Genesis 11
February 2, 2025
Sunday Recap
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Sunday Recap •
Hey Fams!
Today in Elevate Kids we talked about Genesis 11. Here, Scripture’s Tower of Babel account tells of man’s disobedience and God’s intervening mercy to keep people from their own destruction. Not long after God’s covenant to never again destroy the earth by a flood, people chose to follow their own sinful plans rather than obey God’s good commands. Despite God’s mercy, people failed to trust Him and walk according to His ways.
In what ways is the Tower of Babel story marked by disobedience? How do we see God’s kindness in scattering His people and scrambling their language?
After blessing Noah and his sons, God decreed that they were to “be fruitful and multiply; spread out over the earth and multiply on it” (Genesis 9:7). This command seems like it would be easy to obey, but sin’s deception fueled an already present danger: mankind’s pride-fueled ambition.
God commanded His people to spread out over the earth and fill it with His glory. However, they decided to stay put and build a name for themselves. They were supposed to make much of God, but they decided to make a name for themselves instead. In His love, God drew near to them and saved them from their plans for self-glorification.
God’s decision to scatter His people and scramble their languages was part of a plan that emphasized His own glory above the people’s self-glorification efforts. Jesus, the Son of God, became man so that He would one day gather His people unto Himself—those of every tribe, tongue, and nation—not to worship or build a name for themselves, but to worship the only worthy One, King Jesus. His grace unites us, saves us, and brings us back into relationship with Him.
Consider the ways God has redirected the plans you have made for yourself. Are you, in hindsight, able to see His redirection as a means of grace upon your life? Reflect on His goodness in intervening. Pray for your kids, that they would place their trust in the God whose plans are for our good and for His ultimate glory.
Check out The Gospel Project At Home for resources designed to help you lead a family worship experience as well as suggestions for morning and evening prayer times and family activities.
** Next week: Abraham Followed God (Genesis 11–13)
This Week's Main Ideas
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This Week's Main Ideas •
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God is great and deserves all worship.
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BABIES-TODDLERS
One day, everyone will worship Jesus together.
PRESCHOOL-K
Instead of obeying God, people tried to make themselves famous, so God mixed up their language and made them spread out all over the earth. One day, Jesus will come back and people from all nations, speaking many languages, will worship Him together. (Revelation 7:9-10)
1ST-5TH GRADE
People ignored God’s plan and tried to make a name for themselves, so God confused their language and scattered the people all over the earth. One day, Jesus will gather together all of God’s people—people from every tribe and people who speak all kinds of languages—and they will worship Him. (Revelation 7:9-10)
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Q: Who is God?
A: God is our Creator and the King of everything.
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PRESCHOOL-K
The earth is full of God’s creatures. Psalm 104:24
1ST-5TH GRADE
How countless are your works, LORD! In wisdom you have made them all; the earth is full of your creatures. Psalm 104:24
Family Discipleship Activities
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Family Discipleship Activities •
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Read all or parts of Genesis 11:1-9 from the Bible
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A polyglot is someone who can speak fluently in multiple languages. The world record was held by Ziad Fazah, a Lebanese polyglot who spoke more than 60 languages. That’s impressive, but still a long way from knowing the more than 7,000 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) As the number of people on the earth grew and grew, they disobeyed God’s command to spread 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. 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. The many languages of our world are a reminder that God is great, and all glory belongs to Him!
People ignored God’s plan and tried to make a name for themselves, so God confused their language and scattered the people all over the earth. One day, Jesus will gather together all of God’s people - people from every tribe and people who speak all kinds of languages—and they will worship Him. (Revelation 7:9-10)
Pray: God, all glory belongs to You! Help us honor You in everything we say and do. We look forward to the day when people of every language will know You and worship You together, Amen.
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PRESCHOOL-K
The earth is full of God’s creatures. Psalm 104:24
1ST-5TH GRADE
How countless are your works, LORD! In wisdom you have made them all; the earth is full of your creatures. Psalm 104:24
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Mornings
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 I bring Him glory in what I say and do today?
Evenings
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 own life that makes you want to give Him glory?
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For Fun
Use a language translation app to help your family practice different languages. Have some fun saying common phrases in English and allowing the app to translate into other languages.
Talk about how this story from Genesis 11 is the account for how the world received so many people groups and languages. Discuss how this division came as a result of sin, but how God’s plan still includes a time when every tribe and language will worship Jesus as Lord.
To Serve
Use the 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 that speaks another language, consider sending them a postcard with the phrase in their language and a summary of what kids are learning. End the conversation by thanking Jesus that He is Lord of all people and will one day have every language confess that He is Lord!