Tongues

by R.B. Thieme

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Tongues: prophetical approach.

Error seeps in where doctrine is not consistently and properly taught. To be correctly understood, the Word of God must be rightly divided! We ask, then, what do the scriptures teach concerning tongues? For our answer, we must first turn to the book of Isaiah.

Isaiah is one of the major sources of eschatologically significant signs and miracles; each sign is an integral part of the overall plan of God. The human author of the book ranks among the greatest of Bible teachers of all time. Since Old Testament prophecy encompasses the principle of dual fulfillment, Isaiah’s messages not only applied directly to the era in which he lived, but they anticipated future events. For example, Isaiah recorded the signs that pointed to Messiah’s coming into the world: His virgin birth, His efficacious death on the cross, His burial, His exaltation and His return in glory. The prophet predicted Israel’s failure to accept the Holy One of God, both among his own contemporaries and among the Jews of future generations. The crux of Israel’s failure lay in the area of negative volition toward Bible doctrine; therefore, Isaiah’s warning against apostasy was addressed to the Jews of his own day and to their progeny.

Isaiah knew that Bible doctrine is the strength of a nation. He said:

“And wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of thy times, and strength [riches] of salvation [physical deliverance]: the fear of the Lord [occupation with Christ] is his treasure” — Isaiah 33:6.

Yet, where doctrine was concerned, Isaiah faced a serious problem: his congregation was disinterested in the Word of God. In spite of their negative attitude, Isaiah continued to teach doctrine faithfully. The only hope for a nation that has rejected Bible doctrine lies in the training of the next generation. It is that up-and-coming generation to whom Isaiah referred in his sermon:

“Whom shall he [God, through the prophet Isaiah] teach knowledge [doctrine]? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from milk, and drawn from the breasts” — Isaiah

28:9; cf. Lamentations 3:21-31.

Although three thousand years have passed since the prophet’s warning, the same problems prevail: believers are generally indifferent to the dissemination of Bible doctrine and choose to remain spiritually immature; and unbelievers reject the gospel of salvation. In every generation, unbelievers must be evangelised, while believers need to grow in grace and knowledge. There should be nothing more important on your scale of values than the daily intake of the Word of God. Doctrine

should have priority in your life!

“For precept [principle of doctrine] must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little and there a little” — Isaiah 28:10.

With these words, Isaiah affirmed that the only effective method of teaching is a word-by-word, verse-by-verse analysis of the scriptures. Note again, “precept upon precept” ! Here, the

classification of divine truths is brought into focus; these truths, in turn, must be categorised and presented in an expository manner — not once, but repeatedly, until they lodge permanently in the believer’s soul! “Line upon line” describes the exegetical analysis of the Word of God. If this basic

principle of doctrinal teaching is followed faithfully, the individual believer becomes spiritually self-sustaining, oriented to grace and indoctrinated with divine viewpoint! As he continues to assimilate doctrine — “here a little, and there a little” — eventually, the various portions of scripture fall into place like the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. The entire realm of doctrine can be taught, and the believer’s framer of reference can be expanded; he develops greater capacity and concentration and thus is able to learn more advanced doctrine. Since the believer cannot orient to the plan of God until he knows what that plan is, Bible doctrine is absolutely essential to his integration into God’s design.

There were concepts Isaiah had tried to convey to the Jews. However, in the midst of his exhortation on the importance of doctrine, the prophet suddenly interrupted his message. What startling vision had broken his train of thought? God had permitted Isaiah to look down the corridors of time to view the dismal failure of a future generation of Jews. As a result of that vision, the prophet announced one of the most dramatic events ever to occur in history:

“For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people” — Isaiah 28:11.

What did this pronouncement mean?

The Importance of Dispensations

While the prophecy of Isaiah 28:11 predicted a future judgement of Israel, this revelation must be understood within the framework of the divine timetable. The dispensational approach is necessary to both orientation in time and it a correct interpretation of the scriptures

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Definition: “Dispensation is a period of time expressing the divine viewpoint of human history; the divine outline of history, or the divine interpretation of human history, which encompasses four general categories: Gentiles, Jews, Church, Christ.

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In order that the prophetic sign of Israel’s discipline might be viewed in its proper perspective, the dispensations must at least be summarised. Also a passage in the New Testament must be examined: 1 Corinthians 14:21,22.

The first dispensation, called the Age of the Gentiles, began with Adam and terminated with Abraham. It lacked a Canon of Scripture and was characterised by one race and one language which was clearly understood be everyone. All evangelism was conducted in that one language. With the passing of time came a population explosion and a diversity of thought. People began to contemplate ways whereby they might win divine approbation through their own human efforts. The general prevailing idea was

one of unification. “People” unite” was the cry. In an effort to monumentalise their greatness, the people decided to construct a magnificent edifice not unlike the United Nations building in New York City. With the convenience of a universal language, a system of internationalism was quickly established. The effects of the satanically-inspired system were devastating (Genesis 11:3-6). To prevent the destruction of the human race, God stepped in and judged this abominable operation. He dispersed the people and confused their language (Genesis 11:7-9).

The multiplicity of languages frustrated all possible attempts at internationalism during the next dispensation — the Age of the Jews. The Jewish Dispensation began with Abraham and was interrupted by the death, burial, resurrection and ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ. Seven years remain of that age, which will be resumed and completed after the end of the Church Age. The many languages now in existence called for a new method of evangelism — missionary activity from a centrally-located missionary base. God was ready to launch that endeavour and appointed His own representative on the earth.

It was for this reason that God called out a Chaldean Gentile named Abram (later renamed “Abraham”) .Abraham responded to the gospel, crossed the river Euphrates and entered a land foreign

to him — Canaan. The act of response to doctrine resident in his soul earned him the title “Abram, the Hebrew,” which means “Abram, the one who crossed the river” (Genesis 14:3). God promised Abraham that he and his progeny would someday possess Canaan (Genesis 13:14,15). In anticipation of the realisation of that promise, Abraham chose to live the life of a transient, residing only in tents (Hebrews 11:9). His life had a tremendous impact on those whom he met. Although Abraham’s native tongue was Chaldean, presumably, he adopted one or more of the languages of Canaan., among them Pheonician and Ugaritic. By combining Chaldean and a smattering of Canaanite words, the patriarch was soon able to evangelise the people of this strange land. Many responded; the names of three of his converts are recorded in Genesis 14:14: Mamre, Eschol and Aner.

Abraham became the father of the last and greatest of all races — the Jews. Although the Jews were a relatively small nation under God, they were destined to become a very special nation with two great commissions: they were given the custodianship of divine revelation (Romans 3:1,2) and also the responsibility of disseminating the Gospel to all other nations (Isaiah 43:10,21). However, after a time, the Jews failed in their responsibility of evangelism. As a result of this failure, they became the recipients of divine discipline. The last major judgement of the Jews occurred in A.D. 70, after the fall of Jerusalem to the conquering legions of Titus, when the entire Jewish nation was dispersed. While many Jews live in the land of Palestine under the present national entity of Israel, this nation does not

constitute the theocracy God has ordained for a future dispensation. Jews will remain scattered throughout the world during the entire Church Age until Jesus Christ Himself regathers them at His second advent.

The failure of the Jews on both national and individual levels reached its climax when the Jews rejected Messiah at His first advent. The virgin birth (Isaiah 7:14), as well as the two deaths of Christ on the cross (spiritual and physical; Isaiah 53:9), were the two other signs that Israel’s discipline was

forthcoming. God interrupted the Jewish Age and inserted the present dispensation — the Church Age. The Jews are no longer God’s official representatives on the earth. Instead, God summoned a new “nation” called the Church. Its citizens are those who “in every place call upon the name of Jesus” (1

Corinthians 1:2). They comes from all walks of life, from all parts of the world, and they speak many languages; yet all share the bond of faith in Christ (Galatians 3:26).

The Church Age began on the Day of Pentecost circa A.D. 30 and will end with the Rapture of the Church. This age is unique among the dispensations because for the first time in human history every believer is in union with Christ — a member of the royal family of God! Every believer is permanently indwelt by God the Holy Spirit; he is a royal priest, an ambassador for the absent Christ; he is responsible to God to witness for his Lord. More than that, there exists in the Church Age a completed Canon of Scripture, which makes every doctrine available for the believer’s utilisation.

In the entire economy of God, no other age is more spectacular and thrilling than the age in which we are privileged to live! Not even the final dispensation, the Age of Christ, presents so great a challenge to put doctrine to the test! When Christ reigns over the earth for one thousand perfect years, the

angelic conflict will no longer rage. As victors with Christ, we will rule with Him (Revelation 20:6), and the Jews will be preeminent once more among the nations of the earth. In the meantime, however, the plan of God for the ages must run its course. For the Church, there remains a battle to be waged. The high ground must be seized and held. For Israel, divine discipline is still in effect. But discipline can be turned into blessing by the Jews’ evangelisation and regeneration. It is significant, therefore, that almost all evangelisation, particularly that of the Jews, is conducted in Gentile languages. With this fact in mind, we resume with Isaiah’s bombshell: “… with … another tongue [language] will he speak to his people” (Isaiah 28:11).

