The Tower of Babel

Human sin has one tendency, to rebel against God. This showed up in the first temptation and sin - Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit in order to be as God, knowing good and evil for themselves. The builders of the tower of Babel had the same goal, to be as God, challenging God's rule. This spirit of revellion against God has driven every effort of human being to build great cities, kingdoms to rule as God.
The Egyptian Pharaoh was sought to rule as God - and be worshiped as God.
THe Assyrian, Babylonian, Geek and Roman rulers all sought the same rebellion against God that they might rule as God and be worshiped as God.

This spirit of rellion will culminate in Babylon the Great ast the end of the age. Daniel 2 and 7 describe the great kingdoms of the ancient world as like a lion, a bear, and a leopard, with the fourth, a terrible beast of 10 horns - The Roman empire. The beast of Revelation 13 and 17 is described in these exact terms - like a lion, a bear, and a leopard, with 10 horns, very terrible. Thus, the beast is the power of the sword in the state. Only when the beast is thrown into the Lake of Fire and the Lamb of God finally destroys all sin and death, will the spirit of rebellion that drove Babel - and alll cities of man - be finally destroyed.