The Lord Came Down

1/10 Reading Portions: Genesis 11; Matthew 10; Ezra 10; Acts 10

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1/10 Reading Portions: Genesis 11; Matthew 10; Ezra 10; Acts 10

Genesis 11:5

And the LORD came down to see the city and the tower,
which the children of man had built.

BABEL

The entire episode is prophetic of the condescending grace of Jesus Christ. Christ must come from heaven to dwell among sinful men. The power of His presence and the proclamation of the gospel of the cross destroys the wisdom of the wise and thwarts the discernment of the prudent (1 Cor 1:18-19). It must.

For wherever sinful men gather and agree in their depravity, they will make bricks to build a tower (Gen 11:3) instead of trusting in the Rock and High Tower, Jesus Christ (Psa 18:2). They will presume their own efforts will make them a community (Come, let us build ourselves a city, Gen 11:4a). They will presume their own efforts will achieve holiness before God (and a tower with its top in the heavens, Gen 11:4b). They will presume their own efforts can make them equal to God (and let us make a name for ourselves, Gen 11:4c); and by doing so, they presume they may freely defy the commandments of God (lest we be dispersed over the face of the whole earth, Gen 11:4d; see Gen 9:1).

In their wickedness at Babel, God confused their language so that they could not communicate to one another to complete the effort which embodied their idolatry, adultery, and self-exalting pride.

Yet in the coming of Jesus Christ, and the spread of His gospel, it is the message of His truth that transcends every national, cultural, traditional, and linguistic situation and circumstance which separates us one from another. The gospel of Jesus Christ incarnate, crucified, risen, ascended, and coming again, is the heavenly truth which has come down to mankind, by God’s grace, and unites God’s people with a power far beyond what man’s best efforts can achieve. Hallelujah! What a Savior!

Man’s best efforts cannot attain
Holiness or glory;
He’ll wallow making bricks and gain
Nothing from Christ’s story.