Ex 10; Lk 13; Job 28; 1Co 14

Exodus 10:1-2

The Lord said to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh, for I have hardened his heart and the heart of his servants, in order to display these signs of mine before him, 2 and in order that in the hearing of your son and your grandson you may tell how I made fools of the Egyptians and about my signs that I displayed among them, so that you may know that I am the Lord.”

Luke 13:6-8

6 Then Jesus told this parable: “A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came looking for fruit on it and found none. 7 So he said to the worker who tended the vineyard, ‘For three years now, I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and each time I inspect it I find none. Cut it down! Why should it continue to deplete the soil?’ 8 But the worker answered him, ‘Sir, leave it alone this year too, until I dig around it and put fertilizer on it. 9 Then if it bears fruit next year, very well, but if not, you can cut it down.’”

Luke 13:23-25

23 Someone asked him, “Lord, will only a few be saved?” So he said to them, 24 “Exert every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to. 25 Once the head of the house gets up and shuts the door, then you will stand outside and start to knock on the door and beg him, ‘Lord, let us in!’ But he will answer you, ‘I don’t know where you come from.’

Continues with the order that has been established: love, then gifts

1 Cor. 14:1 Pursue love and be eager for the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy.

In a similar way, prophecy is more important (because it builds up the church rather than for the individual). 

1 Cor. 14:4 The one who speaks in a tongue builds himself up, but the one who prophesies builds up the church.

Paul makes a somewhat facetious statement to make his point - maybe similar to saying "I wish you all could own a car, but I would prefer that you took the bus." 

Also, if tongues "looks like" prophecy (i.e., "unless he interprets") it is useful. 

1 Cor. 14:5 I wish you all spoke in tongues, but even more that you would prophesy. The one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets so that the church may be strengthened.

How to define prophecy? Revelation seems to back the Reformed understanding of it being the preaching of the Gospel.

Revelation 19:10 So I threw myself down at his feet to worship him, but he said, “Do not do this! I am only a fellow servant with you and your brothers and sisters who hold to the testimony about Jesus. Worship God, for the testimony about Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”