Why Not to Be "On Fire"
The whole connection made between tongues and fire has been pretty thought provoking lately. During our Sunday school this past Lord's Day, we had the priviledge of going through the second chapter of Acts.
Now why did the disciples experience tongues of fire over their heads? Why didn't God choose to place palm trees (being blown by the wind of the spirit, of course) over their heads? As an ignorant, sin-encrusted person I had never considered this question, but obviously there had to be a reason. Actually, there were three.
When the tongues of fire were seen over the apostles' heads, the kingdom of God and the power of the spirit were coming together. God was proclaiming that his kingdom would go out unto the ends of the earth by the power of the tongue. He would use people or "witnesses" to conquer Canaan (and witnesses definitely need tongues). However, as also should be expected, the images of tongues are not a novelty of the new testament.
In the Old Testament, the tongue is said to be coming as a judgement on unfaithful Israel. Isaiah 28:11 talks about the tongues of judgement, but clearer expression comes in Deuteronomy. Chapter 28 in that book deals with the blessings and curses of the covenant between the Lord and his bride - Israel. One of the curses set out in that chapter is that a people of forgein tongue will come upon the nation, if it is unfaithful, and will judge/destroy them. Accordingly, the tongues of fire over the heads of the apostles were for judgement upon the earth.
Also, they were tongues of fire because fire is also a picture of judgment in the Old Testament. Isaiah 5:24 establishes this connection. Combining the curse of foreign tongues with the language of fire for judgment, and you have a potent picture in the tongues of fire at Pentecost (and also a renewed interest in O.T./N.T. connections).
As an interesting side note, this is a fact not lost on Paul (nor on James for that matter [ch.3]). He may have not been at Pentecost, but he sure grasped the concept. In I Corinthians 14 he talks about speaking in tongues. The divinely inspired comment he makes there is interesting, that you are not to speak in tongues unless there is an interpretter. Why? Because otherwise you would be incurring judgment upon yourself. Uninterpretted foreign tongues are a sign and seal of covenantal judgment. And, further off to the side, with the destruction of the temple in A.D. 70 and with the deaths of the apostles, we see this gift of speaking in tongues vanishing. Coincidence?
Back to the importance of the tongues of fire. Not only do we have the two-fold image of judgment - which we see fulfilled upon those who claim the apostles are drunk - but we also have blessings for those who hear and understand. This is seen in the section where they ask what must we do to be saved?
Finally, in this passage on pentecost is the undoing of the tower of Babel. Once when men were trying to rival God, he dispersed them by confusing their speech. People all over the worlds spread out and spoke their own language. Various nations and peoples formed. Then, when the kingdom of heaven came to earth, the Lord called his people together by addressing them in their own language. The Lord was bringing his people together, not by speaking the common language, but by calling all tribes and all tongues together in their own language. The curse of Babel is being undone.
All of this is working to bring together a focal point in history. The Lord coming to earth as man to save sinners leads to the adultery test for his bride, the marriage to new Jerusalem, the renewal of creation, and the establishment of his unified kingdom, one made of people of all nations and all tongues.
Praise God from whom all blessings flow!
Now why did the disciples experience tongues of fire over their heads? Why didn't God choose to place palm trees (being blown by the wind of the spirit, of course) over their heads? As an ignorant, sin-encrusted person I had never considered this question, but obviously there had to be a reason. Actually, there were three.
When the tongues of fire were seen over the apostles' heads, the kingdom of God and the power of the spirit were coming together. God was proclaiming that his kingdom would go out unto the ends of the earth by the power of the tongue. He would use people or "witnesses" to conquer Canaan (and witnesses definitely need tongues). However, as also should be expected, the images of tongues are not a novelty of the new testament.
In the Old Testament, the tongue is said to be coming as a judgement on unfaithful Israel. Isaiah 28:11 talks about the tongues of judgement, but clearer expression comes in Deuteronomy. Chapter 28 in that book deals with the blessings and curses of the covenant between the Lord and his bride - Israel. One of the curses set out in that chapter is that a people of forgein tongue will come upon the nation, if it is unfaithful, and will judge/destroy them. Accordingly, the tongues of fire over the heads of the apostles were for judgement upon the earth.
Also, they were tongues of fire because fire is also a picture of judgment in the Old Testament. Isaiah 5:24 establishes this connection. Combining the curse of foreign tongues with the language of fire for judgment, and you have a potent picture in the tongues of fire at Pentecost (and also a renewed interest in O.T./N.T. connections).
As an interesting side note, this is a fact not lost on Paul (nor on James for that matter [ch.3]). He may have not been at Pentecost, but he sure grasped the concept. In I Corinthians 14 he talks about speaking in tongues. The divinely inspired comment he makes there is interesting, that you are not to speak in tongues unless there is an interpretter. Why? Because otherwise you would be incurring judgment upon yourself. Uninterpretted foreign tongues are a sign and seal of covenantal judgment. And, further off to the side, with the destruction of the temple in A.D. 70 and with the deaths of the apostles, we see this gift of speaking in tongues vanishing. Coincidence?
Back to the importance of the tongues of fire. Not only do we have the two-fold image of judgment - which we see fulfilled upon those who claim the apostles are drunk - but we also have blessings for those who hear and understand. This is seen in the section where they ask what must we do to be saved?
Finally, in this passage on pentecost is the undoing of the tower of Babel. Once when men were trying to rival God, he dispersed them by confusing their speech. People all over the worlds spread out and spoke their own language. Various nations and peoples formed. Then, when the kingdom of heaven came to earth, the Lord called his people together by addressing them in their own language. The Lord was bringing his people together, not by speaking the common language, but by calling all tribes and all tongues together in their own language. The curse of Babel is being undone.
All of this is working to bring together a focal point in history. The Lord coming to earth as man to save sinners leads to the adultery test for his bride, the marriage to new Jerusalem, the renewal of creation, and the establishment of his unified kingdom, one made of people of all nations and all tongues.
Praise God from whom all blessings flow!
posted by Charlie at 6:58 PM
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