The Tower of Babel, Genesis 11

The builders of the tower of Babel had the root sins of fear and pride that motivated their work. They wished to build something so impressive that they would not have to be dispersed over the world (as God had commanded) and so that they would make a name for themselves. God's work in confusing their languages ended their work and spread them out into different tribes. The New Testament parallel story of Pentecost also sees the Holy Spirit giving a variety of languages, but that time as a gift to the early church, not as a curse. Read or listen to this sermon to be reminded how our sins look a lot like the tower builder's sins, and to understand the reversal of Babel in both the church and in the great city, the New Jerusalem, when all tribes and tongues will praise one God in unity.