January 7 - Nº 7 Genesis 10:8-12; 11:1-9
Noah’s children had children, who in turn had more children, etc., and soon the earth was populated once more. One of Noah’s great-grandsons was a man named Nimrod. He was known as a great hunter. But he was also a great warrior. His name literally means “let us rebel.” And he did. He built a large kingdom completely opposed to God. Although God had told Noah’s family to spread out and populate the earth (Genesis 9:1), his descendants felt they could accomplish their own purposes and gain more glory for themselves if they stayed together. Rather than be known by God’s name, they wanted to make a name for themselves. So, they gathered on a plain near one of the largest cities in Nimrod’s kingdom and settled there. They learned to bake bricks using tar so the bricks would last a long time. It is likely they followed the same instructions God had given Noah when He taught him how to waterproof the ark (Genesis 6:14). With their newly developed materials they built a large city and began to construct a tower that reached high into the sky. Historians tell us the tower they erected was a magnificent ziggurat—a tiered, rectangular pyramid. It was large enough to have a temple with a huge altar at the top where the priests could offer pagan sacrifices to false gods. From its pinnacle they would be able to observe and worship the sun and the moon and the stars. They wanted it to become a focal point around which the whole world would gather. No one had ever attempted to build such an incredible structure before. God was not happy when He looked at the tower and witnessed their disobedience. He personally paid the builders a visit. (This is one of several times we are told that He showed up here on earth.) This huge tower that occupied a central place in Nimrod’s kingdom was clear evidence that the whole civilization had turned its back on Him. God knew that there was no limit to how depraved these people would become if He did not intervene. So, He did. He chose to do it in a merciful way. Unexpectedly, without any warning, everyone began to speak in different languages. They could no longer understand each other. There was mass confusion and hysteria. Immediately, work on the tower had to stop. The people began to form groups based on their new languages, and they moved to different locations all over the planet. That tower, in the middle of a plain in Shinar, became known as the tower of confusion—the Tower of Babel. And the city around it became known as Babylon.
What are the most important things in your life right now? Are they things that bring God glory, or are they designed to bring you glory? Do you want to be known as one of God’s children, or would you rather make a name for yourself in your own way? Our own names don’t last very long. Only God’s name will last forever.
