Today we finally arrive at the last section of Genesis Series Part One. In this study, we have examined the stories about God’s creation, judgement and salvation from Adam and Eve to Noah and his family. This morning we will meet the people of Babel and explore their attitude toward God’s command compared to one of the people of Pentecost. From these observations, I want us to learn some divine lessons and apply them in our spiritual race.

Sometime after the floodwaters were gone and Noah and his family settled on the land, their descendants gathered in a place and started building a new city. They seemed to have two main purposes for that construction project. The first one is a desire to make a name for themselves through the great city. They wished to create a megalopolis like New York City on their own. Some years ago, my family and I made a four-day trip to that famous municipality while staying at a hotel in New Jersey. Every day, we drove between the Manhattan area and our accommodation in heavy traffic in a tunnel or on a bridge. During our trip, we were surprised to see a massive crowd of people walking through Time Square and around the Broadway theatres. We were astonished to view many of the tallest buildings in that downtown. The size of the New York land is similar to Calgary; however, the population of that American city is seven times bigger than our Canadian town. As of Sept. 2022, New York City has 303 completed buildings that are more than 150 meters tall. Calgary has around 20 skyscrapers which are above the described height earlier. Having many high and lofty monuments would be one of the reasons almost nine million people can live and work in one most densely populated land. One fascinating fact I learned from the New York buildings is related to the Empire State Building. This architecture has 102 floors and was constructed in the early 1930s. That castle had been the tallest building in the world until the World Trade Center was built in that same city in 1970. I want to introduce one more construction to you while leading you back to the previous Egyptian time. Almost 4,500 years ago, one of the emperors’ tombs, known as the Great Pyramid, was formed. That human-made magnificent ancient structure stands equally with our modern buildings in terms of elevation. Once again, I am amazed to realize the human power of making those significant architectures. Please understand this: there was nothing wrong with the building plan the people of Babel were doing. Constructing the city itself was not an issue. The problem was associated with the hearts of the people. They wanted to become well-known and reach to the heavens by themselves. They wished to be like a mighty God, who made the heavens and the earth while creating the city and the tower.

Secondly, the people in Babel wanted to stay together in one place with one purpose. They believed that God would spread them over various locations if they did not establish a fortified city. We remember God’s first command to Adam and Eve at the Creation. That divine direction was equally advised for Noah and his family after the flood. The people were supposed to “be fruitful; multiply on the earth, and increase upon it” (Genesis 1:28, 9:7). To do that, I believe that they were to move to different areas and form diverse communities. For some reason, the people of Babel wanted to be united while constructing the megacity with the tall tower. One more time, don’t get me wrong with the togetherness of human beings. As a Bible study group, we have been studying “40 Days of Community.” We need each other. We are better together. According to the Apostle Paul, as Christ followers, we are supposed to have “the same love” [God’s unconditional and steadfast love], be “one in spirit” with the help of the Holy Spirit and create “one mind” for the glory of Christ (Philippians 2:2). The real issue I have noticed from today’s account is similar to the one Adam and Eve had toward the Word of God. As our spiritual ancestors did not obey the Lord, the people of Babel wanted to build their own kingdom. Due to the evil influence of Adam and Eve, they made a similar mistake while doing things for their own sake and with their personal strength.

How did God help the people of Babel turn from their sinful pursuit to His sacred path? The Lord went down and confused their language. In those days, the entire world had one everyday speech. That was a great advantage when they accomplished the same project of building a city and a tower. Imagine a tall structure of architecture and people working in various locations. When some workers move some materials from the bottom floor to the top, they also pass instructions to others about those elements. If each group uses different dialects, they may misunderstand one another. With that improper communication, the plan the people of Babel had could not be succeeded. God also sent them to different places in the world. Despite human being’s disobedience to God’s commandment, the Lord is always in control of every matter and keeps working on His plans.

While preparing this part of today’s sermon, I cannot thank God enough for all the wisdom, direction, mercy, and grace He has provided for me for many years, particularly during my continued ministry in The Presbyterian Church in Canada. It will soon be my fifteen years of serving the Lord with you as a minister whose mother tongue is not English. One of my good friends recently gave me some complementary words about this spiritual leadership. He also shared another positive feedback about the attitudes the people of Knox Glenarm and St. Andrew’s Fenelon Falls have had toward me. According to him, at St. Andrew’s Fenelon Falls, now a newly amalgamated church, you have been so understanding and gracious! I completely agree with him. I am aware that some miscommunications might have happened between you as a church and me in the past due to my inadequate English proficiency. I have been very grateful to you for your compassion and comprehension over the years. Even among the English-speaking people, confusion and incomprehension would occur. I have also been so thankful to the Lord for the support and guidance He has given us as Christ followers to use the language of love and encouragement instead of the language of hurt and criticism. We pray that the Lord will continuously help us to have sacred and respectful communication with each other as we move forward into a new beginning and a new ministry as one people of God.

