Beginning of Languages
The Tower of Babel
Bible History of the beginning of languages is in Genesis 11:1-9.
Genesis 11:1-4: Now the whole earth had one language and one speech. And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar, and they dwelt there. Then they said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks and bake them thoroughly.” They had brick for stone, and they had asphalt for mortar. And they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top is in the heavens; let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth.”
Genesis 11:5-9: But the LORD came down to see the city and the tower which the sons of men had built. And the LORD said, “Indeed the people are one and they all have one language, and this is what they begin to do; now nothing that they propose to do will be withheld from them. Come, let Us go down and there confuse their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech.” So the LORD scattered them abroad from there over the face of all the earth, and they ceased building the city. Therefore its name is called Babel, because there the LORD confused the language of all the earth; and from there the LORD scattered them abroad over the face of all the earth.
Historical events: the descendants of Noah who were the only survivers of the world wide Genesis Flood lived in the area of Mesopotamia in Babylon. They settled in a land named Shinar. The population was growing, and they all spoke one language. The people decided to build a tall, proud symbol of how great they had made their nation. They wanted a tower that would "reach to the heavens" so they could be like God and would not submit to Him. They wanted to make a name for themselves. “Then they said, ‘Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered over the face of the whole earth” Genesis 11:4. The tower was to reach heaven to survive another world flood.
When God confused their language, the building of the city and Tower would have stopped when the confusion of tongues took place and the people were scattered. The population that remained would increase again, the cities continued to grow and it came to be known as Babylon the greatest city in the then-known world. The condition of the Tower became ruinous although, some energetic Babylonian king would try to restore it. Alexander and Philip of Macedon began clearing away the rubbish to rebuild the Tower but the Tower remained unrepaired. Although the tower was exceedingly tall a third part of it sank into the ground, a second third was burned down, and the remaining third was standing until the time of the destruction of Babylon.
Just as the people of Babel believed their own efforts will help them reach “the heavens,” the Bible is clear that the only way to reach God is through the Lord Jesus Christ. Our reliance on Christ for our salvation and the building of His Church is essential. John 14:6-Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No man comes to the Father except through me.