The fourteenth chapter of 1 Corinthians is remarkable as being the only Scripture in which the
order of the church when "come together into one place" is declared. This should surely give it
some importance in the eyes of those who believe that He who "loved the Church, and gave
Himself for it" has not ceased to love and care, and that the Head of it has not given up His
headship.

In this chapter, the apostle has especially upon his mind two things connected with the assembly.
These are prophecy and the gift of tongues. He saw the Corinthians priding themselves in the
latter and falling into utter folly in their pride, speaking with tongues that no one understood.
Prophesying apparently was practically ignored in the presence of the more showy gift of tongues.
That which was a sign to those that believed not was usurping the place of that which spoke unto
believers "to edification and exhortation and comfort." If in the assembly, then, the rule was that
all things should be done to edifying, the prophesying which was expressly intended for edification
was really the greater and the better thing. Thus he bids them "covet to prophesy" (verse 39).

What is the nature of this "prophesying"? According to the strict meaning of the word, a prophet
was one who spoke for another. This name was given among the heathen to those who spoke for
a god and made known his will to men. Prophesying does not necessarily imply prediction of
future events, although it may sometimes include this.

The prophet in the Scriptures was one who spoke for God. Thus, "man of God" was often the
beautiful and significant designation given to such a person. In days of darkness and apostasy, the
prophets stood forth on the part of Him whom men had forgotten, and brought His word and will
to them. The prophets dealt with the moral condition of those addressed, calling them to
repentance, encouraging, warning, comforting, exhorting, instructing in righteousness.

Now, if this be the basis of prophesying, it is no wonder that the apostle so highly values it. If
prophesying is speaking for God in the midst of His people, it is easy to see how people should
be exhorted to "covet it."

Prophesying is distinct from "teaching." It does not necessarily imply any gift for teaching, nor
indeed any gift for public speaking at all. "Five words" might suffice. The Word of God simply
read might carry its own simple and intelligible meaning to the hearts of all present. Neither
eloquence nor the power of presenting the truth in orderly arrangement are needed. The Divine
utterance might come in broken words and sentences, and be still the fulfillment of the injunction,
"If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God" (1 Peter 4:11).

Gift is not spirituality. The church at Corinth came behind in no gift; yet the apostle could not
speak unto them "as unto spiritual but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ" (1 Cor. 3:1).
It is no disparagement of gift to say that without the accompaniment of spirituality, the possessor
of the most precious gift might be quite incompetent to edify. And, alas, men change and men
decline. The highly gifted sometimes even by this means lead those who follow them the most
astray.

Hence, when the Church is gathered together, God will have no voice raised to exclude His. In
perfect wisdom He may put aside the most gifted at His will, to bring His word in by some poor,
plain man, who has been upon his face before Him, and has learned His mind where man learns
best, in the lowest school. He whom perhaps they would all have excluded from teaching them,
who, as to measure of gift, may be below any there, may be the very one brought forward to teach
them all.

And so the apostle puts this power of prophesying before the Corinthian saints, and exhorts them
to covet it. Only a soul having Christ as the motive and men’s blessing as the desire of the heart
could covet such a thing. "God’s men" must, of all men, be men of faith, content to wait on God
and walk with God.

But where are the "men of God"? Amiable, kindly men, 1 can find many; just, honest, and
upright, not a few. Saved men who know it, and thank God for it, are much fewer, but still many.
But where are the men, to whom "to live is Christ"? Where are his bondsmen, absolutely His? Is
it not what we all are, as bought with His precious blood? Is it what we are in practical reality?

There are few things more to be coveted for the assemblies of the saints than this "prophesying."
Men may teach truth, and teach it well; but that is quite another thing. The prominent place given
to prophesying in this chapter which regulates the assembly’s coming together, ought to assure
us of its special importance in this place. That importance is that the voice of the living God
should be heard by His people, distinctly addressing itself to their need, their whole condition at
the moment. How different a thing from, people speaking to fill up the time, or from one speaking
of something which has interested or impressed himself! "The word of the Lord by the prophets"
was none of these; it was a direct address from the heart of God to the hearts and consciences of
His people. "If any man speak," he is to speak "as oracles of God," as God’s mere mouthpiece.