Shalom, my dear brothers and sisters. God bless you. We are studying together this very, very important book of 1 Corinthians and together we are arriving now to chapter 14 of the book of 1 Corinthians. I would like you please to open the Word of God and turn with me to the 14th chapter of the letter that Shaul Paul wrote to the Corinthians. 1 Corinthians chapter 14 and I will begin to read from verse 1 and I will read all the way to verse 25 Please follow me Follow after love and desire spiritual gifts but rather that ye may prophesy 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 mystery. But he that prophesies speaketh unto men to edification and exaltation and comfort. He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifies himself, but he that prophesieth edifieth the church. I would that ye all speak 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. 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? And even things without life giving sound, whether pipe or harp, except they give a distinction in the sound, how shall it be known what is piped or harped?

For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle? 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. There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and none of them is without signification. Therefore, if I know not the meaning of the voice, I shall be unto him that speaketh a barbarian, and he that speaketh shall be a barbarian unto me. Even so ye, for as much as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church.

Wherefore, let him that speaketh in unknown tongue pray that he may interpret. For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful. 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. Else, when thou shalt bless with the Spirit, how shall he that occupies the room of the unlearned say Amen? At thy giving of thanks, seeing he understandeth not what thou sayest. For thou verily givest thanks well, but the other is not edified. I thank my God I speak with tongues more than you all 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 brethren be not children in understanding Howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men.

In the law it is written, with men of other tongues and other lips will I speak unto these people. And yet for all that will they not hear me, saith the Lord. 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. 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 but if all prophesy and there come in one that believeth not or one unlearned he is convicted of all he's judged of all 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 and I'm stopping here beloved brothers and sisters, in this 25th verse of 1 Corinthians chapter 14.

How wonderful to study the Word of God together. Even when we are coming into a very difficult portion of the Word of God, and why I'm saying that it is difficult, because whether it was in the Corinthians days some 2000 years ago or today we know very well that one of the main issues that bring conflict around God's people is the issue of speaking in glossa in tongues why it is so. Because apparently this gift was given to the assembly to the church by the Lord the glorified Messiah who gave the gifts to the assembly, and as we have already read in chapter 12 of 1 Corinthians, we learned already there in the earlier verses of chapter 12 that he gave these gifts to every man in order to profit with all.

For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom, to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another the gift of healing by the same Spirit, to another working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of Spirit, to another diverse kind of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues, but all these works, that one and the same Spirit dividing to every man severally as he will. So, the Lord Yeshua, Jesus the Messiah, by the Spirit of God, gave gifts unto men, as we read it also in Ephesians chapter 4, that the Lord Yeshua, the Lord Jesus, after He finished the work of redemption, He had given the gifts after He was raised from among the dead and exalted to heaven, and He gave gifts to men.

And by the Holy Spirit of God, spiritual gifts were given to the people of God as we just read in 1 Corinthians chapter 12 from verse 8 to verse 11 that it was given in order to profit with all. In order that there will be a blessing to the people of God that everyone that belonged to the Lord may be edified through the spiritual gifts that were given to the assembly. Now, beloved brothers and sisters, according to the word of God, to the new covenant, the Brit HaChadashah, there are four chapters where the gifts are mentioned in the New Testament, the new covenant, in Romans 12, 1 Corinthians 12, and Ephesians chapter 4, and 1 Peter chapter 4.

In these four chapters, we learn of the gifts that were given to the assembly, to the ecclesia, to the body of Christ, to the body of Messiah. And all these gifts were given specifically for edifying the believers. The body of Christ, the body of Messiah, is a composition of all true believers, Jewish and Gentile believers in the Lord Yeshua, Jesus the Messiah, And every one of us need to be edified, built up to grow in the grace and in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus, the Messiah. And because we still have within us this all sin nature, there is oftentimes an inclination to seek for gifts and mainly to seek for an external gift as something that will give an appearance to the others that we are very, very spiritual.

That was one of the main problems in the assembly, in the local assembly in the city of Corinth. I repeated many times in our study of the book of 1 Corinthians that the Corinthians were guilty of so many things that were inconsistent with the will of God. Though they are called saints, Mekudashim, set apart, according to 1 Corinthians chapter 1, though they are called saints, set apart for God positionally, but practically they fail in living out that which the Lord Jesus the Messiah called them to be. In 1 Corinthians chapter 1 and verse 2 we read, unto the church of God, which is according to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, in Mashiach Yeshua, called saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ, Yeshua HaMashiach, our Lord, both theirs and ours.

