The gift of speaking in tongues is often defined as the ability to speak in heavenly languages – the languages of angels or of the Holy Spirit Himself. Such languages are said to be powerful and carry more weight when it comes to prayer, healing, testimony and spiritual warfare. If this is all true, the believer with this gift is truly on a higher spiritual plain than those without the gift, and the motivation or even the obligation for all of us to receive it is great.
Our judge in such questions has to be the Bible. If it is not, then we are open to deception – and remember that our enemy is the master of deception. The most effective form of deception is the experience or word closest to the real thing. It always has an element of truth or an appearance of respectability, and is often impressive and showy. God may or may not be “doing a new thing”, but He will never contradict what He has already said or done. If Scripture is not your ultimate guide, this article will probably not help you.
THERE IS NO RECORD OF ANGELS OR THE HOLY SPIRIT SPEAKING IN UNKNOWN LANGUAGES
You can search the Scriptures and not find one example of angels or the Hoy Spirit speaking or praying in tongues – whether unknown tongues or simply foreign tongues. They always speak the language of those they’re talking to. Believers, including those said in Acts to be Spirit-filled, always reply to angels or to God in everyday language.
Perhaps the one place you should expect to encounter heavenly languages would be in heaven. However, if you look at scenes of heaven in the book of Revelation, including the worship of God by multitudes, interpreted by some as the raptured Church, you will find no reference to an unknown tongue or a heavenly tongue. Angels, the One on the throne, and even John himself all speak in their turn, and not one is said to be speaking in any other language than what John naturally understands. Neither is there any need for an interpreter. John, undoubtedly one of those present at Pentecost in Acts chapter 2, hears the glorified Christ speak, but mentions nothing about a strange tongue or the need to interpret. The four living creatures around the throne never stop saying “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come” (Revelation 4:8b). Does that sound like a strange tongue to you?
In the book of Acts, in which apostles and disciples were filled with the Spirit, angels were only heard to speak the language of their hearers. When an angel released Peter and other apostles from a jail one night, shortly after Pentecost, the angel simply said:
“Go, stand in the temple courts, and tell the people the full message of this new life” (Acts 5:19-20).
No mention is made of a heavenly language or of an interpretation here. The apostles understood every word said, and Peter did not talk back to the angel in tongues. Instead the angel drew attention to the one important message of the new Christian life.
Later in Acts, Peter was “in a trance” (Acts 10:10). He was perhaps, like John in Revelation, “in the Spirit” (Revelation 1:10). In neither case – even though Spirit-filled Peter talked with God – is there any mention of tongues as the form of communication.
An angel appeared to Philip and instructed him to “Go south to the road-the desert road-that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza” (Acts 8:26). Again, there are no mysterious languages here – just plain, understandable instructions.
LANGUAGES OF ANGELS?
Ah, says the tongues – speaker, Paul wrote to the Corinthians that he could speak the languages of angels. This proves that such languages exist, and that believers can use them. However, Paul didn’t actually say that he could or did speak the languages of angels. When he said, “If I speak in the tongues of men and angels but have not love, I am nothing” (1 Corinthians 13) he was speaking hypothetically and was not describing the norm. How do we know this? Because in context we can see that Paul was making extreme comparisons, not describing the norm. He goes on to say,
“If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing” (1 Corinthians 13:2-2).
How many believers can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge? How many have you seen moving mountains? How many give everything they have to the poor, and how many give their bodies over to hardship? Interestingly, while newer translations or editions speak of bodily “hardship” or suffering here, older ones such as the NASB ’95, the KJV, and the ESV speak of giving the body over to fire, a translation which fits the context more readily. Even the 1984 edition of the NIV words it this way:
“If I give all I possess to the poor, and surrender my body to the flames…” (1 Corinthians 13: 3).
In either case, Paul is speaking of hypotheticals, and therefore the ability to speak in “languages of angels” is not to be considered a common thing.
WHEN TONGUES ARE JUST A WASTE OF BREATH
If tongues really express the words of the Holy Spirit or powerful spirit languages, Paul would never have made such statements as these as he did to the Corinthian church:
“Now, brothers and sisters, if I come to you and speak in tongues, what good will I be to you, unless I bring you some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or word of instruction?” (1 Corinthians 14:6).
You will just be speaking into the air (verse 9).
In the church I would rather speak five intelligible words to instruct others than ten thousand words in a tongue (verse 19).
If anyone speaks in a tongue, two—or at the most three—should speak, one at a time (verse 27).
If you aren’t being understood you’re just wasting your breath. Nothing is being accomplished in the heavenlies, in the church or in your spirit or body, or anyone else’s. How could this be, if the Holy Spirit is speaking, or if you are saying powerful things in an angelic language? Everyone will be better off, says Paul, if you speak in the language of those around you, or just keep quiet.
PAUL WOULD NOT LIMIT THE WORDS OF GOD
If, as is claimed, tongues are the very Spirit of God speaking or praying through the believer, why would Paul limit their use and say they’re just words spoken into the air? Why would he tell the Holy Spirit to sit down and be quiet as he did here?
If there is no interpreter, the speaker should keep quiet in the church and speak to himself and to God (1 Corinthians 14:28).
The reason Paul required interpretation of tongues was that nothing at all was accomplished by tongues without interpretation. This is strong indication that tongues do not involve a powerful spirit language, and they are certainly not the words of the Holy Spirit.
TONGUES EXPRESS THE SPIRIT OF THE SPEAKER, NOTHING MORE
For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my understanding; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my understanding (1 Corinthians 14:14-15.
Paul is saying that speaking or praying in tongues is not a good thing to do if you and others don’t understand what you’re saying. You aren’t speaking or witnessing in love (1 Corinthians 13:1). Paul says that if I pray in a tongue, I may be giving thanks or some other sentiment “well enough”. Big deal! My thoughts will be more fruitful if I and others understand them. In other words, it’s better to speak or pray in the language of those who will hear what I say, so that they can be blessed. It’s better to employ my mind and pray in words I and others understand. This is all a consequence of the fact that the gift of tongues was/is the miraculous ability speak in another human language as a sign or for the benefit of the hearer.
THE QUESTION OF CESSATION
Cessation is a hotly debated topic, and rejected outright by those who speak or pray in tongues. I will not come down either way here. I do, however, have a cogent observation to make. Paul did say that tongues will cease (1 Corinthians 13:9) when “that which is perfect” comes (verse 10). So even if the gift of tongues did not cease in the first century, as tongues speakers today insist, cessation still looms, at some time in the future. Why would Paul make such a statement if tongues are the words of the Holy Spirit, or the very languages used by angels in heaven? Will there be no talking in heaven? Will the Holy Spirit and the angels stop speaking? Of course they will not. Paul must be speaking of the temporary gift or ability to speak in other languages. He cannot be speaking of any languages used by the Holy Spirit or angels, because he says they will cease when the perfect article comes. Logic requires that the Biblical gift of tongues on earth does not involve Holy Spirit or angelic languages.
Fuel for Faith, Food for Thought 