The prophecy of tongues

Two prophetical approaches declared the coming of the Church Age: one was addressed to the Jews; the other to the Gentiles. The approach to the Gentiles, which is only a part of our subject, was Jesus Christ’s prophecy of the baptism of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:5). The approach to the Jews was the announcement of their evangelisation in Gentile languages. An earthly people who walked by sight rather than by faith, the Jews always clamoured for a SIGN (1 Corinthians 1:22). Circa A.D. 30, God

would give them an unmistakable sign: evangelism in foreign languages. That sign would continue until A.D. 70 — for forty years ONLY — and would signal the opening of a new dispensation.

The real purpose for tongues is clarified in the New Testament:

“In the law [the Old Testament — i.e., Isaiah 28:11] it is written, With men of other tongues [Gentile languages] and other lips will I speak to this people [the Jews]; and yet for all that [the bona fide use of the gift of tongues] will they not hear me [negative volition] saith the Lord. Wherefore

tongues are for a SIGN [a warning to Jewish unbelievers of the proximity of the dispersion], not to them that believe, but to them that believe not … “ (1 Cor. 14:21,22)

Grace always precedes judgement. Since the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70 was a maximum disaster, God provided a prelude of intensive evangelism. All who would accept the gift of salvation during that interim period would escape the curse of the fifth cycle of discipline. Those who would recognise the sign would know what it portended; therefore, they would flee to safety in accordance with divine instructions.

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Definition, Fifth cycle of discipline: Destruction of a nation due to maximum rejection of Biblical principles (Leviticus 26:27-31; five cycles — verses 14-39).

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But while the time of the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy was the year A.D. 70, the prophecy itself was voiced before the Babylonian Captivity. Thus, under the principle of near and far fulfillment of prophecy, Isaiah admonished both his contemporaries concerning the impending Assyrian invasion and the Jews of the future that their nation would be destroyed.

Isaiah’s long and faithful ministry occurred during a crucial time in Israel’s history. A revolt against divine authority had spilt the nation into two entities circa 926 B.C.., shortly after the death of Solomon). The Northern Kingdom (the ten tribes), called “Israel” or “Ephraim,” had its capital at

Samaria; the Southern Kingdom (the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, called “Judah,” made Jerusalem its chief city. Isaiah foretold the doom of both entities. In 721 B.C.. twenty years after Isaiah’s warning, the Northern Kingdom, apostate and degenerate, went into the fifth cycle of discipline, administered by Assyria (Isaiah 28:1-4). Yet Ephraim had accomplished its own destruction internally long before it was conquered by the Assyrian invaders. The internal stability and health of any nation depend on spiritual factors resident within the nation. Such spiritual factors include the evangelism and subsequent regeneration of unbelievers and the dissemination and application of Bible doctrine among the believers! In the absence of these factors, hostile pressures from other nations merely finish the work which decadence has begun.

Israel’s fate should have been a lesson to Judah. God commissioned Isaiah to issue a stern admonition to the Southern Kingdom: if she persisted in the same idolatrous practices for which her sister to the north had gone into slavery, calamity would befall her people (Isaiah 28:14-23). While the impact of

Isaiah’s message and the response of the believing remnant prolonged the life of the Southern Kingdom for 135 years, the Jews eventually reverted to apostasy. They failed from the standpoint of their spiritual, economic, social and military life; they continued to ignore the principles of freedom by

which a national entity functions to the glory of God. Thus, they temporarily forfeited their place in the plan of God. The first administration of the fifth cycle of discipline to Judah came in 586 B.C. Nebuchadnezzar conquered the Southern Kingdom and led its people into captivity to Babylon. Seventy years would elapse before the Jews were restored to their own Land.

Down through the centuries, the Jews always received adequate warning of impending discipline. The prophetic messages, the principles of the Mosaic Law, the punitive measures of the five cycles of discipline, which are recorded in Leviticus 26:14-39, all describes what happens to a people who reject the safeguards for national survival. Yet national disaster could have so easily been averted!

So specific and lucid was the prophecy of tongues that there could be no margin for error. Over seven hundred years before its fulfillment, Isaiah declared emphatically that EVERY JEW WOULD KNOW that the second administration of the fifth cycle of discipline was near when the Jews would be evangelised in Gentile languages:

“For through men stammering in speech and through a strange Gentile language will he speak to this people (Isaiah 28:11; literal translation).

The words LA-EG and SAPHAH, translated “stammering lips,” actually imply a gutteral or staccato-type language. The phrase is descriptive of the languages spoken by the people who

surrounded Israel. The classical Hebrew is a smooth and flowing language filled with vivid imagery and poetic idioms. This language should have been employed in the evangelisation of the Gentiles. When the Jews failed to do that, the tables were turned, and God replaced Israel with another missionary agency — the Church. In the new dispensation, the Gentiles would evangelise the Jews — not in the melodious Hebrew, but in foreign words harsh to the sensitive Jewish ear. Poetic justice?

Perhaps! Yet more than that; the gentile languages, which the Jews despised, would be a poignant reminder of approaching judgement!

While this poetic sign may not seem of great significance to us today, it was offensive and insulting to the Jews of Isaiah’s era. “Think of that!” they must have said. “Imagine the Gentiles coming to US with God’s Word! We are the custodians of Scripture; WE were given the Law; WE are to evangelise the world! How dare Isaiah tell US that these Gentiles will bring US the message of salvation in their coarse cacophonous languages!” To Jewish thinking, the announcement of Gentile evangelism of

Jewry was a totally foreign concept; they could not believe such a thing could happen. Surely God would not set aside His privileged people; yet they could never forget the prophecy of Isaiah.

What made Isaiah’s words even more forceful was the omission of verbs. His style became elliptical and further emphasised the shock of the prophet’s prognosis: they who had been given the Truth would some day be forced to get the Truth from others. At the lowest point in Israel’s history, when the Jews had plummeted to the depth of religious apostasy, Isaiah’s great sign would be fulfilled. Those who had once been considered to be unteachable would come with a message of hope to the Jews, who had become unreachable themselves through religion.

“To whom he [the prophet] said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear.” (Isaiah 28:12

The “rest” which is alluded to in this verse is, of course, salvation. Jesus Christ said, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). The Gentile approach to the Jew was usually the phrase, “We come with rest.” Whatever the language, however the stammering it may have seemed to the Jews, the issue presented was and ever remains the same: “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved” (Acts 16:31).

Cursing turned to blessing.

Because the prophecy of tongues was repugnant to the Jews, it was never mentioned by them. They would discuss the other signs — even the controversial sign of Isaiah 7:14: “… his name shall be called Immanuel [God with us].” Yet in the course of time, all prophecy comes true” The eternal Son of God was born of a virgin and came to dwell among men (John 1:14). Thirty-three years later, on the Day of Pentecost, the gift of tongues was given. Every Jew who understood the scroll of Isaiah knew the curtain had been lowered on the Age of the Jews. The nation Israel was under divine judgement, and the responsibility for the dissemination of the Gospel went to that new entity, the Church.

The fifth cycle of discipline placed Israel under a curse; yet God’s grace provides the means whereby cursing can be turned to blessing. In the grace period prior to A.D. 70, that means was a special method — the gift of tongues, which awakened the Jews to their imminent dispersion and presented

Christ as their only saviour! When the individual Jew believes in Jesus Christ, he is born again. Regeneration removes his curse. He becomes a member of the Body of Christ and enters the Royal Family of God. In union with Christ through the baptism of the Holy Spirit, he ceases to be a Jew

(Galatians 3:28). The same principle applies the Gentile who is born again. Both believing Jews and Gentiles are ONE IN CHRIST; as members of the Church, both have responsibility to disseminate the Truth.

Basically, there are three types of people on the earth today: the Jews, the Gentiles, and the Church (1 Corinthians 10:32). Upon physical birth, there is little difference between them; where God is concerned, all have sinned (Romans 3:23). Every member of the human race is born under a curse — the curse of sin and death (Romans 5:12). Man is born with an old sin nature and without a human spirit and is therefore incapable of having fellowship with God in time or in eternity. Man’s curse was removed on the Cross, where Jesus Christ bore the sins of the world (1 John 2:2) and where He was judged in our place (1 Peter 2:24). he was made a curse for us (Galatians 3:13) in order that our so-great salvation might be accomplished. The key which turns cursing into blessing is found in the last phrase of Acts 2:11: “the wonderful works of God.” It was what God did for man that wrought salvation; it was not the works of the Law (Galatians 2:16), nor human efforts (Titus 3:5)! Salvation is

freely offered to all who will receive it. When the grace of God is appropriated through faith in Jesus Christ, cursing is immediately turned to blessing. Regardless of whether the believing individual was once a Jew or a Gentile, he is born again (John 3:7) and receives a human spirit; now he is spiritually alive to God (Ephesians 2:1), a member of God’s Royal Family.

