Question 180: What was the “gift of tongues”?

Answer:

It is understood to have been not only the power of speaking various languages which the speaker had not previously studied or acquired, but also the power to speak a spiritual language unknown to man, uttered in ecstasy and understood only by those enlightened by Ruach HaKodesh. Paul, in 1 Corinthians 12:10, is writing not to depreciate this gift, but to warn the Corinthians not to be led away by unprofitable or doubtful manifestations of it. Even in those early days of the Church, the leaders had difficulty in controlling the tendency to fanaticism among its adherents. The gift of tongues at Shavuot was given because of a great and urgent need. It is supposed by some authorities to have been speaking so that under the direction of Ruach HaKodesh it sounded to the ear of every auditor as though it were his own mother-tongue. There were many nationalities represented in the throng, but no confusion or misunderstandings. The gift of tongues on this particular occasion was the miraculous method employed to bring into the Gospel fold the strangers from other lands. The lesson is that YHVH is not the author of confusion and he never gives a message to his children that are unintelligible. Any "gift" or message that is incapable of being understood is not of YHVH. We should try the spirits by this simple but decisive test.

Question 179: What is a “generation”?

Answer:

"Generation" is used in a variety of senses in the Scriptures. In some cases, it means a period of limitless duration; in others it means the past (Isaiah 51:8) and still others the future (Psalm 100:5) again, it means both the past and future (Psalm 102:24). In Genesis 6:9 it means all men living at any given time. In Proverbs 30:11, 14 it refers to a class of men with some special characteristics and in Psalm 49:19 it may be interpreted to mean the "dwelling-place." A generation, in modern phraseology, means thirty to thirty-five years, but there is no instance of the word being used in this particular sense in the Bible. Thus, "the book of the generation of Yeshua Moshiach" is a genealogical record extending back to Abraham. In 1 Peter 2:9 it means an elect race.

Question 178: What are the spiritual gifts?

Answer:

For an enumeration of the spiritual gifts see Acts 11:17; 1 Corinthians 12 and 13; 1 Peter 4:10. The gift of healing is held by some denominations as having belonged exclusively to apostolic times, while others claim that it is granted even now to those who have sufficient faith.

Question 177: What was the forbidden fruit?

Answer:

There have been many interpretations of the Fall and the books on the subject would fill a small library. The majority of the early faith fathers held the Mosaic account to be historical and interpreted it literally, believing that an actual fruit of some kind, not definitely known, was eaten by our first parents. A few early writers, Philo among them, regarded the story of the Fall as symbolical and mystical, shadowing forth allegorical truths and that the serpent was the symbol of pleasure and the offense was forbidden sensuous indulgence. Whatever the "fruit" may have been, its use was plainly the violation of a divine prohibition, the indulgence of an unlawful appetite, the sinful aspiration after forbidden knowledge. Professor Banks, several years ago, while traveling in the region of the Tigris and Euphrates, found in a little-known district a place which the natives declared to be the traditional site of Eden and a tree (name and species unknown) which they believed to be the successor of the original tree of knowledge and it was venerated greatly. It bore no fruit.

Frequently asked questions and answers:

Question 176: What is meant by “Strange fire”?

Answer:

The "strange fire" mentioned in Leviticus 10:1, 2 is understood to mean that Nadab and Abihu, instead of taking fire into their censers from the brazen altar, took common fire which had not been consecrated and thus were guilty of sacrilege. They had witnessed the descent of the miraculous fire from the cloud (see chapter 9:24) and they were under solemn obligation to use that fire which was specially appropriated to the altar service. But instead of doing so, they became careless, showing want of faith and lamentable irreverence and their example, had it been permitted to pass unpunished, would have established an evil precedent The fire that slew them issued from the most holy place, which is the accepted interpretation of the words, "from Elohiym." Besides, the two young priests had already been commanded (or warned) not to do the thing they did (verse 2). They had undertaken to perform acts which belonged to the high priest alone and even to intrude into the innermost sanctuary. See the warnings in Exodus 19:22 and Leviticus 8:35.

Question 175: What is meant by “saved, yet as by fire”?

Answer:

The apostle in 1 Corinthians 3:15 speaks of mistaken teachings and concludes that the man whose work was not of genuine character, who had been seeking worldly gain and popularity and not trying to win and build up souls, would lose the reward which would be given to the preacher who built on the foundation of Moshiach, "gold, silver and precious stones." The unprofitable worker's work he likens to wood and stubble which would not stand the Day of Judgment. Even though his soul should be saved, he would miss the reward promised to the faithful worker, while his own work, being false, will not escape the destruction.

