Educational Futurists and Globalization Part 1

We hope to inspire, instruct and challenge you this year as educators whether you are teaching from home or a campus. Our goal is to equip anyone devoted to discipleship-based-Christian education. I also want to remind you that while supplies last we will send you a free copies of my book, Disciplining this Generation for a Digital World, to anyone that sends us an email. I will have the details at the end of the podcast.

We have been exploring the idea that every educator needs to be a futurist because we are shaping minds for the future. Today I am podcasting from Moscow and am broadcasting worldwide. I am in your ears at this very moment while I am literally 11 time zones away. If I were to say this just 30 or 40 years ago you would brand me as a science fiction writer. The incredible invention of the computer and the internet has launched us into a worldwide communication revolution. This in turn has made our world flat as journalist Thomas Friedman has popularized. This means that everything if equalizing and flattening out. We are in a world that coming together and the old boundaries of distance and communication are gone. As you have heard me say before, many times the answers to the future are found in the past. The phenomenon of Globalization is no exception. Our world went through a time of Globalization that brought the judgment of God upon us and these events were recorded in scripture. In my book, Discipling this Generation for a Digital World I took the liberty of writing a fictional account of this first globalization movement. We can see many similarities to what is happening today.

I apologize for the length of today’s podcast but I wanted to include both the story and my explanations. Here is the excerpt from the audio version of my book:

  Globalization

The world is so empty if one thinks only of mountains, rivers and cities; but to know someone here and there who thinks and feels with us, and though distant, is close to us in spirit - this makes the earth for us an inhabited garden”

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

               “Settling in the plush and beautiful plains of Shinar seems to be our destiny” argued Joktan. “Why follow the ramblings of an old man? Why endure the hardship of traveling enormous distances only to work the rest of our days trying to subdue some harsh environment, or worse, see our children starve to death because the barren earth won’t give us fruit?”

“God decreed to our great father and his sons that we are to fill the earth,” debated his brother Peleg.

“Perhaps our great father is too stubborn because of his old age,” immediately replied Joktan.

Peleg’s response was just as quick “Or perhaps he still fears the God who chose him to survive the great washing away.”

“And didn’t God also spare our great grandfather, Shem? He didn’t argue with the plan, he thinks we should be part of the grand coming together?” responded Joktan.

In fact Shem did not oppose the “coming together.” He would listen to his father’s objections but wasn’t convinced that his was the voice to follow. They had forged out into the new earth almost one hundred years ago just after the great flood but had found nothing but bleak devastation. Hardship awaited them in every region where they had wandered. Shem was right to allow his son, Japheth to take the lead of the clan and bring them to Shinar. He would not let the debate go any further. It was Japheth’s decision and Peleg would have to follow his leadership.

The clan of Japheth was the last clan in the entire world to make this trek eastward. When the caravan came to the top of the last hill, the multitude of men, wives and children stopped and gazed in amazement. Only Shem had seen a city made of brick before but nothing that even closely resembled what they were beholding.

The buildings stretched dozens of square miles before them. On the south side of the city rose a great plume of smoke where many brick smelters cooked the blocks into stones. All of the known ways to build did not include what they saw. The slime and pitch from the swamps to the south mixed with mortar from the mountains to the north created a rock-hard substance that rose before them as the new city.

Japheth’s clan was the last to do what all the clans of the earth had being doing for the last decade, committing their effort and family to the vision of the new leader of the earth. They had come to Babel.

The evening after they arrived, a great feast was called in their honor at the center of the city. Babel was built in a ring around a small but gradual rise. This center region was left void of buildings and at the top of the hill that evening, all the peoples of the world finally met together as one great family. It had been over one hundred years of nomadic wandering since they had been together. And now, with all three of the sons of Noah present, the vision had come to pass.

The tall, muscular Nimrod was the last to stride up the gradual slope with his entourage of armed men. His reputation had traveled far and wide for decades among the earth. Whenever news came to the nomads from their distant cousins, it always included tales of the mighty Nimrod. Many late nights were spent around the fires telling the adventures of “the greatest of all hunters before the eyes of God.” The messengers would tell how before Nimrod had reached manhood, he saved the clan of Cush from starvation. Cush’s clan had wandered too far into the eastern mountains and was trapped by the winter snows only to run out of food. Nimrod had single-handedly hunted and killed a wild and monstrous, hairy beast, bringing it down with both his bow and spear. It had provided food for the entire winter to the tables of the starving families.