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Definition of the Old Sin Nature: The source of human sin, good, and evil. Formed as a direct result of Adam’s first sin, the sin nature resides in the cell structure of the body (Romans 6:6; 7:5,18) and is transmitted genetically by the male in copulation (Genesis 5:3). The Old Sin Nature is the centre of man’s rebellion toward God. It has an area of weakness which produces personal sins; a lust pattern; and a trend toward asceticism or lasciviousness. The son nature is called “the old man” of Ephesians 4:22; the “flesh” of Romans 8:3,4; the principle of “sin” of Romans 7:8,20.

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Whereas national dispersion in A.D. 70 was inevitable (Deuteronomy 28:64-68), and whereas the curse would affect all the Jews, individual blessing was potential. Therefore, when Isaiah predicted the Jewish curse, he also declared a message of hope (cf. Isaiah 28:11, 12). His reference to the “rest

wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest” pertained to the “rest” of salvation (Matthew 11:28). Although the Jews will remain under divine discipline for the duration of the Church Age, God will NEVER condone anti-Semitism. God will bless those who bless the Jew and will curse all who will raise a hand against him (Genesis 12:3). God needs no help in administering His discipline. He is righteous and just in all that He does; He is forever gracious in His dealings with man. Just remember that on the very day that the curse of the fifth cycle of discipline began for the Jews, they were also given the opportunity for blessing! it remains for them to respond in faith to God’s gracious offer!

The fulfillment of the principle of cursing turned to blessing is evident today. Many Jews have accepted Christ as Saviour; yet few of them have heard the Gospel in Hebrew. Until it was recovered by theologians for the purpose of scrutinising Old Testament Scriptures, Hebrew had become a dead language. Apart from the reading of Old Testament portions in their synagogue services, the Jews seldom hear the Word of God in their own language. Even by the time of the First Advent of Christ, classical Hebrew was almost extinct, except among the Jewish priests. The language generally spoken was Aramaic, a combination of Chaldean and Hebrew; the pure Hebrew had all but disappeared.

People often express the desire to learn Hebrew in order to witness to the Jews. They fail to realise that most of the dispersed Jews neither speak nor understand Hebrew. How do you reach the Jews for the Lord? The same way you reach Gentiles: by presenting the plan of salvation in that language with

which you are both conversant! You do not become a doctor to present the Gospel to a physician; you do not become a bum to reach a social outcast! You make the issue of salvation clear and let the Holy Spirit do the rest!

The Miracle of Tongues

The significance of the gift of tongues lay in the fact that those to whom the gift was given suddenly understood and spoke languages they had never before learned. Furthermore, the gift was bestowed on believers who were already indwelt by the Holy Spirit! It was given on the Day of Pentecost as

a means of communicating the Gospel to strangers from afar. As Isaiah had predicted, this was the warning sign to which the Jews had been alerted.

No sooner had the miraculous gift been divided among the disciples than they “began to speak … as the Spirit gave them utterance” .Now take a closer look at these disciples: they were Galileeans! What about that? you ask. The Bible must be interpreted and understood in the setting of the time in which

it was written. In those days there were two kinds of Jews living in Palestine: the Judeans in southern Palestine, and the Galileans in the north of the Land. Academically accomplished, the Judeans comprised the Jewish aristocracy. They were at least trilingual and conversed in Latin (to communicate with the Romans), Greek ( the language of culture), and their native Aramaic ( a mixture of Hebrew and Chaldean). The Galileans, however, were for the most part uneducated peasants and fishermen; they spoke only Aramaic and that very poorly. They would say “ain’t” instead of “is not” and “between you and I” rather than “between you and me.” They would use plural subjects and singular verbs. If the evangelisation of the Jews depended upon them, Isaiah’s prophecy would never come to pass! Nevertheless, these Galileans were God’s chosen instruments. Once illiterate and unilingual, they had suddenly been transformed into “gifted” Galileans, God’s heralds of Israel’s warning and curse. Thus the grace principle was borne out once more:

“… God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty (1 Corinthians 1:17).”

As always, God’s timing was perfect. Pentecost concluded the holy-day season of the Jews. The first of these holy days had been the Passover, which was also the day of Christ’s death on the Cross. The Feast of Unleavened Bread followed the Passover. On the third day of that week was the Feast of

Firstfruits — the Resurrection Day! Only Pentecost remained; but all were shadows (Hebrews 10:1) that pointed to the Plan of God and to the Person and work of Jesus Christ. Now it was customary for the Jews to observe the holy days in Jerusalem. They came from every locale in Palestine as well as from the four corners of the earth wherever they had been scattered.

The first dispersion, which had taken place in the days of Alexander the Great, was not one of divine displeasure but rather one of human admiration. After the conquest of Tyre and Sidon, Alexander intended to invade Jerusalem. To his surprise, Jaddua the high priest, followed by the priests and the

citizens of Jerusalem, came out to welcome him. Jaddua was carrying the Word of God in his arms. Solemnly, he unrolled the sacred scroll and stopped at the Book of Daniel; he showed Alexander that his conquests had been prophesied. So impressed was Alaxander with these Jews that he appointed

them as administrators of his far-flung empire. Alexander established many cities in the ancient world, some as far away as India. To all these, he sent the Jews, and they became prominent and respected leaders in their communities. A group of Jews who had settled in Alexandria, Egypt, later translated the Hebrew Old Testament into Greek. This famous translation is known as the “Septuagint”; it was so named after the number of men who worked on the ancient manuscript — the seventy (translators). With the passing of time, other Jews joined their brothers in the dispersion during the reign of Caligula and Claudius. It was their descendants who had flocked to Jerusalem by the thousands for the Feasts and were still there on the Day of Pentecost. They are the subject of Acts 2:5:

“And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.”

The word KATOIKEO, translated “dwelling,” signifies a temporary sojourn in Jerusalem and distinguished these pilgrims from the permanent residents of the city. They had come all of the way from India, Asia Minor, and North Africa. because they had been living in other countries for over three hundred years, they no longer spoke Hebrew. The inspired record describes them as “devout” men. Like Nicodemus (John 3:1-21), they were typical religious Jews, yet unsaved. They observed the rituals prescribed by Judaism and spent much of their time doing good deeds; but like Nicodemus, they had yet to be born again (John 3:7).

We can easily reconstruct the events of the Day of Pentecost. Jerusalem was crowded and bustling with a festival atmosphere. It was early in the day when the tornado-like wind took the city by surprise. Where had it touched down? Evidently, curiosity had gotten the better of both the visitors and the citizens; they thronged to the area from which the loud noise had come.

“Now when this [sound] noised [heard] abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded [astonished], because that every man heard them speak in his own language. And they were all amazed, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak [in tongues] Galileans? And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born (Acts 2:6-8)”

It seems that all the Jews were ill-prepared for this miracle. The foreign-born Jews had come back to the land of their ancestors. They fully expected to hear the native Semitic languages spoken in Palestine, but they were amazed at hearing the Gentile languages ordinarily foreign to the Jewish people of the Land. Certainly, they had not anticipated that these simple Galileans, whose illiteracy was universally acknowledged among Jewry, would suddenly become accomplished linguists! Consider the languages presented; yet only a partial list of them is given:

“Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia, Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes, Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God (Acts 2:9-11).”

Parthia was the buffer nation between the Roman empire and India. Its original inhabitants were the Scythians, and Indo-European and Mongolian mixture. When Alexander defeated the Parthians, he established a few cities in that land and left behind his Jewish administrators. Few outsiders spoke or understood Parthia’s gutteral language, and the nation was and remains today one of the most mysterious aggregation of people in the ancient world. Rome conquered the world in its day; but Rome could not conquer the Parthian vernacular. Yet fluent Parthian came from the lips of Spirit-filled Galileans!

In the high plateaus beyond Assyria, a wild and rugged people called the Medes had united with the Persians to master the world in the time of Cyrus the Great. Then, suddenly, they disappeared into their native highlands and, of course, those geographically isolated regions the Jews had put down roots. They had adopted the language of the Medes, and — to their utter surprise — that language was clearly voiced in the streets of Jerusalem.

The Elamites were a fierce race in Abraham’s time. Partly Persian and partly Semitic, they posed a constant threat to Babylonia. Aggressively, they swept down from their high mountains in the east of Chaldea and subjugated the Chaldeans. They moved on to dominate the Arabian desert; but soon afterward they were driven back into their secluded, mountainous retreats, cut off from contact with other people. Here, too, Alexander the Great left Jewish administrators in the wake of his rapid conquests. Now these Jews’ progeny had returned in A.D. 30 to Jerusalem, where they intended to celebrate the feasts in the Holy City. It was God’s design, however, that they hear the Gospel declared in the language of the Elamites!

