The Promise of the Holy Spirit
The Promise of the Holy Spirit
Acts chapter 2 took place after the resurrection of Jesus, after the multiple public sightings of Jesus for forty days, and after the ascension of Jesus. There were 120 or so believers who were told by Jesus Himself to wait in Jerusalem for the promised Holy Spirit, whom Jesus had said they would be baptized with not many days from now. He explained that the Holy Spirit would endue the church with power to be His witnesses in both the city of Jerusalem, the greater area of Judea, even to those outside of their racial or ethnic comfort zone (Samaria). This would not be a merely localized religion - this would extend beyond Jew to Gentile and beyond Jerusalem to even the farthest corners of the earth. So now it is the Feast of Pentecost, exactly fifty days after the Passover when Jesus had died at Calvary. This was when the Israelite farmers were to bring their firstfruit offerings of grain to Jerusalem, where there would be much festivity as well as the reading of the book of Ruth.
Acts 2:1-4 says, “When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3 And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.”
Remember Jesus had said that not many days from now you would receive the Holy Spirit and power to be My witnesses? We get the "firstfruits" of the Spirit's empowering witness right in the next few verses:
“Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. 6 And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. 7 And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? 9 Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, 11 both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians—we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.” 12 And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” 13 But others mocking said, “They are filled with new wine.”
The misunderstanding that they may be drunk came from those who heard multiple languages being spoken that they could not understand. But as James and John begin speaking of the mighty works of God, the Elamite and Libyan both perk their heads up and say, "Oh wait - they're not babbling as a bunch of drunks - I can understand them!" So Peter stands up and begins to share the Gospel, saying (verse 15):
“For these people are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day. 16 But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel: 17 “ ‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh,”
Peter says this isn't from the influence of too many mimosas; this is a fulfillment of that verse in Joel which we all know: God has promised to pour out His Spirit in the last days- and we are seeing that promise come to pass! This isn't the only place the Spirit was promised by God. Jesus promised the Spirit in John 7:37-38 when He described living water flowing from the heart of the one who believed in Him - a reference to the Spirit who had not yet been given. In John 16, Jesus promised the Spirit would come and that He would guide us into all truth. We praise and thank the Father and the Son not only for promising the Spirit, but being faithful to send the Spirit to the church.