They were saints. They were saved. They were forgiven. They are heading up to go to glory, to heaven. But there were divisions in their local assemblies that we learn in the first fourth chapter. There were immorality that we learn about them in 1 Corinthians 5. They were taking each other to the court and before the unbelieving Judges in 1 Corinthians 6. There was divorce existing in their midst in 1 Corinthians 7. There was also lack of understanding the freedom and the liberty that they had as believers in 1 Corinthians chapter 8 and 9 and 10. And on and on in chapter 11 there was wrong happening among the believers in Corinth with respect to the Lord's table.

That's why some of them were weak and others were sick and others were even fallen asleep. Namely that the Lord Jesus the Messiah took them to heaven. Took them outside of this world because of these sins. In chapter 12 and 13 and 14 when we are now here there were many many mishaps and selfish way in which they were operating in the assembly especially in relationship to the gifts that were given by the Holy Spirit of God. Later on in chapter 15 they will be wrong in connection with the resurrection. He says how some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead and if there is no resurrection of the dead, Christ has not risen the Messiah hasn't been risen and of course at the end of the book in chapter 16 there was also a challenging to them concerning the support and the gift for the Lord's work and so the book of Corinthians is not written to the Corinthians in order to commend them the opposite is correct And the letter that the apostle Shaul Paul wrote to the Corinthians was not to commend them, but to condemn them, to show them that they are not living the way that they are called to live.

And in the context of chapters 12, 13, and 14, is in relationship to the gifts, the outward gifts, the manifestation, the gifts that were given to the assembly, but they were abusing it. And they were using these gifts that were given unto them in a wrong way, in pride, in arrogance, in selfishness. And that's why the whole portion of Scripture we are dealing with in chapter 12, 13, and 14, we see the Apostle Paul pointing to this error that existed in relationship to the gifts. Now, you notice this in chapter 12, verses 1 to 13, Paul emphasized already the gifts of the Spirit that were given for the purpose of the unity of the body of Messiah, the body of Christ.

In chapter 12, verses 14 to 31, the apostles show there the diversities of the gifts that were given to the assemblies, which we just read them, such as the gifts of wisdom and knowledge and faith and healing and miracles and prophecy and discerning of spirit and tongues and the interpretation of tongues. There are various diversities of gifts. There are many others that are not included here, which are mentioned in Romans 12, Ephesians 4, 1 Peter 4, and there are many others that are not mentioned at all. These are spiritual gifts. These are not natural abilities. These are spiritual gifts that were given in order to edify the body of the Messiah. In chapter 13, in our study together, we have learned that they need to minister the gifts that were given by the Lord.

Through the power of the Spirit of God, there is a need to use this gift and the need to use the gift and the grace in order to use the gift must be in agapeo, in love. And in 1 Corinthians 13, throughout the chapter, the apostle Shaul Paul emphasizes and he says in verse 1, Though I speak with the tongues of men and even of angels, if there was such a thing, and have no love, I become as a sounding brass and a tinkling cymbal. He continued to say in chapter 13 and verse 2, And though I have the gift of prophecy and understanding all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith so that I could remove mountains and have no love, I am nothing.

In verse 3 of 1 Corinthians 13, he continues that though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor and though I give my body to be burned and have not love, it profiteth me nothing. And then he gave us this amazing list. Love suffers long, is kind, love envious not, love doesn't want itself, love does not puff up and so on. He gave us this amazing list. Love never faileth. Whether there be prophecies, they shall fail. Whether there be tongue, they shall cease. This is 1 Corinthians 13.8. Whether there be knowledge, each shall vanish away. But why does he mention these specific gifts such as knowledge, prophecy, and tongue?

It's because these are the things that the Corinthians were aspiring after. They were seeking for these gifts. And because they were carnal, and because they were not spiritual-minded, it produced only divisions and didn't help to build up the body of Christ, their local assembly, the body of Messiah. And so now, as he's turning to the 14th chapter In this 14th chapter, the Apostle Paul is emphasizing, beloved brothers and sisters, he is emphasizing the fact that if we do use, as needed, the gift of tongues, glossa, language, then it must be used in order to edify. The body of the Messiah and then second half of the 14th chapter the apostle Paul will say to the Corinthians that spiritual gifts must be regulated in their use in other words there should be an order in the local assembly as the gifts are being used and if there is no order day is chaos.

But the problem with the Corinthians, as it is a problem with us all today, that we, because of our sin nature, and because we walk oftentimes in the flesh and not in the spirit, and we are not adhering to the Apostle Paul's exhortation to walk in the spirit and not fulfill the lust of the flesh according to Galatians chapter 5 we stumble and fall and oftentimes in pride seeking our own will rather than the edification of the body of Messiah in its locality of course in the case of the Corinthians and wherever you live today whatever city you live in today around the world whatever a local congregation assembly kehila church you.

