Why do people speak different languages?

From Babel to Pentecost

 

Through tongues God confused and scattered, but using tongues He began to unite His church.

Babel

Now the whole earth had one language and the same words. 2 And as people migrated from the east, they found a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there. 3 And they said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks, and burn them thoroughly.” And they had brick for stone, and bitumen for mortar. 4 Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be dispersed over the face of the whole earth.” 5 And the Lord came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of man had built. 6 And the Lord said, “Behold, they are one people, and they have all one language, and this is only the beginning of what they will do. And nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them. 7 Come, let us go down and there confuse their language, so that they may not understand one another's speech.” 8 So the Lord dispersed them from there over the face of all the earth, and they left off building the city. 9 Therefore its name was called Babel, because there the Lord confused the language of all the earth. And from there the Lord dispersed them over the face of all the earth. Genesis 11:1-9

 

Pentecost

When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3 And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.

5 Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. 6 And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. 7 And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? 9 Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, 11 both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians—we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.” 12 And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” 13 But others mocking said, “They are filled with new wine.” 14 But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them: “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words. 15 For these people are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day. 16 But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel: 17 “‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; 18 even on my male servants and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy. 19 And I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke; 20 the sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the day of the Lord comes, the great and magnificent day. 21 And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.’ Acts 2:1-21

 

In Genesis 11 we read that God confused the language of those who arrogantly built the tower with its top in the heavens, and “dispersed them from there over the face of all the earth,” after they had said: “Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be dispersed over the face of the whole earth.” 

“Therefore its name was called Babel, because there the Lord confused the language of all the earth.

And from there the Lord dispersed them over the face of all the earth.”

         One language became many languages as those people who had tried to make a name for themselves, instead of calling on the name of the Lord, were dispersed in confusion over the face of all the earth.

But in Acts 2 we read that God poured out His Spirit enabling the apostles to speak in multiple languages heard by Jews from many different countries. Instead of making a name for themselves as in the case of Babel, those Galilean apostles on Pentecost in Jerusalem were “telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God,” and 3000 souls “called on the name of the Lord” in baptism, and were saved.

          Apostles of one language spoke in many languages as Jews from all over the face of the earth heard of the mighty works of God, called on the name of the Lord, and were united in salvation in the church.

 

So we see from Babel and Pentecost that God can use languages to bring about very different outcomes – confusion and scattering on the one hand, but salvation and unity on the other.

 

Why seek to make a name for yourself when the one with the name that is above every name (Philippians 2:9) will give you who overcome a white stone with a name written on the stone that only the overcomer can know? Revelation 2:17.

 

As Jesus said on another occasion: “Nevertheless, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” Luke 10:20

 

True Christians do not attempt to make a name for themselves, but Jesus in his grace has written in heaven the names of those who trust in His Name.