Babel's Temple

In the last post, we looked at the small scale temples, or altars, built by Noah and the patriarchs, describing them for purposes of this study as structures representing a transitional phase of temple building connecting the garden temple of Eden and the future construction of the tabernacle and Jerusalem temple by national Israel. Of course, the children of Abraham were not the only temple builders in the ancient world. During the history of Israel, the Bible will describe numerous pagan shrines, some built by non-Israelites and others constructed by apostate Jews. Genesis describes prominently one such false temple, that created on the plains of Shinar in Genesis 11.

While the confusion of languages at Babel is widely known both among Christians and non-Christians, it can be argued that the church does not give sufficient attention to this story. Of note, the attempt at temple building at Babel and the resulting divine judgment is the only event elaborated on during the extended period of time between the end of Noah's life and the call of Abram. That might indicate its importance to the overall progression of the biblical narrative.

The account, Scripture's first mention of Babel, opens a theme that will continue over the course of the rest of Scripture -- the rivalry between God's people and the city of man, represented either literally as Babylon or using the Babylonian metaphor. Of  course, it would be the Babylonians that would one day overthrow Jerusalem and destroy Solomon's temple. During the time of Jewish exile, a young Jew named Daniel would declare to the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar that the Babylonian empire was in fact great -- represented in a vision by a head of gold -- but that it was also time limited, in contrast to the kingdom of God that would come and be established forever. Babylon did in fact cease to exist as an empire, but the metaphor continues in the New Testament, ultimately with the book of Revelation describing a contest pitting Babylon against God, with Christ the ultimate and final victor.

Returning to the Genesis 11 text, the story at Babel describes a gathered humanity in rebellion against God. God had given Noah a commission consistent with the prior one to Adam to fill the earth, but the people at Babel engaged in construction for the purpose of avoiding dispersal. Rather, they determined to build a tower into heaven that would provide a location from which they would summon God down to their temple to meet them. Note that in all of this, there is a determination to follow man made, man centered religion, in opposition to revealed religion and divine purposes. Human beings often imagine that we can worship God any way that we want, but the repudiation of the temple builders at Babel, as well as the meticulous instructions that God gives with regard to the tabernacle and the temple, reminds us that God is the Lord of worship. The God who is worshipped in spirit is also worshipped in truth, and that means that he determines the means and the manner of worship that is acceptable to him.

In Sumerian, the name "Babel" means "gateway of God," but in Genesis 11 we find God coming down not in response to a summons, but in mockery of their effort. God arrives in judgment, stopping the construction, confusing their language, and dispersing them. The further result of God's judgment on these people in Genesis 11 leads next to God's starting again with the call of Abram and the announcement of a covenant with him in Genesis 12.

Of note, in calling Abram, God promises freely by his grace what man by his rebellion against God failed to achieve by his temple building at Babel. Note the parallels in the text of Genesis 11 and 12 – they wanted to build for themselves a city, but God promised to give to Abram a country; they wanted to make a name for themselves, but God would make Abram’s name great; they feared dispersal, but God promised to bless the whole earth through Abram. What man could not do in rebellion against God, God gave to his people out of his grace.

Finally, one should not talk about the confusion of languages at Babel without also pondering the reversal ultimately promised for the age to come, which will be characterized by the completion of God's temple, the New Jerusalem, but also was prefigured at the dawn of the new covenant period during Pentecost immediately following the ascension of Christ. At Pentecost, God descended to the temple area in Jerusalem in power bringing salvation. The parallels and contrasts with the Babel event are interesting:

a.       At Babel, the people gathered at a temple under construction in rebellion and God came down in judgment; In Acts chapter 2, the people had gathered at the temple, and God came down in salvation.

b.       At Babel God confused their language in an announcement of judgment; at Pentecost God united their language in order to announce the Gospel.

c.      At Babel, the judgment resulted in confusion that led to disharmony; at Pentecost, the union of languages also caused confusion, but it led to the receipt of the promise.

d.       At Babel the people were scattered in judgment; at Pentecost, the people were scattered to fulfill the Great Commission and to fill the earth with the presence of God by spreading the Gospel.

Of course, during the present age, the availability of more widespread translation notwithstanding, multiplicity of human languages continues to create difficulties for the human race. Christians share in those difficulties, and for now we sing our Redeemer's praise in a many tongues. Nonetheless, the day will come when in one tongue and one voice all of God's people will  join as one in a nobler, sweeter song, rejoicing in Christ's power to save. In that day, Christ's temple will have been made holy and complete.