Belong to you affiliated with the gifts that were given to the people of God are to be used for the edifying of the believers that are part of the body of Christ the body of Mashiach now i want you to notice here, beloved brothers and sisters, that the word edification or understanding or order is mentioned quite a few times in this 14th chapter. And what the Apostle Paul does here in 1 Corinthians chapter 14, first of all, you will notice that in the first five verses, the apostle Paul is presenting the truth concerning prophesying versus speaking in glossas, in tongue, in languages. Again, beloved brothers and sisters, the Greek word for tongues is always a language.

And it is a language that one might not know it, But another does know it in another country, in another nation, in another location. It is a language that men know and others do not know. And if we go to share the message of the gospel, and if we go to share the word of God in another language, God had been able and given the gift to some individuals, not to all, to some, to be able to speak in that other glossa, other lashon in Hebrew, other language, in order to convey the message that was given to the person that did not understand the language, or could not understand the language that the message was given by another.

You will notice that every time you find out the word tongue in Scripture, oftentimes, especially in the New Covenant, in the New Testament, for Glossa is spoken in Scripture concerning the physical tongue, this member that we have in our mouth called Lashon, Glossa, tongue, like in Mark 7, 33, and he took him aside from the multitude and he put his fingers into his ears and he spit and he touched his tongue, The literal, physical member in his mouth, the tongue. And then we can continue on and we can see how the word tongue is mentioned. Like in, for example, in Mark 16 and verse 17, These signs shall follow them that believe in my name.

They shall cast out demons and they shall speak with new tongues. That means they will speak what? They will go to speak in order to preach the message of the gospel so others will understand the time that will be that is new to the speaker that he never took a course in order to speak it in fact if you remember in ark chapter 2 when the holy Spirit of God came we do read in ark chapter 2 and verse 4 when the believers the 120 spoke in tongues in languages in glossa we learned that the Jewish people who came from all other countries to come to the city of Jerusalem to celebrate the Christ of shavuot the feast of weeks we read in Acts 2 4 and they were all filled with the holy Spirit and they began to speak with other not as other tongues and other languages and other glossa and other leshonot as the spirit gave them utterance and then we read in verse 11 of Acts chapter 2 and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and they began to speak with other languages as the Spirit gave them utterance and then the people that were there.

The Jewish people who came from all the other nations to celebrate the Feast of Weeks, Shavuot, Pentacles they said in verse 11 And we do hear them speak in our glossa's tongues. And what did they hear them speak? The wonderful works of God. So we have to learn to establish that the tongues, lashon, glossa, is a language that one, without a learn, was enabled by God to speak to others. In order that the others will understand the message of the Word of God. In some cases, they needed interpretation. So there were others who did not understand the language that the message was given by, so someone needs to interpret, and that's why we have to another the interpretation of glossa, of tongues, of Lashon, of language.

But what happened at Corinth is there was chaos there. And that's why the Apostle Paul saw the necessity to write this 14th chapter and to show before the Corinthians the need of prophesying versus speaking in tongue. And so notice that in the first five verses, there is a need of edifying and building the body of Christ, the body of Messiah. And you notice the word built up is mentioned in verse 3 and verse 4 and verse 5. But it began in verse 1, there is a call to love and to desire to be spiritual minded. Notice what he says in verse 1. Follow after love. Well, he just gave us the whole 13th chapter.

Follow after love and desire spiritual gifts. Now, the word for gift here is not or not in the manuscript. And therefore, it should be read like this. Follow after love and desire spirituals. In other words, desire that which is spiritual, to edify. But rather that ye may prophesy. In other words, immediately the apostle Paul, knowing that that was the issue at Corinth, is saying to them, beloved brothers and sisters, follow after love. Agapeo, unconditional love. Your outward showy gifts that you give an impression that you are able to do so and that you are so spiritual, that doesn't edify others if they are not being built up.

And if they look at you as if you are some sort of a spiritual person, well, does that last? What does the Lord think about us when we are not doing things in order? And so he says, follow after love, desire spirituals, that which is spiritual edifying, he said, but rather that he may prophesy. Why rather that he may prophesy? Because when somebody is prophesying, speaking forth the word of God, he is ministering to the needs of the hearts of the people of God. And he continues in verse 2, speaking in tongues as it was done at Corinth was not edifying. And he says in verse 2, for he that speaketh in an unknown tongue, here's another thing, The word unknown is in italic.

