Prophecy and Tongues Today?
The Pentecostal movement has gained great momentum and force since the beginning of the twentieth-century. No one can deny its global impact and influence on modern evangelicalism. It has certainly achieved a strong foothold in Christian history, and many of its chief proponents have come a long way since Azusa.
As a former Pentecostal, I, like many others, desired a true and genuine Christian experience. Not wanting to "quench the Spirit" nor question God's "anointed," I made all the necessary internal adjustments to convince myself that I did indeed hear from God. After leaving the movement due to other doctrinal reasons, I never really could biblically defend my cessationist position. At best I reasoned, "Maybe true tongues and prophecy do continue as described in the book of Acts, but I never heard them." So went my apologetic. Enter Robertson. . .
I must admit that I really did not expect much from this book at first glance. After reading the sub-title, A Biblical Response to the Case for Tongues and Prophecy Today, I wondered what this book could accomplish with so few pages-and small ones at that. I secured a copy and was pleasantly surprised.
The book is divided into five concise chapters. Chapter one deals with the origin, nature, and usage of prophecy in the Old Testament. Robertson begins with the example of Moses, "the original prophet and law-giver in Israel." He discusses the mediatorial office of the prophet as it finds its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus Christ, the One Moses spoke of in Deuteronomy 18:15.
Working under this canopy, Robertson walks us through the foundational passages that define the Old Testament concept of prophecy. He observes that there are two basic functions of prophecy. The first is 'forth-telling,' which is simply the telling forth of God's inerrant and infallible word. The second function, 'fore-telling,' is the prophesying of future events in redemptive history. Interestingly, Robertson points out that fore-telling "functions secondarily to the essence of prophecy." He stresses that both types hold revelatory status, an idea he develops further in chapter 3.
With the basic functions of Old Testament prophecy established, Robertson examines the debated passage in Joel 2 concerning 'prophecy about prophecy.' He poses a couple of questions that penetrate the heart of the debate. Concerning 'prophecy,' he asks, "Does this word suddenly have a new meaning? Is Joel expecting a different kind of prophecy from that described in the foundational passages already considered" [p.11]? Once that question is answered, Robertson revisits Pentecost as the fulfillment of the 'prophecy about prophecy' in Acts 2:16.
In chapter 2, Robertson provides an exegetical re-evaluation of the phenomenon of tongues. First, he explains the outline of the chapter into four main sections. Each one is representative of one of the four basic elements of tongues as observed in the New Testament. The first of the four is that tongues in the New Testament are revelatory in nature. He begins in 1 Corinthians 14:2 by taking the mystery out of 'mysterion.' This is important because of the revelatory nature of tongues in the New Testament. Robertson observes the reoccurring theme regarding mystery and revelation. He declares:
Twenty-eight times the term 'mystery' is used in the New Testament. If we set aside for a moment the occurrence in 1 Corinthians 14 presently under consideration, twenty-seven cases explicitly talk about a 'mystery' as something once hidden but now revealed. [p. 26]
Are tongues today uttering new mysteries for us to grapple with? If tongues today are the same as those found in the New Testament, then they should be considered divine revelation. If this is so, then what happens to Sola Scriptura? Is there not enough in Scripture to keep us busy for multiple lifetimes? Robertson discusses this question in chapter 4.
Robertson goes on to discuss the three other elements that comprise the nature of New Testament tongues. He shows that they were actual languages as opposed to today's notion of 'prayer language'; he then discusses whether it was for personal or 'public consumption.' Finally he considers the dimension of tongues as a sign. He shows that Joel's prophecy is not the only Old Testament passage that we need to consider when determining the significance of Pentecost.
From there he consults the New Testament concerning the process of the delivery of a prophecy, whether spoken or written. Robertson is careful to point out that Peter and Paul affirm that all prophecy is indeed revelational. This is contrasted with notions of 'non-revelational revelation.' How is one to objectively direct one's life with such a promiscuous definition of revelation? The dangers of accepting this compromise are made manifest in chapter 4.
The continuationist argument is not without witness. In chapter 4 Robertson charitably dismantles Wayne Grudem's arguments for the continuation of revelation as described in The Gift of Prophecy in the New Testament and Today (Kingsway Publications, Eastbourne, 1988). Robertson addresses Grudem's 'ordinary congregational prophecy,' which Grudem admits to be fallible and polluted by the flesh. Robertson proposes:
It would be better if the alleged 'prophetic' words could be regarded merely as the opinions of men. Then they might be discarded with a comfortable conscience. But if a prophetic utterance is based on a current revelation from God directed specifically to an individual or a church, how can it be relegated to a mere expression of human opinion? If 75% or more of the prophetic utterance is an accurate representation of a divine revelation, then it becomes the obligation of the hearers to determine what it is that God is saying, and then to do his revealed will without question or hesitation. Yet the ambiguity remains. So what impact will this ambiguity have on the Christian's peace of mind? [p.123]
This is where the book really hits home for me. Robertson shows that Grudem's concept of revelation provides no real security for those seeking solid answers and direction from God.
The importance of this book is manifold. First and foremost, it glorifies Christ who is the 'final word.' One can find peace knowing that final revelation has come in the person of Jesus Christ. Robertson provides an objective biblical guideline by which we can measure subjective experiences. He leaves no pertinent Scripture unexplored. He fully understands the arguments and treats them with fairness and accuracy. Because of the size of this book, I am reluctant to say that this work is comprehensive, but I am not sure what more needs to be said. The layout is simple and highly readable. I have no complaints, questions, or suggestions for Dr. Robertson. After reading this book, I was filled with a new appreciation for the uniqueness of the phenomena of tongues and prophecy in the early church, and the marvelous process of revelation. I recommend it to anyone looking for the same. |
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