The Tower of Babel was the birthplace of pagan and false religion—every idolatrous and mythological religious system that followed traces back to it.
Les Feldick shows that Noah's descendants refused God's command to scatter and instead gathered at Babel under Nimrod. There they built a religious tower in rebellion against God, and at that point Satan instituted the pagan and mythological religions of the world. All idolatry, cults, and false religions have their roots at Babel.
Genesis 11:4 — This verse records the people's stated purpose in building the tower—to make a name for themselves rather than obey God's command to fill the earth.
Genesis 11:9 — This verse names the place Babel because the Lord confused the language of all the earth, marking His judgment on the rebellion.
The biblical account of the Tower of Babel is found in Genesis 11:1-9. At that time "the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech." The people 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." 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." The LORD then confused their language and scattered them abroad over the face of all the earth, so they left off to build the city. Therefore the name of it was called Babel, because the LORD did there confound the language of all the earth. Earlier, God had commanded Noah and his sons, "Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth" (Genesis 9:1).
Les Feldick teaches that the Tower of Babel is the starting point of all pagan, idolatrous, and false religion. The descendants of Noah's sons stayed together in the Middle East instead of scattering as God had instructed, and they gathered under Nimrod at Babel. The tower was not built to physically reach heaven; it was a place of false worship intended to usurp the throne of God religiously, which Les says has always been Satan's goal. At Babel, Satan instituted all pagan and mythological religions. Les repeatedly emphasizes that every false religion, every pagan religion, every cult, and every idolatrous mythological religion has its roots at the Tower of Babel. He also notes that Babel means confusion, that God scattered the people, and that in the centuries that followed the human race went deeper and deeper into false religion.
Les Feldick says the tower was not intended to actually reach heaven with brick and stone. It was a place of religion by which the people could usurp the throne of God religiously. They were in total rebellion against God's authority and were determined to find an alternative way to approach God, which made it a place of false worship and Satan's goal.
According to Les, at Babel under Nimrod, Satan—the god of this world—instituted all pagan and mythological religions. He emphasizes that every false religion, every cult, and every idolatrous mythological religion has its roots at Babel. Even a true cult today, if it uses Scripture, has parts of its doctrine that run right back to the Tower of Babel.
God scattered the people and confused their language. Les notes that the name Babel means "confusion" and that God scattered the people from there. Scripture records that the LORD came down, confused their language, and scattered them abroad over the face of the earth.
Les says that beginning with Babel, the human race went deeper and deeper into false religion over the next 200 years. By the time of Abraham's call, he maintains that there was no believer in the true God left on earth. Later, God sovereignly pulled Abram out of the mainstream of humanity and made him the father of the nation of Israel.
God's Post-Flood Command to Replenish
God blesses Noah and his sons and tells them to be fruitful, multiply, and replenish the earth—the command the Babel builders later disobeyed by staying together.
Roots of All Idolatry at Babel
Noah's descendants stayed together instead of scattering and united under Nimrod at Babel; Les emphasizes that all idolatry and paganism since then has its roots at Babel.
Babel as Religious Rebellion
At Babel, in total rebellion against God's authority, the people built a religious center meant to usurp the throne of God; Satan was behind the effort.
Satan Instituted Pagan Religions
The whole one-language human race met in Shinar and built Babel; under Nimrod, Satan instituted all pagan and mythological religions there.
Beginning of Pagan Idolatry and Cults
All pagan idolatrous religion began at Babel; every true cult's roots and all world religions trace back there.
Every False Religion Roots at Babel
Every false, pagan, cultic, and mythological religion has its roots at Babel.
Babel Means Confusion; God Scatters
Babel means confusion; God scattered the people there, and every cult and pagan religion since runs its roots back to Babel.
Alternative Worship and Spread of False Religion
At Babel mankind sought an alternative way to approach God; it was a place of false worship, and after Babel false religion deepened until Abraham's time.
Genesis 9:1: And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth.
God's command to fill the earth, which the Babel generation defied by gathering in one place.
Genesis 11:1: And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech.
The unity of language that enabled the united rebellion at Babel.
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.
Their stated purpose of building the tower, making a name instead of obeying God.
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.
God's judgment on the rebellion at Babel.
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.
The name Babel memorializes the confusion of languages and the scattering of the peoples.
Yes. Les Feldick teaches that all pagan idolatrous religion began at Babel. Every false religion and cult since then has its roots in what started there.
Les says no—it was not meant to literally reach heaven with brick and stone. It was a place of false worship designed to usurp God's throne religiously.
They had united in rebellion against God's instruction to scatter and fill the earth. God confused their language and scattered them, and the name Babel means 'confusion.'
Watch the Teaching: From Adam to Tribulation: God's Biblical Timeline Explained