His reputation distinguished him as more than just the greatest hunter of the earth. In the years to follow, all the clans had selected and sent at least one of their strongest young men to train under Nimrod. They would return to their families with more than new skills to hunt. They would return as disciples of this charismatic leader. They would bring Nimrod’s new vision for humanity. His plan was to end the wanderings of the scattered people to work together as one family and build a people, a culture and a city that even God would not be able to stop.

Even Peleg seemed to be swept away with Nimrod’s compelling vision delivered in his speech that night. The great leader called for all the peoples of the earth to lay aside their claims to various regions. He called for all differences to be settled. His words were full of passion, desire and direction. They were sure words, full of command and vision, something which all the clans seemed to lack. Peleg remembered feeling this way once before when he had heard the great patriarch, Noah speak to his clan, though the message had been very different. Noah had commanded them to go into all the earth, to rebuild and replenish the wastelands. Noah had spoken with as much passion that a man of his ancient years could muster. If only he were here now, perhaps Peleg would not be as swept away with this new vision for mankind.

Nimrod’s preaching to this global gathering was full of fire and great oratory. Truly he had become so much more than a “great hunter.” He had become mankind’s great leader. His speech ended with a stunning call to action.

“The great sons of Noah, our fathers,” he exclaimed, “have brought us all together to this great vision. Years ago in our wanderings we came upon the clan of Sidon, son of Canaan. They had discovered one of the old world arts of making brick and begun to build homes. Using this new method had caused others to fear the wrath of God and so they had been banished from the other clans. They had separated from their cousins out of fear for their lives. Nevertheless, this new technology created a safe place from the elements. Their way of life changed and their families prospered. We have improved upon their technology by adding special ingredients from this region.” Nimrod’s voice began to rise. “Now we can build a great city in this place of prosperity. We can create a place for all of mankind to dwell together under one vision and one voice.” His face flushed red with passion. “What of the God of Noah? What of His call to scatter? What of the danger of judgment? We will make a place for ourselves in His Temple in Heaven. We will build a tower that will reach into His Heaven; a tower so strong, made with our new technology, which He cannot tear down with wind or storm; a tower so tall that He cannot cover it with the waters as in the time of old. And then He will love us and He will give us a name – we will be the children of God – we will be his people again.” Everyone was standing now, even the elders, waiting for the next words of Nimrod, all waiting for this new vision that would transform their existence. “We will build it here on this very spot!”

The multitude exploded in exultant cheers. In unison the whole earth chanted, “He will give us a name! He will give us a name! He will give us a name...”

As those around him were caught up in the frenzy, Peleg knew what he had to do. The next day he gathered his wife and small children and left the plush plains of Shinar. He refused to blaspheme the God of Noah. He would not be a part of this abomination. No one else joined him.

Decades of collaboration, communication and work transforming this new technology yielded the most astonishing structure. The city and tower continued to be the unifying force for humanity. Joktan’s sons had been small children when they first arrived; now they were the new generation of foremen shaping new methods and techniques that enabled them to build a stronger city and a higher tower. They grew up as city dwellers and city builders. Thanks to the mighty Nimrod, their families had a much safer, easier life. This new generation of youth developed many new technologies for efficient communication, transportation and growth as the city and the people of the earth stretched out.  At the center of it was the great tower. It spiraled high into the skies of Shinar, competing with the distant mountains for the skyline view. Surely God and his messengers would take note.

God and his messengers did take note! It began with a long-forgotten voice. In a cart driven by Peleg, who had not been in Babel for over two decades, a very old man was brought into the city. Rue, Peleg’s son steadied the old man as the cart jostled through the streets. As they entered the city, this ancient preacher began to stir as in the days before the flood. The great father, Noah, had come to Babel to speak the Word of God to his children.

They drove directly to the large, central home of Nimrod. Out of respect for his great-grandfather, Nimrod allowed Noah to speak to his descendents in spite of the contrary vision he would bring. Since construction had begun on the tower, the massive square in front of Nimrod’s home served as the people’s gathering place. It was large enough to host the thousands of men who would assemble and then return to their families with the latest direction. That afternoon the bells rang, calling for the assembly of men to meet with the oldest living patriarch.

Though Noah was ancient and frail he projected his voice to the crowd in deep, foreboding tones. Noah belted out with all his strength, “My wayward children, what have you done? You have disobeyed the God of all creation. You have built for yourselves a name, but that name is evil! You have come together as one. Everything you speak is with one voice. Now nothing is impossible for your evil heart to create. Thus God will come down from heaven and He will bring distraction and confusion among you.”

While Noah was speaking, Joktan pushed his way to the front of the crowd and motioned to speak. Peleg, recognizing his brother, placed his hand on Noah and brought the prophet’s attention to his great-great-grandson. Noah motioned to Joktan to come and speak. Before he began, Noah shouted to crowd with the assurance that could only come with divine foresight, “It will end right here.”

