In the Old Testament, after Noah's family disembarked the ark and began repopulating the earth, some of the people began to discuss the problems they had with God. They didn't like the fact that when their ancestors misbehaves too much, a flood was used to remove the ones who were not obedient. They decided to make a tower so tall, no flood could reach it!

Gen 11:

6 And the Lord said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do.

7 Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech.

8 So the Lord scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city.

The solution, change their language so they would be unable to communicate, thus preventing them from getting into so much trouble. Those who spake the same languages packed up and moved to new lands, becoming a new people.

Over the centuries, these people began to travel, re-meet, build relationships, and trade goods. They learned enough of the other persons language to get by, but their mother tongue was always a welcome sound.

One of the gifts of the spirit is the gift of tongues. It allows the teaching of the gospel from one language and people to another. It is a great blessing to the speaker and the listener. But there must be a righteous purpose for the giving of the gift.

When I was a young man, only nineteen, I was sent to teach the people in Thailand of Jesus Christ, in their own language. This was a very humbling experience. I worked night and day, arising at 4:30 am and studying three hours till breakfast. I did this day after day with little improvement. I spent at least one of those hours on my knees in prayer. But the Thai tongue was as mysterious to me as ever. In tears, I would pray for help, promising to teach the gospel to others every waking hour I was in the country.

Then one day, as I sat listening to others speak Thai, I began to understand them. What is more, I made an intelligent response. This breakthrough gave me the confidence I needed. By the time I was in the country six months, I was talking like I had been doing it for years. When I was there a year, many asked if I had been born in Thailand. I gave all credit to the Lord and the gift of tongues.

I Cor 14:

2 For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries.

3 But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort.

4 He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church.

My object was to teach, and my pride was swallowed in service to others, giving them the gift of the gospel in their own tongue. I was not trying to edify myself. There was no applause or praise from family or friends. Only the appreciation of the Thai people, for they were allowed to discuss the gospel in their own language, not mine.

After the resurrection, Christ spent forty days with the apostles. Then He ascended into heaven. The fiftieth day completes a week of weeks, (7x7=49). In Greek, fiftieth is called Pentecost. On the day of Pentecost, the followers of Christ all met together in humble worship.

Acts 2:

4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

5 And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.

6 Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language.

7 And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans?

8 And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?

This great manifestation of the spirit gave worthy attenders prophetic utterances in various foreign languages. This was not for the purpose of glorifying individuals, but rather to the convincing of nonbelievers that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. This is the purpose of the gift of tongues. God changed man's languages to separate us and disperse us throughout the world. The gift of tongues is intended to help unite us in the gospel.

My two years in Thailand taught me much about mankind. There is no real difference between a person in Asia and a person in North America. My time in Germany confirmed the same. We are all one people, living with different languages, governments, traditions, and religious beliefs. These differences are the barriers that stop us from uniting. When they are removed, we find that we are just as much brothers and sisters as those whom we grew up with.

The gift of tongues is a blessing from God. It brings His children back to be as one. It reunites us as we come together to learn of Him. It is a healing salve that replaces fear with trust, confusion with understanding, hate with brotherly love.