“As for you, be fruitful and increase in number; multiply on the earth and increase upon it.” (Genesis 9:7)

As Noah and his family emerged from the ark, they would have encountered a bleak and barren world. Like a pressure washer cleaning a dirty driveway, God had washed away all of mankind because it was only evil all the time. (Genesis 6:5) Only Noah and his family were saved, eight in all. And it was in these eight that the hope of all humanity rested. Therefore God commanded them to “…be fruitful and increase in number; multiply on the earth and increase upon it.”

Sadly just a few generations later, the people rejected this fundamental command. The Bible says, “As people moved eastward, they found a plain in Shinar and settled there…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; otherwise we will be scattered over the face of the whole earth.’” (Genesis 11:2, 4) Instead of multiplying throughout the world as God commanded, they decided to stay put as they desired. They wanted to make a name for themselves, rather than enduring the discomfort of having to be scattered throughout the world. Thus, the Tower of Babel.

As disciples, we believe that everything recorded in the Old Testament was a physical foreshadowing of everything that was to happen in New Testament times and beyond. (I Corinthians 10:11) Therefore, this Old Testament historical account of Noah and then Shinar is meant to be applied to us in a spiritual way. If so, how? Well the Bible equates the flood to baptism. It says, “In [the ark] only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also – not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God.” (I Peter 3:21-22)

From a spiritual perspective, the flood was not an instrument of destruction, but an instrument of salvation. Yes, the world was being destroyed. But at the same time, Noah and his family were being saved out of the world. Therefore the saving waters of the flood are symbolic of what baptism is for us. When we are baptized, we are being saved out of the world through the flood waters of baptism. This is not really a washing per se, but rather a participation in Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection. (Romans 6:3-8) So if the flood waters in Noah’s day represent the waters of baptism in our day, it should be obvious to conclude that God’s command to Noah and his family would also foreshadow and symbolize God’s command to His modern-day people after their baptism, right? Exactly! That is precisely what the “Great Commission” is.

When the people in Shinar set out to build a tower to make a name for themselves, God confused their language and scattered them. That is why it was called “Babel” – the Hebrew word for confused. Interestingly, this confusion of languages is seemingly reversed when God established His Kingdom on earth during Pentecost. Luke records, “Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own
language being spoken.” (Acts 2:5-6)

These two accounts, both Old Testament and New Testament, clearly display the following biblical principle: “If you are unfaithful, [God] will scatter you among the nations, but if you return to [God] and obey [His] commands, then even if [our] exiled people are at the farthest horizon, [God] will gather them from there and bring them to the place [He has] chosen as a dwelling for [His] Name.” (Nehemiah 1:8-9) In other words, if we do not obey God’s commands He will scatter us like He did with those who were building the Tower of Babel. However, if we return to Him with all of our hearts, He will gather us. But gather us to do what? To scatter! Why? Because ultimately God wants His people to “…be fruitful and increase in number; multiply on the earth and increase upon it.”

Like those who settled in Shinar, we live in a time where so many so-called “Christians” have rejected God’s command “multiply on the earth” for the sake of building small community churches or large mega churches. Some have achieved more success than others, but neither one of these two options is a fulfillment of God’s command. Jesus’ “Great Commission” was to “make disciples of all nations.” (Matthew 28:18) He did not want small community-based churches, nor did He want giant mega churches with celebrity preachers. He wanted there to be a global movement that would radically change the entire world!

At no other time is our conviction on embracing Jesus’ great commission tested like when we collect Special Missions. It would be easy to sit back and focus on just building a great community church (or tower if you prefer) in the city of Toronto. We could simply operate the Church on a budget based on what everyone feels comfortable giving, and not really push it any further. We wouldn’t have to hire additional staff, nor would we have to consider the moving costs of sending people to other places. Perhaps we could even build a mega church, and everyone in the city of Toronto would be blown away by our outstanding celebrity preacher (wink)!

Simply put, community churches, nor megachurches, are what God calls us to build! We are a part of a global movement, bent on evangelizing the entire world in our generation! And even if we weren’t, we believe we would have to start a movement to evangelize the world! Why? Because God said so! So as we take up our Special Missions today, please ask yourself if you are all about multiplying throughout the earth, or if you have decided to settle in Shinar. Let’s fill the earth! Let’s be fruitful and multiply! Let’s make disciples! And let’s bring glory to our God! (John 15:8)

Evan Bartholomew