What do we think of stories like this?
It isn’t often that I hear a UPCI preacher utilize biblical tongues (earthly languages) in their pulpit sermons when speaking about the Holy Spirit. From a theological perspective, this is seemingly what the gift of tongues is supposed to be - an individual supernaturally speaking in another language, so that an unbeliever (who is nearby and can hear the tongues being spoken) would come to Christ. These are the only such examples that we have in Acts.
Of course, there are some issues with this story.
Why was the Jewish scholar at the altar if he didn’t intend on praying in the first place?
Why would he specifically ask for something to be spoken to him “in Hebrew” - Why would this actually change anything?
Why would God say “My name is Jesus” to a Hebrew-speaking Jewish scholar from JERUSALEM of all people, who wouldn’t even consider “Jesus” to be the accurate Hebrew to English translation of the name in the first place? A bit nit-picky, sure, but I think the context of the audience present matters.
I am not under the impression that the UPCI outright fabricates stories, so I am not sure how to take this. It is very interesting that biblical tongues seem to be being focused on here, when so many other UPC preachers focus on incomprehensible babble. Just curious what you guys think.