The phrase “dwellers of Mesopotamia” incorporates several languages that were spoken by this group of people, among them, Chalaic (Akkadian) and Syriac. The Judeans spoke excellent Aramaic, which was quite a contrast to the curious, gutteral language of the Cappadocians. Cappadocia, comparable to Armenia in Asia Minor, has an inaccessible mountainous terrain interspersed with valleys. This presented a problem of communication in the ancient world. Hence the Cappadocian dialect would be among the lesser-known tongues; yet it too was represented among the languages spoken on the Day of Pentecost.

Pontus, then a Roman province north of Adia Minor and now southern Russia, is that area along the Black Sea coast where the Scythians had settled and where the Greeks had traded on occasion. In Phrygia and Pamphylia, a mixture of Greek and ancient Phrygian had combined into one vernacular under the Greeks. In Egypt, Coptic was spoken, while in parts of Libya the population conversed in an obscure, antiquated dialect of North Africa. The Cyrenians were bilingual, and, of course, the “strangers of Rome” spoke fluent Latin. Yet the Gospel was heard in all of these languages!

In addition to foreign-born Jews, native Jews, who had come to Jerusalem from other parts of the Land, were present. Upon hearing the Lord’s disciples witness in all these strange languages, they should have understood that Isaiah’s prophetic message was being fulfilled right before their eyes. Nor does the divinely-inspired reporter of these incidents overlook the proselytes — converts to Judaism. They too had made the annual pilgrimage to Jerusalem.

Then there were the Cretes who were known to have talked in a rare and difficult form of Greek and the Arabians who boasted many dialects. A diversity of languages indeed! Yet in all that babble of voices there was only one aim — the declaration of the Gospel of salvation. Each person present on that momentous day heard “the wonderful works of God” (the content of the Gospel) in his own native tongue. If this phenomenon had been correctly interpreted by those who experienced it, it would have been recognised as the first “red alert” .But was it recognised as such?

What meaneth this?

The dramatic manifestation of the gift of tongues caused considerable speculation among the spectators. Some were impressed; others ridiculed the miracle and charged the disciples with drunkenness.

“And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What meaneth this? Others mocking said, These men are full of new wine (Acts 2:12,13).

Although the Jews had been forewarned of this event they were obviously not prepared for it. They had shrugged off Isaiah’s message when the prophet himself delivered it, and they found its fulfillment incredible, even when the truth stared them in the face circa A.D. 30! Those who understood the words of the disciples were baffled by the sudden transformation of the unlettered Galileans; those who did not understand thought they heard a mere babble of voices and failed to identify the purpose of the miracle. All, however, questioned its occurrence and clamoured, “What meaneth this?” In his Pentecostal sermon, the Apostle Peter refuted the drunkenness charge and presented the means whereby individual Jews might escape the disaster that awaited Israel in time, as well as escape judgement in eternity (Acts 2:28-41). Thus Isaiah’s promise of rest materialised in the words of the

disciples, who proclaimed the power of God’s saving grace; for example. Peter’s presentation of the Gospel was as follows:

“For the promise is unto you, and to your children [the Jewish residents of Israel] and to all that are afar off [the dispersed Jews], even as many as the Lord our God shall call. And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation [religious legalism] (Acts 2:39-40).”

Because the Jews had failed in their responsibility of disseminating the Gospel, they were now evangelised in Gentile languages. But notice the vital principle which has been completely disregarded by the tongues crowd: initially only believing Jews of the first century were divinely endowed with the gift of tongues. At that time JEWS, not Gentiles, were the recipients of the plan of salvation; JEWS, not Gentiles, were warned of the proximity of the fifth cycle of discipline. JEWS, not Gentiles, spoke as the Spirit gave them utterance, for this was a special gift from God (1 Corinthians 12:11) to believers who were already Spirit-filled! At least four other occasions were mentioned in the Book of Acts when the gift of tongues was utilised (Acts 10:44-46; 19:2-7). Without exception, the gift was used to declare the Gospel. Thus the Church Age was announced and so was the approaching curse on Israel. The phenomenon of tongues continued for nearly forty years — until the fall of Jerusalem in A.D. 70. Wherever Jews lived throughout the world the same means of evangelism was followed: some believer who possessed the gift of tongues witnessed to them in the language of the country of their residence. Once the Jews were dispersed, there was no further need for tongues. Consequently, the gift of tongues was withdrawn!

The Doctrinal Approach

Tongues, in and out of context

The gift of tongues, which Isaiah had prophesied (Isaiah 28:11) as a sign to the Jews and which was initially fulfilled on the Day of Pentecost, must always be viewed from the Biblical perspective. We examined its use and purpose. Only when tongues are taken out of divine context do they sponsor

a host of misconceptions and abuse. Paul devotes three chapters to this subject in his First Epistle to the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 12_14). In these he specifies, clarifies and regulates the use of the gift of tongues. His words are as timely today as they were in the days when they were penned, and they therefore merit close scrutiny. We will examine them in the order in which they occur in scripture.

Corinth, Capital of Commerce and Carnality (1 Corinthians 12)

Corinth was the Vanity Fair of the Roman Empire, the good-time city of the ancient world. Strategically situated, the city became the trade centre for merchants from both the East and the West. As its wealth increased, so did its need for reliable bankers. Once the pagan temples in Corinth had been regarded as the safest depositories. It was assumed that the gods to whom these temples were dedicated guarded the riches entrusted to them. As time went on, the Corinthians lost their fear of and respect for the gods, and robberies of the temple banks became quite common. To whom could the

Corinthians turn to handle their wealth? A continuous influx of Jews captured the banking trade from the heathen priests and established banking and financing systems in the prosperous city. No doubt much of the money that swelled the coffers of Corinth came from the pockets of pleasure seekers.

This back ground provided the setting for the young church at Corinth. The fact that a person is saved in no way implies that he has turned over a new leaf. It is true that positionally he has become “a new creature” in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17); nevertheless, he is still the same old sinner — howbeit, saved by grace! When Paul wrote his letter to the church at Corinth, these Corinthians were probably the most carnal of all the believers in the ancient world. Their sin list was long and appalling: pride, envy, jealousy, childishness, pettiness, gossip, maligning, adultery, incest, divorce, drunkenness; and general instability characterised the congregation. Yet because of the grace of God this very same church abounded in spiritual gifts.

However, these gifts had become the underlying cause of turmoil among the Christians of Corinth. The fabric of unity had been ripped to shreds by the factions as the legalists battled with the licentious crowd. They were out of line in so many ways that it should come as no surprise to us that they were

also misusing the gift of tongues.

Because it was an obvious and spectacular gift, tongues was greatly coveted by these superficial Christians. Those to whom the gift was given were suddenly overcome with arrogance, and they attempted to relate their ability for speaking in foreign languages to form a super-spirituality. They had erroneously concluded that they were a special category of believer. Consequently, they flaunted their imagined superiority and lorded it over believers whom they considered to possess “lesser” gifts. Was this indeed the case? Had the Holy Spirit singled them out in preference over the rest of the Corinthians?

It is not unusual for a believer to consider himself special or to want others to consider him so, or to wish for an experience which no one else has ever had. In addition, there are believers who think that because they have had a certain experience, everyone else must have it too! The first-century

Christians in Corinth, particularly those who legitimately possessed the gift of tongues, faced these very temptations. Paul felt compelled to set matters straight once and for all! In writing to the Corinthians, he stated explicitly that the ability to speak in tongues was a spiritual gift. All spiritual gifts come to the believer through grace — NEVER because of any extraordinary merit or activity on the believer’s part. God the Holy Spirit sovereignly bestowed all spiritual gifts as he deems best.

“But all these [spiritual gifts] worketh [ENERGEO, present active indicative — “energises"] that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing [distributing] to every man [to each believer] severally [individually] as he will [BULOMAI, present active indicative — “desires"] (1 Corinthians 12:11).

The choice of the verb BULOMAI indicates careful and intelligent planning and denotes that the Holy Spirit knows what He is doing when He selects recipients of His grace gifts. These are distributed where they will benefit and function to the greatest degree. No gift is of higher or lesser value; no

believer is more important than the next! All are necessary for effective function of the Body of Christ — a principle that is so well depicted in the harmonious relationship of the many integral parts of the human body.

“For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ (1 Corinthians 12:12).”

The analogy of the human anatomy to the spiritual gifts and their coordination in the Body of Christ completed the apostle cited the means by which the unity of the Church was assured:

“For by one spirit we are all baptised into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been made to drink into one Spirit. For the body is not one member, but many (1 Corinthians 12:13,14).”

The unity of the Church is based upon positional sanctification, or union with Christ, whereby the believer is set apart unto God. How and where God decides to use Christians is a matter of divine prerogative. It should never give rise to a spiritual inferiority or superiority complex. Yet in the church at Corinth it had done exactly that!

