Title: The Tower of Babel
Speaker: Pastor John Van De Giessen
Date: 16th August 2026
Location: Adelaide, Australia

Summary

"Sometimes the problem isn't what you're building. The problem is the foundation you're building it on." The Tower of Babel is one of those Old Testament accounts that is easy to skim past, so this episode slows down and looks at what actually happened on the plain of Shinar. A group of people with one language, real skill and genuine unity set out to build a city and a tower. They made bricks from clay and used natural tar for mortar, and the engineering was remarkable for the time. The problem was never their ability. It was their intent, because they wanted to make a name for themselves.

From there the focus shifts closer to home. Life fills up fast with study, work, a mortgage and family, and it becomes easy to keep putting God off until things settle down. The caution is direct: the greatest tragedy is not building something that collapses, but building something that succeeds and discovering at the end that God was never in it.

The episode closes by setting Babel beside Pentecost. At Babel people built upward and were scattered. At Pentecost God came down, filled people with the Holy Spirit and gathered the nations back together.

Key Points
One language and real engineering skill gave the people on the plain of Shinar genuine unity, but that unity was pointed away from God's purpose.
The tower was never really about height. It was about making a name for themselves, and the intent behind it is what God responded to.
What you are building matters less than the foundation you are building it on.
Busyness will always find you. Study, career, a house and a family can quietly become reasons to postpone God indefinitely.
The greatest tragedy is not a project that collapses, but one that succeeds while God was never part of it.
Checking in on one another is the brick and mortar of a church, and nobody needs to wait for someone in leadership to make the call or the visit.
Babel and Pentecost mirror each other: people build upward and are scattered, God comes down and gathers the nations together.
Anything built without God ends up a monument to itself rather than a testimony to him.

Reference Scriptures
Genesis 11:1-4
Genesis 11:6-9
Psalm 127:1
Acts 2:1-5

Listen to the entire Podcast Revival library by visiting https://podcastrevival.com 

The Revival Fellowship is a Bible-directed, Spirit-filled Church and we welcome visitors to our meetings at any of our locations worldwide. To find your nearest venue visit https://therevivalfellowship.com 

© 2026 The Revival Fellowship. All Rights Reserved.

Title: The Tower of Babel Speaker: Pastor John Van De Giessen Date: 16th August 2026 Location: Adelaide, Australia
Summary
"Sometimes the problem isn't what you're building. The problem is the foundation you're building it on." The Tower of Babel is one of those Old Testament accounts that is easy to skim past, so this episode slows down and looks at what actually happened on the plain of Shinar. A group of people with one language, real skill and genuine unity set out to build a city and a tower. They made bricks from clay and used natural tar for mortar, and the engineering was remarkable for the time. The problem was never their ability. It was their intent, because they wanted to make a name for themselves.
From there the focus shifts closer to home. Life fills up fast with study, work, a mortgage and family, and it becomes easy to keep putting God off until things settle down. The caution is direct: the greatest tragedy is not building something that collapses, but building something that succeeds and discovering at the end that God was never in it.
The episode closes by setting Babel beside Pentecost. At Babel people built upward and were scattered. At Pentecost God came down, filled people with the Holy Spirit and gathered the nations back together.
Key Points
<ul>
<li>One language and real engineering skill gave the people on the plain of Shinar genuine unity, but that unity was pointed away from God's purpose.</li>
<li>The tower was never really about height. It was about making a name for themselves, and the intent behind it is what God responded to.</li>
<li>What you are building matters less than the foundation you are building it on.</li>
<li>Busyness will always find you. Study, career, a house and a family can quietly become reasons to postpone God indefinitely.</li>
<li>The greatest tragedy is not a project that collapses, but one that succeeds while God was never part of it.</li>
<li>Checking in on one another is the brick and mortar of a church, and nobody needs to wait for someone in leadership to make the call or the visit.</li>
<li>Babel and Pentecost mirror each other: people build upward and are scattered, God comes down and gathers the nations together.</li>
<li>Anything built without God ends up a monument to itself rather than a testimony to him.</li>
</ul>
Reference Scriptures
<ul dir="ltr">
<li>Genesis 11:1-4</li>
<li>Genesis 11:6-9</li>
<li>Psalm 127:1</li>
<li>Acts 2:1-5</li>
</ul>
Listen to the entire Podcast Revival library by visiting <a href="https://podcastrevival.com">https://podcastrevival.com</a>&nbsp;
The Revival Fellowship is a Bible-directed, Spirit-filled Church and we welcome visitors to our meetings at any of our locations worldwide. To find your nearest venue visit <a href="https://therevivalfellowship.com">https://therevivalfellowship.com</a>&nbsp;
&copy; 2026 The Revival Fellowship. All Rights Reserved.

Podcast Revival aims to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ to people all around the world through inspiring talks from speakers of diverse backgrounds and nationalities. The podcast includes messages that offer instructions for salvation and encourage listeners to live a life in obedience to God.

You will hear speakers from various countries that share their personal experiences and insights from the Word of God, providing a truthful perspective on Christian life. Listeners can expect to hear stories of transformation and hope, along with practical tips and guidance for living a life that is grounded in the teachings of the Bible.

The podcast features topics such as salvation, miracles, faith, and the second coming of Jesus Christ, providing an experienced understanding of what it means to follow God. Listeners can also expect to hear readings from the Bible and discussions on how to apply biblical principles to everyday life.

Overall, Podcast Revival is a valuable resource for anyone seeking to have a relationship with God and grow in their understanding of the Christian faith and how to walk in the Spirit.

Romans 10 v 17
So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Podcast Revival aims to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ to people all around the world through inspiring talks from speakers of diverse backgrounds and nationalities. The podcast includes messages that offer instructions for salvation and encourage listeners to live a life in obedience to God.
You will hear speakers from various countries that share their personal experiences and insights from the Word of God, providing a truthful perspective on Christian life. Listeners can expect to hear stories of transformation and hope, along with practical tips and guidance for living a life that is grounded in the teachings of the Bible.
The podcast features topics such as salvation, miracles, faith, and the second coming of Jesus Christ, providing an experienced understanding of what it means to follow God. Listeners can also expect to hear readings from the Bible and discussions on how to apply biblical principles to everyday life.
Overall, Podcast Revival is a valuable resource for anyone seeking to have a relationship with God and grow in their understanding of the Christian faith and how to walk in the Spirit.
Romans 10 v 17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Podcast Revival

Talks straight from the Word of God.

Podcast Revival is a selection of talks from Revival Fellowship meetings from all across the globe.

Talks straight from the Word of God.
Podcast Revival is a selection of talks from Revival Fellowship meetings from all across the globe.

"Sometimes the problem isn't what you're building. The problem is the foundation you're building it on." The people on the plain of Shinar had one language, real skill and genuine unity, and they used all of it to make a name for themselves. This episode walks through the Tower of Babel and then asks a harder question about our own lives: with study, work, a mortgage and family filling the calendar, how easy is it to keep putting God off until later? The greatest tragedy is not building something that collapses, but building something that succeeds without God in it. Babel ends in scattering. Pentecost gathers the nations back together.