Tower of Babel
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of these faithful ones the Lord delayed His judgments and gave the
people time to reveal their true character. As this was developed, the
sons of God labored to turn them from their purpose; but the people
were fully united in their Heaven-daring undertaking. Had they gone
on unchecked, they would have demoralized the world in its infancy.
Their confederacy was founded in rebellion; a kingdom established
for self-exaltation, but in which God was to have no rule or honor.
Had this confederacy been permitted, a mighty power would have
borne sway to banish righteousness—and with it peace, happiness, and
security—from the earth. For the divine statutes, which are “holy and
just and good” (
Romans 7:12
), men were endeavoring to substitute
laws to suit the purpose of their own selfish and cruel hearts.
Those that feared the Lord cried unto Him to interpose. “And the
Lord came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of
men builded.” In mercy to the world He defeated the purpose of the
tower builders and overthrew the memorial of their daring. In mercy
He confounded their speech, thus putting a check on their purposes
of rebellion. God bears long with the perversity of men, giving them
ample opportunity for repentance; but He marks all their devices to
resist the authority of His just and holy law. From time to time the
unseen hand that holds the scepter of government is stretched out to
restrain iniquity. Unmistakable evidence is given that the Creator of
the universe, the One infinite in wisdom and love and truth, is the
Supreme Ruler of heaven and earth, and that none can with impunity
defy His power.
The schemes of the Babel builders ended in shame and defeat. The
monument to their pride became the memorial of their folly. Yet men
are continually pursuing the same course—depending upon self, and
rejecting God’s law. It is the principle that Satan tried to carry out in
heaven; the same that governed Cain in presenting his offering.
There are tower builders in our time. Infidels construct their theo-
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ries from the supposed deductions of sciences, and reject the revealed
word of God. They presume to pass sentence upon God’s moral gov-
ernment; they despise His law and boast of the sufficiency of human
reason. Then, “because sentence against an evil work is not executed
speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to
do evil.”
Ecclesiastes 8:11
.