Joktan turned to address the crowd, “People of Babel, the mighty Nimrod has given us unity! Our children have grown in safety. Our clans are one!” As Joktan spoke, a stir broke out in the crowd. He continued, “Look what we have been able to do. Look at what our children have become.” They looked at each other and then at Joktan confused and bewildered. One of Joktan’s sons pushed his way to the cart and told him that those of the other clans were babbling and speaking nonsense. Joktan turned to Peleg but even his own brother looked at him with surprise. Peleg could understand some of what Joktan had said but with the strange sounds mixed in, Peleg couldn’t make sense of it.

The crowd dispersed in confusion almost as fast as it had come together. Throughout the streets of Babel, fights broke out as people could not understand each other’s intentions. Confusion reigned in Babel and all progress came to a halt.

Days passed and Nimrod called another assembly but even the “the greatest of all hunters before the eyes of God” could not communicate with any more than a small number of his people. He turned to Father Noah and asked him to speak to his people. Nimrod called Babel’s last great assembly. When the crowd was assembled, Noah, by God’s intervention, was able to speak to them all. This was the last time that all of mankind together understood words spoken in one language. “Go out into all the world, by God’s grace, rebuild the wastelands, be fruitful, multiply and replenish the earth.”

The First Worldwide Movement

My fictionalized account of this amazing story of Babel reveals man’s heart toward globalization. Here is the Biblical version from the New International Version:

We can learn several important ideas about globalization from this story.

First, common communication is absolutely necessary for true globalization to occur. In the world of Babel, everyone spoke the same language; this, obviously, facilitated cooperation on a level that has not been achieved since.

We are closer today than the thousands of years since Babel to a one-world language. This can be seen by the worldwide dominance of the English language. English is easily the most widely spoken language in the world. It ranks third for native speakers at 380 million behind Chinese and Hindi. But it is in first position as the most widely spoken, second language in the world. Through the global influence of cinema, airlines, broadcasting, science and the internet, English is now required in many fields and occupations around the world. English scholar and poet, Walt Whitman, speaks about the ability of English to accommodate a world wide usage:

One could make a case for the new digital language becoming a possible one-world means of communication. It has given us the means to speak to one another even if not in the same language. It is only a matter of time until translation programs will work as seamlessly as in Star Trek. In our campus school, we have had the privilege of receiving international students who have succeeded in bridging this language gap with the aid of pocket translators that are no bigger than the average calculator.

The second lesson we learn from the first movement toward globalization is the crucial role technology plays in bringing people together. “Come, let’s make bricks and bake them thoroughly.” This may not seem like earth shattering technology, no pun intended, but when you consider that all of mankind had been nomadic since the flood, the idea of solid, brick buildings is revolutionary. A new technology gave birth to a new way of coming together. In today’s global world, technology, again, is a unifying factor in bringing us together.

Finally, we see a shift in worldview made evident by the contrary direction the world went from the commandment given to Noah and his sons. At some point in the one hundred years of history between the flood and Babel, people’s view of the world shifted dramatically. They gave up on God’s command to “fill the earth.” As I have shown in my fictional rendition of these events, they were not just getting tired of a nomadic lifestyle. There was a shift in the spiritual aspect of their worldview that brought them together. As illustrated, Nimrod connected the human race to his new vision of humanity. God had given a powerful command to Noah after the cataclysmic example of His judgment on the earth. In a short period of time, the entire human race went in the opposite direction. Only a global alteration in worldview could bring about such global change.

Today we find ourselves experiencing similar examples of globalization. We see our world moving toward one language, inspired by global shifts in our worldview, carried on the back of the internet. Could this be our tower?

According to the KOF Index of Globalization, based on economic, social and political data, the United States and Canada are the two most “globalized” countries in the world. This means that we are the most connected multicultural, pluralistic, free and democratic cultures on the planet. It could also mean that we are the Babel of today. Are we, like the people of Nimrod, trying to “make a name for ourselves and not be scattered over the face of the whole earth." One thing is for sure – the world is changing and it started here.

Next week we will continue to consider the implications of Globalization and how this affects Christian education. We would love to hear from you and I deeply value your comments. If you would like us to mail you a free copy of my book simply send an email to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it and let us know what type of an educator you are, home schooler, classroom teacher, school administrator, or interested parent. Please let us know how you heard about the podcast and, of course, please include your mailing address. Thank you for listening and thank you for your commitment to discipleship-based Christian education.