The Tower of Babel

Language confused; people scattered. But we are united to God.

In Genesis 11, we learned that there was one language and one speech since God created the earth until the city and the Tower of Babel were built. God confused people’s language so that they might not understand one another’s speech, and scattered them abroad over the face of all the earth.

God wants humans to multiply and spread all over the earth. Seeing what people began to do when they were in one language, one speech – gathering together and exercising the collective force to build a city and a tower – it’s no harm to have the same proposal being carried out in other areas. God drove people away from the comfort zone with HIS wondrous work, diverting the collective forces to more constructive uses, exploring rather than focusing and limiting at one spot on earth.

Confusing language brings forth separation that is essential for the human development because cities can be built all over the world. People prosper at their own place. This begets many collective forces that are big enough to build cities and generate prosperity, but restraining one another at the same time. The fall of one city or even one kingdom will not extinct the whole humanity.

People can choose a better and safer living place for their family by moving from one place to another, either temporary or permanent. Humans won’t have to subject to one type of society building and development, one monotonous reign as this will be extraordinary dangerous if it becomes a tyrant one.

Can there be peace even we are in different languages and don’t understand others’ speeches? Peace is possible if we all believe in the only living God and obey HIM. His word is the universal language that links us together, leads us to do good, loving our neighbors and hence, we can be fruitful in our place and live peaceably with people in every corner of the world.

Let’s pray to God:

Our almighty LORD, language confusion is another wondrous work You have performed. We praise You for helping humans multiply on the earth. With Your circumspect plan, people all over the world prosper in their own entities instead of becoming one single entity which will be too risky if anything goes wrong. God, please help more people understand Your word, believe in You, and do good accordingly. The goodness will unite us and bring peace to the whole world. Amen.