Prophecies, Tongues and Messages of Knowledge
The Scripture states that at some time in Gods plan, prophecies, tongues and the message of knowledge will cease.
Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known (1 Corinthians 13:8-12).
Some say these spiritual gifts have already ceased. Others say that the spiritual gifts of prophecy, tongues and knowledge will continue until Christ's return.
I. God says.
Do not put out the Spirit's fire; do not treat prophecies with contempt. Test everything. Hold on to the good (1 Thessalonians 5:19-21).
Now about spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines. The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body--whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free--and we were all given the one Spirit to drink (1 Corinthians 12:1-13).
Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues (1 Corinthians 12:27-28).
Follow the way of love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy. For anyone who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God. Indeed, no one understands him; he utters mysteries with his spirit. But everyone who prophesies speaks to men for their strengthening, encouragement and comfort. He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church. I would like every one of you to speak in tongues, but I would rather have you prophesy. He who prophesies is greater than one who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets, so that the church may be edified. Now, brothers, 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 14:1-6)
If anybody thinks he is a prophet or spiritually gifted, let him acknowledge that what I am writing to you is the Lord's command. If he ignores this, he himself will be ignored. Therefore, my brothers, be eager to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues (1 Corinthians 14:37-39).
It was he (Christ) who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ (Ephesians 4:11-13).
II. God says about the Future.
In this Scripture prophecies continue to the end of the age.
And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth." These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth. If anyone tries to harm them, fire comes from their mouths and devours their enemies. This is how anyone who wants to harm them must die. These men have power to shut up the sky so that it will not rain during the time they are prophesying; and they have power to turn the waters into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they want. Now when they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up from the Abyss will attack them, and overpower and kill them. Their bodies will lie in the street of the great city, which is figuratively called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified. For three and a half days men from every people, tribe, language and nation will gaze on their bodies and refuse them burial. The inhabitants of the earth will gloat over them and will celebrate by sending each other gifts, because these two prophets had tormented those who live on the earth. But after the three and a half days a breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and terror struck those who saw them. Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, "Come up here." And they went up to heaven in a cloud, while their enemies looked on (Revelation 11:3-12).
III. When God says.
The passage that states prophecies and tongues will cease, says, When perfection comes and we shall see face to face, then prophecies, tongues and messages of knowledge will cease.
So, what is the perfection that will come? And who is it we shall see face to face?
§ Perfection
As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the LORD is flawless. He is a shield for all who take refuge in him. For who is God besides the LORD? And who is the Rock except our God? (2 Samuel 22:31-32)
The Mighty One, God, the LORD, speaks and summons the earth from the rising of the sun to the place where it sets. From Zion, perfect in beauty, God shines forth. Our God comes and will not be silent; a fire devours before him, and around him a tempest rages. He summons the heavens above, and the earth, that he may judge his people: "Gather to me my consecrated ones, who made a covenant with me by sacrifice" (Psalm 50:1-5).
Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect (Matthew 5:48).
Therefore he (Christ) is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them. Such a high priest meets our need--one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself. For the law appoints as high priests men who are weak; but the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect forever (Hebrews 7:25-28).
God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect (Hebrews 11:40).
God is perfect and He alone is able to bring us to perfection.
§ Face to Face
And I--in righteousness I will see your face; when I awake, I will be satisfied with seeing your likeness (Psalm 17:15).
I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see him with my own eyes--I, and not another (Job 19:25-27).
No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads (Revelation 22:3-4).
This will happen when He comes again and we shall see [Him] face to face. Prophecies will cease at the end of this age when Jesus Christ will come and establish His Kingdom on Earth.
Once again lets examine what God is saying.
Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known (1 Corinthians 13:8-12).
For we do not write you anything you cannot read or understand. And I hope that, as you have understood us in part, you will come to understand fully that you can boast of us just as we will boast of you in the day of the Lord Jesus (2 Corinthians 1:13-14).
In both of these passages we see that we shall know fully and we will come to understand fully when these things occur:
1. When perfection comes.
2. When we shall see face to face.
3. In the Day of the Lord.
Daniel also places the sealing up of prophecy at the completion of the Seventy Sevens Prophecy.
Seventy 'sevens' are decreed for your people and your holy city to finish transgression, to put an end to sin, to atone for wickedness, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the most holy (Daniel 9:24).
All these things; tongues stilled, prophecies cease, messages of knowledge will pass away, when Jesus Christ comes again. Therefore, we know that tongues, prophecy and knowledge are still needed by the Church today. Because, we dont know or understand fully.
But, when Christ, perfection comes and we shall see [Him] face to face then we will know fully. On that day, the Day of the Lord,
On this mountain (Zion) Yahweh Almighty will prepare a feast of rich food for all peoples, a banquet of aged wine-- the best of meats and the finest of wines (The Wedding Banquet). On this mountain he will destroy the shroud that enfolds all peoples, the sheet that covers all nations (deception will be eliminated and we will know fully); he will swallow up death forever (The immortality of the Resurrection). The Sovereign Yahweh will wipe away the tears from all faces; he will remove the disgrace of his people from all the earth. Yahweh has spoken. In that day they will say, "Surely this is our God; we trusted in him, and he saved us. This is Yahweh, we trusted in him; let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation" (Isaiah 25:6-9).
Therefore, prophecies, tongues and knowledge will continue until the return of Jesus Christ.
Richard H Perry
