You will remember that in the last lecture we discovered that the tongue on Pentecost is the miracle of the presence of the Holy Spirit and wasn’t that it was unknown or not understandable but just the opposite. It was heard even in the dialect in which the hearer was born, that is to say the natural language that someone grew up with, that one would know what it was. Naturally, no man can imitate that, only the Holy Spirit speaking through someone and that it had to do with that which was spoken of by Joel the prophet. Which is to say when the locust army comes forth and God’s election are delivered up to witness as a testimony for Him, as reiterated in Mark chapter thirteen.
Now, there’s another kind of tongue spoken of in the Word of God, and we would certainly be amiss if we did not address that. We find one of the better places to discuss it in 1 Corinthians, chapter fourteen. I would caution you to relax and let God’s Word speak. Naturally, I’m going to make a commentary but you think for yourself and always learn to think for yourself and come to your own conclusions. Now, whatever your own conclusions are, we can be the best of friends, but as a teacher, I must teach it as I read it from the ancient languages, that is to say, the manuscripts, to draw it out even in the King James.
1 Corinthians 14:1 Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy.
Of course, charity is love for our people. That’s to say gifts from God through the Holy Spirit that will help you carry forth God’s work. To prophecy is to teach, or to speak, having divine influence within the speaker concerning the Word of God and the prophets. It’s a gift to be able to teach and a gift always makes room for itself. You don’t have to say “I have the gift of teaching” if you actually have it people should recognize it because the gift of teaching with the presence of the Holy Spirit causes the Word to come to life for it is living.
1 Cor 14:2 For he that speaketh in an [unknown] tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth [him]; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries.
Now it is important that you note that the word “unknown” as it is written in this verse is in italics which means what? It means that man added it to the translation to make it carry in English. But I think you’ll remember I taught you the word “tongue” as it is used here, that is glossa:
G1100
γλῶσσα
glōssa
gloce'-sah
Of uncertain affinity; the tongue; by implication a language (specifically one naturally unacquired): - tongue.
It means that it is un-acquired. What does that mean? That means that it is a language that was not present where you grew up in a natural sense. But if two languages are spoken where a child grows up they will naturally pick up on both of those languages. One may be more dominant than the other but they will have both those languages.
So, what it is really saying here is that I, being an English speaker, if I go down to where there are people who predominantly have another tongue, let’s say I went to Mexico City, and to teach there they would not understand what I was saying. God would know what I was saying because God understands all languages but those poor people would not hear my words else I had an interpreter because the tongue I spoke would be foreign to them. It would not be naturally learned by them for they did not all naturally learn English as they grew up.
Now concerning tongues, many people would say “Well I’m just prophesying to God”. You know, I have a pretty close walk with the Father and I’ve had some experiences that I would never speak of but I will tell you this, it reminds me of the verse in Romans 9 where it would say, “Who are you man that you would question or try to tell God what to do?” Remember what He did to Paul when he was trying to run God’s church for Him? He knocked him down and blinded him. Now if you claim people can’t understand but you’re prophesying to God, God doesn’t need a prophet to prophesy to Him. All wisdom comes from Him. Probably the highest trips of vanity are those that say “well I just prophesied to God”. That’s very dangerous; dangerous when one says, “I’m ministering to God”. Well, I would be very careful if I were you if I had that opinion. I know from experience that God has a way of getting people back down into low gear where they belong.
1 Corinthians 14:3 But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort.
In other words, the reason that we prophesy in teaching or speaking with the divine presence of the Spirit, or being gifted as a teacher, is that you’re supposed to do it for edification of that person or exhortation to help them understand deeper into the truth, or for comfort, to have a spirit of comfort in teaching. Well, if they don’t know what you are saying how can you comfort them? If you're speaking English and they only understand Spanish, pray tell me, how you are going to comfort them? That is what Paul is saying here. They don’t have the “glossa”, that’s to say the natural acquired ability to understand English there in Mexico City.
