The last thing most people think of when asked about Babel is success. A close examination, however, reveals three key principles of success in this otherwise sad story.
The Lord observed, “Indeed the people are one and they all have one language” (Genesis 11:6a). Jesus told the scribes, “If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand” (Mark 3:24-26). Paul urged the Philippian saints to fulfill his “joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind” (Philippians 2:1-2). He instructed members of the church of God at Corinth to “be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment” (1 Corinthians 1:10). The Savior saw unity as a great first step in evangelism (John 17:20-23).
The people at Babel were not all talk and planning, but they began to act (Genesis 11:6b). Luke summarized his Gospel record as an account “of all that Jesus began both to do and teach” (Acts 1:1). The scattered Christians “went everywhere preaching the word” (Acts 8:4). Paul instructed the churches of Galatia to seize every opportunity to do good (Galatians 6:10). Paul told Timothy to command rich Christians to “be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share” (1 Timothy 6:17-19).
The Lord said of the people at Babel, “Now nothing that they propose to do will be withheld from them,” underscoring the power of a vision (Genesis 11:6c). Paul’s single-minded goal of receiving the upward call from the Lord drove him to ceaseless preaching, even in the face of adversity (Philippians 3:13-14). People of faith were driven to act as directed by God because they sought “a homeland” built by God (Hebrews 11:13-16). We, too, should persevere to the end and keep our focus on Jesus, Who is now seated on the throne in Heaven (Hebrews 12:1-2).
