Man was made by God out of the creation (earth) and as such had a need for Him. When Satan deceived Eve and Adam directly disobeyed God they both were cast out of Eden and from God’s immediate presence. The need for God our creator did not dissolve with our first parent’s sin and subsequent break of fellowship with God. However, that need is often misdirected when we turn away from God and seek our own good, direction and leadership. Nimrod, who enslaved the populace to build the Tower of Babel, knew as all tyrants know, that you cannot subdue people by telling them, “I want to enslave you. I want you to work for my aggrandizement.” You have to find a way to appeal to their desire for the God given need for Him. We call this appealing to a higher purpose. Nimrod was speaking to a spiritual need. The tower was a metaphor for appealing to a higher purpose. Not only is a tower a great building, but also it is the physical depiction of our own human yearning to find transcendent purpose in our lives. Often people build enormous structures, not because they need the space but because they want a symbol of their vision. Similarly, by orchestrating his stairway to Heaven, Nimrod is saying, “Come with me, I will help you reach for your highest aspirations either following yourself, a tyrannical government, or a false religion. Apart from God the result is always enslavement.
