We’ve all been guilty of trying to do things our own way. Whether it’s in our work, our relationships, or our plans for the future, it’s easy to push forward with our own ideas and then ask God to bless them. But if we aren’t building on God’s terms, anything we accomplish will eventually crumble.
The story of the Tower of Babel is a perfect example of this. At first glance, it might seem like a simple story about people trying to reach heaven and God shutting it down. But when we dig deeper, we see that the issue wasn’t the tower itself—it was the heart behind it.
“Then they said, ‘Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves…’” – Genesis 11:4
That’s the key. Their goal wasn’t just to build. It was to make a name for themselves. They weren’t seeking God’s will or direction—they were taking control, trying to establish something on their own terms instead of following what God had already planned for them.
We see this theme of naming throughout Genesis. In creation, God is the one who names things—He speaks identity and purpose into being. He gives Adam the role of naming animals, reflecting His authority and design. Later, God renames Abram to Abraham and Jacob to Israel, marking His covenant and promises. Naming in the Bible is God’s role, not something people are meant to grasp for themselves. But in Babel, the people tried to take that authority, to define themselves apart from God.
It’s no coincidence that Babel is the beginning of Babylon—a kingdom that, throughout the Bible, symbolizes opposition to God. What started as an attempt to establish human greatness became a picture of what happens when people build apart from Him.
There’s another fascinating connection we might not see at first. The Tower of Babel wasn’t just a tall building—it was likely a ziggurat, an ancient structure designed as a stairway for the gods to descend to earth. These were common in Mesopotamia, and they weren’t meant for people to climb up. Instead, they were thought to be portals where deities could come down and interact with people.
And yet, God didn’t use their ziggurat. Genesis 11:5 says, “But the Lord came down to see the city and the tower the people were building.” God did come down—but not in the way they expected. He wasn’t responding to their efforts. Instead, He confused their language and scattered them because He won’t be controlled by human plans.
The irony? They built the tower so they wouldn’t be scattered, but because they built it on their own terms, that’s exactly what happened.
The contrast with what happens next in Genesis is powerful. In Genesis 12, God speaks to Abram—and instead of Abram trying to make a name for himself, God says, “I will make your name great.” The difference is striking. Babel was about human effort. Abraham’s story is about God’s promise.
Jesus takes this even further. In John 1:51, He refers to Himself as the stairway between heaven and earth. Unlike Babel, where people tried to create their own way to reach God, Jesus is the way God comes to us. He is the true connection, the fulfillment of what humanity has always longed for.
So here’s the question: What are you building? Are you stepping into what God is already doing, or are you trying to force something on your own? Are you chasing success in your own strength, or are you trusting that God is the one who establishes and sustains?
If you succeed in making a name for yourself, but it’s not God’s plan, it won’t last. The most exhausting thing we can do is build something in our own strength that God never asked us to build.
Jesus is the name giver. He is the way. And when we build our lives on Him, we won’t be left scattered and striving—we’ll be standing on a foundation that lasts.
Father, help us to trust in You instead of striving for our own way. Show us the places where we are building apart from You, and give us the courage to surrender our plans for Yours. We don’t want to make a name for ourselves—we want to glorify Your name. Lead us, guide us, and remind us that You alone are the one who establishes our steps. Amen.
Listen to the full episode here: The Tower of Babel