Spiritual Inferiority Versus Superiority

Because certain believers had totally distorted the true purpose of the gift of tongues, it posed a tremendous problem in the church. To demonstrate the absurdity of the Corinthians’ position on the possession or lack of possession of this particular gift, Paul resorted to yet another illustration drawn from the human anatomy:

“If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body? And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body (1 Corinthians 12:15,16)?”

The foot represents a believer who has developed an inferiority complex. The obvious cause of his condition is the fact that he was not given the gift of tongues as had Brother Hand. Then there is the case of Brother Ear: he too feels inferior — a second class Christian. Both had what I would classify as behind-the-scenes gifts, perhaps the gift of helps. The reason why they felt they way they did was due to the overbearing attitudes of Brothers Hand and Eye.

Brothers Hand and Eye had the gift of tongues. They had become extremely proud of the spectacular aspects of this spiritual gift and were consequently in a state of carnality. Apparently, Brothers Hand and Eye approached Brothers Foot and Ear one day and exclaimed in a burst of egotism, “Now look here: unless you two can speak in tongues as we do, you are not spiritual; you will NEVER make it in the Christian life! Quite possibly, you are not even saved!”

In great distress, Brother Foot tried hard to become a hand, while Brother Ear attempted to become an eye. They went into closets and agonised; they prayed and fasted; the “suffered for Jesus.” To their dismay, they remained what they were: one, a foot; the other, an ear. Perhaps, if they had tried another route and lived on lettuce leaves and coriander seed and contemplated infinity, they might obtain the coveted gift. But no! Not even their response to an invitation to come forward and get the second blessing (whatever that may be!) brought the desired results; Brother Foot continued to be a foot, and

Brother Ear continued to be an ear. Once a foot always a foot; once an ear always an ear. Why should that be? Because THIS happened to be the gift the Holy Spirit had chosen to give them; it could not be changed by any human effort. The gifts of the Spirit are irreversible (Romans 11:29)!

Brothers Foot and Hand, Ear and Eye all suffered from the same malady — namely, IGNORANCE OF BIBLE DOCTRINE. They had distorted the gift out of context with the Word. Neither Brother Foot nor Brother Ear were unsaved because they felt unsaved, nor were Brothers Hand and Eye spiritually superior because they claimed to be. Their estimation of the situation was entirely erroneous, and only knowledge of doctrine could correct their problems! The possession of a spiritual gift does not determine the spirituality of a believer, nor does it make him better than the others. The gift of tongues was not necessary for salvation. Far from it, it came as a RESULT of salvation! Brother Foot’s and Brother Ear’s spiritual status are clarified as the passage continues. Paul stated the necessity of all spiritual gifts and cited a bizarre analogy:

“If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling (! Corinthians 12:17)?”

While the eye is a valuable member of the human body, the body could not function as an eye. The analogy is obvious: the gift of tongues was valuable as an instrument of evangelism; yet the Body of Christ would become grotesque if it consisted of only one gift! All spiritual gifts are essential in the

effective operation of the Church, whether they be spectacular or obscure. Thus Paul said in effect, “Look, we all have different spiritual gifts. Your spiritual gift, Brothers Foot and Ear, is helps; Brother Hand’s and Brother Eye’s gift happens to be tongues. Since spiritual gifts are distributed solely on the basis of God’s will and not human merit, they have nothing to do with success in the spiritual life. The vital truth is for you to know that the gifts can function satisfactorily only when you are filled with the Holy Spirit.”

Regardless of the spiritual gift he has obtained at the moment of salvation, every believer is a part of the team which represents Christ on earth (1 Corinthians 13:25-27). The most obvious gifts are not necessarily the most important. In fact, when the spiritual gifts are listed in order of merit, the last one to be named is tongues!

“And God [the Holy Spirit; cf. 1 Cor. 12:11) hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues (1 Corinthians 12:28).

Note that the spiritual gifts are listed categorically: (1) leadership gifts, (2) spectacular gifts and (3) administration gifts. The highest of all gifts was the gift of apostleship. Apostolic commissions conferred upon their recipients the gift of absolute spiritual dictatorship over all the local churches. A temporary gift, apostleship ceased with the completion of the Canon of Scripture, as did the gift of prophecy. The third gift named is that of pastor-teacher. Next to the Word of God, which holds absolute sway over the believer, the pastor-teacher ranks highest. However, his leadership is now restricted to one local church — his own.

In the category of spectacular gifts, we find miracles, healing, tongues, and the gift of interpretation. By now, all of these gifts are extinct. The gifts of administration included helps and governments. These are essential to the function of the local church and still very much in use. Where does this

classification of spiritual gifts place Brothers Foot and Ear? it elevates them to a higher place on the spiritual totem pole, which the Corinthians had erected in their ignorance, and it assigns Brothers Hand and Eye to the lowest place. The realisation of this truth must have come as a shock to the first-century tongues crowd as they listened to Paul’s exhortation: “But covet earnestly the best gifts ...” (1 Cor. 12:31).

The verb ZELOO means “to be ardently devoted to” or “to earnestly desire.” It is stated in the second person, masculine plural, and it therefore addressed to the entire assembly of Corinthian believers. The present tense, active voice and imperative mood convey a command which, if obeyed, would rectify

the schism within the church at Corinth. What Paul was saying, in fact, was this: “Whenever you Corinthian Christians assemble, you should always desire the best spiritual gifts to be used among you. The best gift for assembly worship is the communication gift of teaching; the least is that of tongues.”

Since tongues is the least desirable and the lowest on the list of spiritual gifts, the Corinthians were never to covet the possession of the gift of tongues! In the light of Scripture, it is inconceivable that twentieth-century Christians should attempt to obtain a gift that no longer exists and one that was inferior even when operational.

Tongues Regulated (1 Corinthians 14)

First Corinthians 14 demonstrates the inferiority of the gift of tongues over another temporal gift — the gift of prophecy. While the gift of prophecy edified and therefore matured, exhorted and comforted the believer, the gift of tongues accomplished but one objective — the declaration of the Gospel in Gentile languages as a sign of warning. Whereas the gift of prophecy entailed dissemination of vital doctrinal truths to the whole assembly of believers, the gift of tongues was directed to the occasional unsaved visitor in some local congregation. To all others in the church, this torrent of information was a complete mystery (1 Corinthians 14:2) unless another believer interpreted his words (1 Corinthians 14:5).

Certainly, it would be stimulating to conduct evangelistic campaigns under such circumstances as the early church experienced. The operation of this particular gift led to both animation and ecstatics. These, however, were not the outcome of the filling of the Spirit but rather resulted in the eloquent presentation of the Gospel in a foreign language unknown to the one who spoke it. Animation and ecstatics were absolutely necessary in order that the proper emphasis and persuasiveness as well as the sense of urgency might be conveyed. In turn, the stimulation of the believer so gifted led to his self-edification.

No doubt it was the sight of such ecstasy which caused the Corinthians to desire this gift above all else. Because Paul himself had been the recipient of the gift of tongues, he could understand their aspirations (1 Corinthians 14:5 cf. 14:18). He wished as much as they did that all of them might have

been given the ability to witness in other languages, for Paul had yearned to see every Jew reached, saved and rescued from the terrible consequences of the fifth cycle of discipline in time and from the lake of fire in eternity (Romans 10:1).

Never once did Paul succumb to spiritual superiority because he possessed the gift of tongues. He saw the gift in the proper perspective and thanked God not only for the gift, but also that he had occasion to use the gift to a greater extent than all the Christians in Corinth put together. Maximum contact with Jews throughout the Roman world and the linguistic barriers he encountered made tongues a necessity. Since he had made extensive use of the gift, Paul was well-qualified to speak on the subject. His observations and instructions bore the mark of authority and made a great impact on the recipients of the epistles. Yet he refused to use the gift of tongues inside the church. It is the purpose of the local church to further the growth of believers. This can be accomplished only by the teaching of Bible doctrine. The sheepfold is designed to feed the sheep. This requires the gift of pastor-teacher, not the gift of tongues! On the other hand, evangelism should be conducted outside the local church. Therefore, Paul advocated restraint in the use of tongues within the church:

“Yet in the church I had rather speak five words with my understanding [mind], that by my voice I might teach [orally] others [believers] also, than ten thousand words in an unknown [foreign] tongue (1 Corinthians 14:19).”

The local church would benefit little if the apostle utilised his gift of tongues in prayer. The foreign language he enunciated was unknown both to him and to the congregation. Therefore, while the gift of tongues operated, there was a lack of coordination between the intellect and the speech of the one

who prayed. Thus prayer had become mechanical and meaningless.

The limitation of tongues is illustrated in 1 Corinthians 14:7-11. The first illustration is drawn from music:

“And even things without life giving sound, whether pipe [reed instrument] or harp [stringed instrument], except they give a distinction in the sounds, how shall it be known what is piped or harped (1 Corinthians 14:7).”

