Chap. 10 - The Tower of Babel
To repeople the desolate earth, which the Flood had so lately swept from its moral
corruption, God had preserved but one family, the household of Noah, to whom he had
declared, “Thee have I seen righteous before Me in this generation.” Genesis 7:1. Yet
in the three sons of Noah was speedily developed the same great distinction seen in
the world before the Flood. In Shem, Ham, and Japheth, who were to be the founders
of the human race, was foreshadowed the character of their posterity.
Noah, speaking by divine inspiration, foretold the history of the three great races
to spring from these fathers of mankind. Tracing the descendants of Ham, through the
son rather than the father, he declared, “Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall
he be unto his brethren.” The unnatural crime of Ham declared that filial reverence
had long before been cast from his soul, and it revealed the impiety and vileness of
his character. These evil characteristics were perpetuated in Canaan and his posterity,
whose continued guilt called upon them the judgments of God.
On the other hand, the reverence manifested by Shem and Japheth for their father,
and thus for the divine statutes, promised a brighter future for their descendants.
Concerning these sons it was declared: “Blessed be Jehovah, God of Shem; and
Canaan shall be his servant. God shall enlarge Japheth, and he shall dwell in the
tents of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant.” The line of Shem was to be that of
the chosen people, of God’s covenant, of the promised Redeemer. Jehovah was the
God of Shem. From him would descend Abraham, and the people of Israel, through
whom Christ was to come. “Happy is that people, whose God is the Lord.” Psalm
144:15. And Japheth “shall dwell
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in the tents of Shem.” In the blessings of the gospel the descendants of Japheth were
especially to share.
The posterity of Canaan descended to the most degrading forms of heathenism.
Though the prophetic curse had doomed them to slavery, the doom was withheld for
centuries. God bore with their impiety and corruption until they passed the limits
of divine forbearance. Then they were dispossessed, and became bondmen to the
descendants of Shem and Japheth.
The prophecy of Noah was no arbitrary denunciation of wrath or declaration of
favor. It did not fix the character and destiny of his sons. But it showed what would
be the result of the course of life they had severally chosen and the character they had
developed. It was an expression of God’s purpose toward them and their posterity in
view of their own character and conduct. As a rule, children inherit the dispositions
and tendencies of their parents, and imitate their example; so that the sins of the
parents are practiced by the children from generation to generation. Thus the vileness
and irreverence of Ham were reproduced in his posterity, bringing a curse upon them
for many generations. “One sinner destroyeth much good.” Ecclesiastes 9:18.
On the other hand, how richly rewarded was Shem’s respect for his father; and
what an illustrious line of holy men appears in his posterity! “The Lord knoweth the
days of the upright,” “and his seed is blessed.” Psalm 37:18, 26. “Know therefore
that the Lord thy God he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy
with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations.”
Deuteronomy 7:9.
For a time the descendants of Noah continued to dwell among the mountains where
the ark had rested. As their numbers increased, apostasy soon led to division. Those
who desired to forget their Creator and to cast off the restraint of his law felt a constant
annoyance from the teaching and example of their God-fearing associates, and after a
time they decided to separate from the worshipers of God. Accordingly they journeyed
to the plain of Shinar, on the banks of the river Euphrates. They were attracted by the
beauty of the situation and the fertility of the soil, and upon this plain they determined
to make their home.
here they decided to build a city, and in it a tower of such stupendous height as
should render it the wonder of the world.
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These enterprises were designed to prevent the people from scattering abroad in
colonies. God had directed men to disperse throughout the earth, to replenish and
subdue it; but these Babel builders determined to keep their community united
in one body, and to found a monarchy that should eventually embrace the whole
earth. Thus their city would become the metropolis of a universal empire; its glory
would command the admiration and homage of the world and render the founders
illustrious. The magnificent tower, reaching to the heavens, was intended to stand as
a monument of the power and wisdom of its builders, perpetuating their fame to the
latest generations.
The dwellers on the plain of Shinar disbelieved God’s covenant that he would not
again bring a flood upon the earth. Many of them denied the existence of God and
attributed the Flood to the operation of natural causes. Others believed in a Supreme
Being, and that it was he who had destroyed the antediluvian world; and their hearts,
like that of Cain, rose up in rebellion against him. One object before them in the
erection of the tower was to secure their own safety in case of another deluge. By
carrying the structure to a much greater height than was reached by the waters of the
Flood, they thought to place themselves beyond all possibility of danger. And as they
would be able to ascend to the region of the clouds, they hoped to ascertain the cause
of the Flood. The whole undertaking was designed to exalt still further the pride of its
projectors and to turn the minds of future generations away from God and lead them
into idolatry.
When the tower had been partially completed, a portion of it was occupied as a
dwelling place for the builders; other apartments, splendidly furnished and adorned,
were devoted to their idols. The people rejoiced in their success, and praised the
gods of silver and gold, and set themselves against the Ruler of heaven and earth.
Suddenly the work that had been advancing so prosperously was checked. Angels
were sent to bring to naught the purpose of the builders. The tower had reached a lofty
height, and it was impossible for the workmen at the top to communicate directly with
those at the base; therefore men were stationed at different points, each to receive
and report to the one next below him the orders for needed material or other directions
concerning the work. As messages were thus passing from one to another the language
was confounded, so that material was called for which