Back to the Tower of Babel
Its obvious that technology has spiked in the last 100 years. We are able to do amazing things today that we simply could not do 100 years ago.
The life of Laura Ingalls-Wilder is a perfect example. As a small child in the 1800s she was taken across this country in a prairie schooner but by the time she was a grandparent she could fly in a jumbo jet. In fact she wrote the “Little House on the Prairie” series from her penthouse suite in New York City.
Today I learned that the first electronic digital computer (ENIAC) was debuted at the university of Pennsylvania on today’s date, February 1, 1946.
ENIAC was massive. This single computer stretched some 50 feet by 30 feet (a little more than the size of a four car garage) and stood 8 feet tall. Basically a hand-held scientific calculator can do more today than the ENIAC could then. Just another example of the progress that has taken place within the past 100 years.
What does all this have to do with the Tower of Babel? Mainly it’s to remind us that man has always been smart AND technological. In our early history as recorded in Genesis we learn about the Tower of Babel. At that time all people of the world spoke just one language. Consider that they were also able to communicate AND they were able to live extremely long lives. Methuselah lived 969 years.
What if we lived those long lives today? Italian astronomer Galileo Galileidies died in Italy at age 77 in the early 1600s. Imagine if he lived 969 years. Not only would he still be alive today but he would have another 400 years to live. In fact, he would be in the prime of life. What else could he have accomplished with such a long life? What technological advancements could have been made in such a span of just one man’s life? Now consider an army of thinkers and artisans like Michelangelo or Leonardo Davinci living long lives.
My point is that life was shortened and advancements were stifled at the same time. People were scattered and languages were confused.
The Bible tells us the history of the Tower of Babel in Genesis Chapter 11:1–9 (NIV):
“Now the whole world had one language and a common speech. As people moved eastward and settled there.
They said to each other, “Come, let’s make bricks and bake them thoroughly.” They used brick instead of stone, and tar for mortar. Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves; otherwise we will be scattered over the face of the whole earth.”
But the Lord came down to see the city and the tower the people were building. The Lord said, “If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them. Come, let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other.”
So the Lord scattered them from there over all the earth, and they stopped building the city. That is why it was called Babel because there the Lord confused the language of the whole world. From there the Lord scattered them over the face of the whole earth.”
Now, we can argue about a tyrannical God that seemingly suppresses and scatters His people. OR we could look at this event from the beginning of history and at our time on earth today and see the connection. To realize that it seems that we are back at a point where we are technologically advancing once again. However, this time we are NOT being stopped. For whatever reason God has allowed our rapid progress.
Consider that mankind has been around for at least 6,000 years. That’s a long time to ride around on a horse! Meaning that it has been a long time doing basically the same thing, having the same technological advancements and doing things the same way our ancestors did. Now consider the past 100 years (I realize cars have been around for a bit more than 100 years-but you get my point). Things have been revealed, solved, proven, created, and advanced more in these past 100 years than in any other time frame on earth. Consider that God has allowed these things to happen.
Daniel Chapter 2 says:
21 He (God) changes times and seasons;
he deposes kings and raises up others.
He gives wisdom to the wise
and knowledge to the discerning.
22 He reveals deep and hidden things;
he knows what lies in darkness,
and light dwells with him. (NIV)
God reveals and allows us to discover what He has already created and what He already understands. So, what’s the connection with Babel? What is the take-away? Why would God scatter the people, stop their advancements? And why are we seemingly back to Babel?
Here’s my take-away. He scattered their language and stopped up their development out of compassion. Yes, compassion. Think about it, why are we here? It’s the deep existential question of all time. Why are we here??? I believe it is to learn about Him (God/Jesus) and thereby to learn to love Him. We know how to love because He first loved us (see I John 4:19) so we are here to learn to love Him. It is established that He already loves us so, it was compassion that he stopped their advancement at the time of the building of the massive tower. That act with the Tower of Babel worked to reduce and simplify their lives so that they could get back to the basics.
Now for the big question. Why are we seemingly back together advancing (despite our shortened years) and able to do such incredible things as one-people? Just for fun, consider Youtube and all the tutorials that have been placed there. I once had a skunk fall into my window well. I called the dog catcher who refused to come out AND actually suggested that I let the creature die there and then remove its body (I’m not exaggerating). I “Youtubed”: “Remove Skunk from window well” almost as a joke but found not one but three tutorials on how to remove it (Which I did and it’s out there today terrorizing someone else-lol). My point is that I could probably conduct a successful brain surgery operation from the collective information that I can find on Youtube alone.
What’s more is that I can translate and speak to others around the globe using modern translating software. From Google translate to hand-held devices like Nynicorny, the language barrier has never been less (except when we all spoke one language at Babel). “Translate” is an app on my phone that can read and translate written words into English.
My take-away is that for whatever reason my God has allowed this to happen. To reveal to us and allow us to advance technologically and He seemingly will continue to allow it to happen. The Bible tells us that we are in “End Times” but is this recent technological advancement indicate that we are at the end of “End Times”? Maybe. It could be that God allows His world to continue on for another millennia. It would be fantastic to consider a world with technological advancements like we’ve been experiencing 1,000 years from now. What a world that would be.
The Tower of Babel was destroyed because “The Lord said, “If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them.” We know that God made us in His own image. That we were made in His own image may imply that we resemble Him but I also believe that He made us like himself. Able to love, to create, to think, and even to do the things that He can do. No, we are not God! Consider that throughout time He has revealed to us (as it says in Daniel 2) understanding, knowledge, and “hidden” things.
I believe that we are back to Babel because this is the end. The time is ripe. The people are no longer scattered. No long isolated. The time is ready for us to unite in technology and creativity. To what end? I cannot say but I can tell you that I would look at the events of Babel and the events of today and come up with some conclusion for yourself. Some resolution about it all. What is God allowing to happen, and why? Realize that it’s not a coincidence but something greater.
You are here now. Why? Consider that during this epoch that you were born and are even reading this blog.
My suggestion. Give it some thought. Realize your place on earth. What you’re here for and maybe see a bigger picture than you ever have before as we are welcomed back to Babel!
(Patrick Herman is an author, radio announcer for the Pilgrim Radio Network and blogger. He lives with his wife and four kids in Carson City, Nevada).
