Regional Synod of Canada - Reformed Church in America

Pioneer Christian Monthly

Date - June/76

Contributor - Peter J. Yff

Title - The Tower of Babel and the Tongues of Pentecost

Topic - Pentecost

In Holy Writ one encounters two intriguing accounts of happenings in communication. The first was done by God to man, the other accomplished by God for man. You will recall the account of the Tower of Babel, of course. Man, in his pride, sometime after the flood, had resolved to erect a tower, as a monument and a landmark. It would keep all people together. Not only would the tower reach out to the very heavens, but a city would be built around it. There was but one language in use, the Bible tells us. The purpose of all of this would be the glorification of man; its result would be the rejection of God.

The earth, so far as people were concerned, was in the process of rebuilding, or replenishing after the flood. God wanted people to disperse, to settle not just in one place, but to manage the earth everywhere. Babel's city and tower, if allowed to come to completion, would defeat this purpose of God. The Almighty did something about it. We read in Genesis 11: "Come, let us go down, and there confuse their language, that they may not understand one another's speech." (Gen. 11 :7)

God's plan succeeded. When people could no longer understand one another they scattered, and settlements sprang up everywhere as God had intended. The place was called Babel, because of the confusion of language.

Much later in time there is another account recorded. It tells us that on a given day in Jerusalem people gathered together because of a strange occurance. Thy heard a noise - like that of a mighty, rushing wind. Something seemed to be happening, and curious folk gathered round. The Book of Acts tells us from whence they came, and the record of places reads like a catalogue of countries and provinces in the Roman Empire. "We hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty work of God" (Acts 2: 11). This was the explanation given.

In the one instance: confusion, scattering. In the second: communication, understanding, drawing together. What made the difference? One could cite several things, but I would like to note first of all that on Pentecost understanding came about because people listened to the voice of God. Jerusalem was filled with folk who had come to seek God, to carry out a spiritual pilgrimage. They were, therefore, open and receptive.

Moreover, this folk were for God, not against Him, or careless of his will, or even existence. In the first account, at Babel, God was forced to scatter people. They got in, his way, as it were. Here, on Pentecost, He draws them together through his message, and the power of his Spirit working through the apostles.

There is confusion today in many minds as to what really happened on Pentecost. Did everybody hear the message in own native Hebrew, as some have suggested? Were the tongues of Pentecost the same thing as speaking in tongues? It would appear not. Pentecost's tongues, or languages, are described as native speech. "We hear them in our own language" is the sense of what the passage conveys to us. In contrast, what is given in speaking in tongues is not intelligible to another To an outsider it is so much gibberish, so much so that Paul insists the experience be not permitted in a public meeting unless interpretation is also available and provided.

For many, speaking in tongues resembles more the event of Babel than anything else. There may be an intense, personal experience for the one involved, but for others present no message gets through. Pentecost, on the other hand, communicated in people's own tongue the mighty works of God. Pentecost is communication; Pentecost is a prophecy of what would indeed happen: the gospel would come, would be written, would be received and read in every language of the earth.

More than this, Pentecost is also Power. Not only does he message get through, but the power of God comes with it: There is power to change, first of all. The miracle of conversion, the miracle of a new character, a new heart, a new life . . . all this coming about by the working of God's Spirit. Think of the change in Peter, as only one example. Instead of - fearful denial before a serving girl's question, ,you were with this Man, weren't you?" he now stands before thousands,, and boldly, effectively presents the promise and claim of Christ. In John there is as great a change. From one of the "sons of thunder,, (so nick-named by Jesus for the brothers' flashing temper) he becomes the apostle of love and gentleness. On and on the changes went, and they take place still. The power of God to change, and lift human lives is affirmed, and demonstrated, through Pentecost.

Moreover, Pentecost is the power of God to free human lives. Before Pentecost the disciples huddled together, prisoners of their own fears, not daring to venture out, let alone speak out. Now they boldly proclaim. Now they will be able to say when arrested, "Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God you must judge, for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard" (Acts 4 : 19). Courageous witness was given and the opponents could not prevent it. Civil disobedience for a Cause brought credit, not discredit, to the Christian message. Freed from fear, they continued to speak out.

As time went on, and the centuries passed, much of the church of Jesus Christ began to forget, or to ignore the Holy Spirit. The power of tradition seemed stronger than any other. As normally happens, a reaction set in, and an emphasis on the Holy Spirit and his work came to the fore. Much of it was good, some of it was excessive. As so often happens, the focus shifted too much in some cases, with distortion and confusion resulting. The emphasis of the New Testament's gospel of redemption is on Christ - the Holy Spirit makes him known, to be sure, but the emphasis is not on the Holy Spirit except as on the Enabler. God uses his Spirit to draw people, to redeem, to free, To equip his disciples to serve him.

Today it is our privilege to be used as instruments in getting out the gospel to people, everywhere. Our own denominational broadcast, WORDS OF HOPE, is an example. Hopefully, in the near future it will become much more available to listeners in Canada. Our General Program Council, in the Reformed Church, directs missionary activity around the globe. This activity is our mission, and needs our support by prayer and gift. Our churches - in fact, our people, each and every one, need to become, or become more effective channels for the gospel of God's redeeming grace in Christ.

Pentecost means that the gospel is communicated in our language that God reaches out to us where we are. His Spirit applies the message, and enables Christ's disciples to proclaim it. This is our privilege and responsibility today. May God grant that we do so with clarity and charity, not with confusion as at Babel. God has a message for you to proclaim: his story made personal in your life.

Pentecost is not just an event, t is a process, too.

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