1 Cor 14:4 He that speaketh in an [unknown] tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church
Again, [unknown] is in italics meaning it was added and it is not in the original manuscripts. The word tongue or glossa means “an unacquired language”, meaning a foreign language to you. In other words, what you are supposed to do is, when you are teaching God’s prophets, if you will, it’s supposed to edify the body. The church is not necessarily a building it’s a group of people wherever they might be. That’s the purpose. And if they can’t understand you, you have a problem. Communication is a beautiful thing and one that has the ability to communicate with the anointing of the Holy Spirit is a gift indeed. And communication is the name of the game. If people can’t understand you then I’m sorry, you’re not a communicator. A person in communicating must always teach on a level that the new person that might be listening can learn. I’m thinking of broadcasting as an example, a teacher must teach where a new person can understand as well as a medium-level student, and then moving deeper to a third level. A teacher must work that within that and it takes the Holy Spirit to be able to teach on those three levels at one time. That’s communicating. It’s supposed to edify, comfort, and bring the church the Word of God.
1 Corinthians 14:5 I would that ye all spake with tongues, but rather that ye prophesied: for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying.
In other words, I as an English speaker, if I’m going to a church in Mexico where the language is Spanish, he would rather that I would be able to speak both languages. And naturally if your native language is English you’re going to think in that language but translate it to Spanish as you speak. It’s just nature. That’s the way it is, that’s the way the cookie crumbles. He said, “I’d rather all of you did” but not all of us know foreign languages nor do we understand them. And you have to remember again that in Paul’s day you didn’t have to walk very far until you were in a group of people that spoke a totally different language and Paul was one that could handle Hebrew, Aramaic, the Roman language, and he could handle street Greek pretty well. So he could speak quite a few languages, therefore he was able to communicate with people.
1 Corinthians 14:6 Now, brethren, if I come unto you speaking with tongues what shall I profit you, except I shall speak to you either by revelation, or by knowledge, or by prophesying, or by doctrine
In other words, if I can’t speak your own language, you’re not even going to know what I’m talking about, you’re not going to understand. It would be a waste of time. This is why, even on television today when you see certain evangelists make trips to other countries and you hear that televised, you hear the evangelist speak and then an interpreter speaks in another language. That in itself is a very good gift, for the very volume and emotion of the Spirit-given message must have that emotion carry over into the other language. That’s a gift. In other words we couldn’t say in one language: "AND THE LORD JESUS CHRIST!" and then have someone translate it in another one: “and-the-Lord-Jesus-Christ”... It loses the emotion, so it is a gift. I'm sure you get the point.
1 Corinthians 14:7 And even things without life giving sound, whether pipe or harp, except they give a distinction in the sounds, how shall it be known what is piped or harped’
Sound such as from a trumpet, and sounds as in notes. How are you going to know if you can’t catch a harmony or a melody if all you hear is a noise? For example, you might hear a small child sometime, having a go at a horn. That’s what he’s talking about; that it doesn’t mean anything. There’s no distinction to the sound. Now horns were used in battle times.
1 Corinthians 14:8 For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?
If a trumpeter does not know how to play the battle charge, and it’s a special call which is still used in the military today, then how are you going to know when to charge if you can’t play the trumpet? There’s no communication in other words. That’s Paul’s point. It’s wonderful to be able to take the Word and the Gospel forth to all peoples and all tongues and all nations but you always have that problem of communication. Thank God as it was spoken on Pentecost day; "this is that which was spoken of by Joel the prophet”. When that day comes [where it will be spoken again] it will not be a problem. But what happened there was the evidence or an example of what shall happen at the time [the elect are delivered up]. So when you hear a noise or a voice, it has got to be in your language or else it’s never going to make sense to you. You’ll be blowing in the wind so to speak.
1 Corinthians 14:9 So likewise ye, except ye utter by the tongue words easy to be understood, how shall it be known what is spoken’ for ye shall speak into the air.
