“Answers for a study in the book of Genesis” is a weekly post in addition to the regular “apologetics” posts on the weekend where the original questions can be found at the bottom of the study, and then answers appear here mid-week. This gives you time to do your own research, and then check your answers. Keep in mind these will be basic answers with a little depth, but you can go much deeper for discussion if you’d like.
Note: The answers will focus on what the text of the Bible says, and commentaries and speculative answers will be noted as such. There are many scholarly commentaries out there but it will be important, as students of the Bible, to keep the text of the Bible as our first source. Commentaries can be used, keeping in mind that they are human thoughts about God’s Word. Scripture references here are taken from the NASB, unless otherwise noted.
The Goal for the notes, questions and answers: Share and reuse to lead your own Bible study!
Note: Class presentation, videos, reflections and Bible study questions are posted on the weekend – Bible study answers (like these) are posted mid-week.
Review and Bible Study
Always remember to pray before you study and ask the Holy Spirit to teach you and lead you into the truth found in God’s Word – pray for protection from the evil one who will try to discourage, distract and deceive us when we commit to growing closer to the LORD.
Questions are taken directly from the chapters, and answers should be found and cited from the Scripture text in order to be Biblically accurate (unless asked to summarize in your own words). Study Bibles, commentaries and your own thoughts can be used for Discussion or Going Deeper questions. If you use these kinds of sources share them with your group.
1. Review of Class Topic: With your table group, discuss today’s presentation by summarizing what you learned, commenting or asking any questions.
Answers will vary…
Read Genesis Chapter 11 with your group then, to the best of your ability, answer the following questions:
2. Chapter 11 goes back into chapter 10 and tells the story of what happened after the flood. What did the people gather to do in the Plain of Shinar, and why (11:1-4)? Do we know what kind of ancient structure this was, if so, describe it?
“Now all the earth used the same language and the same words. And it came about, as they journeyed east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there. Then they said to one another, “Come, let’s make bricks and fire them thoroughly.” And they used brick for stone, and they used tar for mortar. And they said, “Come, let’s build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top will reach into heaven, and let’s make a name for ourselves; otherwise we will be scattered abroad over the face of all the earth.””
Genesis 11:1-4 (NASB)
- The people were doing just the opposite of what God had told them to do and were gathering together, being their own “god” and opposing the LORD.
- The structure they were building was known as a ziggurat – not a pyramid, but was probably a forerunner to pyramids. These were usually places of worship and did not have a hollow inside for burial like pyramids.
3. What was God’s response to what the people were doing in Shinar, and why (11:5-8)?
The LORD said: “Behold, they are one people, and they all have the same language. And this is what they began to do, and now nothing which they purpose to do will be impossible for them. Come, let Us go down and there confuse their language, so that they will not understand one another’s speech. So the LORD scattered them abroad from there over the face of the whole earth; and they stopped building the city.”
Genesis 11:6-8 (NASB) (Notice the reference to the Trinity=”Us”)
- The people were not following God’s command to “go out,” be fruitful and multiply, because they were supposed to spread out and multiply the “image of God” but instead they were multiplying the evil of Satan by wanting to reach Heaven and thus become (their own) “god.”
- God confused their language which would also confuse their singular intention because they could not understand one another, and like humans do, they then grouped together in commonality.
4. Cross-reference any other Biblical mentions of the Tower of Babel. For more insight read Luke 1:46-55 (from Mary’s song to God), and focus on verse 51 to help with the question of both why they did it, and why God responded the way He did.
“And Mary said: “My soul exalts the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior. “For He has had regard for the humble state of His bondslave; for behold, from this time on all generations will count me blessed. “For the Mighty One has done great things for me; and holy is His name. “And His mercy is upon generation after generation toward those who fear Him. “He has done mighty deeds with His arm; He has scattered those who were proud in the thoughts of their heart. “He has brought down rulers from their thrones and has exalted those who were humble. “He has filled the hungry with good things; and sent away the rich empty-handed. “He has given help to Israel His servant, in remembrance of His mercy, as He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and his descendants forever.”
Luke 1:46-55 (NASB)
- Mary speaks of the time that God “scattered those who were proud in the thoughts of their heart.” This indicated that pride was the main problem with the people of Babel, and like Satan’s fall from grace, the sin includes “pride, lust of the eyes and lust of the flesh.”
- Jesus overcame these same three things in the wilderness temptation, and John warns about these as well in his first letter.
5. Going Deeper: What was the city called after this event, and why (11:9)? Do you know anything about this place later on in the Bible, and does this city still exist today?
- The city was called Babel, “because there the LORD confused the language of the whole earth; and from there the LORD scattered them abroad over the face of the whole earth.”
- Modern day Babylon is located in Iraq.
- The empire of Babylon plays a major role in Old Testament history as they conquer the nation of Judah and destroy Jerusalem and the Temple, and then take the people captive for seventy years at the end of the times of the Kings. This is a time period where many of the major prophets speak including Daniel, Ezekiel, Jeremiah, and others.
- The word Babylon, when used in other places in the Bible, is always in a negative connotation (antiIsrael or anti-God).
- According the Christian Apologetic research site gotquestions.org, as it is spoken of in the book of Revelation, “The whore of Babylon is an evil world system, controlled by the Antichrist, during the last days before Jesus’ return. The whore of Babylon also has religious connotations – spiritual adultery with the beast being the focus of an ungodly, end-times religious system.”
Please join us each week as we continue our “case for” classes!
———————————————————————
You will not find this material in the public school curriculum even though it is based on solid evidence and grounded in research. It is ironic that following the evidence to where it leads stops at the door of our public schools as they will not let a “Divine footprint” in! Join us as we examine evidence for Christianity and learn how to become a thoughtful defender and ambassador of your faith.
Click into the resource page of this website to view many of the top Christian thinkers and apologists along with some of their work; connecting to these types of resources is essential in your Christian growth.
Please let me know what you think: Give feedback, ask questions or send concerns in the comment section of the blog.
Teri Dugan
TeriDugan@truthfaithandreason.com
1 Peter 3:15
Sorry, comments are closed for this post.