Psalm 115:16

¹⁶ The heaven, even the heavens, are the Lord’s;
But the earth He has given to the children of men.

Genesis 11:4

⁴ And they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top is in the heavens; let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth.”

After the flood, humanity began to grow again. They spoke one language, shared one culture, and worked together. On the surface, that looks like unity — but this unity had a dangerous root: they wanted to build their world without God.

In Genesis 11:4, we see the spirit of pride, ambition, and self-exaltation. It’s the same spirit that still tempts us today — to make our own name great rather than glorify God.

Main idea:

When we build our lives apart from God, we may reach great heights — but our towers will always crumble.

A. They wanted to build for themselves

• Their first mistake: “Let us build ourselves.”
• God had told them in Genesis 9:1, “Be fruitful and fill the earth.”
• Instead, they said, “Let’s stay here and build our own kingdom.”

Application:
Many people today want to build their own “city” — careers, reputations, or achievements — but without God’s direction.

You can have great plans, but if God is not in them, they will not stand (Psalm 127:1 — “Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it.”).

B. They wanted to reach heaven their way

• “A tower whose top is in the heavens.”
• It was not about reaching God; it was about becoming like God.
• This is the same sin as in Eden — the desire to rise above the Creator.

Illustration:
Like people building skyscrapers that touch the clouds — yet spiritually, they remain empty on the inside.
Man’s technology and progress mean nothing without the presence of God.

C. The danger of pride

• Pride leads to destruction (Proverbs 16:18).
• Pride blinds us to God’s authority and makes us self-dependent.
• God will not share His glory with anyone (Isaiah 42:8).

Example:

• King Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 4) said, “Is not this great Babylon that I have built…?” — and God humbled him.
• The builders of Babel said, “Let us make a name for ourselves.” — and God scattered them.

Application:
Are we building our “towers” — our image, our success, our ministries — for God’s name or our own?

The question is not what you’re building, but who you’re building for.

Maranatha! Come Lord Jesus!