You might as well be talking to the air. They aren’t going to understand what you are saying. Even if you had the gift as a teacher in English and you stumble down to a place where they all speak Spanish or French or something else you’re not going to be able to help them, with the exception of having an interpreter with you. He’s making this point down where a child can understand. Now it comes to the point, do you believe the Word of God or do you like to believe men? I don’t know. It’s up to you. As a teacher I must teach it as I see it. We can still be friends. You do what you feel you have to do.
There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices
Voices = Strong's G5456 - phōnē
3) speech
a) of a language, tongue
in the world, and none of them [is] without signification.
In other words, if you understand the language, you would understand it because they are each specifically set forth.
1 Corinthians 14:11 Therefore if I know not the meaning of the voice,
If I do not know the meaning of the language…
I shall be unto him that speaketh a barbarian he that speaketh shall be a barbarian unto me.
“I don’t know what he’s talking, he’s just rambling, I mean it’s just a noise. It doesn’t make sense.” However, as a first example, if I would say to you right now, "Eá oún meé eidó teén dúnamin ‘". What did I say? Does that mean anything to you? I’m sure it would to some. It’s a noise or voice that is in Greek. I was quoting verse 11 above in the Greek tongue. Therefore if I know not the meaning, in part, a foreign tongue must be interpreted.
How about, as another example:
pêyak, nîso, nisto, nêwo, niyânan, nikotwâsik têpakohp, ayinânêw, kêkâmitâtaht, and mitâtaht?
That's counting 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 in the Cree language. And if you are a Canadian Cree Indian, you'd understand that. I spoke the foreign tongues, identified them for you and told you what I was saying in English. It’s that simple. Now, do you understand why? Because I’m a communicator. That’s the way the Word of God is. It takes a communicator and it takes the gift of the Holy Spirit with the ability to be able to go from the Greek to the Hebrew and the Chaldean to bring that forth whereby you understand the basic truths even when it is translated into English. And it was thus that the writers of the King James Version had a letter in the original, written to the reader stating these facts.
(see: http://www.jesus-is-lord.com/pref1611.htm )
The Word of God is fantastic when it is taught. The term barbarian was used of someone that was non-Christian, maybe unfairly, whatever, that’s what it means.
1 Corinthians 14:12 Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church.
In other words, however anxious you are to communicate the truth or to take it abroad, always speak, not to edify yourself if you already know, but to edify the church, that is to say speak and communicate where they can communicate with you.
1 Corinthians 14:13 Wherefore let him that speaketh in an [unknown] tongue pray that he may interpret.
In other words, that you have somebody there that can interpret it with emotion and feeling so that it still stays alive, the Word, to that audience, that helps the church then.
1 Corinthians 14:14 For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful.
In other words, I can’t pass that wonderful information onto someone if I cannot speak their language. An interpreter basically solves that. Not the best, but it does solve it.
1 Corinthians 14:15 What is it then’ I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.
I am going to pray where my mind is communicating. That is to say it may be unknown to them. In other words, I’m going to speak with the people that can understand what I’m saying when I sing so that the harmony comes forth or when I pray that the Word comes forth, and so forth. Just plain common sense. You that have traveled, probably you can fit into this much better, if you at sometime you were trying to communicate with someone that couldn’t speak your language nor vice-versa.
1 Corinthians 14:16 Else when thou shalt bless with the spirit, how shall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned say Amen at thy giving of thanks, seeing he understandeth not what thou sayest
In other words, you can preach all you want to, you can pray all you want to, but the congregation of the church will not even know when to say “amen” because they don’t understand what you’re doing. You don’t have to be a brilliant to understand that.
1 Corinthians 14:17 For thou verily givest thanks well, but the other is not edified.
They don’t know what you are talking about. You made a beautiful prayer to the Father. Yes, He understood, He understands all languages, but it didn’t help uplift the church because they understood a different language.
