How Jesus Reversed the Babel Curse
The story of The Tower of Babel, found in Genesis chapter 11, describes a pivotal moment in human history. It's a picture of human pride and rebellion and how we are prone to think against God. It illustrates humanity's tendency to exalt itself and challenge divine authority. It's a picture of how we naturally long to be independent of God and instead want to be god. This desire for autonomy echoes the original sin in the Garden of Eden.
As humanity moved eastward, all speaking the same language, they understood that if they didn't have a common purpose, everyone would scatter. And so they decided to unite around a common purpose: "making a name for themselves." They would do this by building a city with a tower that would reach to the heavens.
As God saw what was happening, He decided to stop it. God confused their language, making it impossible for them to understand each other and continue their work. And so they scattered.
This event took place after Noah and the Genesis flood when humanity had descended into rampant evil. In Genesis 6:13 we read God saying to Noah, "I have decided that all living creatures must die, for the earth is filled with violence because of them." And now again humanity was deep in sin and in the throws of self-exaltation.
But thankfully, there is another story. A story found in the first 2 chapters of the book of Acts. This story shows us how Jesus puts the curse of Babel in reverse. It took place about 2300 years later just after Jesus' death and resurrection and his ascension to the Father.
Thousands of people, from different locations and languages, came together for the Feast of Weeks festival. And this is where the Babel curse is reversed. Christians now call this event Pentecost.
As they were all together the Holy Spirit came down and everyone, no matter where they were from, could understand the gospel in their own language. And thousands believed.
So now, instead of one group with one language being scattered, we see different peoples with different languages being unified under Jesus. Where Babel showed us people trying to stay together and make a name for themselves, Pentecost shows a scattered people coming together to worship Jesus.
Where Babel showed us pride, Pentecost shows us the finding of something much greater than self – Jesus.
Where Babel ended in division because sin would only increase, Pentecost creates a Christ-exalting unity that moves toward the spread of God's love with no divisions.
The Apostle Paul articulates this new reality in Galatians 3:28, declaring that in Christ, traditional divisions between Jew and Greek, slave and free, male and female are now gone. In fact, the book of Revelation envisions a future where people "from every tribe and language and people and nation" (that's Revelation 5:9) come together in worship.
Even though the Babel story happened over 4,000 years ago, the inclinations of humanity have not changed. The core focus of life can easily be self.
The Tower of Babel shows us just how much we need Jesus to rescue us from the sin that moves us away from God rather than toward God. Pentecost shows us the power of the gospel to change that.
Jesus, you are the One who changes the hopeless condition. Your death for us does away with our sin and moves our eyes on to you. I’m sorry for my tendency to drift away from the good news of your love and think I might find some purpose in self. Thank you for always working to bring me back. Please wake me up to the reality of your love.
As we end this, let’s look at Romans 12:4-5 (this is my paraphrase):
“Even though we are very different and have different roles, we are one in the body of Christ, and members of one another.”
Song: Together