#DailyDevotion There’s Still A Problem Here

Gen 11:1-4  Now the whole earth had one language and the same words.  (2)  And as people migrated from the east, they found a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there.  (3)  And they said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks, and burn them thoroughly.” And they had brick for stone, and bitumen for mortar.  (4)  Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be dispersed over the face of the whole earth.”

Now the earth was beginning to be filled again after the flood. Everyone was a descendent of Noah and his family. As such they only had one language and everyone could communicate with each other. The only question was, what were they going to do with the gift of speech and the new world they had received from the Lord.

While the Lord did rid the world of many wicked people with the flood, there was still a problem with the people he did save and those that would be born to them: Gen 8:21 …the intention of man’s heart is evil from his youth. They were just as they were before the flood: Gen 6:5  The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. In case you’re wondering, that’s why we’re still in the mess we have today.

So what did these descendents of Noah plan to do? Well they wanted to make a name for themselves to the purpose of not getting dispersed over the face of the earth. Perhaps you don’t think this is too bad. But when the Lord has blessed man that created he intended for man to have dominion over the earth. You can’t do that staying in one place. Not to mention it isn’t healthy for the land for all mankind to be gathered in just one place. The reasoning they give shows what is on their hearts. They want a name for themselves.

Pro 16:18 “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.” We pride ourselves on our being proud today. We find our worth in what we do and not in the Lord who values us. Our esteem is not in Jesus the Lord but in ourselves. A prideful heart the Lord despised (Prov. 8:13) The people here in Shinar, later Babylon were prideful. They were demonstrating what the Lord said before and after the flood, “every intention of their heart is wicked from youth.” The Lord does not want us to rely on ourselves but upon him for all good things. We are not called to exalt ourselves like these people did. It did not end well for them.

Rather, Jas 4:10 “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.” and 1Pe 5:6 “Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you,…” and Php 2:3-5 “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.  (4)  Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.  (5)  Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,…” Humility in Christ is what we are called to have, trusting only in the goodness and power of our Lord. Jesus himself is our example who looked not to his own interest but for our submitting himself to the Father’s will. May we follow that example and not our fleshly desire for a name for ourselves but the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Heavenly Father, pride cannot stand before you. Curb our fleshly desires for recognition and give us a spirit of humility that we may follow in the footsteps of your Son Jesus Christ and think of others more than we think of ourselves. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.