The topic about speaking in tongues is always a hot topic, especially with the charismatic movement in the Christian churches. They even go as far to say that if you do not speak in tongues that you are not saved nor have the RUACH HA’KODESH (The Set-Apart) Spirit. Sadly, the true path of worship has been rejected and replaced with people searching after “an experience”, versus what the scriptures actually teach. So, this message will prove that TONGUES AND LANGUAGES are interchangeable using scripture, we will also examine what the tongue of malachim (angels) are, and what Paul meant about speaking in unknown tongues to ELOHIM.
The first scripture I would like to mention is a very popular one that everyone knows and uses:
Proverbs 18:21
“Death and life are in the power of the TONGUE; and those who live it shall eat the fruits thereof.”
Everyone, including those who say they speak or have spoken in an unknown other worldly tongue will quote this scripture in context of a known language, and rightfully so! They will say things like, “Be careful what you say because you don’t want to speak curses into your life, because words are powerful as we know ELOHIM spoke everything into existence in the beginning.” So, “tongue” in this verse is always understood as a language, but suddenly when it comes to Paul’s writings tongues somehow changes from a language into something else! Remember, the scriptures are always consistent and if your interpretation of the scripture contradicts what is written in it, then it’s your interpretation that is wrong!
The etymology for the word tongue in this verse is “Lashon” in Hebrew #H3956. An example of this is the word “Lashon Ha’kodesh”, which means the set-apart tongue which is the Hebrew language.
Brown-Driver-Briggs defines it as: Tongue of men, tongue (literal), tongue (ORGAN OF SPEECH), LANGUAGE, tongue of animals, tongue of fire.
The Ancient Hebrew etymology defines the same word as:
1. Slander, tongue, language: the wagging of the tongue when TALKING OR SLANDERING!
2. Language: As coming from the movement of the TONGUE. The Hebrew concordance then notes the KJV which says: tongue, language, bay, wedge, BABBLER, flame, talker.
So the reference to the KJV includes “babbler”, so I’m sure someone will say “See babbling is right there!” Firstly, notice that babbler is mentioned alongside the words tongue and language, so that should be the first clue. But let’s go further and look up how the 1611 KJV defines babbler for the King James reader. According to av1611.com the KJV Dictionary Definition: Bab’bler, n. An Idle TALKER, an irrational PRATTLER; a TELLER of secrets.
According to the original KJV it says that a babbler is an “idle talker” which means foolish and irrelevant talk, an “irrational prattler” the Cambridge dictionary defines as someone who TALKS for a long time about things that are silly or not important, and a “teller of secrets” is a person who GOSSIPS! All of these things are things people do when speaking in LANGUAGES that can be understood by the people they are conversing with, how else would they know if you are a gossiping, long winded person who talks about nothing of importance?
Tongues and languages used interchangeably in scripture
Jubilees 12:25-26
“And YAHWEH ELOHIM said, “Open his (Abraham’s) mouth and his ears, that he may hear and speak with his mouth, with the LANGUAGE which as been revealed; for it has ceased from the mouths of all the children of men from the day of The Overthrow (Tower of Babel). And I opened up his mouth, and his ears, and his lips, and I began to speak with him in HEBREW, in the TONGUE of the creation.”
Interesting to note that Hebrew is the language of creation and what language do we see YESHUA speaking when He speaks to Paul from the heavens?
Acts 26:13-14 (Aramaic)
“At midday on the road, O king, I saw a light from heaven more powerful than that of the sun, shining round about me and upon those who journeyed with me. When we all fell to ground, then I heard a voice speaking to me, in the HEBREW TONGUE, Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It is hard for you to kick against the pricks.”
John 5:2 (Hebrew)
“Now in Yerushalayim (Jerusalem) there was a covered, dug-out pool where the waters were collected-which is called Beit-Tsaidah in the HEBREW TONGUE.”
1 Corinthians 12:7-11, 28-30 (Lamsa’s Aramaic)
“But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man as help to him. For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit. To another faith by the same Spirit; to another gifts of healing by the same Spirit; to another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another the means to distinguish the true Spirit; to another DIFFERENT LANGUAGES; to another INTERPRETATION OF LANGUAGES. But all of these gifts are wrought by that one and the same Spirit, dividing to everyone severally as He will.” Verse 28-30 For ELOHIM has set in his church, first apostles; after them, prophets; then teachers, then performers of miracles, then those who have the gift of healing, helpers, leaders, and SPEAKERS IN DIVERSE LANGUAGES. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? Have all the gifts of healing? Do all SPEAK in DIVERSE TONGUES? Or do all interpret?”