And it was added by the translator. But the word unknown is not there. Because we have just read in Acts chapter 2. That the languages that the people, the Jewish people who came to the city of Yerushalayim. And celebrated the Feast of Pentecost. They said, we hear them speak in our own languages. And there was a list of nations, of people that came from many, many nations that we read in Acts chapter 2, verse 9, Parthians and Medes and Elamites and dwellers of Mesopotamia and in Judea, Cappadocia, Pontius and Asia, Pyrgya, Pampylia, Egypt, in the parts of Libya and Cyrene and strangers of Rome, Jews and Proselytes, Cretes and Arabians.

We do hear them speak in our glossa, in our tongues, the wonderful works of God. But apparently, what was going on in Corinth needed to be corrected, because when the Corinthians were claiming that they were speaking in these languages, they were not edifying anyone. And that's why Paul says, for he that speaketh in an unknown, the word unknown was edited. In other words, he that speaketh in the tongue, it doesn't, no one knows that, nobody understands it he speaks not to men but unto God, in other words if you already use the gift of tongue which you don't need if no one is needs there to hear any message from God why do you do so?

And therefore it's only benefiting you and God because only God knows all languages the people that are in the local assembly they don't know that that's what Paul is saying It doesn't mean now that we need to speak to God in another language that only God and me know. No, the Apostle Paul is emphasizing the fact that if you claim that you are speaking in a glossa, in a language, well, you should edify the others. But if you don't edify the others, it's really unhelpful. He continues and he's saying, he says in verse 2b, For no man understandeth him, however, in the Spirit he speaks mysteries.

In other words he himself if he claimed that he has this special language he himself does not even understand it but then he says in verse 3 Paul to the Corinthians prophesying is edifying prophesying is exhorting others prophesying speaking forth the word of God is comforting the body of the Mashiach but he that prophesies, in other words, speaketh forth the word of God he speaketh unto men, unto those that are there to edification and exhortation and comfort you see, beloved brothers and sisters and I know that this is a troublesome subject that often times divides us all but the truth of the matter is that any gift that was given was given by the Lord in order to build up the assembly of the believers it was not given in order to make a show because otherwise it doesn't build anyone he continued in verses 4 and 5 in the apostle making the contrast prophesying speaking in tongues in verses 4 and 5 speaking in tongues as it was done in the Corinthian assembly it was not edifying the believers in the local.

Assembly there. That's what he says in verses 4 and 5. We do read, beloved brothers and sisters but he that speaketh in an unknown tongue, we always have to remove the word unknown because it was added by the translator to the English language. Anyone that speaketh in tongue edifies himself, only he knows what he said but he that prophesies edifies the assembly and you notice the word the church is not a building the church is a composition of believers Jewish believers Gentile believers they are making up the assembly the ecclesia the called out ones in verse 5 the apostle Shaul Paul says I would that you all speak with tongues but rather that ye prophesied for greater is he that prophesies than he that speaketh with tongue except he interpret that the assembly that the church may receive edifying.

Paul was saying, I wish if there was a need for that. I wish that you will have that gift of speaking in glossa, in a language that you never took a course or learned. I wish that the Lord will enable you to meet a need in the local assembly or wherever you are to help others who need to listen and to hear the word of God so they can glorify God and be edified. But when it's not needed, it says rather, notice what he says in verse 5. He that speaketh, he that prophesies, in other words, what happens? He is really edifying the people of God.

So at the end he says, verse 5, he says, greater is he that prophesying than he that speaketh with tongue, except, unless, if there was a necessity to speak in a language, in a glossa, in a lashon language, well, some benefited from that. But what about the others well then there will be someone that needs to interpret that's why according to 1 Corinthians chapter 12 and verse 10 at the end others the Lord gave them the gift of interpretation of the tongue but if it's not needed why do so and you notice beloved brothers and sisters that again realize that the church at Corinth where most of this issue, the problem was we don't hear of tongues in Romans, Galatians Ephesians, Philippians Thessalonians and so on why?

