Devotion

We now come to what many, down through the ages, have described as the most important chapter in Acts: “The outpouring of the Holy Spirit.”

“And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the spirit gave them utterance.” (Acts 2:1–4)

Pentecost was one of seven Jewish feasts mentioned in Leviticus 23, beginning with the Passover and ending with the Feast of Tabernacles. These occurred annually and prophetically pointed forward to Christ’s coming.

The word, “PENTECOST” literally means, “FIFTIETH.” So the actual translation of Acts 2:1 would be, “and when the fiftieth day was fully come.”

Surprisingly some commentators states that "FULLY COME" simply means that daylight had fully broken and the sun was beginning to shine. Night was gone, daylight had broken bright and clear.

Yet the description of the word tells us that it happened when the 50th day came. The 49th day had come and gone and the 50th day had arrived on schedule just as Monday follows Sunday.

Pentecost was the 50^th day after the Feast of the Firstfruits which typified Christ’s resurrection. We read in Acts 1:3 that Christ was seen by the Disciples for forty days prior to his departure into heaven. So 10 days after Jesus had left them the Holy Spirit arrived as Jesus had promised. Several things need to be observed.

This day of Pentecost can never be repeated for this particular 50^th day can never be repeated anymore than the death, burial and resurrection of the Lord Jesus could be repeated.

The Third Person of the Trinity came in abiding presence upon the church. Commentators differ on whether or not this was the birthday of the church. However it is undeniable that this was the day of empowerment of the church.

The abiding presence was foretold by Jesus in John 14: 16-17, “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever; Even the Spirit of truth whom the world cannot receive because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him, but ye know him for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.”

It was once for all. He did not come and then go away to be poured out over and over again upon individuals or the church. He came to abide and remain until the church goes to meet her Lord. In the Old Testament He came upon people to empower them for a particular mission but now He abides.

1.This outpouring of the Spirit on Pentecost was not the result of anything the disciples did. He did not come in response to their prayers. He did not come because they were all in accord in one place, although it is good to see that they were. He came because it was time for Him to come.

Had they not been in prayer or in one accord, Pentecost, the 50^th day, would still have came, for God’s Word will be accomplished.

2.Three things are specifically mentioned which accompanied the arrival of the Holy Spirit:

First: There was a “Sound from heaven as of a rushing wind.”

Second: There were visible tongues as of fire which set upon each of

Third: They began to speak in other languages.

There are those who claim that speaking in tongues is proof that one has received the Holy Spirit through a Pentecostal experience. If this were true then a good question would be, “What about the visible tongues of fire or the sound of a rushing wind?”

3.The languages the disciples spoke were not “unknown” tongues. They were existing languages understood by the people gathered for the Feast. They needed no interpreter. This is clear when we read Acts 2: 7-8,

“And they were all amazed and marveled, saying one to another, Behold are not all these which speak Galileans? And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?”

This is totally different from the “unknown tongues” in First Corinthians. It does bring us to another observation concerning the Pentecostal experience.

4.The purpose of speaking in various languages at Pentecost was in fulfillment of Jesus command that the gospel would begin in Jerusalem, then to the world. It was to the Jews first. Present at the Feast were Jews from every part of the world. There were no Gentiles addressed and the 3000 converted on that day were none but Jews. (“And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.” Acts 2: 5).

In Verses 9 through 11 there are sixteen countries mentioned. Those Jews were to spread the gospel to the whole world. So the reason for speaking in tongues (languages) was so that those who heard it in their own language would be able to return to their nation and spread the gospel.

This was the intention of God and It also foretells or points toward that time in the future when the whole world will hear the gospel through God’s redeemed nation of Israel (Revelation, Chapter Seven.)

Some ending thoughts on this portion of Acts, Chapter Two:

1. This experience of “tongues” was different than the “unknown” tongues in the early church of Corinth. (1 Corinthians 12-14).

2. The Pentecostal speaking in other well known languages was never repeated (at least never recorded) any more than the sound of wind or tongues of fire.

3. Another aspect of this outpouring of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost that we should explore is what we find in Ephesians, Chapter 4, which emphatically and dogmatically, states there is one baptism, yet in studying the New Testament we find there are more than one.

First there is John the Baptist with a baptism of repentance (Mark 1: 4, Matthew 3: 8, Luke 3: 8 and Acts 19: 3-40)

Next we see the baptism of Jesus which was unique. Jesus would not have to meet the requirements of either John’s baptism or that of the Christian baptism (Matthew 3:13-17, Mark 1: 9-12, Luke 3: 21 through 23). In some sense, known to Jesus, His baptism was to fullfil all righteousness.

Then there is the Christian baptism (Matthew 28:19, Romans 6:3-5) which basically identifies us with the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus. There is a command to be baptized (Matthew 28:19). We find no such command for John’s baptism. Jesus spoke also concerning His impending death as a baptism (Luke 12:50 and Mark 10:38).

Additionally there is John the Baptist, proclaiming one who would come (Jesus) who would baptize with the Holy Ghost and with fire (Mark 1 8, Matthew 3: 11 and Luke 3:16). The baptism with fire is that which will be in judgment such as found in Matthew 25, concerning the separation of the sheep and goat nations.

In view of these different baptism’s a logical question seems to be, what is the one baptism spoken of in Ephesians 4:5? Is this not another area where we should seek to rightly divide or interpret the Word as shown in 2 Timothy 2:15?

Further study of the different baptisms shows some similar attributes. In the water baptism of John and the Christian baptism, we see immersion and a human agent administering the baptism, both in the gospels and the book of Acts. The exception is the baptism of the Holy Spirit. It is spiritual instead of physical and is administered by the Glorified Jesus (John 6: 63, Ephesians 2: 5-6,18).

John the Baptist said, “He (Jesus) would baptize with the Holy Spirit and with fire.” (Matthew 3:11, Mark 1:8, Luke 3:16). Jesus also spoke in Acts 1: 5, “ . . . . Ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.”