Again we see the interchangeable usage of language and tongues! Furthermore; Paul says these are gifts that the RUACH HA’KODESH gives to those He desires, so not everyone will speak in other languages, not everyone will prophesy, not everyone will teach because we are different members of the same body. Everyone can’t be an arm and everyone cannot be a foot, everyone can’t be an eye and everyone can’t be an ear; however, we need them all to function as a body. So, to tell someone they are not saved because they don’t speak in another language is FALSE DOCTRINE, and you have just accused the RUACH HA’KODESH of not saving that person because He did not give them that ability to speak in other languages being that He is the One dividing the gifts! That is a very dangerous accusation to make.
1 Corinthians 14:21-23 (Aramaic)
“In the law it is written, with a foreign SPEECH and in another TONGUE I will speak to this people; yet for all that, they will not listen to Me, says YAHWEH. Thus, the gift of LANGUAGES is instituted as a sign, not for believers, but for unbelievers; but prophesying is meant, not for those who do not believe, but for those who believe. If therefore the whole assembly assembles together and all speak in different TONGUES and there enter unlearned people or unbelievers, will they not say, they are fanatical?
Paul uses speech, language, and tongues interchangeably in two verses and even quotes YAHWEH from Isaiah.
Isaiah 28:11
“For with a difficult SPEECH and with an alien TONGUE will He speak to this people.”
Zephaniah 3:9
“For then I will restore to the people a pure SPEECH, that they may call upon the Name of YAHWEH to serve Him with one consent.”
In order for YAHWEH speak to the other nations, He would speak to them in a language they could understand, their native tongue. The etymology of the word speech is #H8193 Saphah (Saw-faw) defined by Brown-Driver-Briggs as lip, language, speech. So again we see speech, language and tongue all mean the same thing and Paul clearly understood this which is why he quoted the Old Testament which was all he had available to him as he was currently living out the New Testament.
More witnesses
Mark 16:17 (Hebrew)
“And these are the signs that they who believe will do: they will heal in My Name the satan-possessed ones, and they will SPEAK WITH ALTERNATIVE LANGUAGES, no kind of beast or venomous serpent will damage them, and they will lay the hands on the sick ones, and they will be healed.”
This scripture is quoted from Greek translations and is used to support speaking in other worldly unknown speech/gibberish, but the authentic Hebrew makes it abundantly clear that YESHUA said languages and even at this point it should be clear that the “tongues” in the Greek is still languages. We know that the disciples of YESHUA spoke Hebrew/Aramaic so there would be a language barrier for them to share the Good News and we see what YESHUA said in Mark 16 fulfilled in Acts. When, YESHUA ascended into heaven then the RUACH HA’KODESH was poured out on His disciples who were Galileans and they spoke in various languages.
Acts 2:1-11 (Aramaic)
“And when the day of Shavuot (Pentecost) was fulfilled, while they were assembled together, suddenly there came a sound from heaven as a rushing mighty wind and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them tongues which were divided like flames of fire; and they rested upon each of them. And they were all filled with the RUACH HA’KODESH, and they began to speak in VARIOUS LANGUAGES, according to the whatever the Spirit gave them to speak. Now there dwelt at Jerusalem devout men and Jews from every nation under heaven. And as the sound took place, all the people gathered together, and they were confused because every man heard them speak in his own LANGUAGE. And they were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, behold, are not all these who speak Galileans? How is it that we hear every man in our own NATIVE LANGUAGE? Parthians and Medes and Elamites and those who dwell in Mesopotamia, Jews, and Cappadocians and those from Pontus and Asia Minor, and those from the region of Phrygia and of Pamphylia and of Egypt, and of the regions of Libya near Cyrene, and those who have come from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, and those from Crete, and Arabians, behold we hear them speak in our own TONGUES of the wonderful works of ELOHIM.”
Again we see language and tongues used interchangeably and all the men heard the Galileans speaking to them in their own native tongue as the RUACH HA’KODESH gave them to speak, this should leave no doubts as to what tongues really are!
