The New Age Is Nothing New

While the term New Age is often used to describe a set of spiritual, philosophical, and metaphysical beliefs that gained popularity in the late 20th century, the ideas themselves are far from new. In fact, they echo ancient patterns of human pride and rebellion against God.

As Ecclesiastes 1:9 reminds us: "What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun."

We don’t need to look further than the first book of the Bible to see a clear example of this:

the Tower of Babel. In Genesis 11, the people of Babylon, united by one language, set out to build a city and a tower “with its top in the heavens,” aiming to make a name for themselves. God saw this as an act of pride and a challenge to His authority. In response, He confused their language and scattered them across the earth, forcing them to abandon the project.

Does this story sound familiar?

To me, the New Age movement is just the latest attempt at building Babel. Today, the tower isn’t physical—it’s spiritual. People are still reaching upward, striving to ascend through dimensions, tap into higher consciousness, and become limitless. Many even call themselves gods and goddesses. What makes this time different, and even emboldens our rebellious ones, is that the Internet and translation software makes it possible for people across nations to build their towers together regardless of being scattered.

These modern "tower builders" often take on titles like healer, guru, master, or shaman, seeking to make a name for themselves. And yes, they’re right when they say, “These practices have been around forever.” But that doesn’t make them right. In fact, it proves the point—this is the same rebellion, dressed in different clothes.

God has clearly identified this behavior as sinful and disrespectful of His authority. In the Old Testament, He repeatedly intervenes to humble humanity’s pride—not only in Babel, but also in the time of Noah:

Genesis 6:13:“And God said to Noah, ‘The end of all flesh has come before Me, for the earth is filled with violence through them; and behold, I will destroy them with the earth.’”

Again and again, humanity shows its sinful nature and its tendency to reject God's rule. People create their own gods to follow, crafting belief systems that elevate self over the Creator. I’ve met many who were striving to "ascend," to overthrow the “matrix,” and to shed the limitations of their humanness.

They often say, “We were made in the likeness of God. It’s our birthright!”

But let’s take a closer look at what Scripture actually says:

Genesis 1:26-27:“Then God said, ‘Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.’ So God created mankind in His own image, in the image of God He created them; male and female He created them.”

Yes, we are unique among creation. We are made in God’s image to reflect His character and to steward the earth—but not to become gods ourselves.

Scripture teaches that we are invited to participate in the divine nature through grace (2 Peter 1:4), but that doesn’t mean we become equal to God. We are to be conformed to the image of Christ—reflecting His humility, His obedience, and His love—not seeking to become sovereign deities ourselves.

Let this be a warning: pursuing "sovereignty" apart from God is the same old lie from Eden, Babel, and beyond. The New Age may market itself as fresh and enlightening, but in reality, it’s just the ancient sin of pride repackaged yet again.

The Hope of the New Covenant

Throughout the Old Testament, we see a pattern: humanity falls into pride, idolatry, and rebellion—and God responds with judgment, discipline, and mercy. But the difference between then and now is profound.

In the New Testament, God doesn’t just respond to our sinful nature—He makes a way through it. He sent Jesus Christ, His Son, not to condemn the world but to save it (John 3:17). Jesus is the bridge between our brokenness and God's holiness. He became the perfect sacrifice to atone for sin, offering us a restored relationship with the Father.

God no longer scatters us in judgment—He gathers us through grace.

He no longer writes commandments only on stone—He writes them on our hearts.

He no longer dwells in a temple built by hands—He dwells within us through the Holy Spirit.

In Christ, we are not called to become gods—we are called to become children of God, reborn by grace, and conformed to the image of His Son (Romans 8:29). That’s the true path to spiritual transformation—not self-exaltation, but surrender.

🕊️Closing Prayer

Heavenly Father,

Thank You for the truth found in Your Word.

Thank You for revealing the patterns of pride and deception that have plagued humanity since the beginning.

Lord, open our eyes to the subtle ways we may be striving to exalt ourselves instead of exalting You.

Keep us grounded in humility and dependent on Your grace.

Help us to reflect the image of Christ—not by seeking power or sovereignty, but by walking in obedience, love, and truth.

Guard our hearts from deception and draw us ever closer to You.

May we be faithful stewards of Your creation and bold witnesses of Your glory in a world chasing its own towers.

In Jesus’ mighty name, Amen.