Idolatry, Pride, And The Lesson of Babel

Idolatry, Pride, And The Lesson of Babel
The Apostle Paul describes the origin of idolatry in Romans 1: 21 as: “when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.”

Idolatry originally meant the worship of idols, or the worship of false gods by means of idols, but came to mean in the Old Testament any worship of false gods, whether by images or otherwise, and finally the worship of Yahweh through visible symbols. In the New Testament idolatry came to mean, not only the giving to any creature or human creation the honour or devotion which belonged to God alone, but giving precedence to any human desire over God’s will.

Pride on the other hand is a hindrance to seeking God; Psalm 10:4 states: “The wicked, through the pride of his counternance, will not seek after God.”

When left to themselves, men seek their own glory. Anxious to gain power and be remembered, they build cities, fashion artefacts, and congratulate each other. But fame is fleeting. Memories fade, people scatter, and the achievements of today become tomorrow’s ruins.

Genesis 11 tells the tale of the rise of a great metropolis. Babel, founded by Nimrod the “mighty man,” enjoyed success as a cultural centre. One language and group thinking produced an impressive collective identity. As a result, it also gave men undue pride. Pride gave way to arrogance which led to the cheer “let us make us a name” (v. 4). The chosen mechanism for human glory was a tower. By building up and out, these people sought to preserve their own legacy and cultural power.

By building the tower and centralizing their cultural efforts, the people of Babel defied God. In the creation ordinance, God mandated that humans should multiply, spread out, and cultivate the earth. The Lord intended that the earth be filled with representations of His glory; but men despised this desire and shunned dispersal. Concentrating in Babel alone, they demonstrated contempt for the divine cultural agenda.

The architects of Babel quickly found themselves opposed by God. By seeking to exalt their own name, they elicited a divine response. God intervened in the midst of Babel’s self-glorifying plans, confused their ability to communicate, and dispersed them throughout the earth. God’s act of judgment was also an act of grace. Had the sons of Nimrod succeeded in their bid for human glory, they would have believed the lie that human beings are sovereign and not God. Under such conditions, no sin would be unthinkable for them. God does not share His glory with men, but rather displays His glory among the nations for His own name’s sake.

The story of Babel holds a lesson for modern man. God will oppose those who are puffed up (James 4: 6). The term James uses means God will “range in battle against” the proud – a frightening thought!

In Christ,
Rev Robert Chew