Bible Babble and Babel in the Bible are not the same. Babel in the Bible refers to the confusion of tongues. Bible Babble refers to our confusion about tongues. “Therefore if the whole church assembles together and all speak in tongues, and uninformed men or unbelievers enter, will they not say that you are mad, out of your mind?” –1 Corinthians 14:23. Yes, of course, they will; and they do, and so do I.
Sit and listen to 10 different news broadcasts simultaneously. When your wife asks, “Did you listen to the news?” You reply, “Yes.” She says, “What’s happening?” You say, “I don’t know, but the Spirit was moving.” That’s Bible Babble. It is profitless foolishness. Jesus warned us about “praying” like that.
“When you pray, do not babble repetitiously like the heathen do. They think that they will be heard for their many words” –Mathew 6:7. They won’t. In Accra, a woman gave prayer points in English and then “prayed” O shulio baba. O shulio baba. In Abuja, the GO shouted prayer points understandably and then burst out with Sum rabosk, sum rabosk. In Makurdi, when 400 of us were to pray, a woman “prophetess” behind me tweeted bird-like Breet, breet. All of these went on for 30 minutes. Bible Babble.
By babbling, you never know if your prayers are answered, because you never know what was said; that’s dumb, no “Amen” to that. When you gather, speak intelligibly with understanding, for building up and conviction, not to make noise. “I’d rather speak 5 words with my mind so that I may instruct others also rather than 10,000 words in a tongue” –1 Corinthians 14:19. That was Paul. “Jesus died for your sins” is 5 words. “Shunta rabuska debandalo conta masako” times 2,000 is Bible Babble.
“If someone speaks in a tongue, it should be two, or at the most three, one after the other, and someone must interpret. But if there is no interpreter, he must keep silent in the church” –1 Corinthians 14:27,28. So here’s the rules: [1] 2 or at most 3 [2] each in turn [3] interpretation is mandatory [4] no interpreter? Just shut up. Simple. That’s biblical but not babblical. Why don’t we do that? Good question.
Let’s get this straight: Bible Babble is a sign of insanity, not of spirituality. Who spoke in tongues more than any church? Corinth. Who were carnal more than most? Corinth. Do the math.
“And I, brethren could not speak to you as spiritual people but as to carnal, as to infants in Christ. For you are still carnal” –1 Corinthians 3:1,3. Here are unspiritual Corinthians speaking in tongues while being carnal; Bible Babble is no sign that you are baptized or filled with the Holy Spirit. Let that sink in.
Babbling in “tongues” builds up no one, including yourself. Tongues are not for self-edification; no spiritual gifts are. The gift of giving is not meant for self-enrichment. Teaching is not to instruct oneself. Healing is not imparted for curing self. Tongues are not for self-edification as 1 Corinthians 14:4 tells us.
“The one who speaks in a tongue edifies himself; but one who prophesies edifies the church.” Self-edification is carnal; church edification is spiritual – that’s the point. This verse is a rebuke to Corinthian carnality, not an applauding of self-improvement. All things in the church are to be for mutual edification, encouragement, and instruction. How many times does the Spirit of God need to say this? Well, He did at least 8 times in this one chapter, verses 3,4,5,12,17,19,26,31. How long till we get the point?
How long till we acknowledge and practice building up one another in love? Gatherings are for giving to others, not gaining for self: to build up and bless, not for spiritual display and personal gain.
“If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a sounding brass and clanging cymbal” –1 Corinthians 13:1. “Unless you speak intelligible words with the tongue easy to understand, how will anyone know what you are saying? You will be speaking into the air!” –1 Corinthians 14:9. “You may be giving thanks well enough, but the other person is not edified” –1 Corinthians 14:17. “Let all things be done for edification” –1 Corinthians 14:26.
No understanding = no edification. No edification = no love. No love = carnality. Just be quiet. You are a useless accosting obnoxious noise without love. What then shall we do? For we’re in a mess alright.
Simple. “Pursue love, yet desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy” –1 Corinthians 14:1. And what is prophecy? “He who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men” –1 Corinthians 14:3. And who can speak? “You can all prophesy one by one, that all can learn and all be exhorted” –1 Corinthians 14:31. And what shall the rest do? “Let the others pass judgment” –1 Corinthians 14:29. Simple. That is Bible Blessing, not Bible Babble.