Jasher 49:8-19
“And the king said to all the officers, “I have thought that since ELOHIM has made known to the Hebrew man (Joseph) all that he has spoken, there is none so discreet and wise in the whole land as he is; if it seem good in your eyes I will place him over the land, for he will save the land with his wisdom.” And all the officers answered the king and said, “But surely it is written in the decrees of Egypt, and it should not be violated, that no man shall reign over Egypt, nor be the second to the king, except one who has known in all the LANGUAGES of the sons of men. Now therefore our master and king, behold this Hebrew man can only speak the HEBREW LANGUAGE, and how then can he be over us the second under government, a man who does not even know our LANGUAGE? Now please, send for him, and let him come before you, and prove him in all things, and do as you see fit.” And the king said, “It shall be done tomorrow, and the thing that you have spoken is good;” and all the officers came on that day before the king. And on that night YAHWEH sent one of His attending messengers, and he came into the land of Egypt to Joseph, and the messenger of YAHWEH stood over Joseph, and behold Joseph was lying in the bed at night in his master’s house in the pit, for his master had put him back into the pit on account of his wife. And the messenger roused him from his sleep, and Joseph rose up and stood upon his legs, and behold the messenger of YAHWEH was standing opposite to him; and the messenger of YAHWEH spoke with Joseph and he taught him all the TONGUES OF MAN in that night, and he called his name Yehoseph. And the messenger of YAHWEH went from him, and Joseph returned and lie upon his bed, and Joseph was astonished at the vision which he saw. And it happened in the morning that the king sent for all his officers and servants, and they all came and sat before the king, and the king order Joseph to be brought, and the king’s servants went and brought Joseph before Pharoah. And the king came forth and ascended the steps of the throne, and Joseph spoke to the king in ALL TONGUES, and Joseph went up to him and spoke to the king until he arrived before the king in the seventieth step (70 languages of the nations), and he sat before the king.”
This is another clear scripture as the entire context was about Joseph not being able to speak in any other language outside of Hebrew, so he could not be second in command to the Pharaoh unless he knew all languages, so a messenger of YAHWEH taught him all languages/tongues in one night, so we again see the interchangeable use of these words in the Hebrew culture; therefore, Christianity should not be able to undo what has been written.
Speaking in tongues of malachim (angels)
It has been clearly established from the multiple scriptures above that tongues are languages; therefore, what Paul is saying in 1 Corinthians 13 cannot suddenly be a different type of tongue then all the witnesses we have read previously. Let’s examine his words further.
1 Corinthians 13:1
“Though I speak with TONGUES of men and malachim (angels), I am become as a sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal.”
This means that malachim (angels) are more eloquent in speech than humans are because they are heavenly beings and they can speak ALL LANGUAGES fluently just as we saw in Jasher 49 when the malach (angel) of YAHWEH was sent to Joseph and taught him all 70 languages in one night. All throughout scripture we see malachim (angels) interacting with men and they are all speaking to them in languages thus tongues. So let us look at some examples.
Genesis 19:1-2
“And there came two malachim (angels) to Sodom in the evening; and Lot was sitting at the gate of Sodom; and Lot saw them and rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground; and he said, “My masters, turn aside, I pray you, into your servant’s house and spend the night and wash your feet; then rise up early in the morning and go on your way. And THEY SAID (malachim), “No, we will spend the night in the street.”
Daniel 9:20-23 (Parenthesis mine)
“And while I was yet praying and confessing my offenses and the offenses of my people Yisra’el and presenting my supplication before YAHWEH my ELOHIM for the set-apart mountain of My ELOHIM. Yea, while I was speaking in prayer, the man Gabriel (angel in the appearance of a man), whom I had seen in the vision before, came from heaven, flying swiftly, and drew near me at the time of the evening sacrifice. And he came and TALKED TO ME and said to me, O Daniel, I am now come forth to instruct you, so that you might understand. At the beginning of your prayer the word came forth and I have come to make it known to you; for you are greatly beloved; therefore discern the matter and understand the vision.”
The same malach (angel) Gabriel appears to Zechariah the dad of John the Baptist and Mary the mother of YESHUA:
Luke 1:11-20
“And the malach (angel) of YAHWEH appeared to Zechariah standing on the right of the alter of incense. And when Zechariah saw him, he became dumbfounded, and fear came upon him. And the malach (angel) SAID TO HIM, fear not, Zechariah; for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will call his name John. And you will have joy and gladness; and a great many will rejoice at his birth. Verse 18-19 “And Zechariah said to the malach (angel), how will I understand this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well odvanced in years. And the malach ANSWERED, saying to him, I am Gabriel, who stand in the presence of ELOHIM; and I am sent to SPEAK TO YOU, and to bring you these glad tidings.”
Luke 1:26-50
“Now in the sixth month the malach (angel) Gabriel was sent from ELOHIM to Galilee, to a city called Nazareth, to a virgin who was acquired for a price (dowry) for a man named Joseph, of the house of David; and the name of the virgin was Mary. And the malach went in and SAID TO HER, peace be to you, O full of favor; our Master is with you, O blessed one among women. When she saw him she was disturbed at his word, and wondered what kind of salutation this could be. And the malach (angel) SAID to her, fear not, Mary; for you have found favor with ELOHIM.”
