TEN PICTURES OF PENTECOST
The Day of Pentecost in Acts 2 brings a unique opportunity to see how the Bible weaves all the different pictures together to display truth and an experience in God.
Pentecost- The Feast Day. – There were three major feasts in the calendar for the people of God- Passover, Pentecost and Booths (Tabernacles). (Lev. 23- Pesach (Passover), Shavuot (Weeks or Pentecost), and Sukkot (Tabernacles, Tents or Booths). These three feasts were pilgrimage feasts, so families would take a pilgrimage journey to Jerusalem at this time. Pentecost was 7 weeks, or fifty days after Passover. Loaves of bread were baked, and animal sacrifices were made. (Blood and bread). It was also the celebration of the barley harvest. This celebration made a point to include the disenfranchised- the widow, the orphan, the poor (Lev. 23:22). Holy Spirit is poured out on the church for the purpose of the harvest (Acts 1:8). Pentecost is for all people, not just a select group.
Pentecost- “Fiftieth” – The word “Pentecost” means “50.” The celebration took place 50 days after Passover. It was after 7 weeks of 7 sabbaths, and then Pentecost. The number 50 is significant because every fiftieth year was the celebration of the year of Jubilee. (Lev. 25:11,12). Jubilee was to happen every fifty years, where families received back any inheritance they lost, and slaves were set free. A Spirit-filled life is the inheritance of the church, and it is the anointing that breaks the yoke of bondage (Isaiah 10:27). It was the passage in Isaiah 61 that Jesus reads in Luke 4 that discusses the effect of Jubilee. Jesus began His ministry with Jubilee, and so the church follows that model and begins ministry in Acts 2.
Spirit/Glory- When the Tabernacle was completed, “the glory of the Lord filled the Tabernacle and Moses was not able to enter…” (Ex. 40:34,35) When the Temple was completed, “the cloud filled the house of the Lord so that the priests could not minister because of the cloud: for the glory of the Lord had filled the house of the Lord.” (1 Kings 8:10,11). On the Day of Pentecost, “ …suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting… And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” (Acts 2:2,4). The church is the new Temple of the Lord (1 Cor. 3:16; 6:19; Eph. 2:21,22). The Spirit activity in the people of God causes a ceasing of man’s actions and only the actions of God are manifested. In the Tabernacle and Temple, man could not minister. In the church, man could not speak his own language or his own words. The church is the Lord’s house, not ours.
Confusion/Babel. – See Genesis 11:1-9. Man tried to build a stairway to heaven. Man tried “to make a name,” and to ascend to heaven by their own works. God sent them confusion by confounding their languages so they could not understand one another and not be able to work together to seek independence from Him. This “curse of confusion,” is still at work in the world today. The Holy Spirit reverses the curse. He comes and “every man heard them speak in his own language..the wonderful works of God.” (Acts 2:6-12). The world cannot understand or even really hear the Word unless the Spirit is at work (1 Cor. 2:14; John 6:44, 16:13-15). The Spirit does the work no man can do. “For with stammering lips and another tongue will He speak to this people” (Isaiah 28:10).
Fire/John the Baptist- The glory and divine Fire fell when they finished the Tabernacle (Lev. 9:24). Glory and divine fire fell when they dedicated the Temple (2 Chron. 7:1). Glory and divine fire fell on the Day of Pentecost –“there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.” (Acts 2:3). In each Temple, the fire fell only once, and the command was for continual fire- “the fire upon the altar shall not be put out…the fire shall be ever burning upon the altar; it shall never go out.” (Lev. 6:12,13). “Stir up the gift of God which is in you…” (2 Tim. 1:6). John the Baptist prophesied of Jesus: “He shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.” (Luke 3:16). What fire does in the natural is what Holy Spirit does in the spiritual. Fire transforms what it touches.
