As I See It…

Word archaeologists…that’s what linguists are called who study ancient languages that are either dead or soon will become so.

I find the phrase interesting. I suppose it’s because I am an amateur linguist and have amateur status in the field of biblical archaeology as well. But why would anyone go to the trouble of studying ancient, almost dead, languages? I don’t know the answer to that question, but I am fascinated with the biblical ramifications of the word archaeology. Here’s why: the biblical language of Hebrew was kept alive for almost 2,000 years before it was resurrected in the form of modern Ivri..Modern Hebrew.

Though we have had the biblical version of Hebrew on an almost continual basis to study during those 2,000 years, when the new nation of Israel was founded about 1946/47 with Jews from all over the world, it was determined that they should have just one tongue. In the providence of God, a fellow by the name of Eliezer Ben-Yehuda re-invented the Hebrew language (a combination of ancient and modern Hebrew). Though his foundational work was done by him and a committee almost a half-century before the nation was officially established, his/their work became the adopted language of Eretz Israel (the Land of Israel). Who, but God, would keep an ancient language alive for 2,000 years so that it would be available for his people to help jump start a modern nation?

Again the question could be asked: why would God do something like this? Here are a couple of reasons. First, God didn’t want them to speak a corrupt language when he first brought them back to Israel out of captivity (Nehemiah 13:23, 24). Second, God considered just about any other language as foreign when he referenced Israel’s sojourn in other countries (Psalm 91:5; 114:1).

Which brings me to my final question: considering that the occupants of heaven will be from every tongue and nation, which language will we all speak when we get to glory? Please don’t lose any sleep over it…I’m sure the Lord has it all worked out!

Pastor Megilligan