Interestingly, many years later, God as the Holy Spirit came to Christ followers when they were all together in one place of Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost. During that visit, God reversed what He did to the people of Babel. At that time, the Holy Spirit enabled the people of Pentecost to speak many other languages. The primary reason for that divine activity would be connected to Christ’s commandment in the first chapter of Acts. Jesus said to His disciples, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). Based on Christ’s promise, Galilean speaking people received from the Holy Spirit the ability to share “the wonders of God” in various native languages. In the Old Testament, God confused the people of Babel with one another, giving them different mother tongues and scattering them into diverse locations. In the New Testament, the same God called the people of Pentecost to stay together in Jerusalem and do Christ’s world mission with one mind blessing them to speak different speeches. With that amazement, as the disciples asked one another, “What does this mean?” we may have the same inquiry about the miraculous ministry the Holy Spirit was doing for the people of Pentecost.

Before we look into this point, I want us to go back to the part about building the tower of Babel. Over again, we need to ask ourselves why the people of Babel tried to “reach to the heavens” through the tower. That attempt would show their longing for the Kingdom of God. They would believe they could have recovered their lost paradise with their own power. Since Adam and Eve’s fall, one way or another, we may all desire a God-prepared garden called Heaven while building our own small or big empire. Some may want to accomplish this project through many good works. Some may wish to receive this true happiness when they get more knowledge. Some may put their trust in their possession, reputation, and satisfaction. All of those plans would be failed without God’s guidance. Unfortunately, in the process of human efforts and attempts, many evil towers and sin cities have been made in this corrupted world. All of those ungodly influences could keep us distant from God. As the Apostle Paul cried out to God, we may ask God for His help in the following desperate statement: “Wat a wretched [person] I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death…” (Romans 7:24).

In our Epistle for today, the Apostle Peter presents God’s saving project while introducing the blessings upon the people of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit dwelled within them. Regardless of the age, whether young or old, strong or weak, all of God’s people will see visions and dream dreams with the help of the Holy Spirit. This abundant benediction would happen to all generations once they are filled with the Spirit. Later, Peter gave them and us a clear direction of building a holy temple and a sacred tower in the next proclamation: “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38). Someone describes some of the Holy Spirit’s characters as a “gentle” and “pure” image. Since the Spirit is kind, we are required to invite God to sit at the center of our hearts. Since the Spirit is refined, we are supposed to make our minds clean. To satisfy these requirements, as Peter advises us, we need to come to Christ humbly and honestly as we are. We need nothing to bring in our hands except the repentant and trustful heart toward Christ. According to the Bible, our bodies are “temples of the Holy Spirit” (1 Corinthians 6:19). When we repent of our sins and are cleansed by the Blood of Christ, we can become a sacred temple where God dwells. We can also have a forgiving tower between God and us, so we can reach His “throne of grace” at any place and receive His “mercy” at any time (Hebrews 4:16).

Friends, I want to conclude this message by comparing the self-centred invitation to the Christ-focused call. The people of Babel said to each other: “Let us build ourselves a city…” (Genesis 11:4). As many of us agree, building things in life requires us to work hard, spend more time, and make a lot of effort. What visions and dreams have we accomplished to keep us safe and secure during our time on earth? Again, there is nothing wrong with attempting those wonderful things. While busy making our own castles, we may be sick with our self-fulfilled mindset. While raising ourselves to God, we may become tired of what we have done for ourselves. Since the proper foundation of our precious life is built on Christ, we need to remember our real identity: We are not citizens of Babel but the people of Pentecost. We also need to accept Jesus’ invitation. “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). No matter how much we have achieved, we cannot be safe and secure in this sin-darkened world. Jesus Christ is our firm foundation in our God-given temples. While making our holy relationship with God the Father, God the Son, Christ Jesus, and God the Holy Spirit, we can reach to the Triune Lord’s Kingdom through this godly tower. What new plans, projects, and possibilities do we want to set up for the next chapter of our spiritual journey? Let us build all of these divine blueprints based on the Rock of Christ with the counselling of the Holy Spirit for the sake of the Almighty God!

*In this sermon, I have used some thoughts and materials from various messages texted on Genesis 11:1-9; Acts 2:1-21.