Readings for today: Genesis 10-11
Father, your Word brings life. Life to my spirit. Life to my mind. Life to my heart. Life to my body. It reminds of my purpose which is to worship You and serve You and enjoy You forever. Through your Spirit share with me more deeply how to become the man You created me to be.
Nimrod. A mighty hunter before the Lord. A legendary king. A powerful tribal warlord. The “first on earth to be a mighty man.” The man who founded Babel. Is he the architect of the tower? Is he the one who puts the plans together to build a ziggurat to the heavens? Does he convince the people they don’t need God? To build a monument to themselves? Is he one of the primary reasons they disobey the command to “be fruitful, multiply, and fill the earth?” It wouldn’t surprise me. Even a cursory glance at human history reveals our tendency to fall for the strong man. The mighty man. The egotistical man. The narcissistic man. Who is lauded in our history books? Who is extolled for their leadership? I remember several years ago coming across a best-selling business book titled, “Leadership Secrets of Attila the Hun” and thinking to myself, “surely, this isn’t serious?” Attila the Hun? One of the most brutal and terrifying kings in human history? This is the guy we’re supposed to emulate? And lest you think we’ve progressed beyond this myth in our modern era, consider how leaders like Vladimir Putin or Xi Jinping or some of our own political leaders carry themselves? Consider how much we idolize celebrity or social influencers? Heck, even the church has bought into this leadership cult! I can’t tell you how many churches today are built around the narcissistic personality of the senior pastor and how many of them will fall by the wayside when such leaders inevitably fall. It’s brutal. I speak from personal experience. A significant part of my own ministry has been to go in and help clean up the mess these leaders leave behind. (Consider downloading The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill podcast to learn about a recent example of one such leader’s fall from grace.)
So let’s assume Nimrod did lead the people to build the Tower of Babel. Let’s assume he used his power to bring order and security to their lives. Let’s assume he leveraged their common language and tribal connections to keep them together. Nimrod must have been a persuasive speaker. A charismatic leader. A man who could cast a vision. Tragically, his vision was not God’s vision. Instead of sending the people out to explore and fill the earth, he encourages them to stay together. Instead of caring and cultivating the earth so it would be fruitful, he leads them to the fertile plain of Shinar where they can settle down. Build a great city. Construct a mighty tower that would reach to the heavens. It makes perfect sense. It would be a symbol of safety and security. It would provide protection from the elements and the dangers of the world. It would give them a sense of place. A sense of connection. A sense of community. No matter how far they might wander from the city they had built, they could keep the tower in view and always find their way back home.
Frankly this doesn’t sound all that bad until you take a step back and realize they were doing all these things without God! “And the Lord came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men had built. And the Lord said, “Behold, they are one people, and they all have one language, and this is only the beginning of what they will do. And nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them.” (Gen. 11:5-6) This is the Garden of Eden all over again. Humanity wanting to be like God. Humanity choosing independence from God. Humanity rebelling against God’s explicit command. Thankfully, God refuses to let humanity persist in her sin. Just as He expelled Adam and Eve before they could eat of the Tree of Life and be trapped forever in their broken estate, He now confuses the languages of the people and scatters them over the face of the earth lest they become forever ensnared by their innate selfishness and narcissism.
What about me? If I’m honest, I know I am no different than Nimrod. Given the right set of circumstances, I am confident I would fall for the same temptations. I have narcissistic tendencies. I can be as selfish and greedy and proud as the next person. My heart is an idol factory. My nature is ever inclined towards sin. My thoughts and attitudes and actions reflect the deep brokenness of my condition. I am not immune. So where have I gone astray? Where do I lead my family or my congregation astray? Where have I gone against the express will of God in my own life? What towers am I trying to build? Am I seeking to become an influencer? Build an online platform? Measure my success by the size of the church I serve? Am I operating out of a desire for safety and security? Am I seeking to build my home and my life and my community through my own effort apart from God? Or am I seeking God? Am I walking with open hands before Him? Am I following in His footsteps?
Readings for tomorrow: None