Unit 2 Session 4
People Rebel Against God
Family Bible Time Connection
Read all or parts of Genesis 11: 1-9 from your Bible
Talk About Scripture
A polyglot is someone who can speak fluently in multiple languages. The world record was held by Powell Janulus, a Canadian polyglot who spoke 42 languages. That’s impressive, but still a long way from knowing the roughly 6,500 different languages spoken in the world. Have you ever wondered where all those languages came from?
After the flood, God had told Noah and his family to “be fruitful and increase in number and fill the whole earth.” (Genesis 9:1) This was the same command that God had given to Adam and Eve. Even though the world was starting over in a way after the flood, God’s plans had not changed.
As the number of people grew, they disobeyed God’s command to spread out and fill the whole earth. Instead, they clumped together and decided to build a tower to show how great they were.
The people of Babel seemed to be accomplishing some amazing things, but these accomplishments actually showed how sinful their hearts had become once again. In the garden, Eve believed the lie that the fruit would make her like God. The people of Babel believed their tower would make them as great as God. The people wanted glory for themselves, but all glory belongs to God.
So, God mixed up the words of the people so that they spoke in different languages. The different languages made it impossible for them to continue building, so they spread out across the world as God had originally commanded. The many languages of our world are a reminder that God is great, and all glory belongs to Him!
People wanted glory for themselves instead of God. They ignored God’s plan, so God confused their language and scattered them all over the earth. One day, Jesus will gather together all of God’s people—from every tribe and language—and they will worship Him together.
Prayer Time
Ask God to help you focus on His glory rather than pride or selfishness today. How can God’s awesomeness be a remedy for selfishness? How can you bring God glory in what you say and do today?
Think of reasons why God deserves all the glory. Praise Him for those reasons. What have you learned about God from the Bible that makes Him worthy of glory? What has God done in your life that makes you want to give Him glory?
Actively Apply the Scripture
For Fun
Use a translation app to help your family practice different languages. Have fun saying common phrases in English and allowing the app to translate them into other languages. Talk about how the story in Genesis 11 is why there are so many people groups and languages today. Discuss how this division came as a result of sin, but how God’s plan includes a time when every tribe and language will worship Jesus as Lord.
Supplies: translation app
To Serve
Use a translation app to learn the phrase “Jesus is Lord” in other languages. Make signs to place in your window or yard to declare this truth in multiple languages. If you know of a family who speaks another language, consider sending them a postcard with the phrase in their language and a summary of what your kids are learning. Thank Jesus that He is Lord of all people and that one day, every language will confess that He is Lord!
Supplies: translation app, postcard