Question 174: What is meant by the “elect”?

Answer:

"Elect" is a term variously applied. It sometimes meant the ancient church and the whole body of baptized believers; again, it was those elected to baptism; and still again, it was the newly baptized who had just been admitted to full faith privileges. Further it is applied to those especially chosen for Elohiym's work, like his prophets and evangelists and to those who had undergone tribulation and even martyrdom. It has been applied to the whole Jewish people as chosen of YHVH. Finally, it is applied to individuals who, not of their own merit, but through YHVH's grace, through Yeshua Moshiach, are chosen not only to salvation, but to sanctification of the spirit and who are holy and blameless before Elohiym. They are individuals specially chosen out of the world to be heirs of salvation and witnesses for YHVH before men. This is not of works, but of free grace. In a general way, the "elect" are the sanctified - those chosen to salvation through sanctification of the spirit, as explained in 1 Peter 1:2 and similar passages. They are the special vessels of the Spirit chosen in YHVH's good pleasure to carry out his purposes. This election is of grace and not of works (see Romans 9:18, 22, 23). In all ages such men have been evidently chosen by Elohiym as his witnesses. This choice is at once an expression of his sovereignty and his grace. Paul himself was so chosen. On the other hand, it should not be forgotten that salvation is by grace. The whole subject of election has been one of acute controversy for ages and has given rise to many differences of opinion. The attitude of believers with regard to the Second Coming should be one of prayer, expectancy and constant preparation.

Question 173: In what sense was man created in the Divine Likeness?

Answer:

Man's likeness to YHVH, referred to in Genesis 1:26, is the great fact which distinguishes him from the rest of creation. He is a "person" with power to think, feel and will and with the capacity for moral life and growth. Still further at the beginning, man had not only the capacity for moral life, but his moral disposition was such that he loved YHVH, loved the right and hated the wrong. The tragedy of the fall reversed this. Man was still a person and still had the capacity for righteousness, but his spirit was so changed that he feared and distrusted YHVH and, to a greater or less extent, loved the evil and disliked the good. Yeshua came to undo this calamity and to restore us to a moral likeness to YHVH.

Question 172: What is demonic possession?

Answer:

Whether or not there are evil spirits and the fact of demon possession has often proved baffling to believers. Ephesians 6:12 for instance, is a recognition of the existence and power of evil spirits. It is intimated that there are kingdoms of evil, ruled by wicked beings, which are fighting the powers of good. Against these forces the believer, protected by the armour of YHVH, is called to fight. The expression "in high places" or as translated in the margin, "heavenly places," may mean in the "upper air," as some interpret it or as others hold, that even in the highest believer experiences we are subject to temptation (which is, of course, the case) and that we must contend with the evil spirits for the possession of these high places in the spiritual world. Although many rationalistic teachers have held that the Biblical cases of demon possession were nothing more than forms of epilepsy, violent hysteria, lunacy and other kinds of permanent or temporary mental derangement known at the present day, nothing has been actually proven which discredits the Scripture accounts and statements. Specialists today recognize the existence of recurrent mania, which sometimes assumes a destructive character. The Bible recognizes a form of lunacy different from demon possession. See Matthew 4:24. We know there are evil persons who, while alive in the flesh, do harm to others. Some have the definite experience of feeling themselves impelled to do wrong by an influence outside their own minds or bodies. Some present-day cases of insanity are really cases in which there are features that furnish a close parallel to demon possession. It is only fair to state however, that present-day theological opinion is divided on the subject. It is certain that the belief in demon possession was held in early times and for long ages thereafter and included at one time almost every form of mental disorder. On the other hand, it is urged that it is just as rational to believe in devils as to believe in angels. Angels are a race of personal holy beings; demons a race of personal vicious beings, both existing in a form other than human and corporeal.

Frequently asked questions and answers:

Question 171: How are we to understand the act of creation?

Answer:

"Creation" means, in the orthodox sense, that YHVH of His own free will and by His absolute power, called the whole universe into being, evoking into existence that which before was non-existent. See Romans 4:17; Psalm 33:6, 9; Hebrews 3:4; Acts 17:24; Acts 14:15; Psalm 102:5; Jeremiah 10:12; John 1:3; Revelations 4:11. It is needless to speculate on these matters. If we concede the absolute power of YHVH, we must accept His power both to create and annihilate, as stated in the Scriptures. There are many problems which the finite mind cannot wholly grasp and which must be accepted by faith or left alone.