Aug 20 – 2 Chronicles 10, 2 Chronicles 11, 2 Chronicles 12 1 Corinthians 14:1-19 Proverbs 20:15-24

2 Chron 12:9

So Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem. He took away the treasures of the house of the LORD and the treasures of the king’s house. He took away everything. He also took away the shields of gold that Solomon had made,

Rehoboam was the son of Solomon. We read in this book about all the wisdom, riches and wealth of Solomon. There was chapter after chapter of the gold used in the temple – the amazing treasures that were in the kings house.

And just a few years after Solomon’s death… it’s gone. That’s how quickly things can change. Everything was taken by the king of Egypt.

When we allow ourselves to abandon God’s will, which is what Rehoboam did – then things can turn fast. Churches that have existed for generations can be gone within a matter of months. Why? Because of compromise and turning away from the will of God.

Be vigilant against compromise. Stand from for the word of God. The blessings of God in the past are only an indicator of the future when we stay obedient to God.

1 Cor 14:13-19

Therefore, one who speaks in a tongue should pray that he may interpret.

For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays but my mind is unfruitful.

What am I to do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will pray with my mind also; I will sing praise with my spirit, but I will sing with my mind also.

Otherwise, if you give thanks with your spirit, how can anyone in the position of an outsider say “Amen” to your thanksgiving when he does not know what you are saying?

For you may be giving thanks well enough, but the other person is not being built up.

I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you.

Nevertheless, in church I would rather speak five words with my mind in order to instruct others, than ten thousand words in a tongue.

I’ve heard this passage used to say we should not have public use of tongues in church meetings. But that’s not what is getting said at all here. 

First, it’s interesting to note church meetings were taking place where there was an expectation that the lost would come in and be saved. We can pick up that expectation in verse 23. 

Paul is saying if they walk in and everyone is speaking in tongues they will all say you are out of your minds. That’s fair enough. We need to be careful we don’t put people off. But a word of wisdom or prophecy in this context is a good thing as it shows them God. 

But there’s is no prohibition on tongues in public, rather a suggestion that we use good sense. 

Paul said he’d rather speak 5 words with his mind than a thousand in tongues so people could be built up from what he says. And Paul would very much do that – the guy could preach! But that doesn’t mean that tongues was a no go – he said that he did it more than anyone else. And they’d know this is true because they’d have heard him do so. When Paul was at Corinth he asked them if they’d received the Holy Spirit since they’d believed… why did he think they hadn’t? Because he hadn’t heard them speaking in tongues. How did he know they had afterwards? They spoke in tongues.

Paul doesn’t say that every time there is a tongue there must also be an interpretation. He says to those who speak pray you will also interpret because that build people up more. He’s asking them to desire the interpretation, but not that it’s prohibited without.

What Paul is encouraging is good sense. If everyone just spoke in tongues for the whole meeting…. well you aren’t building each other up, just your own spirits. And you can do that at home… he’s saying make the most of this time together and build up each other, because that’s what church is for. 

Speaking in tongues has its place in a meeting but it cannot be the whole meeting. But Paul is certainly not prohibiting its use in public as it’s a very important part of our worship. 

We must consider the outsider. We must consider each other. But we must also stir up the gift of God that is within us.