Because it was a problematic issue that the Corinthians had experienced in their local assembly and you can see that if there was any local church, local assembly that had so many problems and divisions among them it was the Corinthians and therefore Paul does not write this to them in order to commend them the opposite is right he is seeking to explain to them that there is far more need to speak forth the word of God in order that the people of God will be edified that the church. May receive edifying 1st Corinthians 14 verse 5 now that he presented the prophesying verses speaking in time in the first five verses of 1st Corinthians chapter 14 from here on in verses 6 to 25 the apostle Paul is sharing with the Corinthians that using in the gift of tongue must be used in order to be profitable there is a need for the people of God to understand what is said in the local meeting of the saints and in verses 6 to 25 you will notice beloved brothers and sisters how the apostle Paul is emphasizing the need for the people of God to understand the body of Christ the body of Messiah need to understand if the body of the believers will grow to remind you of this amazing verse that we read in 2nd Peter chapter 3 when Peter wrote his second epistle to the believers to whom he was called to minister he really charged them and challenged them to grow 2nd Peter 3 18 but growing the grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Yeshua HaMashiach, to Him be glory both now and forever. Amen. There is a need to grow. But apparently the Corinthians did not grow spiritually. Their carnality was evident throughout the whole book, the whole letter that Paul wrote to them in 1 Corinthians. So, in verses 6 to 25 of 1 Corinthians chapter 14, Paul is emphasizing that if the gift of tongue is being used, whenever it is needed, we don't need it all the time, the gift of speaking in a language that one never learned, only needed in order to speak to someone who does not know the language that the ministry is being given. If everyone knows, for example, Hebrew or Greek or English, There is no need to speak in any other languages in this local assembly.

Everybody can understand the ministry of God's word. Everybody can say Amen when somebody has given thanks to God and praised the Lord Yeshua HaMashiach for what He had done. When somebody is expounding the word of God, we can say Amen because we understand. But if there is not the understanding, well, someone needs to help with the interpretation. And if one is visiting another altogether, a local assembly, in the early days of the church age, the gift was more evident because then he would come to a city, to a town, and he would preach the word of God in the language of the people, without to learn, to go to school.

It is a gift that was given by the Spirit of God, by the Lord Yeshua the Messiah, through the Spirit of God. And so, beloved brothers and sisters, you can see what Paul is doing here. First of all, in verses 6 to 11, Paul used three illustrations to the need of understanding. He's using musical instrument, he's using the sound of a trumpet, and he's using the daily conversation in our speech when we're speaking day by day. Notice in verse 6 and 7, he is saying, listen to what Paul is saying. Now brethren, if I come unto you speaking with tongue, what shall I profit you except I shall speak to you either by Revelation or by knowledge or by prophesying or by doctrine?

Notice, Revelation, knowledge, prophesying, doctrine. Notice this. Revelation is to reveal to you the truth of the Word of God. Notice how beautiful it is. Knowledge to convey to others the truth to know more of the person of the Lord Yeshua, Jesus the Messiah. He continues in verse 6 prophesying, speaking forth the various ministry of the Word of God. And ultimately doctrine sound doctrine teaching you remember beloved brothers and sisters when the early Jewish believers who came to know the Lord Jesus the Messiah in the city of Jerusalem in the land of Israel they these early believers of the church age we do read of them in chapter 2 of Acts and verse 42 and they continue steadfastly in the apostles doctrine doctrine teaching teaching sound teaching is important for the people of God to understand so in first Corinthians 6 he's emphasizing their Revelation concerning the person of the Lord their knowledge concerning the person of the Lord Yeshua Jesus the Messiah speaking for the truth of the word of God and providing sound teaching sound doctrine in verse 7 he says Paul to the Corinthian and even things without life giving sound whether pipe this is flute or harp except they give a distinction in the sound how shall it be known what is piped another what is the flute and what is the harp Paul is saying even even lifeless even lifeless musical instrument give a clear sound so one would know.

Oh he is playing the flute oh she is playing or he is playing the harp clear but if no one understands there is confusion and everybody claims that he or she speaks in tongues some kind of language that nobody knows, how does it edify anyone? Why is it needed? That's the problem. It was merely an external show that the Corinthians had in their midst giving the impression that they are so spiritual minded. He continued in verse 8 and he was speaking about the sound of a trumpet. In verse 8, For if a trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to battle? You see, beloved brothers and sisters, Shaul Paul, of course, is looking back at the history of Israel and he is thinking about the sound of the trump.

You remember in Judges chapter 7, that Gideon, he divided the 300 men into three companies and he put a trumpet in every man's hand with an empty pitcher and lamps within the pitchers and he said unto them look on me and do likewise Gideon had said in other words when the trumpet is giving a sound for preparation for going out to a war as it was in Israel's history it must give a clear sound what is the sound for a war what is the sound of gathering together according to Judges chapter 7 and verse 19 and 20 we read so Gideon and the hundred men that were with him came unto the outside of the camp in the beginning of the middle watch and they had but newly set the watch and they blew the trumpet and break the pitchers that were in their hands and the three companies blew the trumpets and break the pitchers and held the lamps in their hand and the trumpets in their right hand to blow with all and they cried the sword of the Lord and of Gideon.

