God intervened by confounding the people's one language so they could not understand one another, and scattering them abroad so they stopped building the city.
The people had rebelled against God's instruction to scatter and repopulate the earth, gathering at Babel under Nimrod with one language and one speech. God forced their scattering by the confusion of the languages, and because they could no longer understand one another's speech, they left off building the city. The place was called Babel, meaning confusion, because the LORD confounded the language of all the earth there.
Genesis 11:5-9 — This is the central record of God's intervention at Babel — the LORD came down, confounded the language, and scattered the people.
In Genesis 11, the whole earth was of one language and one speech. Journeying from the east, the people found a plain in the land of Shinar and dwelt there, saying, "Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth" (Genesis 11:4). The LORD came down to see the city and the tower, and said, "Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do" (Genesis 11:6). So the LORD said, "Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech" (Genesis 11:7). The Scripture records that the LORD scattered them abroad upon the face of all the earth, and they left off to build the city. "Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the LORD did there confound the language of all the earth" (Genesis 11:9).
Les Feldick teaches that the human race at Babel was still essentially one people with one language and one speech, even though they had already been segmented genealogically since the flood. God had instructed them to scatter and repopulate the whole earth, but in an attitude of rebellion they said, "lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth" — they wanted to stay where they were, and God had to take things into His own hands (Clip 0). Under Nimrod, they gathered at the Tower of Babel in the plains of Shinar in the Euphrates River Valley. Les explains that the tower was not literally meant to reach heaven with brick and stone; it was a place of religion whereby they could usurp the throne of God religiously — always Satan's goal (Clips 2, 3). God intervened by coming down and forcing their scattering through the confusion of the languages, so they could no longer understand one another's speech (Clips 0, 4). The place was called Babel, which means confusion (Clip 1). Les emphasizes that every pagan religion, mythological religion, cult, and form of idolatry has its roots at the Tower of Babel, where Satan instituted all pagan and mythological religions under Nimrod (Clips 1, 2, 5, 7). After the scattering, idolatry had taken over the human race; with Noah aside, nothing indicates that anyone had knowledge of the one true God. Approximately 200 years later, God sovereignly pulled Abram out of the mainstream of humanity to bring about the nation of Israel (Clips 1, 4, 6).
God had instructed Noah's descendants to scatter and repopulate the whole earth, but after about 200 years they were still gathered in the Middle East — in total rebellion against that instruction (Clips 3, 5). At Babel, under Nimrod, they said, "lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth," and God saw that the people were one with one language (Clip 0). Les notes that in this attitude of rebellion, God had to take things into His own hands.
God said, "Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do" (Genesis 11:6). Les connects this unity of speech to the explosion of technology in recent years, pointing to a shared language as one of the catalysts — not the only one — for rapid advancement (Clip 0). The people were already one race and one blood, and their ability to communicate freely made their united work a concern.
The LORD came down, and God forced their scattering by the confusion of the languages (Clips 0, 4). Once the people could no longer understand one another's speech, they left off building the city (Genesis 11:8). The name Babel means confusion, because the LORD did there confound the language of all the earth (Clip 1; Genesis 11:9).
Les Feldick teaches that the tower was not intended to reach heaven with literal brick and stone. Rather, it was a place of religion whereby the people could usurp the throne of God religiously — which has always been Satan's goal (Clip 3). Under Nimrod, Satan, the god of this world, instituted all pagan and mythological religions there (Clip 2).
After God forced the scattering at Babel, idolatry and paganism permeated the whole human race; Les notes that, aside from Noah, there is no indication that anyone had knowledge of the one true God (Clips 4, 6). About 200 years later, God did something totally different — He sovereignly pulled Abram out of the mainstream of humanity and brought about the nation of Israel (Clips 1, 4).
God Intervenes at Babel
Les sets the scene: the people were one race with one language and one speech, had been told by God to scatter and repopulate the earth, and instead said they would not be scattered. He then shows God intervening as the LORD came down to look at the city and tower.
Babel Means Confusion
Les teaches that God scattered the people from Babel and that Babel means confusion, and he traces every pagan religion and cult back to the Tower of Babel.
Nimrod and Pagan Religion's Roots
Les places the Tower of Babel in the plains of Shinar in the Euphrates River Valley under Nimrod, and says Satan, the god of this world, instituted all pagan and mythological religions there.
A Religious Attempt to Usurp God
Les clarifies the tower was not a literal attempt to reach heaven with brick and stone, but a religious place to usurp God's throne — always Satan's goal.
Confusion of Languages Causes Scattering
Les directly states the mechanism of God's intervention: He forced their scattering by the confusion of the languages, and afterward the new generation was steeped in idolatry, leading God to call Abram.
Rebellion and the Roots of Paganism
Les describes the gathering at Babel as a total rejection of God's instruction to scatter and populate the earth, and the beginning point of every religion contrary to the one God concept.
Idolatry Permeates the Human Race
Les shows the aftermath of God's intervention: from Babel, paganism permeated the whole human race, and no one aside from Noah had any knowledge of the one true God.
Remember Babel's Roots
Les summarizes that all idolatry, paganism, and occultic religion on the planet today have their roots back at the Tower of Babel.
Genesis 9:1: And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth.
God's original command to Noah's sons to replenish the earth — the instruction the Babel builders refused to follow.
Genesis 11:1: And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech.
Sets the condition that made the rebellion possible: the whole earth was of one language and one speech.
Genesis 11:4: And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.
Records the people's rebellious goal: build a city and tower to make a name and avoid being scattered.
Genesis 11:5: And the LORD came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded.
The moment God takes notice and intervenes — the LORD came down to see what they were building.
Genesis 11:6: And the LORD said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do.
God's assessment of their unity: because they were one people with one language, nothing they imagined would be restrained from them.
Genesis 11:7: Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech.
The intervention itself: God says, "let us go down and confound their language."
Genesis 11:8: So the LORD scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city.
The result of the intervention: the LORD scattered them abroad and they left off building the city.
Genesis 11:9: Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the LORD did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the LORD scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth.
Explains the name Babel: the LORD confused the language of all the earth there.
Babel means confusion. The city was called Babel because the LORD did there confound the language of all the earth (Genesis 11:9), and Les Feldick emphasizes this meaning in his teaching.
God forced the people's scattering by the confusion of the languages. Because they could no longer understand one another's speech, they left off building the city (Genesis 11:8).
The people rebelled against God's instruction to scatter and repopulate the earth, gathering in one place with one language to make a name for themselves. God saw that the people were one and that nothing they imagined would be restrained from them (Genesis 11:6).
Les Feldick teaches that under Nimrod, at the Tower of Babel, Satan instituted all pagan and mythological religions. Every cult, idolatry, and occultic religion that exists has its roots back at the Tower of Babel.
Watch the Teaching: Understanding the Tower of Babel: Genesis 9-11 Explained