Tower of Babel

[SDDiver]

This has been occupying my mind for weeks now so I want to throw it out there and see what y'all think.

Genesis 11:4-9
Then they said, "Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves; otherwise we will be scattered over the face of the whole earth."

But the LORD came down to see the city and the tower the people were building. The LORD said, "If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them. Come, let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other."

So the LORD scattered them from there over all the earth, and they stopped building the city. That is why it was called Babel—because there the LORD confused the language of the whole world. From there the LORD scattered them over the face of the whole earth.

Since "everything happened to them as examples" (1 Cor 10:11), does anyone else see in this story the hundreds of denominations in existence today? Their confused languages. So they will not understand each other.

Interesting also that "the whole world" was not scattered over the face of the whole earth prior to God making it so.

[mharrell08]

Interesting also that "the whole world" was not scattered over the face of the whole earth prior to God making it so.

Not sure if this means the inhabitants of the entire world or simply the entire land. Ray goes over the use of earth/world in his study on Noah's flood (http://forums.bible-truths.com/index.php/topic,8385.msg79675.html#msg79675).

I'm thinking the Lord was referring to all the inhabitants in this particular, local area.

[John from Kentucky]

This has been occupying my mind for weeks now so I want to throw it out there and see what y'all think.

Genesis 11:4-9
Then they said, "Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves; otherwise we will be scattered over the face of the whole earth."

But the LORD came down to see the city and the tower the people were building. The LORD said, "If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them. Come, let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other."

So the LORD scattered them from there over all the earth, and they stopped building the city. That is why it was called Babel—because there the LORD confused the language of the whole world. From there the LORD scattered them over the face of the whole earth.

Since "everything happened to them as examples" (1 Cor 10:11), does anyone else see in this story the hundreds of denominations in existence today? Their confused languages. So they will not understand each other.

Interesting also that "the whole world" was not scattered over the face of the whole earth prior to God making it so.

This scripture also brings out a topic which is on the forefront, the cutting edge of understanding Who and What God is.  Ray is studying this matter and discussed it in his recent communications.  The LORD referred to is Yahweh, the God of the Old Testament, and Who we understand to be Jesus in the New Testament.  Yahweh says, "Let Us go down..."  A singular Yahweh, but a plural pronoun--Us.  Who, What, and Why is this God we worship?  We don't learn about the Father until Jesus reveals Him to us in the New Testament.

Once we understand God better, we will understand all things that have come out of Him better.  These are exciting times in which we live.  The things we are beginning to see, great ones in the past have wanted to see and understand, but it was not given to them at that time to understand.  Why us now?

[JohnMichael]

This scripture also brings out a topic which is on the forefront, the cutting edge of understanding Who and What God is.  Ray is studying this matter and discussed it in his recent communications.  The LORD referred to is Yahweh, the God of the Old Testament, and Who we understand to be Jesus in the New Testament.  Yahweh says, "Let Us go down..."  A singular Yahweh, but a plural pronoun--Us.  Who, What, and Why is this God we worship?  We don't learn about the Father until Jesus reveals Him to us in the New Testament.

Once we understand God better, we will understand all things that have come out of Him better.  These are exciting times in which we live.  The things we are beginning to see, great ones in the past have wanted to see and understand, but it was not given to them at that time to understand.  Why us now?

Maybe the answer is in Dan 12:4 (ASV)

"But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased."

[cjwood]

i think possibly the "whole world" or "whole earth" matter, could be a translation situation.  rotherham's emphasized bible uses the word earth in both places in vs. 9. in the Scripture shown in Genesis.  and with the tower of babel coming about after the descendants of noah had been growing and settling down, i believe the whole earth/world/land being spoken of is the area which was being repopulated after the flood, not the entire world with its' older civilizations.  just my 2 pennies.

claudia

[indianabob]

Claudia and folks,

In regard to the Old civilizations of the earth.
How has "science" been able to demonstrate that any part of the earth's
civilizations are older than 6000 years?
Are we trusting to theories or scientific methods?
For example Carbon dating requires an artifact to calibrate the tests.
Because they need to know how much Carbon 13 was in the atmosphere
at the time of the death of the artifact containing carbon.
Plus they need to know the decay rate of each era and that cannot be
determined with any degree of accuracy beyond the age of the oldest
artifact which is around 4500 years.

Scientist (paleontologists)are notably devious when it comes to proving a theory
using others theories one stacked upon the other.
For example they have published papers stating that mankind didn't
have language until they built cities as if God created dumb animals
and the animals evolved languages and talents and skills of communication
such as writing and reading. They use primitive cave drawings to prove that
prehistoric man couldn't draw very well and then compare them to Egyptian
hieroglyphs that were produced by an advanced civilization.

God doesn't create imperfection. Mankind deteriorated to a lower level and then
gradually improved and again deteriorated in cycles of war, greed and brutality.
We just cannot trust ANY scientist or their theory if it cannot be demonstrated
present day.

Indiana Bob

[markn902]

This has been occupying my mind for weeks now so I want to throw it out there and see what y'all think.

Genesis 11:4-9
Then they said, "Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves; otherwise we will be scattered over the face of the whole earth."

But the LORD came down to see the city and the tower the people were building. The LORD said, "If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them. Come, let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other."

So the LORD scattered them from there over all the earth, and they stopped building the city. That is why it was called Babel—because there the LORD confused the language of the whole world. From there the LORD scattered them over the face of the whole earth.

Since "everything happened to them as examples" (1 Cor 10:11), does anyone else see in this story the hundreds of denominations in existence today? Their confused languages. So they will not understand each other.

Interesting also that "the whole world" was not scattered over the face of the whole earth prior to God making it so.

I hear ya I love how the scriptures may be a past literal event that happened but also have a very meaningful spiritual meaning to us today. I think thats a good analogy to draw..all the different denominations none of them making any sense to each other. It's great the way we are able to see those kinds of analogies as we grow in Christ. I also like how the parallels we draw from the parables of the scriptures can be multiple. It's refreshing to be able to explore the scriptures without the burden of a church "telling" you exactly what a scripture means and that's the end of it!

Really got to credit Ray with that..because of him I was able to see Revelation as an event that happens in a persons lifetime and not some far off event..It changed alot

THANKS RAY!! 

[rumpelstiltskin]

Hello SD Diver
There is an interesting teaching by Ray in the lake of fire part 6, under "it all began at Babel" may be helpful.

Peace