1 Corinthians 14:21-25 How are you speaking?
Format for Your Devotions
Instructions: Do not read my example devotion until you have completed your own devotional time in the scriptures. Reading my thoughts first may limit your own understanding. Let the Holy Spirit speak to you alone before looking to see what anyone else has to say, whether it is me, a Bible commentary, or a friend. Let God speak to you before you let another person speak to you. I have provided a format, but modify it to fit your needs. For example, I usually combine my application and prayer together talking to God about the application to my own life. You can go through this devotion process mentally, speaking out loud, or in writing as you wish. Don’t worry if you are not following this process exactly. Sometimes, I add extra information and sometimes I emphasize one part more than others. However, you should always think about what you learn about God from this passage.
Step 1: Pray–Ask for the Holy Spirit’s guidance first of all and that God may reveal the lessons that He wants you to have that day. Request that God protect you from Satan’s distractions (and the devil will try to distract you whether it is pinching the baby or putting you to sleep). Ask to see God more clearly as you read and think about the passage.
Step 2: Read the passage–Read to get an overview of the information first. Then start looking at specific parts after the first reading. You may read a larger or smaller section than I have here because you do not have to follow my organization at all.
Step 3: Understand the passage–You can summarize, ask and answer your own questions about the passage, visualize the story, analyze the characters, and relate this passage to other scriptures and personal experiences.
Step 4: What does this reveal about God?–What do you learn about the Father, Son, and/or Holy Spirit from this passage?
Step 5: Apply this to your own life.
Step 6: Prayer
My Example Devotion: March 27, 2020 1 Corinthians 14:21-25
Note: In the devotion examples, I leave my questions and thought processes in the text because I am trying to demonstrate that a devotional time is a dialogue with God about what you are reading from His word. As such, any questions or ideas that you have should be explored by talking it out with God. These example devotions are not my attempts to teach you what the meaning of a particular scripture is. They are an attempt to teach you the process of devotions, which is a combination of prayer and Bible study where you explore ideas with God as you read His word.
In the Law it is written, “By people of strange tongues and by the lips of foreigners will I speak to this people, and even then they will not listen to me, says the Lord.” Thus tongues are a sign not for believers but for unbelievers, while prophecy is a sign not for unbelievers but for believers. If, therefore, the whole church comes together and all speak in tongues, and outsiders or unbelievers enter, will they not say that you are out of your minds? But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or outsider enters, he is convicted by all, he is called to account by all, the secrets of his heart are disclosed, and so, falling on his face, he will worship God and declare that God is really among you.
(Understanding the Text) The SDA commentary says that this is originally a quote of Isaiah about God using foreign nations to teach Israel a lesson, but Paul applies it to speaking a language that other worshippers cannot understand through a gift of the Spirit. “God had spoken to His people in their own tongue through His messengers the prophets, but they did not listen. Now He would speak to them by other means, first the Assyrians and later the Babylonians, the Persians, and the Romans. In 1 Cor. 14:21 Paul applies this scripture to men whose speech was unintelligible to the hearers.” (p. 210, vol. 4). I’m not sure I would accept Paul’s logic if this were anyone but Paul. He is taking the situation of the Gentile nations conquering and controlling Israel and applying it to the ability to speak a Gentile language. His logic is that just as the conquest by foreigners was a message to unbelieving Jews, so also, the ability to speak a language without studying it, is a message to unbelievers. I would never connect the Isaiah passage with speaking in tongues being a message to unbelievers, but Paul did.
We learn some information about the two gifts here. First, this is confirmation that speaking in tongues means human languages. Paul is comparing this gift to the languages of Gentile conquerors. The idea is not that no one can understand. The idea is that people understand, but they refuse to listen. Second, prophecy is about more than foretelling future events. Paul says that prophecy is primarily for believers. It reveals the secrets of the heart and calls people to account. The result is the acknowledgement that God is with the people that prophesy.
(Revelation of God / Application) Paul says that if visitors come in and hear a cacophony of sound as people speak different languages, they will be repulsed from God. They will believe that everyone in the church is crazy. On the other hand, if a visitor comes and hears people sharing messages from God, the visitor will know that the members are truly worshiping God. God has put a need for order in our hearts. He created the world to be orderly and balanced. Sin has introduced chaos into God’s creation, but God is still upholding the delicate balance so that we are not destroyed. In the same way, we need to be balanced and orderly in our worship so that others are attracted to the God we serve rather than fearing that He is a god of chaos.
(Prayer) I pray that when I speak in church, it won’t be just a cacophony of sound. I pray that I will present Your messages so that people will be uplifted and know that You love them, and they will see You more clearly.