one in Him. But it must also be recognized that there was and is a purpose behind this unity – to let the world know that the Father did send Jesus and loves the world.

According to the translation of a tablet by George Smith in 1876, this Tower of Babel was constructed with

small temples or chapels dedicated to the various gods of the Babylonians. On the East were 16 shrines, the principal of them being dedicated to Nebo and Tasmetu, his spouse; on thee North were two temples dedicated to Ea. (Ae) and Nusku respectively; on the South was a single temple to the two great gods, Anu and Bel (Enlil?). It was on the West, however, that the principal buildings lay-a double house with a court between the wings 35 cubits (Smith: 58 ft.) wide. These two wings were not alike in dimensions, the erection on one side being 100 cubits by 20 (166 ft. by 34 ft.) and on the other 100 cubits by 65 (166 ft. by 108 ft.). In these western chambers stood the couch of the god, and the golden throne mentioned by Herodotus, with other objects of great value. The couch was stated to have measured 9 cubits by 4 (15 ft. by 6 feet 8 inches).*

Therefore it was to be a place of worship and sacrifice to false gods.

We, as believers, “like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” 1 Peter 2:5 NIV

Paul writes several times that we are the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 3:16; 6:19) and that we are the temple of the living God. (2 Cor. 6:16)

In his letter to the Romans, Paul urges the church “in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God-this is your spiritual act of worship.” Rom 12:1 NIV

Jesus explained to the women at the well in Samaria that the Father is actually seeking those who will worship Him in spirit and in truth. (John 4:22-24) The write of the bok of Hebrews encourages us with these words.

“Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise-the fruit of lips that confess his name. Heb 13:15 NIV

Let’s conclude by list the comparisons between the Tower of Babel and the church one last time.

1. They were of one language – Through the Spirit, we can speak one tongue.
They were unified in mind and purpose – It is Jesus’ prayer and therefore God’s will that we be one body. If it is His will then He supplies the grace to make it happen.

2. Being of one mind, there was nothing that they could not accomplish – I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

3. They used fired bricks to build a strong enough tower. - We are called to be baptism with the same baptism as Jesus-fire- and drink from he same cup from which He drank-suffering-in order to be purged, purified and prepared as a bride for her bridegroom.

4. The tower of Babel was built as a place of worship and sacrifice – We are being built as a spiritual house, the dwelling place of God who offer up spiritual sacrifices – the fruit of our lips and all of our lives.

I leave you will this verse from John the Revelator’s writings.

I saw the Holy City, the New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."

He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!" Rev 21:2-5 NIV

*(from International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia, Electronic Database Copyright (c)1996 by Biblesoft)