Pentecost

As this Saturday and Sunday will make up Pentecost weekend, it is only appropriate that we consider a subject concerning Pentecost.

When a person receives the Holy Spirit at the moment of repentance and baptism, what should happen?

There is the mistaken idea that once a person receives the Holy Spirit there should be an immediate display of the Holy Spirit.

The first time it was given, and a few subsequent times, there was a display of some of the special gifts that came with the initial giving of the Spirit. Acts 2 is an example.

“When the Day of Pentecost had 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 the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance” (Acts 2:1-4).

The sound of a mighty rushing wind was heard by people in the temple area. People heard the rushing wind and moved toward it. Tongues of fire were manifested at this time as well. Additionally, Peter and the other 11 apostles spoke in different known languages, and people heard them speaking in their own tongue.

This manifestation of the Holy Spirit was not the unintelligible and uncontrolled gibberish associated with Pentecostalism. Such demonstrations have nothing to do with God’s Holy Spirit.

Why this powerful manifestation of the Holy Spirit? This all happened to demonstrate to those in the temple on Pentecost that something very powerful was taking place. In fact, what was taking place had been prophesied in the book of Joel. Peter quotes from the book of Joel as he gives the first inspired sermon and states, “And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God,

“That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your young men shall see visions, your old men shall dream dreams. And on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days; and they shall prophesy. I will show wonders in heaven above and signs in the earth beneath: blood and fire and vapor of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord. And it shall come to pass that whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.'” (Acts 2:16-21)

As prophesied by Joel, God is beginning to pour out the Holy Spirit on all flesh. He is beginning His church. In time as the plan of God is worked out, there will come a time when the Holy Spirit will be truly poured out on all flesh.

The Bible records speaking in tongues occurred on three occasions to people when they received the Holy Spirit, and they were all given for essentially the same reason. It was a special sign that God was doing something different from the way He had worked with Israel. God was teaching them something they needed to know. God poured out His Spirit in this dramatic way to help His people see the direction He wanted them to go.

The second time the Holy Spirit was poured out was upon the House of Cornelius in Acts 10. This event occurred about 10 years after Pentecost in 31 AD. God was showing that He was going to now work with the Gentiles. The pouring out of the spirit and speaking in tongues showed those of the circumcision that God was now going to work in the Gentiles in the same way as He worked with the circumcision.

The third example of speaking in tongues upon being baptized occurs in Acts 19. In this example the Holy Spirit was given to the disciples of John who were re-baptized in the name of Jesus.

They only knew about of the baptism of John. They did not know of the baptism of Jesus, nor had they known of the Holy Spirit. When hands were laid on them, the Spirit poured out and they spoke with tongues to demonstrate that this was the right thing to do.

Interestingly, we find evidence of speaking in tongues in the Corinthian church, but we don’t have evidence that they were given this gift at baptism. Additionally, we find 3000 were baptized on Pentecost, but there is no indication of special outward signs given upon their receiving the Holy Spirit.

There were outward displays on these occasions. God was putting His approval on what was being done. The three occasions where people spoke in tongues upon receiving the Holy Spirit were only special instances

Some people look for something today. People expect an outward sign. When a person receives God’s Spirit, it is by faith, and there are no outward demonstrations that accompany it.

However, the Spirit has been given to the people of God to accomplish something truly awesome. We are given an inkling of the magnitude of God pouring out His Spirit in 2 Timothy 1:7. There Paul says, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”

Paul gives us something most worthwhile to consider as we keep the Sabbath and Holy Day of Pentecost.

Gary Smith