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Is the Internet our Modern Day Tower of Babel
In Genesis chapter 11 we learn that “at one time all the people of the world spoke the same language.” (Gen 11:1, NLT) The people joined their efforts in building a great city for themselves and a tower that reached the sky. But they were unsuccessful in completing this ambitious project. The Lord confused the people with different languages. They stopped building and were scattered all over the world. (Gen 11:9, NLT)
The people are united, and they all speak the same language. After this, nothing they set out to do will be impossible for them! (Gen 11:6, NLT)
As I read this, my first thought was why. Why does the Lord not want unity? Why is He stopping success? Then I read it again more carefully.
Then they said, “Come, let’s build a great city for ourselves with a tower that reaches into the sky. This will make us famous and keep us from being scattered all over the world.” (Gen 11:4, NLT)
It’s not that God wants us to be divided or unsuccessful. On the contrary, He wants to give us all that we want. “Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart.” (Psalm 37:4, NKJV). His desire is for us to work in unity to serve His purpose, not our individual egos.
The people of Babel weren’t building the tower to serve the Lord. They were doing it to showcase their intelligence. They had discovered how to make bricks, and they were showing off their newfound skill instead of thanking God for the knowledge. They wanted fame for themselves. Their goal was self-serving rather than God-centered.
Blessed are those we who keep His testimonies, who seek Him with the whole heart! (Psalm 119:2, NKJV)
Today our world is very much united through the internet. Many of us speak multiple languages, and if we don’t translations are only a few clicks away. We can communicate instantly, voice our opinions, and gather support for any cause we choose. How many of us are choosing His cause? Are we rallying the masses to spread the good news of salvation? Are we sharing our stories to benefit the readers or ourselves?
Take a leisurely scroll through the news headlines and your social media feed; you will find lots of ideas screaming for your attention. As a reader…
