SERMONS
Hebrews 4:12-13 "For
the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any
two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of
joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the
heart.
13
And there is no creature hidden from His
sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom
we must give account."
All articles are written
using the NKJV, unless
otherwise noted! All articles are written by David Hicks, unless specified
otherwise.
"THE
TOWER OF BABEL"
GENESIS 11:1-9
I.
THE IMPIETY OF THEIR DESIGN.
•
Ambition
– They were desirous to achieve their own
fame as independent of their maker. There is only one direction where
ambition of self is appropriate; towards God!
•
Rebellion
– setting its tower in the clouds was an
act of insolence and defiance to the will of heaven. Holiness is but
another name for obedience.
II.
THE MAGNITUDE OF THEIR
ENTERPRISE .
•
Sublimely Conceived
(conceived in elevated thought) -
Gathering men under one tongue, one pursuit, with one common interest
was a sure way to make them strong in themselves. It had all the
conditions of success, humanly speaking – one mind, one heart, and one
hand.
III.
THE INSPECTION OF THEIR WORK.
•
No Work of Man Escapes God
– Every enterprise of man is
known to God, including the secret things of his heart;
Ecclesiastes 12:14.
IV.
THE CONFUSION OF THEIR
LANGUAGE.
•
Sudden
– The swiftness, upon which the confusion
began, made the act unchallengeable.
•
Mysterious
– It is not likely that these ancient
builders understood why this transpired.
•
Divine
– There could be no doubt however, that
the event was beyond them; thus supernatural in origin.
•
Deserved
– Caught, as it were, in the very act of
insubordination, and guilty of treason against the true King of heaven;
so are all of God's punishments merited by those whom they fall.
•
Appropriate
– It was fitting that God used against
them the very unifying act that they tried to use in rejecting Him.
•
Effective
– Without explanation, the judgment of God
had its purpose in completing the original command to go and fill all
then earth (Genesis 9:1).
V.
THE DISPERSION OF THEIR RANKS.
•
Judicial
– This act of God wore a punitive
character. The providence of God as man's benefactor, always carries
with it curses for the wicked.
•
Beneficial
– The scattering of men over the face of
the earth has turned out for his benefit and continued well being
against disease, natural disaster, and against himself.
•
Unlimited
– The process now begun in earnest was
designed to fill the entire earth.
VI.
THE MEMORIAL OF THEIR FOLLY.
•
Exceedingly Expressive
– The unfinished tower was designated
Babel or confusion. It is well that things should be called by their
right names. The name Babel was the epitome of the foolish aim and end
of the builders.
•
Self-Affixed
– God often compels evil men to publish
their own folly.
•
Long-Enduring
– This place continued to be known as
Babel in the days of Moses and long after. We read of the folly of these
men to this very day; and we learn:
•
The sinfulness of ambition.
•
The folly of attempting to resist God.
•
The power of God in carrying out His
purposes.
•
The mercy of God in dividing the
nations.
•
The ability of God to gather the
divided nations in Him (Christ) –
Ephesians 2:14-18.
•
That unity in God and not in man is
what saves us – Ephesians 4:3.