The Language Switch

Now the whole world had one language and a common speech. Genesis 11:1

Oh, the bliss of this thought. When we moved to Brazil in January of 1997 and began our language acquisition, I prayed for the gift of tongues. My rationale was that, since God had called us to serve him in Brazil, he could surely give us the language gift.

Now, this might seem like a funny request for a Baptist to be making. However, I was desperate! Trying to undo what God had done so long ago seemed like an impossible task. I even went so far as to ask my Portuguese teacher if I had to use all of the little words that lay scattered among the more prominent words on the pages of our language textbook. She said "yes" with a sly smile.

In Genesis 11, Moses recounts something that changed history and was the consequence of man’s stubborn heart. God had just destroyed the entire human population for their wicked and irreparable way of life. Now, just a short time after Noah died, they were back at it again. God had told them to spread out and populate the earth. They wanted to build a tower that would give them a reference point so that they wouldn't be too far from one another.

God put a stop to their nonsense and flipped the language switch. Search the chapter as you might. You will not find what he did. It's not there. God, being God, simply confused the languages so that men couldn't work together on their projects.

If you have ever been on a missionary trip to a country where English is not the official language, you will remember how frustrating it is to try and talk to the people. You stand there looking into the eyes of a person wanting to know all about you, and they stand there looking at you. And the conversation dies before it starts.

How wonderful it will be to be in God's presence where we will all talk that heavenly language (English) again! JK

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