God's Sovereign Goodness

After the earth began to be repopulated by people after the flood, the people banded together in Shinar.  They decided to make bricks, build a great city with a tower that reached to heaven, and make a name for themselves so they would not be scattered across the earth.  God knew their plans and decided to miraculously disrupt them and bring about exactly what they worked to prevent.  Genesis 11:7-8 reads, "Come, let Us go down and there confuse their language, that they may not understand one another's speech." ⁸ So the LORD scattered them abroad from there over the face of all the earth, and they ceased building the city."  The name of the unfinished tower was called "Babel" because it was the place God confounded the languages of the people.

The inability to understand one another ended the singleness of mind and purpose the people once shared.  Without anyone to translate what they said and meant their efforts turned into a ruin.  This incident, more than merely showing how the multitudes of languages in the world came to be, reveals the importance of communication.  This can be seen in marriages, families, the workplace, and church.  God was observant of the reason behind the building project in Shinar, and He also is keenly aware of what His ultimate plans are for His glorious kingdom.  The people wanted to unite all in one place, yet God was determined to send them forth.

The situation at Babel is a good reminder of God's sovereignty and plans that are infinitely better than our own short-sighted goals to make a name for ourselves.  I recently read a biography of David Wilkerson and he once attended a church filled with notable preachers and worship leaders.  The church did not last long and one of the senior members put it like this:  "Too much salt."  Jesus told His followers they were the salt of the earth and they were pleased after His ascension to remain in Jerusalem.  It was not long after the Holy Spirit came upon them in power great persecution arose against Christians who scattered and brought the Gospel with them to Jews and Gentiles alike.  I do not suggest this to justify church "splits" or irreconcilable differences among believers which hinder fellowship but to say God's ways are higher than ours.

We can be content to make a name for ourselves and settle down when God has other plans.  I was very settled and content in the east county of San Diego before God moved me and my family to Australia.  Instead of finding rest in a marriage, job, house, or familiar surroundings God intervened to teach us to discover rest in Him wherever He places us.  When we first came to Australia I was connected to pastors who also had ministry in Australia on their heart and sought to plant a church in the Sydney CBD.  It was like the A-team huddled up and was on mission to minister for the glory of God.  But for whatever reason, it did not come to pass as imagined.  Those pastors are now scattered across four nations (at least!) in fruitful pastoral ministry.  I am convinced their efforts were not a failure because their uniting led to seeking the LORD and He moved them according to His will.

How awesome are the works of God who does glorious things!  The confounding of languages led to friends moving apart but new friendships and horizons were discovered.  Trying circumstances and upheaval led to exploration and visions of grandeur far greater than a tower made with bricks and slime.  In the breakdown of the building project many other leaders were forged.  Without the comforts of city walls people looked to the LORD for guidance and protection in ways they never needed to in the past.  Blessed be our God whose mighty, redemptive works are beyond our desire.  When we look back with eyes of faith, our great regrets of unfinished works can miraculously melt in His sovereign goodness.