“Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it.” Genesis 1:28 NLT

MULTIPLY…this has always been our calling. God gave us this calling at the very start of humanity. He told Adam and Eve: “Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it.” (Genesis 1:28 NLT)

God repeated the calling again following the flood as he blessed Noah and his sons telling them: “Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth.” (Genesis 9:1 NLT)

But in Genesis 11 it’s as if the people rebelled against that calling and said, “We don’t want to multiply and fill the earth.”

In Genesis 11 the people said, “Come, let’s build a great city for ourselves with a tower that reaches into the sky. This will make us famous and keep us from being scattered all over the world.” Genesis 11:4–9 (NLT)

God intervened to make sure that multiplication would happen. He chose to confuse their languages and the Bible explains why God chose this response:
“…the city was called Babel, because…the Lord confused the people with different languages. In this way He scattered them all over the world.”

Following Jesus’ death and resurrection He places the calling on His disciples: “Go and multiply…make disciples of ALL PEOPLE…” (Matthew 28)

And fifty days following Jesus’ resurrection the disciples are all gathered in one place waiting for the gift Jesus promised. At the first Pentecost God again moves believers to multiply.

Languages were confused at the Tower of Babel making it impossible to communicate. But at Pentecost the Holy Spirit enabled ALL PEOPLE to hear the Gospel in their language.

That first Pentecost we see God Multiply:
…those saved with the addition of 3,000 believers repenting and being baptized.

That first Pentecost we see God Multiply:
…3,000 disciples who now carried the Gospel to others who spoke their same language.

That first Pentecost we see God Multiply:
…the reach of the Gospel from Jerusalem to Judea, to Samaria, and to the ends of the earth as 3,000 disciples would GO and make disciples of all people.

Pentecost reminds us this day that this isn’t just a historical event but a present and modern calling to all disciples who follow Jesus, are changed by Jesus, and by the strength of the Holy Spirit commit to the mission of Jesus.

What are you waiting for? Multiply! Make disciples who make disciples!

Prayer
Lord God, Your great plan was to seek and to save those who were lost. And that starts with us. You have saved us, You sought after us, and You have now called us to be a part of Your mission to make disciples who will then in turn, make disciples. So therefore, God, not only in our actions, but through our words, would You give us opportunities to walk alongside others and call them to see You, to repent of their sins, and to be saved by the forgiveness You won for them at the cross. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.