Musical instruments can produce either beautiful melodies or discord. For example, the tunes on the current hit parade can scarcely pass as music; they are devoid of melody and meaning, offensive to lovers of good light or classical melody and harmony. The analogy is obvious: the gift of tongues is compared to the cacophony of jumbled confusion which proceeds from the mere sound of musical instrument without the melody.

The military furnished Paul’s second illustration

“For if a trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle (1 Corinthians 14:8).”

IN the ancient world the trumpet relayed the commanding officer’s orders to his troops. If the trumpeter garbled the command, the soldiers would not know whether they were to advance or retreat in a tactical situation. The results would be disastrous! The “uncertain sound” is therefore analogous to the operation of the gift of tongues:

“So likewise ye, except ye utter by the tongue [as an instrument of speech and communication] words easy to be understood [perspicuous, intelligible words], how shall it be known what is spoken? for ye shall speak into the air (1 Corinthians 14:9).”

For this final illustration, Paul resorted to philology:

“There are, it may be [as the case may be] so many kinds of voices [languages] in the world, and none of them is without signification [without the faculty of communication]. Therefore if I know not the meaning of the voice [language], I shall be unto him that speaketh a barbarian, and he that speaketh shall be a barbarian unto me (1 Corinthians 14:10,11).”

Language is used to communicate thought. Communication breaks down when person’s do not speak each other’s language, and words become meaningless sounds. According to ancient Greek and Latin usage, the word “barbarian” was ascribed to an outlander, a foreigner, and was always used in a deprecatory sense. It is a coined word, based on how all, other languages sounded to the Greek ear: “bar-ba-bar-bar” !Surely, this was the impression which the gift of tongues must have made on strangers and worshippers in some local congregations. Tongues must be regulated or else bedlam would disrupt every church service! To drive home his point, Paul set up a hypothetical case that

involves a church full of believers with but one gift — the gift of tongues. The prospect is a veritable nightmare, a multiplication of Brothers Hand and Eye. Can you visualise this hypothetical situation?

“If therefore the whole church be come together in one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those that are unlearned, or unbelievers, will they not say that ye are mad (1 Corinthians 14:23)?”

“The unlearned,” IDIOTAI, is the nominative plural of the noun IDIOTES. It was originally used of one who did not participate in the affairs of state in the Athenian democracy. In this context it refers to an unbeliever who is totally ignorant of Christianity but who is nevertheless seeking. “Unbelievers” are those unsaved persons who have been exposed to Christianity on previous occasions and had returned for further information. Both types of unbelievers would regard such a worship service as an assembly of lunatics.

God never intended that spiritual gifts create pandemonium in the local church, “for God is not the author of confusion” (1 Corinthians 14:33). The modus operandi for tongues in a church was clarified by Paul under the inspiration of God the Holy Spirit. Five functions in the worship of the early church were declared to be acceptable: (1) “psalms” — the singing of hymns to the accompaniment of musical instruments; (2) “doctrine” — the teaching of the Word of God; (3) “tongues” — as a means of evangelism where a language barrier existed; (4) “revelation” — the exercise of the gift of prophecy which oriented the believer to the plan of God; and (5) “interpretation” — the gift of interpreting or translating the foreign languages spoken. Without this gift, the use of tongues in worship was strictly forbidden: “But if there be no interpreter, let him [the one speaking in tongues] keep silence in the church...” (1 Corinthians 14:28). These five authorised functions comprised the agenda of worship in the pre canon era of the Church Age. And always, the criterion was that all things be done “to the edifying of the church” (1 Corinthians 14:12)! Only under the conditions specified could tongues be categorised as “edifying”: the presence of both a person who spoke in tongues and a person who translated his message to the assembled congregation. Even then, the use of tongues was regulated and restricted; no more than two or three were to speak in tongues in any given service. Furthermore, they were to take turns.

What is not generally known is that the early church had two or three sermons in one worship service. These were given in rotation and were, in fact, the forerunners of our modern expository sermons in which the doctrines of the Bible are delineated. For that reason two or three tongues messages were

permitted. Of course, once the Canon was completed, the nature of the church service changed. Interpretation of Scripture became the dominant activity; the temporary gifts were discontinued, and the field was left to the pastor-teacher. However, the same principles still govern the modus operandi for the Church: “Let all things be done decently and in order” (1 Corinthians 14:40). This principle is conveniently overlooked and blatantly ignored by the modern tongues crowd whose din of gibberish drowns out the truth of sound doctrine!

The More Excellent Way

“… and yet,” Paul concluded in 1 Corinthians 12:31, “I show unto you a more excellent way.”

The “more excellent way” — the filling of the Holy Spirit as the modus operandi for the Christian way of life (termed “charity” in 1 Corinthians 13) — is the real issue in every believer’s life. Here is the energising power behind the gift God has sovereignly bestowed upon you!

“Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal (1 Corinthians 13:1).”

The gift of tongues is still in view here; and this verse indicates that there is an angelic language as well as human language, which, as an extension of the angelic conflict, was spoken on occasion by those who had the gift of tongues. Remember that the angels learn their lessons on the grace of God from the Church (Ephesians 3:10; 1 Peter 1:12).

In the English of the seventeenth century, the word “charity” was the strongest word for “love,” The word found in the Greek text is the noun AGAPE. This same love, according to Romans 5:5 and Galatians 5:22, is the primary demonstration of spirituality — the “better way.” No spiritual gift can function properly without the filling of the Spirit. In fact, Paul likened the believer who attempted to speak in tongues without being filled with the Spirit as “sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.”

The CHALKOS of the ancient world consisted of two pieces of metal — an alloy of copper and tin — and was used by peddlers to attract attention to their wares. The tinkling KUMBALON (an onomatopoetic word) was a hollow brass instrument that magnified sound; it was generally used by professional mourners and brought forth a volume of meaningless sound. This is indeed a fitting description of a believer who calls attention to himself and to his own abilities rather than to God and His glory!

“And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing (1 Corinthians 13:2).”

There were communication gifts, such as prophecy; perception gifts, including the understanding of mysteries (the doctrines of the Church Age not revealed in Old Testament times); an exhilaration gift of knowledge of doctrine still to be entered into the Canon; operational gifts such as faith, which extended into the field of miracles — a gift which covered impossible or hopeless situations that confronted the early church without a Canon of Scripture; and finally, the exhibition of the gift of tongues. While all these gifts were sensational and spectacular, they were nothing apart from the filling of the Spirit and its repercussions in the area of the “grace apparatus for perception”.

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Definition: “Grace apparatus for perception” — a grace system for spiritual growth and advancement provided by God, whereby every believer is able to understand the whole realm of Bible doctrine, regardless of human IQ, and whereby he may assimilate as much doctrine as his positive volition allows.

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The Gifts That Failed

“Charity [love, which is the manifestation of the filling of the Spirit] never faileth; but whether there shall be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away (1 Corinthians 13:8).”

As translated, the verb OUDEPOTE means “never” or “not at any time” .The present active indicative of the verb PIPTO means more than “to fail”; it should be rendered “to fall.” The same verb is sometimes used of an audience hissing an actor off the stage. Hence, it indicates to us that the filling of the Spirit is never hissed off the stage of life. While certain of the spiritual gifts were temporary, the filling of the Spirit would continue throughout the Church Age. By contrast, the time would come when the gift of prophecy would no longer be used. The Book of Revelation contains the last prophetic utterances. When John (on the Island of Patmos) completed the final chapter of the Bible, the Canon was closed. Further attempts to add to Scripture were prohibited (Revelation 22:18); moreover, prophecies became inoperative!

Among the first gifts to be cut off in A.D. 70 was the gift of tongues. “Whether there be tongues, they shall cease” (1 Corinthians 13:8). The verb PAUOMAI means “to prohibit, restrain, cut off.” The cutoff point was the fall of Jerusalem and the subsequent dispersion of the Jewish people. The middle voice declares that the termination of this particular gift would benefit the Church, and the indicative mood stresses the reality of the gift’s cessation. The benefit the Church derived from the removal of tongues is obvious: tongues had caused untold strife and factions in the church at Corinth; these problems would cease once the gift was withdrawn. Today the attempted practice of tongues is a manifestation of apostasy. Wherever this evil crops up, it fosters spiritual inferiority and superiority complexes. It feeds on emotion and sponsors perversions of the grace of God. Furthermore, tongues frequently affords access to demon activity. Steer clear of the tongues crowd! They are out of line with the declared will of God for this dispensation; for all their efforts, they cannot reinstitute what God has seen fit to remove!

