“This passage in Isaiah had no reference to the [later] miraculous gift of tongues… It seems to have been used by Paul, because the words which occurred in Isaiah would appropriately express the idea which he wished to convey” –the idea “that God would make use of foreign languages for some valuable purpose.”
This is Paul’s meaning: “God accomplished an important purpose by the use of a foreign language in regard to His ancient people, as recorded in Isaiah. So will He [also] make use of foreign languages to accomplish important purposes still….
“What the design of making use of foreign languages was in the Christian Church, the Apostle immediately states — ver. 22,23.” However, “the power of speaking foreign languages did not of necessity secure obedience. It might [indeed] be that this power might [well] be possessed — and yet they be a sinful people!”
