MidnightCall Magazine
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News From Israel MagazineWomen and Tongues
Dear Arno Froese,
On page 42 of the March, 2005 issue of Midnight Call, you say in an answer to a letter from a reader concerning the baptism of the Holy Spirit, and I quote: “One thing I must add in relationship to speaking in tongues is that I have never found a Scripture stating that women spoke in tongues.”
When I read it, I immediately asked the Lord if this was so and the Scriptures from the first and second chapter of Acts came to mind. I turned to my Bible and read the account of the upper room and the coming of the Holy Spirit and I would like to quote here from two Scriptures: “These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the
women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers” (Acts 1:14). The second Scripture states: “And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance” (Acts 2:4).
I am not trying to one-up you or anything, but it seems like I am reading that if “all” were filled and spoke with tongues that “all” includes the women.
Then also in Acts 2:38-39, Peter says that the same gift is “unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.” This means to me that it includes all: men and women, boys and girls.
I respectfully submit this to you for your consideration.
- Annette Freund, Earllysville, VA
Answer: Acts 1 reports what happened before they became believers; that means before they were born again of the Spirit of God. Pentecost, the birth of the Church, is described in Acts 2. Indeed, Scripture does state: “They were all filled with the Holy Ghost and began to speak in other tongues.” But what kind of tongues were these?" Verse 6 explains, “every man heard them speak in his own language.” As a result, all were able to understand. In verses 9-11, we read about 16 groups of Jews from various geographical areas who heard the Gospel in their own languages. Who did the speaking? Verse 13 answers: “These men are full of new wine.” It doesn’t say “women.” Although circumstantial evidence would indicate that women were also speaking in tongues, there is no direct reference to confirm that assumption.
The key issue here is speaking in tongues other than languages. The late Dr. Kurt Koch did extensive research on this subject. He had tongue speaking recorded on tape and later asked those who claimed to have the gift of interpretation to reveal the content. The result was shocking; each interpretation was different.
Our Lord repeatedly warns us about deception, particularly in the endtimes, thus, we should never be afraid to prove the spirits as 1 John 4:1 invites us to do. “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.”