Tower of Babel…Again

In the March/April edition of Science Illustrated there is an article entitled “Building Toward the Clouds.” It’s an article about some of the tallest buildings in the world; how we engineer them and what materials we use to build them. It’s quite interesting and I’ll hit the main points but if you have a minute, stop at a news stand and read it if you’re so inclined.

The reason I am writing on it is because I am seeing so many signs of the times we are living in and it seems like everywhere I turn, even in secular media and articles, that God is warning us and showing forth the wisdom of His word through the many prophetic passages in scripture that compel us to take heed and to be watchful of the time and the hour.

The main thing that got my wheels turning on this whole thing was not so much that men are designing and planning these giant structures. Indeed that is nothing new for we have been raising buildings of enormity for years, ever since the industrial revolution began in the 1760’s and competing for the title “world’s largest” ever since. No, the thing that stirred me and wrenched my insides while reading was the sheer speed at which these high rises are going up and the lengths to which men are going to design buildings that never stop piercing higher and higher into the clouds.

According to the figures, the current tallest building in the world is the the Burj Dubai in United Arab Emirates which opened in January this year and tops out at 2,297+ feet. The title of world’s tallest before the Burj Dubai was the Taipei 101 in Taiwan which reached 1,670 feet tall in 2004. In the space of a little over four years we had raised the two tallest buildings in the world. But that’s not even the whole and sum. Plans for two more “world’s tallest” are already in motion. One of which will dwarf the Burj Dubai. The Mubarak Tower, planned to open 2023, is estimated to reach 3,284 feet in the heart of Kuwait City. That’s almost double the height of the Burj. Want more staggering stats?? Try this. The plans for the Nakheel Tower, again to open in Dubai with an as of yet unset opening date, is to reach 4,593 feet tall. That’s close to a mile high, for a man made structure!

Now most may read and marvel but I seriously wanted to vomit while reading. It’s not so much that I am against Science or Industry or any of those things. On the contrary I am grateful for the advancements the Lord has graciously granted to and through the minds of men and women in their respective fields. But one passage of scripture was weighing on me that caused me to be wary of what I was reading and perceiving in my heart.

“And they said, Come let us build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top is in the heavens; let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth. ” Genesis 11:4

This is what moved me to write this post. All of mankind is moving in this same spirit as we reach the climax of this age. Building castles for ourselves with no regard for anything other than comfort. Paraphrased they are saying what those builders in Gen. 11 said; “Hey let’s build comfort around our sin and make ourselves look like gods. We have the wisdom, the strength, the “how to”, nothing can stop us. We can build like God, we can build higher, stronger, faster.” And what terrifies me is that, in Genesis 11, the Lord went down to Babel and destroyed it by dispersing these wicked people to the four corners of the earth. Why? To delay the fullness of transgressions (Daniel 8:23) before the allotted time. Which begs the question, “Why aren’t these cities and buildings being destroyed before completion like Babel was?” Whether or not you believe that God is a righteous judge who would do such a thing is for another post altogether. But if He did it then, why does He not do it now? I don’t have a clear answer, just another question. Could it be because we are at that time when the fullness of transgressions may be upon us and that the Lord is allowing it to play out so that the light becomes bright and the darkness becomes pitch black?? What I see is a dividing line being drawn and while the wicked say in their hearts that there is no God, He neither sees or hears or cares, those who have a heart to understand will wrestle with the clear prophetic voice of scripture that points so clearly to the inevitable end of the wicked and struggle to communicate the warning signs that pop up, day in and day out, in articles, the news, and whatever else we may see all around us.

I often wonder what John the Baptist would say if he walked the streets of L.A. or New York. Would he be able to say anything or just weep at the many faceted injustices and blatant wickedness? What would Ezekiel do if he walked through our churches? I don’t even want to think about that one. Do you see my point. Is everything ok as we imagine it to be? Watch therefore, be ready.