Endeavors of the Flesh
Genesis 11:1-9 (NASB) Now all the earth used the same language and the same words. 2 And it came about, as they journeyed east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there. 3 Then they said to one another, “Come, let’s make bricks and fire them thoroughly.” And they used brick for stone, and they used tar for mortar. 4 And they said, “Come, let’s build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top will reach into heaven, and let’s make a name for ourselves; otherwise we will be scattered abroad over the face of all the earth.” 5 Now the Lord came down to see the city and the tower which the men had built. 6 And the Lord said, “Behold, they are one people, and they all have the same language. And this is what they have started to do, and now nothing which they plan to do will be impossible for them. 7 Come, let Us go down and there confuse their language, so that they will not understand one another’s speech.” 8 So the Lord scattered them abroad from there over the face of all the earth; and they stopped building the city. 9 Therefore it was named Babel, because there the Lord confused the language of all the earth; and from there the Lord scattered them abroad over the face of all the earth.
What is the difference between what the flesh produces and what the Spirit of God produces? How do we tell the difference? The attempt here to build a city and a tower bears the trademarks of an endeavor born of the flesh – of natural, carnal, selfish man. It is a venture independent of the God who made him. It doesn’t have that otherworldly, extravagant, typical-of-God blessing on it. Instead, it is all man-made, a scraping together, an ultra-pragmatic approach to a venture, born of self-promotion, self-preservation, and self-interest.
“They used brick for stone, and they used tar for mortar.” They made their own brick as a substitute, really, for stone. When the Lord authors a construction project, He often says, “Use stone, unhewn stone.” He doesn’t want us even to cut or shape the stones. This method requires us to depend on Him for His provision and methods. We simply go find the stones He has provided and trust Him that they will fit together in a functional, attractive way. When we begin to think we can be in charge of every nuance of an endeavor – every brick, and each one’s shape and position – we deceive ourselves. We err. Similarly, they had tar as a substitute for mortar, which would have been expected to be made of clay.
When the Lord creates something, it isn’t ultra-economical and pragmatic. He doesn’t make little uniform “bricks“ for us to use in building. When He makes a city, there is a certain extravagance – streets of gold, gems set into walls, gates made of pearl! When He builds a house, He uses people instead of stones as a building material! Wow! We, His people, are lively stones, living stones of all shapes and sizes, gifts and talents, and yet we fit together perfectly to build His house (1 Peter 2:5).
The Lord’s ways are “life and life more abundantly.” When He feeds, there is excess. When He creates, there is built-in reproductive ability. When He saves, it is to the uttermost. When He supplies, it is with abundance. And when the Lord has us do something, there is a certain ease in it. It may be a difficult undertaking, but there’s a certain grace we receive in order to do it. The Lord’s assignments certainly may not be a cakewalk, but as we do them, He gives us a repose that keeps us from the harsh labors they would otherwise entail. So I see that an endeavor that requires us to gather our few little sticks and squeeze out our bricks from dirt is probably not the one He authored.
Now consider why they decided to try to build a tower and make a name for themselves. Here’s the reason: “lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.” People are afraid of what the Lord may require of them – Isolation? Loneliness? Sacrifice? A simpler life? Dependence on Him for significance and provision? So they try to construct a safety net apart from Him, something that will insulate them from the hardship they suppose they will suffer at His hand.
But no! He wants to bless us. He wants to bless us. He wants to be good to us. It is He that gives us significance. He provides protection, fellowship, provision – if we will dare come to Him and trust Him.
Prayer…
Lord, I come to you and rest. I refuse to fear having a life spent in vain, or one without provision or significance. It is all found in You. In You I live and move and have my being (Acts 17:28). I come to You and rest! I will not speed my way on horses (Isaiah 30:16) or try to squeeze out a few bricks to build my own dreams. Your dreams through me, not my self-conjured ones – this is what I ask. This is what I desire.