The Story Begins: Slowing the Spread of Evil
October 23, 2016 | Todd Cyphers
Genesis 11:1-9
The Story Begins: Slowing the Spread of Evil
Genesis 11:1-9
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George Smith in the 1800's wrote: “One striking and important specimen (from the Akkadians) …has two figures sitting one on each side of a tree, holding out their hands to the fruit, while at the back of one (the woman) is stretched a serpent...thus it is evident that a form of the story of the Fall, similar to that of Genesis, was known from early times in Babylonia.” (Temptation Seal from Akkad)
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An Assyrian tablet was discovered at Nineveh in the middle of the 19th century:
“his heart was evil against the father of all the gods . . . Babylon was brought into subjection, small and great alike. He confounded their speech . . . their strong palace (tower) all the days they built; to their strong place in the night He completely made an end . . . In His anger His word was poured out . . . to scatter aboard He set his face, He gave this command, and their counsel was confused. . .He saw them and the earth. . . of stopping not . . . Bitterly they wept at Babi(l).”
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One of the earliest accounts of the flood around 2,200 B.C.: “The flood is swept over (the earth). After the flood had swept over (the earth) (and) when the kingship was lowered (again) from heaven, kingship was (first) at Kish (Cush).”
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1. God sees and visits our prideful plans and disobedience. 11:1-5
2. God judges our attempts to build our own kingdom. 11:6-7
3. God causes our plans to fail for His glory and our good. 11:8-9
Application Today:
1. Believers gathering in Christ, clearing out our confusion, plays a huge role in reaching the world.
Hebrews 10:24-25 - “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”
2. The Holy Spirit guarantees we will fulfill the Great Commission in a confusing world.
Acts 2:4 - “All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages as the Spirit enabled them.”
3. Only those that God makes their name great will stay great.
Matthew 20:25-28 – “Jesus said to His disciples, ‘You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them… Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave; just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.’”
4. Only the LORD is a strong and safe tower.
Proverbs 18:10 - “The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.”
Faith Sheet
Series Memory Verse - Genesis 1:26-27 – “Then God said, ‘Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.’ God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.”
Monthly Verse - Genesis 15:6 - “Then he believed in the Lord; and He credited it to him as righteousness.”
Weekly Verse - Genesis 11:9 - “Therefore its name was called Babel, because there the Lord confused the language of the whole earth; and from there the Lord scattered them abroad the face of the whole earth.”
#1 - Reviewing This Past Sunday
The Story Begins: Slowing the Spread of Evil
Genesis 11:1-9
1. What is a choice in your past or recently that you would make different with hindsight?
2. What are some ways we as Christians seek to “make a name for ourselves”?
3. When has God judged your attempts to build your own personal kingdom?
4. Why might it be better for our plans to fail rather than have them succeed without God?
5. What are some signs that can help us identify an idolatrous plan?
6. How can we tell if we are pursuing success in life apart from a relationship with God?
7. How do our evangelistic efforts demonstrate our desire to make the name of God known to those around us?
8. What surprises you about the action God took to stop the people’s building plans? Do you see an element of mercy in God’s judgment?
#2 - Preparing for Next Sunday
The Story Begins: God’s Covenant with Abraham
Genesis 12:1-4, 15:1-6, 17:1-14
1. Read the passages and ask the Lord to reveal Himself and His truth. (Genesis 12:1-4, 15:1-6, 17:1-14)
2. HIGHLIGHT a verse or truth that stands out to you and write it out.
3. EXPLAIN the text in your own words to make sure you see the big picture of God’s Story. (
4. Who wrote it and why was it written? To whom it was written? What is the context? How does the text point to the Father, Son or Spirit? What is the text telling us about our new identity as believers in Christ or what we are to be doing?
4. APPLY a truth from the text to your own life. (Focus on what God is saying to you and what is your act of obedience, confession, praise, going forward, giving thanks, etc.)
5. RESPOND in prayer and go apply what God reveals to you from the Scriptures.
