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Genesis - Tower of Babel  While studying the OT302 on Genesis I was surprised to learn from Prof. Walton on the fact that, contradicting to common belief that the motivation of the people to build the Tower of Babel (Gen 11:1-9) was primarily to reach into heaven, he rather stated that it was first to be considered a sacred place, a place to facilitate the restoration of the presence of God, for a place for God to come down to His creation.  This is just one of many theological interpretation that one might get indoctrinated for too many years going to church without challenging perceived ideas and interpretations. I like Karl Barth’s statement that Theology is not only for Theologians but also for the church. So true, but too often not taken to heart by many members of the church. The tower called ziggurat in the ANET “was a structure that was built to support the stairway (simmiltu), which was believed to be used by the gods to travel from one realm to the other. It was solely for the convenience of the gods and was maintained in order to provide the deity with the amenities that would refresh him along the way (food, a place to lie and rest, etc.). The stairway led at the top to the gate of the gods, the entrance to the divine abode.”[1] This change of direction is so in line with our common belief even today that there is always something we can do, something we must do to reach out toward heaven, toward our creator. It is so refreshing to realise that it was always God’s intention from day one to come down to dwell among us, which found its epic in His incarnation. And again in Gen 18:21 God announces Him coming down to sort out Sodom and Gomorrah. It is worth noting the irony of this event when in verse 5 God comes down to see what the people have created and which is brough to the point: “This “Yahweh must draw near, not because he is near-sighted, but because he dwells at such tremendous height and their work is so tiny” (Procksch). Their tower was so microscopic that the all-seeing omnipotent God had to come down to see. It was as if God stooped down like a man on his hands and knees and lowered his face to the earth to see the great tower. The psalmist says, “He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision” (Psalm 2:4). Great peals of laughter echoed in the heavens. So much for the aspirations of men’s Babylonian hearts.”[2] But, more importantly, even Jesus second coming, again to establish His kingdom on this earth is proof that throughout the history of humanity, from the beginning till the end, God always will be the initiator to reach for us. The Gospel of John in 6:44, 65, 14:6 and 17:11 states to this fact that no one comes to the Father except it is granted and initiated by God.  Mathews brings it to the point: “The story provides a striking contrast between human opinion of its self-achievements and God’s viewpoint of such endeavors. Human cooperation, when it is fueled by autonomy and directed toward self-interest, is shown by the story to be shallow, impotent hubris,”[3] whereby “We do not speak of hubris in the classic sense of Greek religion where the deity’s anger (nemesis) is roused by the success of human achievement (see D. E. Gowan, When Man Becomes God: Humanism and Hybris in the Old Testament, PTMS 6 [Pittsburgh: Pickwick, 1975], 14–15). In 11:1–9 God is not angry but disturbed, and it is not related to the achievement of human industry per se but rather the goal of unity apart from God.”[4] And there in this story of the Tower of Babel, one could assume to experience an angry God, after all why would God be angry when His people try to get close to Him!? It is amazing to see that even in this episode of human history, God’s Grace is always greater. Without this event where would have been all the nations that God promised to Abraham if not for this scattering of the people at the Tower of Babel!  “Behold, my covenant is with you, and you shall be the father of a multitude of nations. No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham, for I have made you the father of a multitude of nations.” Gen 17:4-5 (ESV) God is in charge, and He is looking at mankind’s endeavors more often than not with a smile in His face.  [1] John H. Walton, “The Mesopotamian Background of the Tower of Babel Account and Its Implications,” ed. Craig A. Evans, Bulletin for Biblical Research, Vol. 5 (1995): 162. [2] R. Kent Hughes, Genesis: Beginning and Blessing, Preaching the Word (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 2004), 172. [3] K. A. Mathews, Genesis 1-11:26, vol. 1A, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1996), 466. [4] K. A. Mathews, Genesis 1-11:26, vol. 1A, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1996).