1 Corinthians 14:18 I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all:
“I know more languages than all of you.” And Paul did, he spoke what a spokesman and communicator he was. And I listed before, he spoke the Roman tongue, the Greek tongue, the Aramaic tongue, he was a scholar in Hebrew and I’m sure, many other tongues as well. He said “I speak more than you all”. He studied in the ancient Hebrew, and Greek, and Septuagint manuscripts. But you might say:
1 Corinthians 14:19 Yet in the church I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that by my voice I might teach others also, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue.
That is to say in their language. That’s what you want to do is teach others. Now that’s only common sense. I had a brother “Hollier”, a Greek scholar, who went into a church and was asked to speak there. He opened his Bible to what was it… the third chapter of John and then he began reading it in Greek and the church came apart! I mean there were people interpreting what he was saying all over the room and none of them reporting what the scriptures said. He closed his Bible and he left. Tongues are a wonderful thing. That’s what we use them for, communication. Paul loved Hebrew.
1 Corinthians 14:20 Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men.
Don’t be childish in understanding, and please don’t let God’s Word, properly taught, offend you, because you had better be in agreement with God’s Word. Don’t be childish in following traditions. I could say in ignorance, be ye children, but in understanding to men. In other words, of ripe age and growing to perfection in teaching God’s Word, use common sense in taking forth God’s Word.
1 Corinthians 14:21 In the law it is written. With men of other tongues and other lips will I speak unto this people; and yet for all that will they not hear me, saith the Lord.
That was quoting Isaiah 28:11, we’ll go there in a moment. I will explain then.
1 Corinthians 14:22 Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not: but prophesying serveth not for them that believe not, but for them which believe.
When you can speak all the languages at one time heard by the ear of the hearer regardless of what his tongue is, then that’s a sign and it’s the evidence of the presence of the Holy Spirit as it is well recorded in Acts chapter two verses six and seven. No man can copy that. No man can con their way into that. It takes the Holy Spirit.
In other words, the deep teaching is understood if you understand the language more readily.
1 Corinthians 14:23 If therefore the whole church be come together into 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?
They sure would. And do you know something? If you are not communicating and you are not teaching God’s word, well, there would be a madness there alright. It would sound like a madhouse. Always remember, God is not the author of confusion. And if you go into a house that’s confused, I would worry about it and I’d be concerned.
1 Corinthians 14:24 But if all prophesy, and there come in one that believeth not, or one unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all:
He hears. He can understand. In other words, if he is unlearned concerning God’s Word but he still understands the language that you are teaching in, it might strike him.
1 Corinthians 14:25 And thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest; and so falling down on his face he will worship God, and report that God is in you of a truth.
They can tell. God’s gifts make room for themselves. You don’t have to push it. Understanding and clarity comes from true teaching with the presence of the Holy Spirit.
1 Corinthians 14:26 How is it then, brethren’ when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine
Maybe have different thoughts…
hath a tongue
A language…
hath a revelation
Can understand God’s revelation…
hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.
Let it all come together with common sense.
1 Corinthians 14:27 If any man speak in an unknown tongue
That’s a foreign language.
let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course; and let one interpret.
No more in other words. It’s a little boring and the church gets tired if you have three different speakers, at the most. Then get someone that can teach with fire of the Holy Spirit in their own tongue so that they can get back in the swing because again, it’s a little boring.
1 Corinthians 14:28 But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God.
You keep your mouth shut! Because if you can’t speak their language all you would be doing is making a noise.
1 Corinthians 14:29 Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge.
In other words, they’re going to know, so let it be one at the time. And discernment by the people will know whether they are successful.
1 Cor 14:30 If any thing be revealed to another that sitteth by, let the first hold his peace.
That is to say, let the Word of God flow but with understanding.
1 Cor 14:31 For ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted.
Don’t ever get a madhouse going!
