TEXT: 1 Corinthians 1214

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What Have I learned?
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TEXT 1 Corinthians 12-14

• The promises of God to Israel regarding Gods
  visitation upon them in justice and in
  righteousness, to warn Israel of judgment and to
  present their Redeemer and Messiah required the
  fulfillment of certain prophecies. These
  prophecies included certain signs or means of
  authentication by which Israel would know that
  this was God speaking to them. The signs which
  God promised were

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The Sign of Healing

• Promised by God Himself in Moses song as he
  outlined Gods future dealings with Israel (Deut
  3239)
• Promised by the prophets as the ministry of the
  Messiah (Jer 3017 336 Mal 42 Is 355ff
  611)
• Practiced by Jesus and cited by Him as a sign of
  the fact that He was the fulfillment of the
  promise of the Messiah in response to John the
  Baptists question (Luke 720-22)

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• Authority given to the apostles to heal as they
  were authorized to proclaim the imminence of the
  Messianic kingdom to Israel (Matt 105-8)
• This word for this healing is the word used in
  describing the work of a skilled physician and
  indicates a cure (Luke 92)
• It was a gift given to the apostles and used in
  an extraordinary way (Acts 1911) while Jews
  were present (1910)
• Others commissioned by Christ to preach and
  provide the care and attention which would bring
  healing (Luke 109) are described with the Greek
  word for therapya different word.

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II. The Sign of Tongues

• Given as a sign to Israel of impending judgment
  because of their disobedience (Isaiah 2811 cf
  Deut 2849 1 Cor 1421)
• Its only recorded historical use was when Jews
  were present (Acts 28 1046 196-10)
• The misuse of this sign is dealt with in 1 Cor
  12-14, as Paul teaches that this sign was for a
  specific purpose for Israel, that it would cease
  when Israel ceased (70 AD)
• It is not something which takes place after
  conversion as a sign to Gentiles (Cornelius was
  saved and received the Holy Spirit at the same
  timeas do we (Eph 113)

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• The gift of tongues, even if it were useful for
  today, would not be something which all believers
  would possess or should seek (1 Cor 1210)
• Tongues are not a private gift for use in
  prayer, but were a gift given to expedite the
  use of other gifts in the early church as in Acts
  2 (1 Cor 146, 12, 15 Luke 112-4)

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III. The Sign of Prophecy

• The promise of God to send prophets to His people
  was in order that they might know His will (Deut
  1815)
• God did this faithfully (Jer 3515)
• This sign will occur again at a future day
  (Joel 228 cited by Peter in Acts 217) to
  authenticate the New Covenant with Israel
• Meanwhile, knowing the truth of the New
  Testament, we have a more sure word of prophecy
  (2 Peter 119) and the will and teaching of the
  Holy Spirit is in this Book and not in any
  private interpretation.