Tower of Babel vs. Pentecost

Pastor Stephen is doing a fabulous sermon series called "You Will Be My Witnesses." {Check out my church's website here and our Vimeo here!}

Today was on Acts 2:1-13 (see below).

During the sermon, I was thinking about a comparison between Pentecost and the Tower of Babel. God used language in two completely different ways in these two events. In the first, God used language to spread the people apart and to prevent them from further communication. But in Pentecost, God gave the gift of language to bring people together. The apostles were able to speak to thousands of people in each person's native language. Pastor Stephen made the point that the multitudes weren't given the gift of ears. The apostles were MIRACULOUSLY able to speak the languages of all the people there- and they were "telling them in [their] own tongues the mighty works of God." It was an absolute miracle to be immediately given the knowledge of a language! God is so cool.

It is so sad, though, that a bunch of people just claimed that they were drunk. It was probably so surreal that, instead of believing in Jesus, they just discounted it as totally crazy. What a cool thing that would have been to experience!

Check out Acts 2:1-13 below!

Blessings to you,

Lily

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Acts 2:1-13

The Coming of the Holy Spirit

English Standard Version (ESV)

2 When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. ² And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. ³ And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. ⁴ And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.

⁵ Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. ⁶ And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. ⁷ And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? ⁸ And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? ⁹ Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, ¹⁰ Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, ¹¹ both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians—we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.” ¹² And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” ¹³ But others mocking said, “They are filled with new wine.”