There is a correlation between the current push for globalization, the Tower of Bavel, and Covid19. In Bereishit (Genesis) 11 we find the story of the Tower of Bavel. The simple story is that the people of the earth came together to build a tower.
“Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make ourselves a name, lest we be scattered upon the face of the entire earth.”
Like most stories in the Bible, we have to look back before the story starts to get the full picture. In chapter 10 we are given the names of the sons of Noach and their families as well as their nations. This is important because, without this information, chapter 11 gives the impression that all of the people were together. It says, “1Now the entire earth was of one language and uniform words. 2And it came to pass when they traveled from the east, that they found a valley in the land of Shinar and settled there.” Chapter 10 lets us know that there were already divisions. It also tells us which families went to which areas even after the incident of the Tower of Bavel.
The first thing the Creator said to man was, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth…” It seems that it was always his intention that the entire earth should be filled; everyone in their appointed place. In his work Or HaChaim On Genesis, Chaim ibn Attar explains that “the people gathering together and building the city is what trouble HaShem. He explains that “When the Torah reports that the people spoke one language and were of one mind about all important issues, the meaning is that they literally congregated together without spreading out at all.”
Before HaShem confounds their speech, He says, “Lo! [they are] one people, and they all have one language, and this is what they have commenced to do. Now, will it not be withheld from them, all that they have planned to do?” Confounding their speech was a way to save them from the sins that they would come to commit if they had not been separated. It is possible that they would become like the generation before the flood. This is a case where something that seems to be negative, is actually a positive.
Globalization in our time seeks to link all the nations of the world in areas of economics, culture, and politics. Over the last few decades, with advances in technology, globalization has become a simple thing. A person in the U.S. can easily make deals with suppliers in China and sell their wares in Europe. A person can set up such a business from the comfort of their own home. It seems great and for some it is. Not long ago, this would not have been possible without extensive travel.
Recently, we’ve seen the downside of globalization. One country, China, has taken over the production of most consumer goods. In this pandemic, other countries have lost access to vital commodities including medical supplies. There are many other problems that come with economic globalization, most of which don’t fit within the scope of this blog. The big problem lies with cultural globalization.
Cultural globalization calls for amalgamating the various cultures into a new culture, one that is devoid of any recognition of the Creator. This will lead to a culture that is also devoid of any sense of morality. We are seeing this happen now and if left unchecked, it can only get worse. In his commentary, Obadiah ben Jacob Sforno wrote, “The Torah uses the expression “G’d descended to see, etc.,” only when the sins committed by the people concerned were not yet ripe for severe punishment but would become so if left unchecked. Retribution which results from G’d “descending,” must be viewed as a kind of preventive medicine, designed to avoid the need for more drastic action at a later stage.”
The covid19 virus has affected the entire globe. Some areas have been hit harder with the virus than others. But the long-reaching aspects are hurting people everywhere, even those who won’t get sick. This is a global wakeup call for the world. It is a call for the world to accept and live by the Seven Laws of Noach. This virus has taken people from all religions. Religion will not save you. Religion was never something that the Creator desired for us. Living by the Seven Laws is not a religion. Some call it Noahideism, but that name is misleading. Yes, there are religious aspects to them. They require a relationship with the Creator but there is no religious system involved. Religion has become corrupt and is now more involved with money than it is with anything else.
In several places, scripture tells the Children of Israel not to learn the ways of the nations. It is typically understood to be talking about idolatry. But it can also be mean to remain unlike them in other ways as well. It is good for there to be a certain amount of distance between the nations. Humans have a tendency to copy what they see. A wicked nation has a huge influence on the rest of the world. Rarely do we copy the righteous ways.
Covid19 would not be nearly as bad if not for globalization. Thousands of people travel between various nations every day. It only took a few weeks for every continent to be affected. This is not the first time this has happened. Not long ago the H1N1 virus spread the same way. We are told that the best thing we can do to stay safe is social distancing. If that is true, then it stands to reason that distancing between the nations would have slowed the spread in the first place.
Globalization is causing unknown harms around the world. There is nothing wrong with having good relations with our neighbors. But the forces that are pushing us into a global melting pot are killing us. It is time to take a step back, find the righteous path outlined by our Creator and liver our lives in peace and safety.
Copyright 2020 by:
William Bouker
Convert Corner 