I grew up around creation apologetics and that means I have spent much time in my life defending the historic credibility of the first eleven chapters of Genesis. I maintain the importance of that task. The bible is set in real history and in the power and providence of God who reveals himself to us through inspiration. In saying that, I've also come to see that apologetics is a servant to the message of the bible, and not actually the message of the bible. What I mean is that while defending biblical history is important, it serves to strengthen the church's confidence in the main message of the text. The Tower of Babel is a great example. The main point of the Tower of Babel is not to show how the world of "so-called" races can be explained or that there is a history that corroborates with common gene-pools separated throughout the world. While that is certainly helpful to know, the main point of Babel is clear within the text.
As you simply allow the text to speak, you are quickly confronted by the fact that the people at Babel were building a city and a tower to reach the heavens. They were doing so to make a name for themselves. Humanity at Babel wanted their own names to be prominent in the heavens. They wanted to be gods. The base of human religion is the pursuit of our own deity in rebellion against the only Deity.
The answer from God in the confusion of languages is to show that he alone is God, and his name will be glorified regardless of human opposition. God's grace in salvation and God's justice upon sin will not be derailed by the high hopes of any human attempting to give their own name a god-like status. God's name must never be rejected for ours.
In the book of Revelation, we find that the conquering church is rewarded by being given a new name. To have the name of Christ is not something that demoralizes humanity but exalts it. We who are in Christ want nothing more than his name to be ours. We love him. His glory is more beautiful than anything in this world and it is proven in his work on the cross. We are most happy to put our name aside for the name of Jesus. We do not claim the name of an earthly nation or heritage. We do not claim the name of a political party. We do not claim the name of a family or corporate legacy. We do not claim the name of anything in this world that we think brings us greater significance. We claim the name of Christ and we do not deny that name for anything. His name is above every name
Revelation 3:7-13 "And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: 'The words of the holy one, the true one, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, who shuts and no one opens. 8 "'I know your works. Behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut. I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. 9 Behold, I will make those of the synagogue of Satan who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie--behold, I will make them come and bow down before your feet, and they will learn that I have loved you. 10 Because you have kept my word about patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth. 11 I am coming soon. Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown. 12 The one who conquers, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God. Never shall he go out of it, and I will write on him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down from my God out of heaven, and my own new name. 13 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.'
The main point of Babel?..... (drum roll) ..... Put aside your own name and claim the name of Christ.