Genesis 11: Let Us Make a Name for Ourselves

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." (Gen 11:4 ESV)

"Let us make a name for ourselves." The people of Babel wanted to make a name for themselves. They wanted to be famous, and they were not the first with this designation. Back in Genesis 6:4, in the verses leading up to the Noah story, Scripture tells us of "the mighty men who were of old, the men of renown." Literally, "renown" is "men of the name." They were men who had made a name for themselves. This was in the era where things had gotten so bad that God determined that the earth was so corrupt that he would destroy the whole world. Now here, again, after the flood, people were saying, let's make a name for ourselves. Let's be like the men of old who had been famous. 

But God had made a covenant with Noah. The people at the time of Babel were among the seed of Noah and they were within that covenant relationship. God would not destroy them. He would be faithful to his covenant. Yet he would bring about a judgment mingled with grace. He knew that it would be bad for humanity if they were able to do anything they purposed in their hearts. He came down and confused the language of the people to prevent them from becoming self sufficient. If they remained unified in their plans they would not have seen their need for Him, and the line of the "seed of the woman" would have become indistinguishable from those around. They had to divide into nations so that the messianic seed would be preserved. 

And what is ironic is that God gave them what they wanted. They wanted to make a name for themselves, and God gave them a name--Babel--Confusion. Forever they would be famous. They would be remembered as the place where God confused the languages. God made a name for them.

Yet the story is not over here. In the very next chapter, Genesis 12:2 contains a promise to Abraham about a name. "And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing." There is a contrast here. the people of Babel wanted to make a name for themselves so they worked in their own effort, and God made a name for Abraham because of his faith and apart from works. 

Therefore its name was called Babel, because there the LORD confused the language of all the earth. And from there the LORD dispersed them over the face of all the earth. (Gen 11:9 ESV)