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GENESIS 9–11; PSALM 9

Week 1, Day 6

The Bible is a book of new beginnings. When sin seems to have destroyed an age or an individual, there is always a place of starting again.

It is as if the flood had washed the earth clean for this new start. The “first generation” was told to “be fruitful . . . and fill the earth” (1:28); now Noah and his family are given the same instructions (9:1). And as if recalling the sins of Cain and Lamech, a warning is reiterated against the shedding of blood (9:6).

But things soon began to go wrong. Even as the rainbow of the covenant fades from view, Noah falls into drunkenness and one of his sons mocks his shame. Then, as the descendants of Noah multiply, a new spirit of rebellion appears: “Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower with its top in the heavens” (11:4). So the original sin repeats itself: A people would, by their own devices, become like God and perhaps even displace him.

Their effort ends in disarray. When we set ourselves against God, whether as a civilization or as individuals, we put ourselves out of joint with the very nature of things and we are captured by confusion. Not only is communication with others broken, but within our own souls we speak a multitude of tongues.

But now, a new ray of hope: “Terah was the father of Abram . . . ; the name of Abram’s wife was Sarai” (11:27-29). God has a friend, and who can say what good lies ahead?

PRAYER: Deliver me, dear Savior, from the confusion that comes from my rebellions against your love. Amen.

What was so sinful about the tower of Babel?