The Tower of Babel Today: Technology and Ancient Arrogance

What the Bible Says About Arrogance

I know you have met them, people who seem entitled, inconsiderate, or who act as though they are much better or smarter than you. Arrogant people are easy to spot. The Bible considers arrogance a sin because it exalts the person above God and others. Self sufficiency is fine but when it comes at the expense of others or breeds a contempt for God then it is not. God considers arrogance an abomination worthy of punishment (Proverbs 16:5). Mark 7:20-23 lists it right along side murder and sexual immorality. The Tower of Babel is a clear biblical example of human arrogance, a spirit that still appears in the world today.

The opposite of arrogance is love. According to 1 Corinthians 13:4 love doesn't boast and it isn't arrogant. Over and over Jesus taught us to be servants of others, thinking others as better than ourselves (Philippians 2:3). Jesus warns us that if we exalt ourselves then we will be humbled (Luke 14:11).

Christians are often accused of being arrogant. When we approach non-Christians or people of other faiths what is our attitude? Do we have an attitude that says we are sinners saved by grace, a grace that is extended to all with love? Perhaps we come across as smug and self righteous. Perhaps it makes people feel like we think we are so much better than they are because we know the Way and they don't.

Arrogance often shows up in quiet, socially acceptable ways. We see it in unsolicited advice that positions us as the one who knows rather than the one who listens. It appears in body language or distracted attention that subtly signals our own thoughts matter more. It can even hide behind “bluntness,” where careless criticism is excused as honesty. In each case, arrogance reveals itself when we value our own opinions above someone else’s. It’s easy to assume this is a problem others struggle with, while missing its presence in our own hearts.

We can become arrogant about many things. We can be arrogant about our knowledge, skills, heritage and background, or even our social standing. But we can also become arrogant about our citizenship or even nation and form of government.

The Tower of Babel and Humanity's Pride

Our first example in the Bible is in Genesis 11. After the flood, humanity moved toward the east. There they came together and decided to show God who was really in charge. First, they made a huge technological advancement by learning to make bricks, fire them, and treat them with pitch. This created a much stronger building material than stone. With this innovation they were able to build where stone was not even present.

So, on the plains of Shinar, in what is now Iraq, they came together with one purpose—to build a tower that would reach to heaven, to make a name for themselves, and all of this so they would not be scattered across the earth. What had God told them? To spread across the earth and multiply. What was the advantage, in their eyes, to staying in one place? By staying together they could consolidate power, control the masses, and build a mighty kingdom—perhaps even a one-world empire. They also wanted the world to know who they were.

When someone, "makes a name for themselves" they are usually very good at something or they have so much power and influence that they become widely known. To these tower builders the important name was their own, not the name of the God who had saved Noah, their own ancestor, from the flood. And where did God live? Heaven.

They wanted the tower to reach the heavens. By doing so everyone could see it and know who built it. If someone had the power and financial means to build such an impressive structure they must be someone to be reckoned with. In some ways it was a subtle slap in the face to God. It reflected mankind's desire to exalt itself rather than honor God. Because if they could reach the heavens, where God lives, then they must be of equal importance to Him. This was mankind's arrogance on full display.

They were seemingly unafraid of God's wrath. Could it be that because He promised to never send another flood to destroy the world they thought they could disobey him with impunity? What was intended for man's good, to spread across the face of the earth and populate it, was ignored for the sake of pride and power. But when God saw the tower and what was in their hearts He made them realize that it was He who was in charge, not them.

Why God Judged the Tower of Babel

God says that "now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do" (Genesis 11:6). The builders of Babel couldn't be easily discouraged from their mission. These men, all in one place, all being able to communicate, would now be able to accomplish incredible feats. They would easily become convinced that they had no need for God. They could believe that they were in control and not Him. God sees the great evils that can come from this moment in time and does something about it.

"Let us go down" He says, with the "us" being a nod to the Trinity. So He confounds their language. If they can't understand one another they can't continue working on their project. They can't live together because they can no longer work together. They must have realized the hand of God in all of this sudden confusion. They leave off their project and go out into the world as they were always intended to do.

From Babel to Pentecost: God's Purpose for Language

To this day we see the problems that this confounding of languages has caused. We see difficulties in cooperating with others from different nations. We must tediously learn other languages and be careful in word choices and nuances. Misunderstanding abounds. But God gave us a glimpse of what a world with one language should be like.

At Pentecost, people from a multitude of nations were present in Jerusalem. The first miracle we see is when Peter speaks to the crowds. In the crowd they each heard his words in their own language. This "gift of tongues" was so that God's message could reach the far corners of the world. When God creates a language, through the Holy Spirit, it is to bring Him glory, not for the glory of man.

Modern Technology and the Spirit of the Tower of Babel Today

I see some rather uncomfortable parallels to this story in today's world. Perhaps you have noticed there have been some significant technological advances lately. These advances have dramatically increased knowledge and have created a common language in that we are able, with the click of a button, to easily translate other languages and even hear what is spoken directly in our own language.

These advances have certainly made a name for many of the people behind them. Elon Musk has remarked that these technologies could become a "digital god" and that they possess "Jesus-level technologies." At the same time, these innovations make worldwide communication and centralized control easier than ever before, thus making it more possible for a "one world government" to be introduced. Today we can see the same arrogance as the Tower of Babel in modern technology.

This is not to imply that all technology is evil, certainly not. The innovations of baked bricks sealed with pitch was not evil, but it was used for evil purposes. It is not wrong to make your name known, as long as it is for the purposes of God and His will and honor. Being able to communicate with others across the globe is not inherently wrong, but when that ability leads to outcomes that directly violate God's commands, then it is wrong. We are deceived in the same way that those people of Babel were centuries ago.

Choosing Humility Instead of Pride

Arrogance leads to Satan's sin, putting ourselves above God. Satan does whatever it takes to lead people away from God. He lies, murders, and misrepresents God to people. When we follow Satan's example instead of God's, we do the same. We even hear people accuse God of being evil and Satan good. The father of lies is very good at what he does.

Let's not underestimate the enemy. When he whispers in our ear how great we are, how much better we are than others, let's recognize whose voice we are hearing. We worship a humble and meek King whose grace has set us free from sin. We don't serve arrogance, pride, and love of self. If you are not among those who call Jesus Lord, I pray for you that even now, you would put away arrogance and pride, and turn to Him who loves you and died for you.

Whether we build physical towers to the heavens or technological towers, it is what is in our hearts that matters. Put God first, love and obey Him, and use the things of this world for His honor and glory alone.