or aimlllY o, diepl11.y of th!lt lust of glory which natively resides within the fallen hcBrt., 1t was essentially a guilty purpose by which they were impelled, In only ona direction is ambition perfectly legitimate, viz., in the direction of moral and spiritual goodness, as distinguisl1ed from tempornl and material greatness (cf. 1 Cor. xii. 31). Only tl1en may the passion for glory be exuberantly gratified, whc,n its object is the living God instead of puny o.nd unworthy self (cf. Jer. ix. 23, 24; 1 Cor. i. 29, 31). 2. Rebellion. Setting its head among the clouds, " exalting its throne above the stars," it wns designed to be an act of insolent defiance to the will of Heaven. The city and the tower of Babel had their origin in deliberate, determined, enthusiastic, exulting hostility to the Divine purpose that they should spread themselves abroad over the face of the whole earth. And herein lies the essence of all impiety: what- ever thought, counsel, word, or work derives its inspiration, be it only in an infini- tesimal degree, from antagonism to the mind of God is sin. Holiness is but another name for obedience. II. TrrE MAGNITUDE 011' THEIR ENTERPRISE. The undertaking of the tower-builders was-1. Sublimely conceived. The city was to ward off invasion from without, and to counteract disruption from within. Gathering men of a common tongue into n common residence, engaging them in common pursuits, and providing them with common interests was the sure way to make them strong. If this was the creative idea out of which cities sprung, the Cainites, if not pious, must at least have been possessed of genius. Then the tower was to touch the skies. Unscientific perhaps, but scarcely irrational; "an undertaking not of savages, but of men possessed with the idea of somehow getting above nature." .And though certainly to aspire after such supremacy over nature in the spirit of a godless science which recognises no power or authority superior to itself was the very sin of these Bnbelites, yet nothing more convincingly attests the essential greatness of man than the ever-widening control which science is enabling him to assert over the forces of matter. 2. Hope· fully begun. The builders were united in their language and purpose. The place was convenient _for the proposed erection. The most complete preparations were made for the structure. The work was commenced with determination and amid universal enthusiasm. It had all the conditions of success, humanly speaking---one mind, one heart, one hand. 3. Sudilenly abandoned. "They left off to build the city." So the most prosperous undertakings often terminate in miserable failure. The mighty enterprise was mysteriously frustrated. So have all such wicked com- binations in times past been overthrown. Witness the great world empires of Babylon, Persia, Greece, Rome. So in the end will the great mystery of iniquity, of which that early Babel was the first type. III. TuE INSPECTJON OF THEI!l. WORK. 1. No work of man can hope to escape the !ye of God. Even now he is minutely acquainted with the thoughts, nnd words, and works, and ways of every individua} on the earth (Prov. xv. 3 ; Heh. iv. 13), while there is. a day coming when II there is nothing covered that shall not be revealed" (Matt. x. 26). 2. Every work of man shall be Judged at the bai· of God (Eccles. xii. 14; 1 Cor. iii. 13). The Divine verdict upon human undertakings will often strangely conflict with the judgments of men. IV. THE CONFUSION OF THEI!l. TONGUES. 1. .As a fact in the experi,mce of the builders, it was-( 1) Unc!tallengeable. They could not understand one another, so that they could not doubt that a change of some kind had passed upon their speech ; and observation convinces us that as men have now a variety of tongues, something must have broken up the original unity of speech. (2) Myste:rious. It is not likely that these primitive builders understood how their language had been transmuted. Modern philology has no certain word to utter upon the subject yet. (3) Supernatural. It was effected by the immediate agency of God. If even natural causes had begun to operate, they were quickened by the Divine action. Believers in a God who made the tongue of man should have no difficulty in believing· in a God who changed the tongue of man. 2. .As a judgment on the persons of the builders, it was-(1) Un- expected in its coming, as are all God's _judgm_ents, like the Flo?d and l~ke the corning o-f the Son 0£ man. (2) Deserved by its subJects. Caught, as 1t were, m the very act of insubordination, guilty of nothing short of treason against the King of heaven, they were visited with summary and condign chastisement. So are all God's punish- ments richly merited by those on whom they fall. (3) Appropriate in its clutracte'!'. 168 'l'IlE BOOK OF GENESIS. ton. XI. 1-9.
It 'l\'as fitting thnt they who had abused their oneneaa of speech, which wae designed for their good, to keep _th~m in _the Church, should be punished ~ith variety of tongues. ( 4) Effectual in its design. Sent to scatter them abroad, it succeeded in its aim. Man's designs often fail; God's never. V. THE DISPERSION OF THEIR RANKS. 1. Judi,c,ial, in its character. In its inci- ?CDCe on the builders it wore a punitive aspect.. Providences that are full of blees- mgs for the good are always laden with curses to the wicked. 2. Beneficial in its PU;?J?OSif; '.fhe scattering of t~e earth's population over the surface of the g-lobe wne origmauy mte!1d~d f~r ~hat it has eventually tun!e? out ~o be, a blessing for the race. 3. Unlimued in its extent. Though the or1gmal dispersion could not have ?arried the tribes to an)'. remote distances from Sh~nar, the process then hegun was mtended not to rest until the earth was fully occupied by the children of mon. VI. THE MEMORIAL OF THEIR FOLLY. This was-1 . .Exceedingly expi·essii•e. The unfinished tower was designated Babel, or Confusion. It is well that things should be called by their right names. The name of Babel was an epitome of the foolish aim and end of the builders. The world is full of such monuments of folly. 2. Selj-ajfixed. So God often compels " men of corrupt minds " and " reprobate con- cerning the faith" not only to manifest, but also to publish, their own folly. 3. LO'll,fl· enduring. It continued to be known as Babel in the days of Moses and long after- an emblem of that shame which shall eventually be the portion of all the wicked. Learn-1. The sinfulness of ambition. 2. The folly of attempting to resist God. 3. The power of God in carrying out his purposes. 4. The mercy of God in dividing the nations. 5. The ability of God to regather the divided nations of the earth.