When many were saying, “Next thing you know, they’ll be listening to us in our houses,” my dad was carefully picking up the receiver on our wall party line to listen to our neighbors. Even then, he loved new technology.
I’m not sure however, how far my dad’s love for technology would go in today’s world.
I suppose new technology has always been a bit scary. People thought the invention of trains would crush organs and damage the brain. Some feared home electricity would cause health problems. And microwaves were thought to leak radiation and harm anyone standing nearby. And a trip to the moon…many thought God would never allow humans to go that far.
But nothing has quite equaled AI. Regardless what you think or fear about it, it is here. And it is changing just about everything.
I’m not an expert on AI and I’m allergic to technology, but as I look over my past, I’ve seen a lot of new advancements take place. I have questioned and avoided some inventions and technological advances.
And some of them have made me wonder, if God has another Babel line in the sand, where is it?
“Then they said, ‘Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be dispersed over the face of the whole earth.’” (Genesis 11:4 ESV)
In nine verses God changed the entire trajectory of the world by simply dividing languages. The tower itself never had a chance of reaching the heights of an Almighty God, but constructing it showed God’s intolerance for anything held inIf God has another Babel line in the sand, where is it? Share on X greater awe than God Himself. Substitute gods angered Him, and the tower was built with insufferable arrogance.
Building began on a tower, about 100 years after God destroyed the earth with a flood. It would not be any old tower, but a magnificent monument that would reach the heavens.The people again forgot God, and placed themselves as gods.
“And the Lord said, ‘Behold, they are one people, and they have all one language, and this is only the beginning of what they will do. And nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them.’” (Genesis 11:6 ESV)
God set a line. He did so many times in Bible history.
I don’t understand His divine stop limits, I can’t predict where He divinely sets lines, but I know He is merciful. And one way He demonstrates that throughout Scripture is by the uncrossable line.
Creator God has put in our hearts a desire to create and form new things, to go where we’ve not been before. He has given intellect and the capacity for invention. He has put people in positions to push boundaries and explore new and uncharted territory.
But it was Satan who put into hearts a desire to be greater than God, the very same lust which cast Satan himself from heaven, and subsequently passed that craving to us in a perfect garden. God doesn’t ignore haughty aspirations to become His equal.
“For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”(Genesis 3:5 ESV)
All these years after that slithering temptation birthed sin, we still find it tempting today. Sin conceives when we want our own way more than wanting God’s.
And isn’t that really how sin defiles us? We choose our desires above God’s.
Building the tower challenged God’s divine authority because it’s foundation was pride and rebellion. That goal of “making a name for themselves,” sought to raise themselves highest, as gods.
But God didn’t knock down the tower or destroy their progress. He simply mixed up their speech so that they couldn’t understand one another.
God stepped into the picture all through the Bible and in all of history to thwart powerful plans. And although we may not recognize His Sovereign hand in events as they occur, He is still in control.
Undoubtedly we can learn things as a society from the tower of Babel, but what we really need to embrace is much more personal.
God’s Babel line is drawn with the ink of our rebellion.
He responds in mercy when we most ridiculously attempt to go our own way and build our own prideful towers. A name for ourselves, a career, money, power, are ladders toward the biggest and best for all the world to admire. He knows exactly how far away from Him our arrogance can take us.
Because He loves, He want us humble obedient followers. Because of His mercy, He desires allegiance to Him alone.
No technology exists which threatens Him. He isn’t afraid of the towers we build. His is a jealous love; perfect, good and just. The lines He sets are His own. They are drawn with mercy, grace and wisdom. He is still greater than,more powerful than, wiser than, and vaster than anything anybody can create.
We don’t need to fear.
Perhaps there is an unseeable line, the Babel tower of our future, but until that day and after, we trust Him. It is our calling to walk with humble hearts in worship to One King, Lord and Sovereign. He can take care of the rest.
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