1 Cor 14:32 And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets.
In other words, a gift will give way to the true Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit only speaks one at the time. Don’t ever forget the following verse:
1 Cor 14:33 For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.
In other words, God’s truth always brings the Spirit of peace not turmoil, not confusion. Let me cover Isaiah here very quickly. Many people think that this gives them the right to do whatever they choose but it was mockery. It was God mocking the people and it’s a dangerous thing not to be aware of it. Because you don’t mock God and get away with it, that’s my point. Does God wink at ignorance? I don’t know. He chastises those He’s going to use. This is what Paul was talking about in the Old Testament when he was correcting the people because they had gone astray and had taken in a bunch of stuff the preachers and the teachers were teaching in error.
Isaiah 28:8 For all tables are full of vomit and filthiness, so that there is no place clean.
In other words, they had taken the Word of God and taught so many different things, that clarity can’t come forth that’s what it signifies. This is what the misled are saying in the following verse:
Isaiah 28:9 Whom shall he teach knowledge’ and whom shall he make to understand doctrine
They’re being sarcastic.
them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts.
Two questions. He treats us like we are a bunch of babies! Sometimes, a man of God does come down on people and has to talk to them pretty straight. And here they make a mockery.
Isaiah 28:10 For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:
Now, they’re mimicking the prophet, and very few in English know that. Actually you with Companion Bibles are very fortunate, because you kind of lose the mockery if you don’t hear it in the original tongue.
For say they mimicking the prophet as though he were teaching little children in a school:
"For it is *zâv lâzâv, zav lâzâv kav lâkâv, kav lâkâv zéêr shâm, zéêr shâm.*"
In other words, it’s a mockery, a riddle spoken like this. Okay? And then he comes back.
Isaiah 28:11-12 For
Yea, verily. Taking the words out of their own taunting lips, and turning them against themselves…
For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people. 28:12 To whom he said, This [is] the rest [wherewith] ye may cause the weary to rest; and this [is] the refreshing: yet they would not hear.
Rather than hearing, they mocked. So, he says the same back. Only with the Holy Spirit, rather than speaking mockingly as was done in verse 10. It is said with irony.
Isaiah 28:13 But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.
Broken and snared and taken by who? The antichrist, if people don’t teach the word with clarity, with understanding, with edification, and with exhortation whereby the people can know and understand the Word of God. That’s what Isaiah was saying. That’s what Paul said, and you’d better go back and listen to him. You know beloved I’ve heard to my heartbreak, prominent preachers on television say, “Boy, we’ve got to do this, and just read this off, like this is speaking in unknown tongues”, you know? And I’m not talking against them, but it’s sad when people are misled, and God is very serious in this, and God is one of common sense. I don’t know, are you?
He makes it very clear. And the point, again, in bringing forth the Word is communication. Do you communicate? When you’re teaching it’s supposed to be natural. If they can’t understand what you’re saying then you’re wasting your time. A gifted teacher can also teach on varying levels that people can understand. Unfortunately some might want to communicate everything they know all at once. What good would that do to the beginner? So thus taking the Holy Spirit to give the gift to being able to speak on all three levels at one time, where the wise can understand. Our Father’s Word can become a stumbling block, for Christ Himself was the chief Cornerstone that the builders rejected. Do you reject His truth, for traditions of men? "Wasn’t it that way grandpa was led to believe it?" Well, you’d better find out. You see, it doesn’t matter what our grandparents might have thought, God bless their souls, or what they are still thinking, what matters is what God thinks. And many might say, well, you’re speaking on a topic that can certainly offend many people and make you very unpopular. I’m not out to win a popularity contest, but very dear to my heart is the Word of God, and to see our people grow to maturity in Christianity. For Christ paid such an awesome price that the True Word could go forth to snatch those souls from Satan’s hand; deception in the ignorance and deception in traditions that reek of ignorance and stem themselves into the lives of people, and lead them astray. God will not be mocked. He’s very clear about that. I would be very careful. I never say that everyone must believe exactly as I do, no, it’s only my responsibility to teach God’s Word as I see it is written and to communicate, that point. So, I hope you have enjoyed this lecture, and the one before. God’s Word is so precious when it comes to life in our very hands, and we see with understanding and clarity. Bless your heart!