It was only several years since the first judgement. Noah's sons began to repopulate the world. Humanity was growing once again, but they had not learned their lesson. Although the signs were all so clear of the consequences of sin, the lust for pleasures outweighed their desire to serve God. Humanity knew of God, and knew who God was, yet they still did their own thing. We find in Genesis 11, a story that really defines humanity, even today.
"Now the whole world had one language and a common speech. 2 As people moved eastward, they found a plain in Shinar and settled there.
3 They said to each other, “Come, let’s make bricks and bake them thoroughly.” They used brick instead of stone, and tar for mortar. 4 Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves; otherwise we will be scattered over the face of the whole earth.”
5 But the Lord came down to see the city and the tower the people were building. 6 The Lord said, “If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them. 7 Come, let us go downand confuse their language so they will not understand each other.”
8 So the Lord scattered them from there over all the earth, and they stopped building the city. 9 That is why it was called Babel—because there the Lord confused the language of the whole world. From there the Lord scattered them over the face of the whole earth."
Genesis 11:1-9
Why was it such a big deal that humanity began this building project? Why did God shut it down? Building a city is fine, there is nothing wrong with that. Building a tower is fine, nothing is wrong with that either. Neither is there a problem with trying to be good at what you do and being creative, so making the tower tall was okay as well. There had to have been something more, something more than just skin deep that made this project shut down. What was it?... I am convinced that it was the nature of their heart. Building a city and a tall tower are all fine by their selves, so that means it had to have been WHY they built the tower and city.
In Romans chapter 1 verse 21, Paul is writing and explains the Spiritual condition of the heart apart from God.
"For although they knew God, they neither glorified Him as God nor gave thanks to Him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images and animals and reptiles."
You can continue on reading this chapter, it is extremely powerful. In this letter, God shows us the condition of the heart of people apart from Him. Even people that know God, and who Jesus is, but do not devote themselves to Him. God calls these people fools. A fool is someone who lives as if there is no God. When we sin, we are living as if there is no God. Right now, you are probably thinking that I am being extremely radical. Well, let me ask you this before you cut to conclusions about me. If Jesus was sitting right next to you, watching everything you do, would you still look up porn on your computer? Would you still tell that lie? Would you still talk pervertedly? Would you still gossip? Would you still get drunk? Would you still go to that boyfriend or girlfriends house that you know you have no business being at? No? Yet, we do it when He is not around... But thats not the case. God is omnipresent, meaning he is everywhere at once. His spirit is always with us. Jesus says "lo, I am with you always." in matthew 28:10. If we REALLY believed with our WHOLE HEART that Jesus was with us RIGHT NOW, and ALWAYS, would we really still do these sinful acts? Of course not! With that said, I hold onto what I said earlier about sinning means you are foolish. It sounds harsh, and judgmental, but it is fact, and biblical. Paul says in the passage of Scripture above, that their "hearts were darkened". Ever since the fall of man, the sin of Adam and Eve, the hearts of humanity have been corrupted.
First, lets define what the "heart" is biblically. In Scripture, the heart is not literally used, it is not referring to the physical organ that pumps blood throughout our body. Instead, The heart represents the center of ones being. The center of one's intellect, emotion, and will.
The heart is the center of our intellect: Using my Study Bible, I see that Scripture refers to people: knowing, praying, meditating, hiding God's word, Devising plans, keeping words, thinking, doubting, pondering, believing, & singing in their heart. All of these are things involving the mind.
The heart is the center of our emotion: The Bible refers to the glad, loving, fearful, courageous, repentant, anxious, angry, revived, anguished, delighted, grieving, humble, excited, burning, and the troubled heart. All of these are things involving emotions.
The heart is the center of our will. Our will is defined as a persons desire, motivation, purpose, resolve, or ability to choose. Throughout scripture we see the heart that is: hardened, determined to do something, refuses to obey a command, devoted to pursue a deeper relationship with God, decisive, desiring to receive from God, turned toward God's law. All of these things are actions involving our will.
When Adam and Eve chose to sin, they allowed for evil to fill our hearts. Our hearts, as humans, were no longer pure with no evil intent found. They were now wide open to be filled with anything and everything. Sin entered the world through Adam and Eve, making the heart corrupt, and a breeding ground for evil. Our entire being (heart) was corrupted. Apart from God, apart from devoting our whole heart, or our whole being, to God, our heart, our whole being, is defiled. It is not trustworthy, for it is contaminated with sin. When we are not living fully devoted to God, our "hearts [are] darkened" like Paul writes. With this said, when Hollywood tells you to "follow your heart", do you really want to trust it?? The people of Babel did. They followed the desires of their heart, which led to God being very displeased in them.
You must have a "heart transplant!" Defined as being the replacement of a patient's diseased or injured heart with a healthy donor heart. When people have bad hearts, literal bad hearts, they must go on a waiting list, waiting for a man or woman to die that has a good heart, so that they can have their heart to live. Plus, the blood types of the bad heart and good heart must be the same, or the patients body will reject the donors heart. But I have great news! The ultimate heart donor died to give you his heart! He was tortured and bruised because of our sins. He hung on a cross because of our transgressions. He died, the ultimate donor. The great thing? His blood type is sufficient for all people. There is no such thing as a waiting list with this donor. The only list required to be put down on, is the book of the Lamb's book of life. When you accept this transplant, this renewing of your entire being, you guaranteed life with this donor. Jesus. Solomon wrote in the book of proverbs to, "Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life." Proverbs 4:23. Die to yourself daily and guard your heart. Guard your intellect, emotions, and will. Follow God with everything you have.
Psalm 42:1 "As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God."
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