Paul mentioned the gift of tongues in his epistle to the Corinthians. These were penned in the early period of the apostle’s writing and discussed tongues as a very timely subject. He never brought up tongues in his later letters, for even then the gift was gradually disappearing. It was no longer pertinent, and the necessity of its use would soon terminate altogether. The gift of knowledge was also to vanish. GNOSIS, or “knowledge” refers to a temporary gift that had been utilised to teach believers certain doctrines which had not as yet become a part of the New Testament Canon. The future passive indicative of the verb KATARGEO indicates that time when the gift of knowledge would become inoperative (circa A.D. 95), coterminous with the recording of the final word in the Book of

Revelation.

Knowledge of doctrine in the pre canon period of the Church Age was fragmentary. Revelation concerning the doctrine of the Mystery (doctrines pertaining to the present dispensation) had not been completed; those who communicated doctrine by means of a spiritual gift could only do so on the basis of what they knew. They knew “in part", and consequently they taught “in part” (1 Corinthians 13:9). The doctrine these early Bible teachers taught was received by them from two sources: the Old Testament Canon and direct revelation from God. From these same sources, God so directed certain

apostles (Paul, Peter, John, James, Matthew, Luke, John, etc.) that without waiving their intelligence, personality, individuality, vocabulary, literary style, personal feelings, or any other human factor, God’s complete and coherent message to the Church was recorded with perfect accuracy in the Koine Greek, the very words of the original manuscripts bearing the authority of divine authorship. When Paul wrote the thirteenth chapter of 1 Corinthians, he anticipated the completion of the Canon and the end of some of the spiritual gifts.

“But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away (1 Corinthians 13:10).”

The phrase, “that which is perfect", does not refer to a perfect person but rather to a perfect thing. This we know because the Greek noun TO TELEION is the nominative NEUTER singular from the noun TELEIOS. It should be translated “the perfect” or “the completed” and identifies the entirety of the

Scriptures. For a better understanding of the word “perfect” we must refer to the Book of James. (Two epistles were written before 1 Corinthians: James and Galatians.) The meaning of a word in Scripture is often determined by its use in other portions of the Word. TELEIOS is the “perfect” or “completed", was already contained in the Canon. The Apostle James had referred to “the perfect law of liberty” (James 1:25) as being synonymous with the Bible. Paul had chosen that phraseology when he recorded 1 Corinthians 13"10, a corrected translation of which reads:

“But on that occasion (the completion of the Canon) when the completed (perfected) is come (a reference to the entire Bible), the fragmentary gifts (temporary gifts) will become inoperative.”

Henceforth, the Canon of Scripture would serve the same purpose that spiritual gifts had once performed. Besides tongues, other temporary gifts could then be canceled: apostleship, prophecy, healing and other miracles.

(1) Apostleship. We think of the Apostolic Age as an era of fantastic miracles. Actually, although such miracles are documented in the Word of God, this era was limited in that it lacked a completed Canon of Scripture. Because the churches were in their infancy, there had to be strong spiritual leadership. However, after the completion of the Canon, the gift could beset aside. As previously stated, a pastor-teacher’s authority is now limited to one local church.

(2) Prophecy. The gift of prophecy included both foretelling and forth telling. It consisted of predictions of a number of doctrines yet to be down in written form. The announcement Paul made that prophecies “shall fail” does not refer to prophetic messages in the Bible; these would continue to be legitimate. What he meant was that believers, who once had the ability to foretell the future, would some day cease to prophesy. With the Plan of God and the doctrines of the Church clearly defined on the written page, there is no further need for that gift.

(3) Healing. As the leaders and evangelists of the early churches established their authority, the temporary spiritual gift was withdrawn (cf. Acts 19:11,12; Phil. 2:27; 2 Tim. 4:20). The miracles of healing had served as a credit card for these men before the completion of the Canon; now they were to be terminated. Thus the gift of healing ceased, even as Paul said it would! Many believers are taken in by the claims of would-be healers. They could save themselves much heartache and great sums of money if they only knew Scripture! The gift of healing is NOT in operation today. This does not imply that God no longer heals! He does heal, if and when He so desires; but the GIFT is nonexistent!

(4) Tongues. The gift of speaking in some foreign language not previously understood or mastered was properly used to evangelise and warn the Jews concerning the proximity of the fifth cycle of discipline. The gift of interpretation, which was an essential addition to the gift of tongues, was also withdrawn when the fifth cycle was executed.

Wonderful and spectacular though these gifts had been, they never had spiritual implications. Rather, they were related to the establishing of the authority of pastors, apostles and evangelists. Their abuse led to the regulation of the gifts (1 Corinthians 14) for as long as they were in use. The absolute authority of the Word, which certainly needs no authentication, eventually replaced the gift itself!

Had God deprived the Church of something necessary for its function? Not at all! To the contrary, the removal of these temporary gifts in no way indicated the removal of the indwelling presence and filling of the Holy Spirit. At the moment of salvation every believer is indwelt and filled by the Spirit. After that, he receives the filling of the Spirit at the point of rebound.

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Definition: Rebound — the restoration of the believer’s fellowship with God in time through confession of sin (1 John 1:9), and the means of recovery of the filling of the Spirit (Ephesians 5:14,18).

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It is the filling of the Spirit which is essential to the effective operation of the Church on earth. It is the filling of the Spirit which is the basis for the assimilation of Bible doctrine, the erection of the edification complex of the soul and the production of divine good. Those gifts upon which the Church depended will continue to exist throughout the Church Age. Among them are the gifts of pastor- teacher, evangelism, helps and administration (cf. Ephesians 4:11).

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Definition: Edification complex of the soul — Immaterial “structure” in the soul of the mature believer. The foundation is doctrine stored in the human spirit. Composed of five “floors”: grace orientation; relaxed mental attitude; mastery of the details of life; capacity to love God, right man or right woman and friends, inner happiness. The ECS is the backbone of the soul.

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Tribulational Approach (2 Thessalonians 2:7-11)

No one is more interested in the perpetuation of tongues than the devil himself. Tongues revivals are a satanically-inspired operation, designed to obscure the truth and thus to distract from the real issue in salvation — pure and simple faith in the Son of God (John 3:36). Likewise, it is Satan’s objective to distort spirituality. Even when they were extant, tongues had absolutely no relationship to spirituality. Yet Satan will see to it that the pseudo-tongues phenomenon will continue to erupt throughout the course of human history. Particularly will this be the case during the Tribulation.

“For the mystery of iniquity doth already work; on he [Holy Spirit] who now letteth [restrains] will let [restrain], until he be taken out of the way.”

The word “iniquity” (ANOMIA) is not a reference to the ordinary evil which emanates from the old sin nature. Any evil that originates from the old sin nature is called carnality or sin, transgression or unrighteousness. Were any of these indicated in the context, we would find the words ADIKIA or

PARANOMIA. Here, “iniquity” is satanic evil. Satanic evil is always counterfeit of the truth, as found in 1 Corinthians 10:21 — the counterfeit communion table. Although Satan’s evil is restrained from running rampant in the Church Age because of the presence of the Holy Spirit, satanic evil will be unleashed in all its fury during the Tribulation. Therefore, the Tribulation will be the most concentrated period of catastrophe the world has ever known (Matthew 24:21,22). Today this “iniquity” or satanic evil exists in its mystery form; although it is operational, its extent is inhibited by

the Church and by the Holy Spirit who indwells every believer. After the Rapture of the Church, which will occur coterminously with the departure of the Holy Spirit, the Tribulation will begin; and even though the restraining ministry of the Holy Spirit is no longer there, certain spiritual gifts will

continue to function. Thus divine intervention and the activity of those who become believers after the Rapture will, to some degree, still curb “iniquity”.

Satan is a master-counterfeiter; he seeks continually for ways whereby he can duplicate God’s perfect design. For example, he knows that Jesus Christ is the Head of His organism, the Church (Ephesians 5:23). Therefore, the satanic plan calls for another organisation — ecumenism — at whose head is the devil’s own man of the hour.

“And then shall that Wicked [one] be revealed [the emergence of the dictator of the Revived Roman empire in the Tribulation], whom the Lord shall consume [slay] with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming [fulfilled at the second advent; Rev. 19:15,20]: Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan [associated] with all power and signs and lying wonders (2 Thessalonians 2:8,9).”

This great Tribulational dictator will be the product of satanic evil. Indwelt and empowered by the devil, the Lawless One will perform signs and lying wonders in a demonstration of supernatural power. Since God had confirmed His Son and His chosen ones with “signs and wonders and with diverse miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost [Spirit]” (Hebrews 2:4), so would Satan. The “power” exercised by that lawless or Wicked One is a reference to the false gift of miracles; tongues will feature prominently among these. “Signs” are an imitation of the genuine but temporary gift of healing. However, the illnesses involved will be demon-induced, and the cures will be achieved by

their subsequent removal from the unbelievers they indwell. The mechanics of the dictator’s “lying wonders” will be executed by one category of demons whose sole function it is to control the vocal chords of the unbelievers whose bodies they possess. The purpose of all these supernatural exhibitions

in the Tribulation will be to hinder people from accepting Jesus Christ as saviour. Thus the satanic counterfeit of the gifts of tongues and of healing will accomplish what Satan intended: the confusion of the lost and the disparagement of the Gospel. Consequently, the truth will be rejected and negative volition will persist on a major scale (2 Thessalonians 2:10).

