Does God say to speak in tongues?........Geez, let’s not start with anything simple. Let’s just jump right in to probably the single most disputed question in Christianity. When you type “speaking in tongues” into Google….it comes up with 13,100,000 hits! ….so I guess we can add one more.
The simple answer: Does God say to speak in tongues?.............Yes!
Ok….see ya….bye…have a good day!
However, if you would like a slightly more detailed answer…it will probably take a few more words….soooo, fasten your seat belts, drink another Red Bull, flip the switch and ignite the NOS…. and here we go!
The very first time God shows his divine right where language is concerned is in Genesis 1:3. God is the first to speak. What language did God speak? No idea…..Adam?...again no idea. However, many of the scholars (not all) who work in the field of language and its roots agree that Hebrew or some form of Hebrew was the first language. All other languages point back to Hebrew at some point. I think it also important to note that the scripture points out that the very first communication between God and man was a commandment.
Which brings us to The Tower of Babel. Again, God asserts his divine right over language. Languages never imagined are suddenly spoken with fluency and understanding. Peoples brains were shifted so that they didn’t think or dream in their original language any more….now they even thought in a different language!....and it happened with all of humanity in a single moment of time on a specific day! But it is important to note this occurrence was an instance of God’s judgment in the earth.
Now comes Moses a man who had a lot of face time with God. Moses gave Israel God’s Law and it came with blessings and cursings. If you follow the law…good stuff will happen. If you don’t follow the law….bad stuff will happen. One of the bad things that Moses outlined was in Deuteronomy 28:49 a nation whose language you do not understand will come against you. God is again using language as an instrument of judgment. This particular curse has come upon Israel a few times in their history because they harden their hearts against the simple truths of the scriptures.
The next time that language becomes an issue between God and man is during the life of Daniel in the story of the writing on the wall. It is interesting to note that the language written on the wall was the language that King Belshazzar spoke, it was the common language of the day…but he couldn’t understand it and neither could anyone else. Scholars all have their views on this mostly focusing on the way the words were written. Personally, I prefer the explanation of the Tower of Babel…God is divine and we only understand…because He reveals it. Again, it is interesting to note that this occurrence of the use of language by God was an instance of God’s judgment.
Isaiah is our next contestant! Isaiah 28:11 KJV and Isaiah 28:11NIV. God is having the prophet write about language again but I think we need to understand the context. Isaiah 28 takes place in the latter years of Hezekiah, King of Judah. Before his rule, Assyria invaded Palestine and the Northern Kingdom. Now, many years later, Isaiah warns the people of the Southern Kingdom, that the same thing is going to happen to them. However, instead of trusting in the Lord for their deliverance from Assyria, they make a deal with Egypt. Their unity with pagan Egypt brings an influx of heathen practices, and their hearts turn from God. So, the prophet makes his prophetic announcement of coming judgment. Since the people will not listen to God when they hear the stammering lips and another tongue on the streets of Jerusalem, as well as throughout the land (i.e., the Assyrian language which they understood not), they will know that God's judgment is upon them according to the Law of Moses.
Do you see the running theme here? God has used language repeatedly in terms of judgment but specifically as a “sign”…..when you see Event “B” happening (a language issue)….then Event “A” (they turned their hearts from God) is what has occurred. Is it possible for God to show the “sign” without commanding the curse?
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