From Every Tribe and Language
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As we move forward in Genesis, and leave behind the accounts of the flood - God "resetting" the earth and mankind - the reader might think,
"Surely things will be better moving forward!"
But while there has been this "reset," sin is still present. Rearing its ugly head.
We're generations now from Noah, and the earth is once again being re-populated through the sons of Noah - Shem, Ham, and Japheth (Genesis 10).
And then in Genesis 11, this "reset" humanity, in their godless pride, decide to band together to build "a city and a tower with its top in the heavens" (11:3-4).
At first blush, maybe this seems harmless. This "reset" humanity is simply taking an interest in proper civil engineering.
But the verse goes on to tell us their motive:
"And let us make a name for ourselves."
From the beginning, God had created mankind to ultimately find joy and fulfillment in making much of HIS name.
But instead - the name - the glory, the renown - of God has been replaced with man's. The Creator's name replaced with the creation's.
How does God respond? In judgment, God brings confusion, and then, dispersal (11:7-9).
He confuses the languages of the people - so they can no longer understand each other, let alone work together.
And then from their city and their tower - now known as "Babel" (because of their babbling) - God disperses them "over the face of all the earth."
For this "reset" humanity, their pride and their sin have led to confusion, dispersal, and disunity.
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And no doubt, the effects of Babel are alive and well to this day. The earth is full of hundreds of different cultures, and thousands of different languages. It is estimated that there are over 7,000 languages on earth (!), let alone tens of thousands of different dialects.
But even within a culture and a language, there can still be a lack of unity, and great conflict. Umm, just look around you in America today!!
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But we can take hope in the fact that, where sin leads to disunity, Jesus can and will bring unity.
We can take hope in looking at "the back of the book" - the book of Revelation.
In Revelation 7, we're given a vision of the throne of God, and around the throne there is "a great multitude that no one could number" (7:9) - with a loud voice worshipping God. and Jesus the Lamb.
And notice - this multitude is "from all tribes and peoples and languages."
You see, one day, Babel will be undone.
Not undone in that all of mankind's languages and distinctions will be erased. But that, in spite of all the distinction, there will be unity through the Lamb. The Lamb who was slain for this people.
A couple chapters earlier (5:9) we hear another song being sung to the Lamb,
"Worthy are you to take the scroll
and to open its seals,
for you were slain,
and by your blood you ransomed people for God
from every tribe and language and people and nation..."
The Lamb was slain, and shed His blood, so that from every tribe, language, people, and nation - ONE ransomed people of God would be formed to worship Him forever and ever.
One day, Babel will be undone.
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Brothers and sisters, we look forward to this day with great hope! Especially when we live in days of constant conflict, disunity, and hate.
Our ultimate hope is this scene we see in Revelation. And we won't experience true, full unity until then.
But - as people who have been ransomed by the Lamb who was slain, what an opportunity we have to be ambassadors in the here and now!
Ambassadors for unity, for love, and for the good news that all who repent and believe the good news of Jesus will join us in worship on that day.
- Joe