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Bible Essentials

Genesis 11:1-9

Tower of Babel

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Opening

  • Share life updates
  • Review highs and lows of the week
  • Share prayer requests and praises

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Icebreaker

  • What is your experience with other languages?
  • Do you speak a second (or more) language fluently?
  • Have you traveled to a place where you didn’t speak the native language?

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Genesis 11:1-9

  • Read the passage
  • What is the context for this passage?
    • After the flood, Noah and his family built an altar to worship God.
    • God gave them the command to be fruitful and increase in number and fill the earth.
    • The people increased in number, but they were reluctant to spread across the face of the earth.

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Genesis 11:1-9

  • Read the passage again, in a different version if available.
  • Summarize the passage in your own words.

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What does the passage say about God?

  • God watches over people.
  • God knows the capabilities and hearts of people.
  • God is able to instantly change a person’s language abilities.

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What does the passage say about people?

  • After the flood, all the people spoke one language.
  • After the flood, people continued to expand where they settled due to the growing number of people.
  • People are skilled at planning and building.
  • People want to make a name for themselves.
  • People want to live close to their community.
  • People see different languages as a barrier to communication and progress.

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What does the passage say about God’s plan?

  • God’s plan was to slow down people’s progress by confusing their language.
  • God’s plan was that people would be scattered over the whole earth.

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Discussion

  • How does the passage fit into the overarching story of the Bible?
    • People did eventually move to fill all corners of the earth.
    • God wants to reach all nations and tribes and tongues with the gospel.
    • Different languages create barriers to both progress and the spread of the gospel.
    • God can overcome any barrier to spreading the gospel.

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Discussion

  • What else strikes you about this passage?
  • How does the passage affect how you view God? How you view yourself?
  • How does this passage affect how you will live your life?