Acts 2 - Babel Undone

Similarities and contrasts between Genesis 11 and Acts 2, which are denoted as "11" and "2" below.

11; "one language and one speech." (part of the idea here is they had one confession).

2: "one accord in one place."

11; "whole earth"

2; whole house"

11; "they dwelt there."

2; "house where they were sitting"... ""dwelling in Jerusalem"

11; "Come"

2; "came together"

11; "the LORD came down"

2; "came a sound from heaven" (Holy Spirit comes down).

11; "that they may not understand one another's speech"

2; "we hear, each in our own language"

11; "the LORD scattered them abroad from there over the face of all the earth."

2; "multitude [from every nation under heaven] came together,"

11; "there confuse their language" [they were scattered]

2; "and were confused" [they came together]

In essence then the baptism of the Holy Spirit described in Acts 2 undoes Babel, not by having the multitudes speak the same language, but by having the multitude hear in their own languages a single message of Truth, the wonderful works of God. The pouring out of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost is a microcosmic prophecy or foreshadow of the future progress of the gospel of Christ, both in the following chapters of Acts, and also in the subsequent coming age of Christ's Church. As God is Triune, so His people are diversely united. There is unity and diversity, there is one and many. Christian people are those who know, understand, and practice true multicultural diversity. Christian marriage between a man and a woman is unity and diversity (in contrast to same (non-diverse) sex perversions). The Christian family is made up of many individuals (diverse ones), as is the Church (many cultures with one common confession). This is another work of the Holy Spirit.

Ephesians 4: 1-6+; "I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, ENDEAVORING TO KEEP THE UNITY OF THE SPIRIT IN THE BOND OF PEACE. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. "

Then continuing on in verse 7 and following, we read about the diverse gifts of the Spirit given to us; "gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, ..."

Praise Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; one GOD forever and forever. Amen.

DR