The Tower of Babel story shows us the grace of God in disunity. Before the flood God saw that “the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually” (Gen. 6:5). The flood did not provide a solution for this condition, but a judgment and a promise. The judgment was the flood itself. The promise is given after the flood, “I will never again curse the ground because of man, for the intention of man’s heart is evil from his youth” (Gen. 8:21). This is a promise that God will restrain his judgment by restraining evil itself.
The Tower of Babel is God acting on this promise. God takes action against the growing pride of man by pitting evil against evil. By causing disunity amongst men, God has graciously prevented evil from reaching the level it did before the flood.
However, this disunity was reversed at Pentecost with the preaching of the Gospel – the good news of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection – in many languages (Acts 2). Here at last was good news that inclined men’s hearts toward God. Here at last was something that man could unite over and not be lead into pride. Here at last was, and is, salvation from God’s judgment.
