There are more than five thousand languages spoken across the face of the earth. If one believes the Bible, all these languages could be traced back to a time when the people of the world spoke one tongue as told in the primeval Old Testament story of Babel (Genesis 11:1-9).[pullquote4 align=”right” style=”width:300px;”]The Language of God – (From a message by Dr. Mark Rutland)
Sages ask, “What language did the Lord speak
Greek, Aramaic or some other unknown to man?”
When alas, it was the language of love ever meek,
One that all the world would seek to understand!
The presence of His ageless voice be blest
To ring in the sinner’s heart loud and clear,
The song since eternity sung from His breast,
Bethany’s anthem brings to all good cheer.
A shelter from the winds and storms of life
Bringing hope with one sweet word from his lips;
Which cleanses us from sin and inner strife,
On the myrrh of grace found at Calvary’s eclipse.
[/pullquote4]According to the Bible, the people of Babylon started to build a tower reaching up to heaven. Their selfish ambition so offended God that he shattered the unity of their language, creating a confusion of incomprehensible tongues which spread far and wide as those people groups were dispersed to other parts of the world.
Sages ask, “What language did the Lord speak
Greek, Aramaic or some other unknown to man?”
When alas, it was the language of love ever meek,
One that all the world would seek to understand!
The presence of His ageless voice be blest
To ring in the sinner’s heart loud and clear,
The song since eternity sung from His breast,
Bethany’s anthem brings to all good cheer.
A shelter from the winds and storms of life
Bringing hope with one sweet word from his lips;
Which cleanses us from sin and inner strife,
On the myrrh of grace found at Calvary’s eclipse.
[/pullquote4]According to the Bible, the people of Babylon started to build a tower reaching up to heaven. Their selfish ambition so offended God that he shattered the unity of their language, creating a confusion of incomprehensible tongues which spread far and wide as those people groups were dispersed to other parts of the world.
Countless generations had passed from the days of the Tower of Babel to the time of Christ. Jesus the Messiah spoke in the Galilean dialect of the Ancient Aramaic language. This is the language in which the disciples and the apostles preached the Gospel and the scribes recorded the Scriptures. Jesus often used parables as a means of illustrating profound divine truths. Parables required more explanation, and at one point in His ministry, Jesus taught using only parables, but they were often difficult to understand. Jesus didn’t speak just one language but was multilin¬gual. We know for certain that He spoke in the language of love.
Jesus was the chief proponent of unconditional love and acceptance which is something we all need. Conditional love means you must earn someone’s love, affection and kindness by pleasing them. Agape love is the type of love that Jesus taught His disciples. It is a love freely given without expecting anything in return.
Christ’ death on the cross was the crowning glory of the language of love, universally heard by all who would come to know Him and follow His voice. While we know He spoke Aramaic and quite possibly Hebrew, his language was one of the heart – a language He revealed in the caring, nurturing and loving of others. As His followers, we all need to be fluent in the vibrant language of love and willing to touch those around us in a manner that can help heal a wounded soul.
Christ’ death on the cross was the crowning glory of the language of love, universally heard by all who would come to know Him and follow His voice. While we know He spoke Aramaic and quite possibly Hebrew, his language was one of the heart – a language He revealed in the caring, nurturing and loving of others. As His followers, we all need to be fluent in the vibrant language of love and willing to touch those around us in a manner that can help heal a wounded soul.
John 10:27 — My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.
Christ’s words, when observed in our daily lives, bring peace and hope, even to those around us.