From One Language to Many – Confusion – June 6, 2022

Read: Genesis 11:1-9

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. Come, let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other.” So the LORD scattered them from there over all the earth, and they stopped building the city. 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 world.
Genesis 11:6-9

From One Language to Many – Confusion

 

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Part of being a kid is depending on others to take care of you. You have a family who makes sure you have a place to live and food to eat every day. When you’re sick, they take care of you and may take you to the doctor who can also help you. Your teachers are there to help you learn things about numbers and reading, and also about getting along as a class. You need a lot of people.

In today’s story, God told the people who survived the Flood that he wanted them to spread out and go all over the world. He wanted them to fill the earth with people and be sure that those people knew about God, trusted in him, and had faith in him.

What did the people do? They did not listen. They decided not to spread out, and they turned their backs on God. Instead, they began to build a great city with a huge tower so that people everywhere would look at them and give them glory. Instead of telling others about God’s glory, they wanted the glory for themselves.

What did God do? Just like in the time of the Flood, God responded. This time, instead of wiping out everyone who didn’t believe, he changed the language of each person. Suddenly, as they tried to work together on the tower in Babel, they couldn’t understand each other. Babel means “confusion.” Boy, were they confused! The work stopped and the people scattered.

Why would God stop their plans? He stopped them because they turned their backs on him and ignored his plans. God wanted each of them and all people of all times to have faith in him and to be with him in heaven one day. He didn’t want this group of unbelievers to stop his plan.

You and I can sometimes be like the people in the story. We can forget about God and start to look more at ourselves. God stopped the plans at Babel because of his love for all people including you. You can trust him to take care of you. Your parents and family take care of you out of love. God, your heavenly Father, loves you more than we can imagine. He loves to take care of not just what you need each day, but even more, he takes care of your most important need—a Savior. No matter where you live, how old or young you are, what language you speak, you are a dearly loved child of God. Ask him to keep you always close to him.

Closing Prayer:

Dear Father, we can be so independent and try to do everything on our own when we have you who is there for us. Please keep us close to you each day and help us remind each other to do the same. Amen.

The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire.

Questions for Younger Children

• Have you ever tried to build something with someone without talking to them? Why would it be hard?
• You have grownups who help you, but you also are learning to do more and more things on your own. Name something you want to ask God’s help with.

Questions for Elementary Age Children

• Why do you think the people in the story disobeyed God by not spreading out all over the world as he had told them?
• List at least two things you know how to do your own. Then name two things you need to go to a grownup for help. Finally, think of two things you need to go to God for his help.

Questions for Middle School and Above

• Imagine you were there the day God used language to confuse the people and to stop their plans. In your own words, describe what that may have looked like.
• Name a situation where you went to God for help. What was the result? How can you remind yourself and others to go to God first for his guidance and help?