Pentacost Acts 2:1-7

 Acts 2:1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.

Pentecost was a Jewish feast held fifty days after Passover; it was a time of celebration for the first-fruits of the harvest.

At Passover, the first sheaf to be reaped from the barley harvest was presented to God; but at Pentecost, the firstfruits of the wheat harvest were given to God. Therefore, Pentecost is called the day of firstfruits (Numbers 28:26) Also, Jewish tradition taught that Pentecost commemorates the day when the Law was given to Israel; the feast was sometimes called by the Jews shimchath torah, or "joy of the law"

So on Pentecost, Israel received the Law, and the Church received the Spirit of Grace in fullness

All in unity together seeking God.

Acts 2:2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.

The word for Spirit is also "wind", a mighty rushing wind filling all the upper room. Is this the fan of Jesus separating the wheat from the chaff? Or is this a new life breathed into born again believers? Perhaps both and more.

Mat 3:11 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:
Mat 3:12 Whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.

Acts 2:3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.

The baptism of fire as in Mat 3:11...he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:

The idea behind the picture of fire is usually purification, as fire is used by a refiner to make pure gold, or as it can burn away that which is temporary, to leave that which is lasting. This is an excellent illustration of the principle that the filling of the Holy Spirit is not just for power, but for purity.

Under the New Covenant, the Holy Spirit rests upon God's people as individuals - the tongues of fire sat upon each of them.

Acts 2:4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

How many were filled with the Holy Ghost and spake with other tongues? One hundred twenty were in one accord and were speaking in recognizable languages as the spirit gave them utterance.

tongues - the language or dialect used by a particular people distinct

utterances - to speak forth, speak out, say

Acts 2:5 And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.
Acts 2:6 Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language.

A crowd quickly gathered, being attracted by this sound (either the rushing mighty wind or the speaking in other tongues); when they came they heard the Christians speak in their own foreign languages; apparently the Christians could be heard from the windows of the upper room, or they went out onto some kind of balcony or into the temple courts.

What better way to show the presence of Gods Spirit in the hearts of the people, then to speak edifying words of God in each language. This was a reversal of what happened at the tower of Babel. There all were confounded and confused speaking in languages no one understood.

Acts 2:7 And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans?

Galileans were not known to be educated men or good speakers.

The Joab Christian

1 Chron 11:4 Then David and all Israel went to Jerusalem (or Jebus, as it used to be called), where the Jebusites, original inhabitants of the land, lived.

5 The people of Jebus said to David, "You will never get in here!" But David captured the fortress of Zion, now called the City of David.

6 David had said to his troops, "Whoever leads the attack against the Jebusites will become the commander of my armies!" And Joab, the son of David's sister Zeruiah, led the attack, so he became the commander of David's armies.

7 David made the fortress his home, and that is why it is called the City of David.

8 He extended the city from the Millo to the surrounding area, while Joab rebuilt the rest of Jerusalem. (NLT)

I find it interesting to see the origin of Jerusalem. It was first called Jebu and inhabited by the Jebusites. They were a fortified city and it was there that Joab distinguished himself as a battle commander: "Whoever leads the attack against the Jebusites will become the commander of my armies!" And Joab, the son of David's sister Zeruiah, led the attack, so he became the commander of David's armies. Jerusalem became known as the city of David.

Joab was David's sister's son, his nephew. He was a mighty warrior showing no mercy to his enemies. When David's son Absalom rebelled against his father and took the kingdom from him, it was Joab who killed Absalom as he was hanging from a tree by his hair. This upset David who did not want his son killed. David was after God's own heart, but Joab had not the spirit of God. Joab would lead Israel's armies and be victorious in many battles. I see Joab as a type of a Christian that is zealous for fighting against the enemies of Christ, but doing it in the flesh and not the spirit. There was little grace or mercy in Joab. He even turned against some of the warriors who fought for David. General Abner was a great general, sort of like Robert E Lee was as he led the South in the civil war. When Abner joined with David to serve him it was Joab who found an occasion to kill him. The Joab Christian does not have forgiveness. Those who have been received by Christ and forgiven, sometimes are attacked by the Joab Christian and virtually destroyed because Joab would not forgive them. Abner had killed Joab's brother in battle. We must put away past hurts because eventually they may cause us to fall away. Joab fell away from serving David and when David asked his son Solomon who became king after David, to kill him. Joab then grabbed ahold of the horns of the altar, but it was too late as it was there that he was killed.

Sometimes the unforgiving and unloving battling Christian will fall away, perhaps because they never had the evidence of God in their life. They will like Joab seek to call on God for mercy, but not be able to find it. Hopefully none of us are like this, a Christian in name only, vengeful, unforgiving, for we may not be able to find God because of our sin hardened heart. If you think that you may be a Joab Christian pray with me David's words and .If you were truly saved, God will receive you back.

Psa 51:9 Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.
Psa 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
Psa 51:11 Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.
Psa 51:12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.

1Jn 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Join ranks with the army of God; love one another, encourage and forgive your brother's and sister's in the Lord as Christ Jesus has forgiven you.

A missed opportunity

 

 

Luke 19:41 But as they came closer to Jerusalem and Jesus saw the city ahead, he began to cry.

42 "I wish that even today you would find the way of peace. But now it is too late, and peace is hidden from you.

43 Before long your enemies will build ramparts against your walls and encircle you and close in on you.

44 They will crush you to the ground, and your children with you. Your enemies will not leave a single stone in place, because you have rejected the opportunity God offered you."

45 Then Jesus entered the Temple and began to drive out the merchants from their stalls.

46 He told them, "The Scriptures declare, 'My Temple will be a place of prayer,' but you have turned it into a den of thieves."

47 After that, he taught daily in the Temple, but the leading priests, the teachers of religious law, and the other leaders of the people began planning how to kill him.

48 But they could think of nothing, because all the people hung on every word he said. (NLT)

 

Jerusalem, the capitol city where the Temple stood. The place where God chose to be found for his people. Their Messiah was with them but they missed their opportunity to find their peace. Our own capitol city has many references to our founding fathers faith in God, but it too has turned away from their source of peace. Destruction is coming as the leaders plot to remove Jesus by mocking and killing him. The temple in Jerusalem became a place of commerce instead of a house of prayer. The focus was wrong, on outward things and not on the presence of God in their hearts. The people hung on every word that he said. Soon he was to be hung on a cross for them. They didn't want a Jesus who suffered and died. They wanted a Jesus of prosperity and power; they missed Jesus. A remnant believed in him and faith grew, his message has spred to every nation, many have come to him by faith. Do not miss your opportunity to receive Jesus as your way to God and eternal life. Destruction comes to a nation who turns from God. Turn back to Jesus and pray for your nation while there is an opportunity.

John 14:27  Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.