Drunk with New Wine- Hannah was praying for a child and Eli the priest saw her moving her lips with no sound and thought she was drunk. (1 Sam. 1:13, Isaiah 28:10). Hannah’s prayer was answered, and her barrenness taken away with the birth of a man-child (Rev. 12:5). In Acts 2, the religious did not see the “new thing” God was doing in their midst. They mocked the church, saying “these men are full of new wine.” (Acts 2:13). The Lord uses the mocking of the world and has the last laugh (Psalms 2:4). Jesus spoke about “new wine,” and said that while new structures are essential for new wine, not everyone will be a fan of something new (Luke 5:36-39). Even so, new wine is prophetic sign of the coming of the Lord (Joel 3:18).
Giving of the Law-The celebration of Pentecost is still a major feast in Judaism and is associated with the giving of the Law. The Law was given at Sinai, associated with a cloud of smoke, fire and the voice of the Lord (Ex. 19:18,19). When Moses came down from the mountain, he found the people had rebelled and the judgment caused 3,000 men to die (Ex. 32:28). When Peter preached his sermon on the Day of Pentecost, 3,000 people received the Word and were baptized (Acts 2:41). Although the Bible never associated Pentecost with the giving of the Law directly, there is a definite connection. The Law gives Judaism it’s identity as the people of God. The Spirit gives the church the identity as the people who belong to Jesus. (Romans 8:9).
Sign of the Last Days- Peter preaches a sermon on the day of Pentecost, and quotes from Joel 2- “And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh…” The Spirit poured out upon His people is a sign that we are living in the last days before Jesus returns and restores a new heaven and new earth (Acts 3:21). Peter quotes the Old Testament prophet, but does not follow the pattern we see in the gospel writers. When referring to the acts of Jesus, they repeatedly say, “That it might be fulfilled..” (Mat. 1:22) , “And the scripture was fulfilled…”(Mark 15:28), “This scripture is fulfilled…” (Luke 4:21), “that the scripture might be fulfilled…” (John 19:28,36). Peter speaks of the Pentecostal experience and says, “This is that.” (Acts 2:16). Peter is saying that the work of the Spirit in Acts 2 is not completed, it is not “fulfilled.” It is the first of many acts of the Spirit in the Last Days. In the last 120 years, we have seen the resurgence of the Pentecostal experience. There are more Christians today that have the Pentecostal experience than ever before in human history. The Lord is coming back! The work of pouring out the Spirit is not yet complete.
Transfer of Anointing- The anointing and calling of God was transferred from Elijah to Elisha by the use of a “mantle” which is a piece of clothing similar to a cloak. Elijah was called to anoint three people, but Elijah only “anointed” one person- Elisha. Elijah anointed Elisha, not with oil, but by casting his mantle on him. (1 Kings 19:15-19). It was Elisha that picked up the mantle that fell when Elijah was taken to heaven (2 Kings 2:13). It was Elisha who anointed the other two people that Elijah was told to anoint. It was Elisha who did “greater works” than Elijah. Before Jesus ascended into heaven, He told His disciples: “Tarry in Jerusalem until you are clothed with power from on high.” (Luke 24:40) (The King James says, “endued” but the word actually means, “clothed.”). The church continues the ministry of Jesus because it is clothed with the Spirit of Jesus. The church is promised to do “greater works,” than Jesus (John 14:12).
Promise of Jesus. – John 7- “If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink He that believeth on me, as the scripture says, “Out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.” (but this Jesus spake of the Spirit, which they that believe on Him should receive: for the Holy Spirit was not yet because Jesus was not yet glorified.) (John 7:37-39) The sign that Jesus is now glorified is that we now have the Spirit He promised poured out on us and flowing through us. Joshua and the elders received the same Spirit that was on Moses (Numbers 11). Elisha received of the Spirit that was on Elijah (2 Kings 2). We now receive of the spirit of Jesus Christ (Phil. 1:19). Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Jesus in us. The river that Ezekiel saw flowing out of the Temple and giving life to the world is flowing out of us who are the new Temple of God in Jesus (Ezekiel 47). The thirsty can still come to Him.