And ultimately they defeated the Midianites the Midianites. There was a clear sound. So in this verse 8, the Apostle Shaul Paul is saying to the Corinthians, if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle? You see, just to say that one is speaking in tongue and no one understands what he He says, how can it benefit the people of God? It is confusion. That's what Paul is saying to the Corinthians. Now in verses 9, 10, and 11, he is dealing with some daily conversation and speech in life. And he's explaining to Corinthians in verse 9, 10, and 11, So likewise, ye, except ye, by the tongue, by the language, by the glossa, words easy to be understood, how shall it be known what is spoken?

For ye shall speak into the air. It will not help anyone. Can you imagine if one does not know your language if you speak English or Hebrew or Greek and another doesn't speak the other language and you stand before them and you speak that other language that they don't know it will benefit them it's like speaking to the air he continued beloved brothers and sisters in verse 10 and 11 and he said there are so many kind of voices in the world and none of them is without signification therefore if I know not the meaning of the voice or the language I shall be unto him that speaketh a barbarian and he that speaketh shall be a barbarian unto me Very interesting expression, beloved brothers and sisters, this expression is mentioned elsewhere in Colossians chapter 3 and verse 11.

I just want to read this verse, where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythinian, and then bound or free, but Christ, the Messiah is all and in all. And that barbarian the barbarian were known as people who did not understand there were we might say uncultured people and if someone come to another and he's speaking to them with a gift of tongue where it was not needful and necessary they become to the other as a barbarian unedifying and even the speaker himself become as barbarian and to me Paul is saying to the corinthian in Acts chapter 28 we do read of the barbarian in the earlier verses of this chapter we read about when they escaped they knew that the island was called Malta, Melita and notice he says and the barbarous these are the ones who were not speaking the cultured Greek language the people were shown as not little kindness Paul says and in verse 4 of act chapter 28 and when the barbarians saw the venomous beast hang on his hand they said among themselves no doubt this man is a murderer and then later on they called him a God in other words they were uncultured they didn't know the Greek language there were there.

Were people that didn't understand and that's what happened when one come in the midst of the assembly and begin to speak in tongues when it's not needful and no one understands they become as barbarian to the others and so in verses 6 to 11 Paul is using these three ways whereby illustrating with the need to understand using musical instrument using a sound music a sound and a speech, music, harp, sound, trumpet, speech, conversation, language, and that's why Paul was so strong, beloved brothers and sisters, by sharing with the Corinthians the need to edify God's people, and now in verses 12 to verse 25, Paul makes an application to the local believers in the city of Corinth.

Very interesting. Understanding applies to the speaker himself, first of all. Verses 12, 13, and 14. Even so ye, for as much as ye are zealous of spirituals, the word gifts, again, is not there, of spiritual. You want to be spiritual. You are looking for something supernatural, spiritual. Well, seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church. You know, brothers and sisters, it is such a blessing to be able to use the gift that the Lord has given to each and every one of those that belong to Him. It is such a blessing when one uses the gift in humility, in love, agapeo, unconditional love, and also for the purpose of edifying, edifying the assembly of the believers.

What a wonderful thing to seek to edify. The Hebrew word for edifying is livnot et a'ada, to build up, to build up. You see, what happened at Corinth, they were turned down. But what is needed is to build up. And we notice as time passes by and we are heading towards the last days of the church age, we can see how the church, the assembly, the ecclesia is being torn down. Not built up. Now every true believer is part of the body. No one can destroy the church of the living God. You remember what the Lord Yeshua, Jesus the Messiah, said to Peter? He already said to Peter in Matthew chapter 16.

He said to him, Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my assembly, my church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against us. This is Matthew 16 and verse 18. After Shimon, Simon Peter said to the Lord you are the Messiah, the Mashiach the son of the living God you are the Mashiach ben Elohim Chaim you are the Messiah, the son of the living God and then the Lord Yeshua, Jesus the Messiah said to him he said, blessed art thou Simon bar Yonah for flesh and blood is not revealed unto thee but my Father which is in heaven and I say unto thee that thou art Peter you are a little part of a stone and upon this rock upon your confession upon your confession that I am the Messiah that I am the son of the living God he said upon your confession upon the truth that I am the Messiah the son of the living God I will build my assembly it is my assembly my church Yeshua said and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it so while we no one will prevail against the assembly but the assembly that is here on earth need to be edified and built up and that's why Paul in verse 12, 13 and 14.

