The World and the Word

                               The Results of the Fall

The story of the Tower of Babel in chapter 11 actually precedes the story of chapter 10. Genesis 10:8-10 relates how one of these "mighty" men became the ruler of the entire human race and caused them all to dwell in one land called Shinar and required them all to speak one language.  This tyrant called Nimrod misled these people to desire to build "a city and a tower" that would "reach heaven" and thereby make a "name" for themselves. They desired not just a tower but also a city that would reach heaven. They were smart enough to know that they could not build a tower to heaven. They actually desired something quite different.

They actually desired to establish a heaven on earth so that they could become independent of God's rule. Many philosophers and rulers since then have had that same desire. Satan was behind this rebellion against God because he knew that their desire for independence from God would lead to the Devil's absolute control of humanity and possibly give him the power to finally annul their living souls and spirits that God had created.

In Genesis 11:6, God made a very interesting and intriguing comment about the rebellious efforts of these people. God said, "... and now nothing will be restrained from them which they have imagined to do." God certainly could not have meant that they could succeed in becoming independent of Him. Their efforts in that regard would only lead to disaster because the Devil would gain complete control over them. Humans can never become independent of God's Love because He will never allow their living souls and spirits that He created to become subject to the Devil's annulment. I Corinthians 13:8.


God must have meant by His statement about these people that He knew that they possessed the necessary intellect and talents that would allow them to gain such tremendous scientific and technological knowledge that, in the future, they would be able to do miraculous things. Certain modern scientists and engineers have gained such miraculous knowledge and abilities that it far exceeds anything displayed in the Star Wars movies. But the governments of the world keep that knowledge a secret from the common people. But no matter how powerful human knowledge may become, it can never cause humans to become independent of God's Love and protection. God will never allow that. Most humans do not realize that their very lives depend on God's Love and protection. Some humans even desire the annihilation of human life. How jejune and dead is that. The Devil seeks to crush all the lives of humanity completely out of existence. Humans who desire this tragedy have no idea what love and goodness really mean. I Corinthians 13:8.