“And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, [for the purpose] that they should believe a lie (2 Thessalonians 2:11).”

The human heart [mentality of the soul] is said to harden when the truth is consistently refused. In this stage of reversionism, the unbeliever becomes firmly entrenched in negative volition. He is incapable of discerning truth from error and invariably chooses to accept the latter. This was true of the Pharaoh of the Exodus (Exodus 9:12), and it will be true of Tribulational unbelievers. Long ago, the Prophet Isaiah delineated the mechanics of “strong delusion” .He set down two signs — one false, the other true. Which of these would Israel believe?

“Behold, I [Isaiah] and the children whom the LORD hath given me are for signs and for wonders in Israel from the LORD of hosts, which dwelleth in mount Zion. And when they [the religious leaders of that day] shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? for the living to the dead (Isaiah 8:18,19)?”

The true sign was Isaiah and his two sons. The birth of his son, Maher-shalal-hash-baz, was God’s warning sign of the Assyrian conquest of Judah (Isaiah 8:1ff); the presence of Shear-jashub, His promise of the return of the believing remnant (Isaiah 7:3ff).

The false sign was certain aspects of demonism, which reduced Israel to the depths of apostasy. Rather than declare the whole counsel of doctrine as it then existed, Israel’s religious council advised their congregations to seek help from demon-possessed individuals in the nation. The Hebrew word for “familiar spirits” is the word OB (pronounced ahv). When this word was translated into the Septuagint, the Greek word EGGASTRIMUTHOS was chosen in its place. Both words refer to ventriloquist demons — fallen angels who control the vocal chords of their hosts.

Talking Demons

Ventriloquist demons are mentioned in various parts of scripture in both the Old and New Testaments. They will control certain rulers of the earth during the Tribulation (Revelation 16:13,14). Isaiah’s prophecy that the Jews would “seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep and mutter” (Isaiah 8:19) indicates the involvement of the two types of OB or EGGASTRIMUTHOS demons in the pronouncement of demonic counsel. Thus we know that talking demons can possess male and female unbelievers and use their vocal chords at will. In this context, the wizards are said to “peep” — a high falsetto voice — and to “mutter” — deep, hollow tones. When the EGGASTRIMUTHOS demons “mutter,” they project their voices in such a way as to make them appear to come out of the ground.

The peeping and muttering of the talking demons is not limited to accounts from Scripture. A missionary once described a demon-possessed Indian from Arizona. Ordinarily this Indian had a deep resonant voice. Under demon-domination, he made strange statements is a high falsetto voice. Many cases are on record which state that demon-possessed persons have actually spoken in some foreign language they had never known. Of all the modern-day accounts of this phenomenon the best documented is the case of Helene Smith in Switzerland who spoke in an ancient language of India. At first everyone thought she had the gift of tongues, particularly when it was discovered that she was indeed speaking in an ancient language. Of course, knowledge of doctrine would have ruled out such an assumption from the very beginning! Helene Smith’s “gift” proved to be a clear case of demon possession, for when the demon would leave her (demons can come and go at will: Luke 11:24,25), she had no recollection of what had happened. In the Tribulation, Satan will employ to the maximum these same phenomena in order to deceive many and will thus induce the situation described in 2 Thessalonians as :"strong delusion.”

In summary, we have examined two prophecies regarding tongues. The first prophecy, Isaiah 28:11,12, was related to the Jews. It dealt with the warning of the approaching fifth cycle of discipline and the time when they would be evangelised in Gentile languages. The second prophecy, 2 Thessalonians 2:10, concerns the “Son of Perdition” .That wicked dictator of the Revived Roman

Empire in the Tribulation will be Satan-indwelt and Satan-energised, with the power to speak in tongues. One is a true sign — the bona fide gift of tongues, which as already been fulfilled; the other is a false sign — the satanic distortion of the gift of tongues. Although this last prophecy has yet to be

fulfilled, it already casts its ugly shadow, for the “mystery of lawlessness” is already at work (2 Thessalonians 2:7).

Tongues Today

“Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times [the end of the Church Age] some shall depart from the faith [the body of doctrine, that which is believed], giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils [demons] (1 Timothy 4:1).

Whereas the gift of tongues was an unmistakable sign to the Jews of the first century (1 Corinthians 14:22), to the Christian in the twentieth century it is an indication of the appalling lack of doctrinal teaching and consequent apostasy in our generation. Every experience that is categorised as tongues

is in reality a pseudo-tongues experience. At best, it is a psychological reaction or an ecstatic activity; at worst, it is caused by demon possession. A very definite part of the demonic doctrines against which every believer must be on guard in the modern tongues movement, which is enjoying the most popular revival it has had in years! The practice of tongues today in every part of the world has had two unfortunate results: (1) it obscures the Gospel; therefore, it prevents the unbeliever from finding Christ as saviour; and (2) it leads believers into false doctrine and hinders spiritual growth as well as production.

Wherever tongues flourishes, confusion reigns. A group of people in southern California who claimed they spoke in tongues, were questioned recently regarding their knowledge of salvation. Each one insisted that not one but five or six steps were necessary for salvation. All had erroneous beliefs

concerning the issue of the Gospel and the mechanics of spirituality. This is not surprising, for confusion is a part of the pattern in the tongues spectrum. The devastation which the modern tongues movement leaves in its wake is prodigious. Not only does this apostate activity mislead the unbeliever, but it inhibits the believer from getting into doctrine. Chances are that such an individual becomes more intrigued with the promise of ecstatic experiences than the prospect of learning the Word, a task that requires consistent self-discipline, positive volition and subjection to the pastor’s authority!

Even as the Jews of old had to be warned about the consequences of disobedience to God’s Plan, so we must be cautioned about this distortion of Scriptural teaching. It is evil and false because IT IS NOT OF GOD! Consider the claims of the tongues crowd! They ascribe their gibberish to the Holy

Spirit. They stand on Romans 8:26, which says that “the Spirit itself maketh intercession FOR [not THROUGH] us with groanings”; but they blissfully ignore the fact stated in scripture that these groanings “CANNOT BE UTTERED.” They admit that the tongues phenomenon of Pentecost involved legitimate foreign languages, but they claim to speak a mysterious angelic language and refer

back to Paul who had done the same (1 Corinthians 13:1). However, since the gift was canceled after A.D. 70, one can hardly classify such frenzied outburst as heavenly speech! Furthermore, Paul considered the exercise of this prized gift without the filling of the Holy Spirit sheer nothingness — sound without meaning.

There has not existed a bona fide gift of tongues since A.D. 70 — more than two thousand years! Why do people who are born again accept this reversionistic doctrine? Why do they fall prey to its apparent attraction? When a believer fails to learn Bible doctrine on a daily basis, he inevitably reverts to the human viewpoint system of rationalism, ritualism or emotionalism. These are as satanic as any systems of modernism. Emotionalism has great appeal today, possibly because it is a reaction to the ritualism of the past generations and appears to be spiritual power.

In their day, the Corinthians faced the same problem and refused to accept the doctrine Paul had so faithfully taught them. In the context of the two epistles to these Corinthians, emotion, and specifically tongues, had become their criterion. The Corinthians began to strive for the experience of speaking in tongues and turned a deaf ear to the Word. While lack of doctrinal teaching can be blamed for some of the abysmal ignorance of this generation of believers, this was not the case in Corinth. Paul and his traveling teaching staff had correctly taught the divinely-inspired doctrines. Therefore, the only limitation to the spiritual growth of these early Christians was their own emotional pattern. Paul pointed out their dangerous position to the Corinthians, when he wrote:

“O ye Corinthians, our mouth is open unto you [we are teaching you doctrine], our heart [mind] is enlarged. Ye are not straitened [limited] in us, but ye are straitened [limited] in your own bowels [literally: by your own emotional pattern] (2 Corinthians 6:11,12).”

On the authority of the Word of God, I say to you, believer, beware that you are not led around by your own emotions! Beware that your desire for a great emotional experience does not guide you into false doctrine! The attempt to have an ecstatic experience, that so-called “second blessing,” is nothing

more or less than ignorance of the Word of God. Satan not only counterfeits today that which occurred in the first century, but he also has a system of healing. Do not fall for any of these things! Stick with Bible doctrine; you will never be limited by doctrine in the soul. Power is resident in the Holy

Spirit (Acts 1:8), not in emotion! Power is found in the Word (Hebrews 4:12) and not in experience! Others may err concerning the faith; as for you, like Timothy,

“… keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoid profane and vain babblings .… 1 Timothy 6:20”

and tongues will never become a problem to you!

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