Read Genesis 11:1-4. Why were the people of “the whole earth” so keen to achieve unity?

 The phrase “the whole earth” refers to a small number of people, those alive after the Flood. The reason for this gathering is clearly indicated: they want to build a tower to reach the heavens (Gen. 11:4). In fact, their real intention is to take the place of God Himself, the Creator. Significantly, the description of the people’s intentions and actions echo God’s intentions and actions in the Creation account: “they said” (Gen. 11:3, 4; compare with Gen. 1:6, 9, 14, etc.); “let us make” (Gen. 11:3, 4; compare with Gen. 1:26). Their intention is explicitly stated: “Let us make a name for ourselves” (Gen. 11:4, NKJV), an expression that is exclusively used for God (Isa. 63:12, 14).

 In short, the builders of Babel entertained the misplaced ambition to replace God, the Creator. (We know who inspired that, don’t we? See Isa. 14:14.) The memory of the Flood surely must have played a role in their project. They built a high tower in order to survive another flood, were another to come, despite God’s promise. The memory of the Flood has been preserved in Babylonian tradition, albeit distorted, in connection with the construction of the city of Babel (Babylon). This upward effort to reach heaven and usurp God will, indeed, characterize the spirit of Babylon.

 This is why the story of the Tower of Babel is such an important motif in the book of Daniel, as well. The reference to Shinar, which introduces the story of the Tower of Babel (Gen. 11:2), reappears in the beginning of the book of Daniel, in order to designate the place where Nebuchadnezzar has brought the articles of the temple of Jerusalem (Dan. 1:2). Among many other passages of the book, the episode of Nebuchadnezzar’s erecting the golden statue, probably on the same place in the same “plain,” is the most illustrative of this frame of mind. In his visions of the end, Daniel sees the same scenario of the nations of the earth gathering together to achieve unity against God (Dan. 2:43, Dan. 11:43-45; compare with Rev. 16:14-16), though this attempt fails here, as it did with Babel, as well.