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Sunday Bible Classes 9:30 AM Worship 10:30 AM 5:30 PM Wednesday Bible Classes 7:00 PM

2. Let them also offer sacrifices of thanksgiving,
Psalm 107:22
Let them also offer sacrifices of thanksgiving,
And tell of His works with joyful singing.
Hymns
Invitation
Red Songbook -
Supplemental

3. Studying Genesis Genesis 11: The Tower of Babel
READ: Genesis 3:6-13, 20-24
Genesis 11: The Tower of Babel

4. The Story of the Tower
Years after the flood: - Nimrod built the first kingdom (Genesis 10) - Mankind moved east - Settlement in the plain of Shinar
Josephus states: Now it was Nimrod who excited them to such an affront and contempt of God. He was the grandson of Ham, the son of Noah, a bold man, and of great strength of hand. He persuaded them not to ascribe it to God as if it were through his means they were happy, but to believe that it was their own courage which procured that happiness. He also gradually changed the government into tyranny, seeing no other way of turning men from the fear of God, but to bring them into a constant dependence on his power... Now the multitude were very ready to follow the determination of Nimrod and to esteem it a piece of cowardice to submit to God; and they built a tower, neither sparing any pains, nor being in any degree negligent about the work: and, by reason of the multitude of hands employed in it, it grew very high, sooner than any one could expect; but the thickness of it was so great, and it was so strongly built, that thereby its great height seemed, upon the view, to be less than it really was. It was built of burnt brick, cemented together with mortar, made of bitumen, that it might not be liable to admit water. When God saw that they acted so madly, he did not resolve to destroy them utterly, since they were not grown wiser by the destruction of the former sinners [in the Flood]; but he caused a tumult among them, by producing in them diverse languages, and causing that, through the multitude of those languages, they should not be able to understand one another. The place wherein they built the tower is now called Babylon, because of the confusion of that language which they readily understood before; for the Hebrews mean by the word Babel, confusion.

5. The Story of the Tower
The agreement to build a city and a tower 1. To get to heaven (be saved from another flood) 2. To create a name for themselves 3. To avoid dispersal by God’s commandment
Josephus states: Now it was Nimrod who excited them to such an affront and contempt of God. He was the grandson of Ham, the son of Noah, a bold man, and of great strength of hand. He persuaded them not to ascribe it to God as if it were through his means they were happy, but to believe that it was their own courage which procured that happiness. He also gradually changed the government into tyranny, seeing no other way of turning men from the fear of God, but to bring them into a constant dependence on his power... Now the multitude were very ready to follow the determination of Nimrod and to esteem it a piece of cowardice to submit to God; and they built a tower, neither sparing any pains, nor being in any degree negligent about the work: and, by reason of the multitude of hands employed in it, it grew very high, sooner than any one could expect; but the thickness of it was so great, and it was so strongly built, that thereby its great height seemed, upon the view, to be less than it really was. It was built of burnt brick, cemented together with mortar, made of bitumen, that it might not be liable to admit water. When God saw that they acted so madly, he did not resolve to destroy them utterly, since they were not grown wiser by the destruction of the former sinners [in the Flood]; but he caused a tumult among them, by producing in them diverse languages, and causing that, through the multitude of those languages, they should not be able to understand one another.

6. The Story of the Tower
God came down to watch - Destroy them again? - Confused them It really happened!

7. The Story of the Tower Greek Account:
The Sibyl also makes mention of this tower, and of the confusion of the language, when she says thus:--"When all men were of one language, some of them built a high tower, as if they would thereby ascend up to heaven; but the gods sent storms of wind and overthrew the tower, and gave everyone a peculiar language; and for this reason it was that the city was called Babylon."
God came down to watch - Destroy them again? - Confused them It really happened!

8. The Story of the Tower Sumerian Account:
Chant to him … the incantation of Nudimmud: “… the whole universe, the well-guarded people—may they all address Enlil together in a single language! … for the ambitious lords, for the ambitious princes, for the ambitious kings—Enki, the lord of abundance … shall change the speech in their mouths, as many as he had placed there, and so the speech of mankind is truly one.”
God came down to watch - Destroy them again? - Confused them It really happened!

9. The Story of the Tower Aztec Account:
And as men were thereafter multiplying they constructed a very high and strong Zacualli (a very high tower) in order to protect themselves when again the second world should be destroyed. At the crucial moment their languages were changed, and as they did not understand one another, they went to different parts of the world
God came down to watch - Destroy them again? - Confused them It really happened!

10. The Story of the Tower Polynesian Account
“But the God in anger chased the builders away, broke down the building and changed their language, so that they spoke diverse tongues.”
God came down to watch - Destroy them again? - Confused them It really happened!

11. Mexico

12. The Story of the Tower The Confusion of Languages
There is however a fundamental problem with both theories - The Candelabra theory cannot fully explain the fact that there remain common or similar words for the same items - suggesting that language has in fact been adapted from one singular source. The Monogenesis theorists cannot fully explain that following rigorous analysis of language evolution, the length of time it takes for any language to evolve into the forms used in today's societies would have taken a longer time period than modern man has been on the planet.
The Caucasian languages are a large and extremely varied array of languages spoken by more than ten million people in and around the Caucasus Mountains, which lie between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea.

13. The Story of the Tower
The Story of the Tower ends in Acts 2 The Division of mankind For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall, Ephesians 2:14

14. The Story of the Tower Today
The Tower speaks to the churches of men today 1. To get to heaven apart from obedience 2. To create a name for themselves 3. To avoid dispersal by God’s commandment

15. The Story of the Tower Today
Jesus said: Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me” John 14:6

16. The Story of the Tower Today
Jesus said: "Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it” Matthew 7:13-14

17. The Story of the Tower Today
Jesus said: "Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?' And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.'” Matthew 7:22-23

18. The Story of the Tower Today
Jesus said: He is the only way to heaven We must follow His way We cannot follow the ways of men

19. The Story of the Tower Today
Men still seek to create a name for themselves - Religious titles (Matthew 23) - Denominations (1 Corinthians 1) - Acting without authority (2 Thessalonians 2)

20. The Story of the Tower Today
Doing whatever we can to avoid obeying God “I don’t have to be baptized” “I don’t have to live righteously” “I don’t have to go to assembly with Christians” As in the days of the tower, sometimes people work HARDER to disobey God that to obey Him

21. Jesus’ Way is Easy
Matthew 11:28-30 "Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."