March 10 I Saturday

Deuteronomy 10-12

Mark 12:1-27

“When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place…. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.” —Acts 2:1,4

The Tower of Babel was an extremely divisive moment for humanity. When God saw the Babylonian settlers building this tower, He said, “Behold, they are one people, and they all have the same language. And this is what they began to do, and now nothing which they purpose to do will be impossible for them” (Genesis 11:6 NASB). It had only been a few generations since the flood. God had tried cleaning up the mess of sinful humanity, but it was now clear that people would continue to pursue their own plans, no matter the consequences.

God gave the people over to their sinful desires, but during the building of the tower, He complicated their plans by confusing their language. Everyone started babbling in different languages and could not understand one another. God then scattered them across the earth, putting a halt to any attempt at establishing themselves through worship.

Fast forward to Acts, chapter 2, and we see a reversal take place. Jews from all over the known world had come to Jerusalem for the Feast of Pentecost.  Ten days after the ascension of Jesus, His disciples were gathered together in the same place when the Holy Spirit suddenly came upon them in power. Acts 2:3 says, “They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. “ What had been a time of worship turned into an astounding work of God. The disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit and began talking in other languages as the Spirit enabled them. Thousands heard the Gospel in their native tongue and 3,000 new converts were added that day.

The acts of worship of Babel and Pentecost both resulted in an explosion of languages, but this is where the similarities end. Where Babel brought confusion, Pentecost brought truth and clarity. Babel was the result of sinful humanity following its own way, but Pentecost introduced Jesus to the world as the solution to fallen humanity. The scattering after Babel separated the people, but Pentecost brought them together so they could go back to their homelands with the Gospel of Jesus Christ on their tongues.

Pentecost was God’s timing to restore to humanity His Spirit that was lost in the Garden of Eden. By His work on the cross, Jesus Christ was the only one qualified who could ascend to heaven to bring about reconciliation of mankind to God. Humanity had tried to establish its own ways and often still does, but Pentecost united God’s people under one Spirit and one plan, God’s own, making it possible for us to experience what God had always intended—His life living within us.

Prayer: Lord God, Your plan for reconciliation is truly remarkable. Thank You for sending Your Son to live in me and for the tools to communicate Your truth to others. In Jesus’s name.