The
best commentary on the Bible is the Bible itself. There is a unity to Scripture
that is not human based but is through the Holy Spirit.
The
Bible being God’s Word shows us how to deal with any issue or problem whether an
individual issue or an issue that affects all of society.
So,
let’s look at an issue that affects our nation and the whole world.
In
Genesis 11 we read about the Tower of Babel.
In
verse 1 we are told that the whole earth had one language.
In
verse 2 we are told that the people migrated to a plain in the land of Shinar
and settled there.
In
verses 3 and 4 they decided to build a city and a tower. The tower was to reach
to heaven and the city was to be built to make a name for themselves and so
they will not be dispersed.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is
acknowledging that we many times try to build ourselves up instead of building
God up.
In
Genesis 9:1 God tells Noah and his sons to be fruitful and multiply and fill
the earth.
In
Genesis 11 verses 5 and 6 God sees what the people are doing. He sees that they
have rejected God’s will and rebelled against it. God recognizes that because
of their unity nothing would be impossible for them.
The
people were choosing to do their will over doing God’s will.
Raise
the Roof and Remove the Walls is recognizing that we have the natural desire
to do our will and not God’s.
In
verse 7 God decides to confuse their language. God causes them to begin to speak
different languages.
In
verse 9 God disperses them in their new language groups across the earth. This
then created the different people groups that we have today.
The
question is why did God do this?
The
people chose to disobey God. God’s will was for the people to fill the earth.
The people’s will was to not be disperse over the earth but to stay united and
thus make a name for themselves. They also, by try to build a tower to heaven,
were attempting to make themselves equal to God.
God’s
will is going to be done. We can choose to obey and be a part of doing God’s
will or to reject God’s will and be in opposition to God.
Raise
the Roof and Remove the Walls is choosing to obey God and be a part of His
will.
So,
now because of humanity’s sin, different people groups come into being. That
meant that divisions were part of the fabric of human life. These divisions became
sinful because they led to racial and nationalistic bigotry. One people group
saw themselves and their culture to be superior. This superior attitude led to
abuses. These abuses led to wars, nations dominating other nations, slavery,
and genocide.
God
shows us how these divisions can be bridged.
In
Acts 2 the Holy Spirit comes to dwell in the lives of the followers of Jesus.
In
Acts 2:6 says, “And at this sound the multitude came together and they were
bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language.”
Notice
first what happened. People of different language groups and from different
cultures heard the gospel of Jesus in their own languages.
Second,
notice what did not happen. The people’s language did not change and their
cultures did not change.
Out
of this event three thousand people came to be followers of Jesus. These people
go back to their nations and the gospel begins to spread across the whole
world.
Race,
language, culture all tend to separate people.
The
gospel of Jesus unites people.
When
the gospel of Jesus unites people, it does not change their language or their
nationality or their race. The gospel of Jesus creates unity, not uniformity.
It is unity in diversity.
Raise
the Roof and Remove the Walls is being united by the gospel of Jesus but in
diversity, not uniformity.
When
the gospel of Jesus unites us, it makes our priority the kingdom of God. It
means we will seek first, above all and above everything, the kingdom of God
and His righteousness. It means people of all races, languages and cultures are
created by God and loved by Him. It means that followers of Jesus from all
races, languages, and cultures are our brothers and sisters.
We
are one in Jesus!
Together with All My
Brothers and Sisters
Raising the Roof and Removing
the Walls,
Joe
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