Revelation 10:9-11
“So I took the little book out of the hand of the malach (angel), and ate it; and it was sweet as honey in my mouth; but as soon as I had eaten it, my belly was bitter. Then he SAID to me, you must prophesy again about many peoples and nations and the heads of nations and kings.”
Revelation 19:10 (Hebrew)
“And I fell at his (angel’s) feet to worship him. And he SAID to me, do not do that; I am your fellow servant, and one of your brethren who have the testimony of YESHUA. Do your prayer to YAHWEH.”
Galatians 1:8
“But though we or an malach (angel) from heaven preach any other good news to you than that which we have preached to you, let him be accursed.”
These malachim (angels) would have to be speaking languages to the humans to preach another good news!
2 Esdras 4:1-2
“Then the malach (angel) that had been sent to me, whose name was Uriel, answered and SAID TO ME, “Your understanding is quite confounded regarding this world, and do you wish to comprehend the way of the Most High?”
2 Esdras 4:35-36
“Did not the souls of the righteous in their treasuries ask about these matters, saying, ‘How long are we to remain here? And when will come the harvest of our reward? And Jeremiel the archangel answered and them and SAID, “When the number of those like yourselves is completed; for He has weighed the age in the balance.”
As we can see from the many witnesses from scripture that the malachim (angels) communicated with humans through languages whether Hebrew or Aramaic the language of the scriptures; however, again, they can speak all languages as proven from Jasher 49.
But he speaks mysteries!
1 Corinthians 14:1-11 (Aramaic)
“Follow after love, and desire spiritual gifts, above all that you may prophesy. For he who speaks in an unknown tongue (language) speaks not to men, but to ELOHIM; for no man understands what he says; however through the Spirit he speaks mysteries. But he who prophesies speaks to men for edification, encouragement, and comfort. He who speaks in an unknown tongue edifies himself; but he who prophecies edifies the assembly. I would rather that you all spoke in various tongues, but I would rather that you prophesied; for he who prophesies is greater than he who speaks various tongues, unless he interprets, however, if he interprets he edifies the assembly.”
And then Paul uses an example to drive home his point and its pretty clear what he is saying in the next verses 6-11:
1 Corinthians 14:6-11 (Aramaic)
“Now, my brethren, if I should come to you and speak in diverse (various) tongues, what would I profit you, except I speak to you either by means of revelation or by knowledge or by prophesying or by teaching? For even when things without life give sound, whether flute or harp, except they make a distinction between one tone and another, how shall it be known what is sung or played? For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who will prepare himself for the battle? Even so you, except you utter by the TONGUE WORDS EASY TO BE UNDERSTOOD, how shall it be known what you say? You shall speak as into the air. For, behold there are many KINDS OF LANGUAGES IN THE WORLD, yet none of them without expression. So if I do not UNDERSTAND THE UTTERANCE (Of the language spoken), I shall be as a barbarian to the speaker, and the speaker shall be as a barbarian to me.”
The context of what Paul is saying is that if a man is speaking in an unknown language and no one is there to interpret it, then the man who is speaking in the unknown language is only speaking to ELOHIM at that point because ELOHIM understands all languages; whereas the assembly has no clue what he is saying. The RUACH HA’KODESH (The Set-Apart Spirit) is not speaking mysteries because He understands and speaks all languages, but through the man it is a mystery, because the man is speaking a language he has never spoken before and does not know what he is saying.
Paul is also saying that prophecy edifies the assembly because all understand that it means a future event, something that anyone can relate to. As for speaking in another language it does not edify the assembly if no one can understand it. A man can preach the best sermon ever in another language, but if no one can understand a word that is coming out of his mouth, then how does it edify the assembly?
So, in conclusion tongues is synonymous with languages and used interchangeably all throughout scripture, it is not ecstatic utterances in a state of ecstasy, speaking in a nonexistent language consisting of unintelligible sounds which is called gibberish! This phenomenon being taught and displayed in Christian churches has it ties to the oracles of Delphi which I strongly encourage you to look further into. The gift of tongues is speaking fluently in a KNOWN language by the leading of the RUACH HA’KODESH! For example, I do not know how to speak in French and suddenly I begin to speak fluent French and one of them hears me and says, “I heard you praising ELOHIM in my tongue/language.” In this YAHWEH gets praise and esteem and will further the kingdom by spreading the Good News in a language I have never spoken in my life.
As always may our Father YAHWEH bless you in YESHUA’s Name