Emphasizing the need of understanding that understanding applies it is the responsibility of anyone who speaks he must convey a clear message so others will understand so even so ye Paul is saying in verse 12 for as much as ye are zealous of spirituals well seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church wherefore let him that speaketh in tongue the word unknown is not there obviously if he was speaking in a language that nobody understands so the interpreters here put the word unknown because it was unknown to the others but it's not there not in the text pray that he may interpret in other words pray that another person will be able to interpret so the hearers will be able to be edified but again beloved brothers and sisters Paul is saying this to the local assembly at Corinth and the believers because they were abusing and they were claiming things that were not right and they were giving the assumption to others that they are spiritual.

He continued to say, beloved brothers and sisters, in verse 14, but if I pray in an unknown tango, again the unknown is in italic, it's not that if I pray in a language, my spirit is praying but my understanding is unfruitful in other words my spirit prays there is if you speak in a language that you yourself don't understand because sometimes some would say well i don't understand what i'm saying well if you don't understand what you are saying why you are saying it if you don't understand the words that come out of your mouth why you speak it's better to meditate in your heart your mind because God knows your heart search me oh Lord and know my heart try me and know my thoughts and see if there is any wicked way in me and lead me in a way everlasting the king of Israel David said and so Paul is emphasizing beloved brothers and sisters In making an application, understanding applies not only to the hearer, but also to the speaker himself.

In verses 16 to 20, understanding applies to other believers as well if they are going to benefit and grow spiritually. According to verse 16 to verse 20, Paul continues to say, beloved brothers and sisters, I'll just read verse 15 first. 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. In other words, even the singing and the praying must be understood by the one who prays and by the one who sings. Have you ever been in a meeting in another country when you were sitting there and everybody was singing in their own language because that's the language of the nation and that's the language which this local church, local assembly were meeting together and speaking in that language.

This is their home language, their mother's tongue and they were speaking but you didn't understand anything. Now, thankfully some sit beside you and help you to understand the words that everybody was singing and the one who prayed on behalf of all the assembly was praying to help us to understand it. But we are called to the one who speak, the one who pray and the one who sing. He said, what is it then? I will pray with the Spirit. In other words, guided by the Holy Spirit of God. But also, not only guided by the Holy Spirit of God, But the human spirit need to also understand what we are praying.

And then he continues, I will pray with the understanding also. I will sing with the spirit and I will sing with the understanding. In other words, we will pray with the spirit, the human spirit, with the help of the Holy Spirit, of course, but with understanding. And we will sing with the understanding and the human spirit that is getting help by the Holy Spirit of God. And the one that is communicating, whether he speaks or he prays or he sings, there must be an understanding that this person himself has in his own mind and heart. There's no such a thing saying things without to understand.

God is not an author of confusion. He wants us to clearly understand when we speak, when we pray, and when we sing. Now in verses 16 to 20, he's emphasizing the understanding that apply now to other believers. He says in verse 16, Else, when thou shalt bless with the Spirit, how shall he that occupies the room of the unlearned say Amen? At thy giving of thanks, seeing he understandeth not what thou sayest. In other words, if you will pray, you will bless the Lord with your understanding. And if you don't understand what you are saying, how can the other that does unlearn, how can he say Amen? So the hearer and the rest of the believers, when one is praying to the Lord on behalf of the assembly of the congregation, the rest can say Amen.

Why? Because Amen simply means we agree with it. Paul continued in verse 17, and he said, For thou verily give thanks well, but the others is not edifying. Because if you say that you are giving thanks in another language, in a tongue and against you, notice that he is always here, seem to emphasize the problem with the gift of tongue, which was abused in a local assembly at Corinth. So he says, if you give thanks well, but the other is not edifying, If you're speaking in another language, how can the other one say, Amen? How can he be or she be edified? In verse 18, Paul said, I thank my God I speak with tongue more than you.

Well, apparently, the apostle Shaul Paul was such a gifted man. He was an apostle, shalich, apostolos. And the Lord had given him the gift to be able to speak. As he was traveling around to other nations in Asia Minor preaching the word of God sharing the gospel establishing local assemblies the Lord had gifted him with speaking in languages in glosses more than all but notice what he says in verse 19 and 20 yet in the church and again when we say in the church he means among the gathered saints the church meeting the church is the people is not the building in other words yet among the people of God in the church meetings of the saints I'd rather speak five words with my understanding in order that I will understand Paul said of himself that by my voice I might teach others also than 10,000 words in tongues which obviously no one will understand.

I imagine, beloved brothers and sisters, this is speaking to us all. God left us here in this world to build up one another. Not to fight, not to divide, not to be scattered, not to cause division, not to elevate ourselves, not to be proud and arrogant. We have this by nature, but God wants us to walk in the Spirit so we will not fulfill the lust of the flesh. And if all of us will seek to only edify ourselves and don't care about the others and we will abuse the gifts that the Lord had given to His own people, what is the point? We will have to stand one day before the Lord and what will the Lord tell us?

