Genesis 11:8 So the LORD scattered them from there over all the earth, and they stopped building the city.
In Genesis 11:1-9, we read about people coming together to build a city with a tower reaching to the heavens. Some people wonder as to why God was concerned about this project. Was He threatened that the builders would indeed build a tower reaching to the heavens and invade His abode? That is impossible of course. So, why is it that God frustrated their plans so that they had to abandon their project? Well, they had at least two motivations for this project. First, they wanted to make a name for themselves (v. 4). This is often seen as pride, which is probably correct. Moreover, they were trying to do something without God on their side. Genesis 1-11 portrays the story of humanity in which human beings keep straying farther and farther away from the Lord beginning with the fall in Genesis 3. Second, they did not want to be scattered over the face of the earth (v. 4). This is in stark contrast to what the Lord commanded human beings when He blessed them at the creation and after the flood. He said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth” (1:28; 9:1). So, with the confusion of the language, their worst fear (v. 4) was realized. The end result was that the people were scattered over the face of the earth (11:8-9). Even in the midst of human failings, God’s will/plan will still be fulfilled. God is sovereign. His will cannot be thwarted. We serve such an awesome God. Therefore, it is more blessed to align ourselves with the will of God and align ourselves with our own “wonderful” plans.
May the Lord help us to always understand His will and align ourselves with the same; may He help us not to do things outside of His will!