THE LESSON OF PENTECOST.
By G.
WHATSOEVER things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we thru patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.” Rom. 15:4. Then there is something in the story of Pentecost for our learning, for our comfort, for the encouragement of hope. Verily such a lesson is worthy of thoughtful study. The central point of the account is the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Without this there would have been little, if anything, worthy of record. Whatever is to be learned from that day’s proceedings is from the Spirit. That outpouring was the fulfillment of promise. It was the “promise of the Father” and also of the Son. See Acts 1:4-8. It was the “Comforter” which Christ had promised to send when He should go away from earth. Thru its ministration was to come the “comfort of the Scriptures,” by guiding us “into all truth,” which is the Word of God. John 17:17; Ps. 119:151. The Lord laid great stress on the importance of the Spirit’s coming to His disciples; so much that He deemed it “expedient” for Himself to go away that the Spirit might come. He had many things to say to His followers which they could not bear until their minds were enlightened by the Spirit. No more could the disciples of any subsequent time have borne the same things without the Spirit’s guidance and comfort. Thru the Spirit the disciples would be enabled to remember what Jesus Himself had taught; and by the same means we are to remember His words. “The Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in My name, He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.” John 14:26. Pentecost was not the beginning of the work of the Spirit in the earth, but it was the greater fulness which had been foretold by prophecy. It had actuated individuals in a special manner before; notably Elizabeth (Luke 1:41), Zacharias (verse 67), and John the Baptist (verse 15). It had also been sent upon patriarchs, prophets, priests, kings, and judges, as occasion demanded. But at no time before could it be said that the Spirit in visible form had come upon the common people personally, and “sat upon each one of them” in an assembly of about one hundred and twenty. Moreover it was explained by the Spirit itself that this was the beginning of the fulfilment of the prophecy of God, which had said: “It shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of My Spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; and on My servants and on My handmaidens I will pour out in those days of My Spirit; and they shall prophesy.” Acts 2:16-18. A very important point in this connection is the fact that this same Spirit had dictated the matter contained in the Scriptures. “Holy men of God spake [the prophecy] as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” 2 Peter 1:21. The prophets testified the things which “the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify.” 1 Peter 1:10, 11. Then the Spirit is essential in the interpretation of the things which are given to us by the Spirit. “Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him. But God hath revealed them unto us by His Spirit; for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness unto him; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” 1 Cor. 2:9-14. On the day of Pentecost the gift of tongues was made prominent because of the great opportunity for Gospel work thru that particular gift. There were “devout men” congregated there from “every nation under heaven,” and the Spirit took advantage of this opportunity to give each one the truth in his own language. But the operation of the Spirit is not confined to the gift of tongues. “To one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; to another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; to another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues; but all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as He will.” Ch. 12:8-11. The gifts of the Spirit are not merely spasmodic or ecstatic emotions, or temporary functions; but they are abiding, as long as the recipient is willing to be led by the Spirit in “humbleness of mind.” They are for the “perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ; till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.” Eph. 4:12, 13. Thus it is as necessary to be filled with the Spirit in order to do the work of Christ successfully to-day as it was on the day of Pentecost. The promise of Christ is, “I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.” Thru the Holy Spirit come the presence and power of Christ; and it is yet true that our Father in heaven is more willing to give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him than earthly parents are to give good gifts to their children. The Holy Spirit is the “earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession;” it is that by which we are sealed to Christ, and thru whose ministration we are “kept by the power of God thru faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.” Eph. 1:13, 14; 1 Peter 1:25. But while the power of the Spirit is so graciously vouchsafed to us for our sanctification, and for the work of the Gospel, we are in return to manifest its effect to the world. “If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” If we do this, the legitimate fruits will be manifest in our walk and conversation. “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance.” Gal. 5:22, 23. So much for this life; “as He is, so are we in this world.” 1 John 4:17. Then comes the promise for the future life: “If the Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, He that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by His Spirit that dwelleth in you.” Rom. 8:11. “So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.” 1 Cor. 15:54. It is the privilege of every one to “be filled with the Spirit” (Eph. 5:18), to bear and enjoy its fruits here, and to enter into its fulness of joy and peace in the everlasting inheritance. G.