Will He say, well done, good and faithful servant? And so Paul says, I rather speak five words that I understand and convey to others that 10,000 words in languages, in glossa, in lashon, that no one benefit from. And then in verse 20 he says, brethren, notice how wonderful. Achim in Hebrew, brethren, you are my brethren. Be not children in understanding. It should be clear to you, he's saying to the brethren. Don't be children in understanding. In other words, grow up, mature. However, in malice be children. In other words, you know, when there is fighting and arguments among the people of God, he says, look, look, I don't want you to be children.

But if you're going to be children, be children in malice. According to verse 20, that word for malice is in evil things be children. In other words, don't grow in doing evil. Be little in doing evil. Do less and less and less evil. But mature in understanding matters of this kind. Grow up that you will be benefiting others. And in concluding, beloved brothers and sisters, in verse 21 to verse 25, when the Apostle Paul is sharing, he says, He's making another comparison between tongues and prophesying in these verses. And you notice he's speaking throughout the whole chapter. Tongues, prophesying. Tongues, prophesying. He's emphasizing the difference between speaking in languages versus ministering the Word of God.

Amazing to see how he is doing so here in this portion of chapter 14. You notice, beloved brothers and sisters, that the word here for prophesying really has to do with speaking forth. A prophetia in the Greek, and it's simply a discourse, sharing the word of God. And so we read in verses 21, the Apostle Paul points to the judgment of God upon even his own people Israel when he says in verse 21, notice that. 1 Corinthians 14 verse 21 he says, In the law it is written again, Shaul, remember Shaul was a Jewish believer in Yeshua the Messiah, whom the Lord raised to be an apostle to the uncircumcision, to the Gentiles.

In contrast to Peter, who was the apostle to the circumcision, to the Jewish people. Paul said, in the law, but Torah, in the law it is written with men of other tongues and other lips, will I speak unto these people. He's quoting, of course, Isaiah chapter 28, where God said that with other tongues, other people, and other lips, will I speak unto these people. And yet for all that will they not hear me, says the Lord. In other words, the languages, the tongues, the gift was specifically also has to do with speaking to the nation of Israel, especially in first century, to show them that a new dispensation had begun.

The days of the church age, the assembly days. Israel is awaiting the restoration that will come in a future day once the church age will come to an end. But according to this verse, quoting Isaiah chapter 28, verses 7 to 12, where there is speaking to his own people Israel in judgment with other tongues. Again, what is this other tongues? It has to do with another language. It's another people from another nation. And he continues now in verse 22 he says you know tongues are for a sign not to them that believe but to them that believe not and even the gift of lashon glosa tongue the main purpose of the gift is to speak to those who do not believe initially to the nation of Israel, to our own Jewish people, but whenever the message of the Word of God came to others from another nation, unbelievers, the message of the Word of God was given to them in their own language so they can repent and turn to God.

But prophesying, this is in the assembly, in the church, serving not them that believe not, but for them that believe. In other words, the speaking force, the unfolding of the truth of God. It's given specifically for the believers to grow in the grace and the knowledge of the Lord and His Word. And so in verses 23, 24, and 25, we do read that even unbelievers look at the practice of believers. They watch the people of God and they look at them and they say, what are they doing? Who are they? How do they behave? And so Paul is saying to the Corinthians, If therefore the whole assembly, the whole church be come together into one place, then all speak with tongues.

And they shall come in those that are unlearned or unbelievers. Will they not say that ye are mad? Can you imagine? When people who are not yet believers and they are coming to a local church like Corinth, when there was a confusion there and everyone speaks with all sort of tongues that no one understands anything he says what they will say about you they will say you are mad and then he said but if all prophesy and there will come one that believe not or one that is unlearned he is convicted of all he is judge or examine of all and thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest and so falling down on the faith he will worship God and report that God is in you of a truth oh beloved brothers and sisters what a lesson we learn here in these first 25 verses of 1st Corinthians chapter 14 the apostle Paul is emphasizing the fact that if there is a proper use of tongue in the local assembly it must be only for the benefit of others and if it is not it is not to be used if it's not needed it is not to be used.

Because it will be an abuse and how careful we need, how much we need all of us, the Lord's help God can never be limited the gift that he had given he had given for a purpose but the gifts need to be used in light of what they were given for for the benefit of the body of the Messiah the body of Christ well God bless you my dear friend dear brothers and sisters next time in the will of the Lord we will continue with the second half of 1 Corinthians chapter 14 until then God bless you we say Shalom Shalom Bye Bye