The noted minister Warren Wiersbe, in a Bible commentary recently, wrote that the confusion of tongues started at Babel was overturned at Pentacost. He did not elabourate, though. Leaving aside the historicity of the Babel story (I'm well aware that it's probably related to stories of Mesopotamian Ziggurats), I would like anybody's interpretation of the comment by Wiersbe.
Serious answers only, please.
2006-11-07 11:09:03 · 7 answers · asked by nacmanpriscasellers 4 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
I don't recall seeing references to different "races" in the story.
By the way, Shinar, referred to in verse two of Genesis 11, is equivalent to Sumer (modern Iraq), where the ziggurats were built. Also, Babel is a corruption of "Babylon". (The source for this is Matthew Henry's Bible Commentary, found in http://www.htmlbible.com/kjv30/B01C011.htm#N2.
2006-11-08 02:20:06 · update #1
He is accurate in what he says (understand I do not support or endorse him at all).
At Babel, tongues caused confusion & disunity.
At Pentacost (AKA Shavuout), tongues brought cohesion & unity.
An interesting side note here..."unity" is mentioned in both these passages. In Genesis, G-d Himself says that since man was in unity, NOTHING they tried to do would be impossible.
At Pentacost, the tongues brought the people into unity so they could hear the gospel in their own tongue. It also helped unify the Jews & Gentiles by the Jews seeing the Spirit of G-d poured out on the Gentiles.
Yet another point...whereas at Babel, they tried reaching to Heaven, at Pentacost, Heaven came down & visited earth by depositing the tongues of men & angels.
2006-11-07 11:17:24 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I have heard this interpretation by other commentators. The idea is that at Babel mankind was split apart by the sudden inability to communicate in a common language, and at Pentecost there was a sudden ability to speak other languages with a common religious theme.
However, this is quite an overstatement, given the fact human communication remains linguistically divided.
2006-11-07 19:27:52 · answer #2 · answered by davidscottwoodruff 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Not sure I can help, but I remember something about people of Babel started building a tower to reach heaven. God didn't want this so he confused their languages so they could not understand each other. This is where we get the different languages of the world. At Pentacost the Holy Spirit fell upon the worshipers and they began speaking a language not known to them, but they had understanding of it and could understand each other.
2006-11-07 19:19:40 · answer #3 · answered by jenjen 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm not sure that I agree that the confusion was ultimately "overturned", but the comment refers to the apostles being able to speak to multitudes of people in various languages so that all present understood what was being said.
2006-11-07 19:17:13 · answer #4 · answered by rutheo 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I know the confusion of tongues happened because people were working together in an evil way so God did his job to prevent more chaos.
2006-11-07 19:11:25 · answer #5 · answered by lightangellion 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
yeah its true-that's how some languages were created-not all of them because lots, are originated from others or some are variations of others. Like French and spanish are semi-similar
2006-11-07 19:11:59 · answer #6 · answered by maconheira 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The fact that I don't know what he said probably proves that it's not true.
2006-11-07 19:15:01 · answer #7 · answered by minnesousa 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