Speaking God’s Language of Fire: If It’s Not Love, It’s Just Babble

Last updated on: June 8, 2019 at 4:11 pm by Adam Ericksen

Speaking God’s Language of Fire: If It’s Not Love, It’s Just Babble 2019-06-08T16:11:24-05:00 Adam Ericksen

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Show

Show Notes

Introduction to Acts 2:1-21

The Disciples gathered together in a house. Jews from all around the known world came to Jerusalem to celebrate the Jewish festival of Shavuot. For those who spoke Greek, it was known as Pentecost. Shavuot celebrated the harvest, but also the day God gave the commandments to Moses.

In Acts, as the people were gathered, tongues of fire came upon the disciples and they started speaking the same language as the other Jews who were gathered with them. What could this mean?!?

The Reversal of Babel

In Genesis, we read of the tower of Babel. The people of the earth spoke one language. They came together to build a giant temple, one that would reach up to the heavens. But God didn’t like this idea, so God thwarted their plans and sent the people throughout the world and gave them different languages.

What was so upsetting to God?

From the work of Rene Girard, we know that temples in the ancient world were a place of human sacrifice. People had conflicts within their community. These conflicts threatened to turn violent and deadly. Over time, people stumbled upon a solution – sacrifice. Inner conflict that threatened the community was channeled against a single victim, the scapegoat, who was blamed for all the conflicts within the community. The scapegoat was sacrificed and a sense of temporary peace was formed.

We submit that the cooperation at the tower of Bable was based on this scapegoating principle. The people came together to form a temple where they would sacrifice their victims to God.

But God doesn’t want sacrifice. So God thwarted their plans and sent people scattering throughout the earth.

Acts Reverses Babel

Acts 2 reverses the Babel story. It brings people together from all around the world and unites them with the ability to understand the disciples. This understanding is not based on sacrificing a victim. Rather, it is bases on God’s desire that we might become “one flesh,” as God spoke through the prophet Joel.

Acts 2 is about the end of days. It’s the end of an era and the beginning of a new era. It’s the beginning of the era where we move away from the sacrifice of Babel and towards the Gospel of love and inclusion.

Previous Post

June 3, 2019

The Unity of All Things: How to Be One with Jesus, God, and All Humanity

Next Post

June 14, 2019 Finding Ourselves In The Infinite Dance of Love: Jesus Unmasked, Trinity Sunday

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Atonement and Current Events Curriculum Faith and Families Interviews Jesus the Forgiving Victim Lent Montessori politics Reviews The Bible Explained Uncategorized Valentine's Day Wednesday Sermon Who is God?

Select a Month July 2020 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 January 2014 December 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz