Disciples Speaking in Tongues at PentecostBible World
2:1Acts 2:1
And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
When the day of Pentecost was fully come the disciples were together in one place in Jerusalem in the upper chamber, seven weeks after Passover at the appointed Jewish feast of firstfruits when multitudes gathered at the temple. They were all with one accord, united in mind and heart in holy fellowship, waiting in Jerusalem in obedience to Christ's command for the promise of the Father by continued earnest prayer and deep heart-searching confession putting away sin and division. When readiness was reached the promise was fulfilled in a plentiful outpouring of the Holy Spirit in power like a rushing mighty wind filling the house, with cloven tongues like fire on each of them, and they spoke with other tongues so devout Jews from every nation heard the wonderful works of God in their own languages. Through the Spirit the truths of Christ became clear, and on that day three thousand were converted through preaching of Christ crucified and risen, with thousands more believing and joining the church as bold witnesses carried the message from Jerusalem to the ends of the earth. The outpouring was the former rain fulfilling Joel's prophecy of the Spirit poured out on all flesh, and it is the pattern for the latter rain and loud cry when the scenes of Pentecost will be repeated with greater power and large numbers converted in a day.
Place Time and Gathering
When the day of Pentecost was fully come the disciples were in Jerusalem, together in one place in united waiting for the promised outpouring of the Father. That one place was one room, the upper chamber where they continued in prayer and supplication in obedience to Christ's command not to depart from Jerusalem but to tarry there until endued with power from on high. Their waiting was active, for they met to pray, praised God, trusted Jesus as their Advocate in heaven, and held to one mind grounded in God's Word and established in its truth. Their gathering in unity and readiness coincided with God's providential opportunity to give the assembled multitudes powerful evidence that Jesus was the Son of God risen from the dead and ascended to heaven, moving those who had believed but feared to acknowledge Him openly to act on conviction. When they were all with one accord in one place in prayer and supplication the Lord fulfilled His promise with a sudden outpouring from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, with cloven tongues like fire sitting on each of them and filling with the Holy Ghost and utterance in other tongues heard by devout Jews from every nation.
Pentecost was the appointed Jewish feast coming seven weeks after Passover, when Jews gathered in Jerusalem at the temple with multitudes and presented the firstfruits of the harvest to acknowledge dependence on God and return gifts to sustain His work. It was a great religious festival with multitudes assembled, and God used the disciples on this occasion to give those multitudes the message of the risen Saviour, beginning the record of their experiences when they received the Holy Ghost with power to be witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea, and to the uttermost parts of the earth. Their gathering took place during that Jewish festival, and after the Holy Ghost came upon them they healed the sick and boldly continued their work despite attempts to silence them.
The believers gathered on that appointed day were the firstfruits of the Christian church, receiving on that day the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. The day marks the full opening of the Christian age and dispensation and the opening of the gospel, when the outpouring of the Holy Spirit began and some spiritual gifts were manifested in a remarkable way as recorded in Acts 2:1-11. It marks the beginning of the disciples' Spirit-empowered witness to the risen Saviour, whose unity and shared purpose continued in the believers' fellowship, worship and care for one another, with love shown not only in words but in tender, self-denying actions and willingness to sacrifice for the truth and the salvation of others.
The setting follows the return from Olivet to Jerusalem after Christ's ascension, when they were glad and triumphant because they had seen the risen Saviour and remembered His promise. Between the ascension and Pentecost were ten days which they devoted to earnest preparation for the Holy Spirit, and those ten days were days of deep heart-searching in which they searched their hearts, humbled themselves, strengthened their faith, confessed their sins, gave up every idol, put away all differences, drew close together in Christian fellowship, realized the privilege of having associated closely with Christ, and sorrowed for having grieved Him by failing to understand His lessons. The power and glory of Pentecost came after days of prayer and communion together in the upper chamber, following communion with Him, the meeting with Jesus in Galilee on a mountain, the parting scene on Olivet and the angels' promise.
Unity and Heart Preparation
They were all with one accord, united in purpose, mind, heart and soul, in one faith and in one spirit, in holy fellowship and Christian fellowship, with Christ filling their thoughts and the advancement of His kingdom as their aim. In Jerusalem they waited together and united for the Father's promised outpouring of the Spirit, meeting to pray, praising God, and trusting Jesus as their Advocate in heaven. Their unity is the lesson that believers should be of one mind, grounded in God's Word and established in its truth. Their gathering coincided with God's providential opportunity to give the assembled multitudes powerful evidence that Jesus was the Son of God, risen from the dead and ascended to heaven, and the Spirit moved those who had believed but feared to acknowledge Him openly to act on their convictions.
In obedience to Christ's command not to depart from Jerusalem but to tarry there and wait for the promise of the Father, baptism with the Holy Ghost not many days hence, to receive power to witness in Jerusalem and in Judea and in Samaria and unto the uttermost parts of the earth, they remained in Jerusalem and waited. They had spent several days together in Jerusalem as Jesus commanded until they received the promise, at the time of a great religious festival with multitudes assembled there whom God would give the message of the risen Saviour. When Pentecost arrived they were gathered together in one place and united in purpose, and this setting preceded the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and their witness to Christ.
They spent ten days, and in some accounts several days, in continued earnest prayer and supplication with one accord, pleading for the promised gift and for the fulfilment of God's promise of the Holy Spirit. In obedience to Christ's commission to preach the gospel and to tarry in Jerusalem until endued with power from on high, those ten days after Christ's ascension were devoted to earnest preparation and united prayer. They gathered with a sense of their spiritual need, praying for spiritual help, for Christ's love to fill their hearts, for help to overcome their own weaknesses and faults, and to be prepared to save others, not to expose one another's faults. When they were all with one accord in one place in prayer and supplication, the Lord fulfilled His promise by a wonderful outpouring of His Spirit.
Their preparation was deep heart-searching and individual self-examination to remove anything that could hinder the promised gift. They searched their hearts, humbled themselves, strengthened their faith, confessed their sins to God and to one another, surrendered themselves and their possessions to God, fasted, and gave up every idol and put away sin. They put away all differences, strife, envy, malice, prejudice, doubt, unbelief, selfish ambition and striving for the highest place, drew close together in Christian fellowship, realized the privilege of having associated closely with Christ, and sorrowed for having grieved Him by failing to understand His lessons. Their hearts were in harmony, and the church should likewise seek God unitedly and earnestly in preparation to receive heavenly grace.
Spirit Outpouring and Signs
When unity and readiness were reached the promised gift came suddenly from heaven in wonderful and plentiful fullness and power. A sound as of a rushing mighty wind filled the whole house where the united waiting ones were gathered in Jerusalem. Cloven tongues like as of fire sat upon each of them, and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost. This was the baptism with the Holy Ghost to give power to witness in Jerusalem and in Judea and in Samaria and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
They spoke with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. Devout Jews out of every nation under heaven and people of many different nationalities heard them speak the wonderful works of God, each in his own tongue wherein he was born. Hearing in their own tongue carried conviction to the hearers and caused the message to go broadcast everywhere. The same kind of representation from many tongues will happen again for those who follow on to know the Lord.
The outpouring fulfilled Christ's parting promise of the Comforter to remain with the church and to be shared with the world. After His crucifixion, resurrection and ascension with angels to the city of God, He was enthroned, inaugurated and crowned, interceded in heaven, and claimed the Spirit to pour out upon those assembled. It was far more than the few drops imparted when He breathed on the disciples, for now the fuller gift equipped them as witnesses of His resurrection and teachers of His words, character, precepts and example. Its coming communicated heaven's acceptance of His mediation and empowered the disciples to witness to Christ.
The manifestation was not private but public on a great religious festival with multitudes assembled in Jerusalem, a great center of influence where light was to shine in its most powerful rays. God used the united gathering to give the assembled multitudes the message of the risen Saviour and powerful evidence that Jesus was the Son of God, risen from the dead and ascended to heaven, the very One they had crucified. The Spirit moved those who had believed but feared to acknowledge Him openly to act on their convictions, and the message was to begin there before going to the uttermost parts of the earth.
Understanding and Immediate Results
The Spirit made clear what had been mysterious in Christ's parables and proverbs, exposed fanciful theories as foolish, and opened Scripture in new light, so the disciples knew with unclouded faith that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God and their Advocate, and testified with confidence that God was with them. Their waiting had been active prayer and praise with trust in Jesus as Advocate in heaven, in hope that the Spirit's full coming would illuminate their minds to understand and continue the work He had left them. They came to grasp the meaning of His humiliation, rejection, crucifixion and heavenly advocacy, and to explain His teachings with power, so hearers saw light and recognized they had been with Jesus. Their new tongues were Spirit-given eloquent words to preach Christ's simple, powerful truths, bringing many to conversion after fear and mistake were removed by baptism of the Spirit.
On that day 3,000 were converted in one day through Spirit-empowered preaching of Christ crucified and risen unto repentance and forgiveness. The sermon unfolded Jesus and glorified Him before eyes that had seen no beauty in Him to desire Him, preached with tremendous effect in demonstration of the Spirit and with power because Jesus was lifted up, exalted to give repentance and forgiveness of sins, whose inner beauties are not discerned by natural eyes, for it is the Spirit that quickens. This showed God's faithfulness in every age, His promises sure and His blessings given in His own way. The believers were in united brotherhood regarding everything as the Lord's, after ten days in Jerusalem as directed in prayer and confession of sin, obeying the command to return and wait for the promised outpouring that empowered missionary work beginning at Jerusalem. From heaven immediately after His ascension Jesus acted to preach the gospel to all the world, His first act being to send the Holy Spirit in rich abundance as a heavenly endowment giving power for the commanded work, so that seed Christ had sown bore fruit and thousands were converted in a day.
In the same harvest 5,000 were reported converted in one day as the Spirit confirmed the word with power beyond human learning, eloquence or strength, which cannot convict and convert without God's aid. The Spirit rests only after criticism and faultfinding cease, every difficulty with a brother is settled in Christ's spirit, and ten days are spent before God in prayer, fasting and confession until unity comes, when the heavens are opened, the glory of God is revealed, and believers are sent forth to proclaim the gospel with power. The promise was fulfilled when type met antitype in Christ's life, death, resurrection and ascension, the veil rent at His predicted death, His rising as the resurrection and the life, His ascent escorted by angels, His leading captivity captive and giving gifts, leaving no uncertainty that He is the Son of God, and with that accumulated light of centuries His people are bound to shine more brightly. The church then received great additions, yet the disciples were in danger of staying in Jerusalem to protect and maintain the new church instead of training members for service, until persecution scattered them to carry the gospel beyond, since strength against temptation is gained through active service.
More generally thousands openly declared Jesus the crucified Messiah of Nazareth, believed, repented and joined the church, as the disciples preached Christ to the great multitude gathered for the feast with signs and wonders confirming their words, showing Christ's work did not end with His death as the leaders expected. Before Pentecost they had met, put away differences, and united in faith while praying for the promised blessing and power to save souls, and when the Spirit was poured as a rushing mighty wind, heaven pouring power on the church, their words of penitence, confession, praise, thanksgiving and prophecy followed and thousands were converted in one day. Together in one room the promised power enabled them to go everywhere preaching the word under the same commission and power belonging to followers in saving souls, the Spirit opening hearts and doors so the Word cut through unbelief. United in mind and heart in purpose to preach Christ crucified, they carried the message into new fields throughout the world, from Jerusalem throughout the inhabited world to the ends of the earth, and this former rain pledges a more abundant latter rain.
The disciples were transformed from helpless, discouraged men into bold, loving witnesses going out with fresh zeal, pure and accurate speech, penitence, confession, praise, thanksgiving and prophecy. The day fully come answered the continued fervent prayers of the humble disciples, releasing heavenly influences held in restraint for ages to work with human agencies, giving workers deep moving of the Spirit and fuller conversion, with confession from human lips, humiliation of soul, and songs of praise and thanksgiving mingled with penitence, while all heaven bent to listen to the lowly seekers and to behold and adore the wisdom of matchless love. They grasped the imparted gift with wonder, mingling penitence and confession with songs for sins forgiven, their hearts surcharged with full, deep, far-reaching benevolence and intense longing to add to the church those who should be saved, impelling them to the ends of the earth glorying only in the cross, calling believers to arouse so all nations might hear and the earth be filled with glory. Their unity and shared purpose continued in fellowship, worship and care, love shown not only in words but in tender self-denying actions and sacrifice for truth and salvation, regarding possessions as the Lord's so none lacked. Sanctified by the Spirit they became instruments to proclaim the gospel throughout the world, convicting of sin, leading sinners to conversion and bringing Christ's righteousness, so former opponents became champions and fearful believers openly confessed Christ before hostile rulers.
The harvest was not their labor alone but entrance into prior sowing, following the long work of patriarchs, prophets, holy and faithful people who sowed seeds of truth through the ages with the continuing grace Christ gave His people. After Pentecost Peter continued in later years to reach Jews coming to Jerusalem for the annual festivals and to strengthen believers in faith.
Prophecy Types and Latter Rain
Peter explained what happened that day as the fulfillment of what Joel had spoken about pouring out the Spirit on all flesh. The outpouring on the united waiting company — sudden sound like violent wind filling the house, divided appearances like fire resting on each one, all filled and speaking in other languages as enabled, heard by devout Jews from every nation — was the beginning and partial fulfillment of that prophecy. Its full fulfillment comes in the grace and power accompanying the closing work of the gospel, when the Spirit is given for the ripening of the harvest and whoever calls on the Lord's name will be saved. Even then there were mockers who did not recognize the Spirit's work and charged drunkenness, showing the Lord works in His own often unexpected way and those not under the influence do not understand, a warning that the same mocking would occur if such a manifestation came now.
That Pentecost outpouring was the former or early rain, and its results were glorious with thousands converted in one day. The latter rain will be more abundant, revealing Christ in His fullness through the Spirit's power. It will fall in the same way upon believers, to ripen the harvest for the close of the gospel. It will fall only after every defect of character is remedied and the soul temple is cleansed of every defilement, with not one spot or stain remaining, which must be done before receiving the seal of God. The same preparation now — meeting together, putting away differences and dissension, united in faith, believing the promise, praying in faith with the burden for salvation of souls and asking not for self merely but for power to carry the gospel to the uttermost earth — brings the same blessing.
Pentecost fulfilled in its order and time the vernal meat-offering type of the law of Moses, standing third after Passover fulfilled in Christ's crucifixion and the wave sheaf fulfilled in His resurrection. This establishes the principle that the autumnal types would likewise be fulfilled as to time in events connected with the second advent, including Christ as great High Priest coming out to bless His waiting people. Type met antitype in the life, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus: the veil rent at His long-predicted death, He arose as the resurrection and the life, ascended escorted by the angelic throng, led captivity captive and gave gifts unto men, and then the Spirit was poured out, every specification of the Old Testament fulfilled leaving no uncertainty that Christ is the Son of God. The autumn of 1844 was a like Jerusalem where believers waited for and enjoyed outpouring of the Spirit and heavenly illumination in the seventh-month movement, which those embracing the Second Advent faith since may look back to with the same pleasure and profit as to Pentecost.
The day of Pentecost is a pattern for a later ingathering of souls when the earth is lightened with the angel's glory. That mighty work serves as the model for the future proclamation of the third message: as at Pentecost God's servants will proclaim the warning with holy power, but the later movement will reach the whole earth on an unprecedented worldwide scale, with miracles, healings, and signs and wonders accompanying it. That outpouring brought power to preaching Jesus and Him crucified with many converted in a day, providing the pattern for a similar work at the close of the gospel message when the Spirit will empower the message and Christ will be glorified as a people are prepared for the final test. The same work is waiting to be done today, and because the end of all things is at hand the zeal of the church should exceed even that of the early church and the power of God be revealed even more mightily, with every one shining with present truth in clear distinct rays from compassion for those in darkness, telling redeeming love through delegated messengers. That same Spirit is waiting to manifest power upon gospel ministers standing between the living and the dead, for there is too little of the Spirit and power in their labor, and the power that stirred people mightily in the 1844 movement will again be revealed as the third angel's message goes forth not in whispered tones but with a loud voice. The baptism of the Spirit is a pattern for renewed outpouring bringing revival, angelic help, Spirit-led speech and many wonderful works with genuine conversions not mere excitement, accompanying the final message, yet those resisting may mistake its work for fanaticism as some did then, and receiving this closer union requires surrendering the human will.
The scenes of that day will be repeated, and God's grace will again be bestowed in a remarkable way with similar or greater manifestation of grace and power. The events of Pentecost and the early church's experiences immediately afterward are to be studied for instruction in truth and refreshment of mind, for God's people in the present day must pass through similar experiences. The experience will be repeated with the gospel revealed and verified, and some now uncertain will receive the Holy Spirit of truth. That day became the example and measure of a great number being converted in a single day, and a similarly large number would be converted in the future, including in the promised work among the Jews.
Doctrine and Scripture Connections
The outpouring taught the way into the heavenly sanctuary, carrying minds from the earthly to the heavenly where Jesus had entered by His own blood after the great Sacrifice had been offered and accepted, to shed upon them the benefits of His atonement and His mediation in the Holy place. Those who had rejected John and then rejected and crucified Jesus placed themselves where they could not receive this blessing, and were left in deception and darkness having lost all light on the plan of salvation. They still trusted in useless sacrifices and offerings that would no longer be received after the veil of the temple was rent, with no knowledge of the way to the heavenly sanctuary that had taken the place of the earthly.
From that day the Holy Spirit has been sent to Christ's followers in every age and among every race as His promised divine presence with them until the end. After ten days of prayer the Spirit was poured out in fullness and power like a rushing mighty wind filling the house, as Christ's promised gift after His ascension and enthronement to remain with the church and be shared with the world. He comes as Comforter, Counselor, Sanctifier, Guide and Witness to those who accept Christ as personal Saviour and yield themselves fully to the Lord and His service, and the church has the privilege of receiving Him now by seeking, praying and believing. He made Christ continually present within the disciples in closer union than they had known during His bodily presence. He is the breath of spiritual life, so that receiving Him means receiving Christ's life and being formed in His attributes, fitting those inwardly taught and worked upon by Him and whose lives show Christ's character to represent and minister for the church.
Pentecost provides the pattern for the later descent of the Spirit on Gentiles, as on Cornelius's household, likewise shown by speaking with tongues and magnifying God. This matching gift proved that God accepted Gentile believers and granted them repentance unto life. Yet receiving the Spirit did not replace baptism, since conversion requires faith, repentance and baptism.
Even in that assembly there were mockers who did not recognize the work of the Spirit and charged drunkenness with new wine, to whom Peter with the eleven answered that this was the fulfillment spoken by Joel. The Lord works in His own way, often unexpected, and those who do not come under the influence of the Spirit do not know it, so that Spirit-filled people seem like drunken people to them. Those who resist the Spirit may mistake genuine revival for mere human excitement or fanaticism, as some did then from taking no decided interest in the work, warning that the same mocking would occur if such a manifestation came now upon those upon whom the ends of the world are come. Receiving this closer union with Christ requires surrendering the human will to God.
The descent parallels the elders receiving the Spirit and prophesying, as God prepared and publicly equipped them for their work. As the Spirit rested on those elders, so the disciples were endowed at Pentecost, and their Spirit-given speech foretold Christ's work and mission and showed that God's power was upon them. Many of the three thousand converted in a day on that occasion had first heard the truth at Matthew's feast, and some became messengers of the gospel.
The healing of the cripple by Peter and John took place a short time after the Spirit's descent and immediately after a season of fervent prayer, showing the setting for remarkable heavenly power.
Fellowship and Church Life
The oneness of Acts 2:1 did not end when the Spirit came, but continued in the life of the believers as oneness of heart and soul. Animated by Him who died that sinners might live, they loved one another, shared meals with gladness, freely shared goods so that none lacked, and in daily association revealed Christ's character. They had received a clearer conception of the love of God and of the brotherly love they must have for one another, so their one desire in proclaiming a living Saviour was the salvation of souls. They rejoiced in communion with saints and were tender, thoughtful, self-denying, and willing to make any sacrifice for the truth's sake, striving by unselfish words and deeds to kindle that love in other hearts. Such love was ever to be cherished in willing obedience to the new commandment, in union with Christ so close that all His requirements could be fulfilled, so that their lives would magnify the power of a Saviour who justifies by His righteousness.
Prepared by sincere devotion and humble, earnest, persevering prayer that brought them into close communion with Him, sitting together with Him in heavenly places and realizing the greatness of their debt to Him, they went forth weighted with the burden of saving souls and filled with zeal to extend the triumphs of the cross. Filled with love through the Spirit, they spoke and prayed with power and brought many souls from darkness to light and raised up many churches, with thousands converted because the greater magnitude of their work came through the Spirit and not through greater exertions of their own. Baptism with the Holy Spirit draws believers together in harmony, and when God's people are of one accord in one place and lay hold of His promises by faith, the Holy Spirit comes upon them, heals their infirmities, and unites their efforts for God's work. The Pentecost gathering became the example of the whole company of believers united in mind and heart, for the unity sought comes through the Spirit of God removing selfishness. The coming of the Holy Spirit upon hearts brings unity in voice and understanding, together with wisdom for God's work.
That gift did not free them from temptation or trial. They still had to strive, pray daily for fresh grace, and grow toward the full stature of life in Christ. Through the Holy Spirit's work, even the weakest could exercise faith, develop their God-given abilities, and become sanctified, refined, and ennobled, and humble submission to the Spirit's shaping work brought them into the fullness of God and fashioned them in the divine likeness. After Pentecost, when the church received great additions with thousands converted in one day, the disciples were in danger of staying in Jerusalem to protect and maintain the new church instead of training its members to share the gospel and carry it to others. Strength to resist temptation is gained through active service, and the Spirit's coming led to missionary action in which believers who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word and carried the gospel beyond Jerusalem. Persecution scattered them to spread the gospel beyond Jerusalem, so that the blessings received bore fruit in preaching and sharing the light.
John was with the other disciples on that day of unity in one place and shared with them in the outpouring of the Spirit. The outpouring gave him and the other apostles fresh zeal and power to preach about Jesus, to speak the words of life to the people and lead their thoughts to the Unseen, and afterward he continued preaching with that fresh zeal and power. That same pouring out upon the disciples included Philip, and it changed him from unbelief, dullness and slowness of heart to believe into a teacher after the divine order who knew by experience what he spoke and taught with an assurance that carried conviction to his hearers. The power imparted in Acts 2:1-4 was given when the church was a separate and peculiar people. That same power with which the sick would be healed and devils rebuked and cast out, making her mighty and a terror to her enemies, would still be with the church if she had always retained her holy and peculiar character, but failure to remain separate dimmed the gold and changed the fine gold and left her without that power.
Pattern and Call Today
The first two chapters of Acts give the pattern for carrying forward God's work through shared prayer, counsel and unity under the Spirit's guidance, rather than arbitrary human direction or dependence on leaders as substitutes for personal responsibility before God. The ten days before Pentecost were required to bring the disciples to understand what effectual prayer means, as they drew nearer to God, confessed sins, humbled hearts, beheld Jesus by faith until changed into His image, and then were filled and endowed with power to go forth to do effectual work. Every worker and missionary now must breathe out prayer for the baptism of the Holy Spirit, gather in companies to call upon God for special help and heavenly wisdom to know how to plan and devise and execute the work, and pray especially that the Lord will choose His agents and baptize them. When church members unite under the control of the Spirit in counseling and praying together, they have a life and power they cannot obtain otherwise, and God can work mightily through them to convert sinners. Their example after Christ's ascension, assembling in one place to pray for the descent of the Spirit, teaches that momentous decisions require earnest, united seeking of God with seriousness and patience.
The same Holy Spirit who fell on the united disciples then will fall now on those whose hearts are united with Christ and whose lives are in harmony with His work. Their earnest seeking is the example, for believers need the Spirit even more amid widespread moral darkness and deception. That need is even greater amid false doctrines, heresies and satanic deceptions, and without the Spirit and God's power labor to present divine truth is in vain and ineffective. The outpouring upon them is an experience believers may earnestly pray to receive, for the Spirit softens hard hearts, fills them with joy, transforms them and makes them channels of blessing.
Believers should now be in the Pentecost position, together with one accord in one place in unity under the moving of the Spirit's power, as the disciples were when they obeyed the command to remain in Jerusalem and continued in prayer and supplication. They had devoted the ten days since the ascension to earnest preparation, searching hearts, humbling themselves, strengthening faith, confessing sins, giving up every idol, with hearts in harmony, and the church should likewise seek God unitedly and earnestly to receive heavenly grace. Their united gathering is the example to assemble in prayer and lay aside selfish ambition in seeking the Spirit. Readiness requires denying self as Christ denied Himself, studying the Scriptures with all might lest they fail to carry them out, and putting away self rising up among members, for as long as that spirit prevails there will be backward movement instead of forward. The baptism they received is what workers need to discern distant as well as nearby fields and to plan and labor with unselfish concern for the worldwide work.
Pentecostal energy is the Spirit's promised all-conquering power, which comes as God's people clear the way through prayer and confession of sin and brings spiritual renewal. The spirit of intercession manifested before Pentecost is the pattern for the reformatory movement among God's people and for the prayerful unity accompanying great revival. The same interceding spirit will be seen again, with many praising God, the sick healed and other miracles wrought, hundreds and thousands visiting families and opening the Word to them, hearts convicted and genuinely converted, doors thrown open to the truth, the world lightened with heavenly influence, great blessings received by the true and humble, and voices of thanksgiving and praise in a reformation like that of 1844. Those who refuse conversion and cling selfishly to earthly possessions when liberal offerings are called for become separated from believers. The converting power that came upon God's people then is the pattern for seeking that same power so people may be changed and prepared to serve.
Their gathering in Jerusalem in prayer to receive the Spirit and begin witness provides the pattern for establishing a united witness in places of great influence, so the message can shine out from the nation's capital. Jerusalem was a center from which the gospel would reach many people. The Pentecost beginning there sets the duty to make at Washington a special representation of present truth by establishing one signal memorial, and long passing by that city without it is a decided failure to understand the chapter and unfaithful stewardship of that part of the vineyard.
The same blessing is to be sought by institutions, churches, families, schools and conferences, for when people are truly converted the Spirit does a wonderful work and in an institution conversion brings unity among workers with the Lord present to teach, lead and guide. Meetings marked by the Spirit's power become a pentecostal season, with the Lord moving hearts, intense response to prayer, many testifying to new blessing, vision, comfort and praise. At Paris the Spirit's presence brought striking conviction and humility, leading those deceived into error to fall down, confess wrongs to one another and plead with God for forgiveness. A congregation united in confession and forgiveness, praising God as a powerful work continued through the night, is a Pentecostal season. The meeting at Battle Creek could have had such a season if those present had worked in harmony with Christ, put away what grieved the Spirit, humbled hearts in contrition and yielded sin. The General Conference of 1901 could have been one of the greatest revivals since Pentecost if leaders had humbled, confessed and surrendered.
When believers pray, believe and come into harmony as the disciples did in united prayer and supplication while waiting for the promise to be baptized with the Holy Ghost, heaven cooperates with earth in a mighty power at work in the world. Heaven and God's workers work harmoniously together in one God, one faith, one baptism, and the Lord works with them to open the understanding and hearts of those they seek and bring them to knowledge of the truth, a work acknowledged in the courts of heaven. Before that day they made days of preparation by prayer and putting away all disunion, bringing them into such close relation to God that He could work for them and through them marvelously, and so now believing people must work in harmony and stand in right relation to Him so when He speaks they hear and understand and He demonstrates power in their behalf through their faith and works. Pentecost will fully come among workers when they unite in true repentance and conversion, after which Christ and heavenly angels will cooperate with them in daily work. United kneeling prayer brings the sweet Spirit as then, and the Spirit must be received first, then angels impress minds that had evidence but never took stand for fear of persecution, removing fear to give confidence that God will deliver if He wills and readiness to suffer if not, as when prison doors were opened. Christ, ascended to take His place as Advocate in the heavenly courts, sent the Spirit in answer to prayer to make right impressions on mind and heart, convincing of sin, righteousness and judgment and converting souls, so dependence must be on the Spirit's working, not on expensive covers, illustrations or pictures. By connection with Christ grace is continually received, blinded eyes are opened, understanding is enlightened, Scripture is revealed, faith is inspired, character is transformed, hereditary evil is overcome, stand is empowered against idolatry, and sufficient power is given to work as fellow laborers in each sphere.
The gathering included people of many nationalities so each heard in his own tongue, and hearing carried conviction and caused the message to go broadcast everywhere, and the same kind of representation will happen again for those who follow on to know the Lord. The Spirit came with fullness and power reaching every heart, and this first outpouring is linked to the future work through God's people by which the earth will be filled with God's glory and the world reached with grace. The Infinite One revealed Himself in power, descending as a rushing mighty wind to the assembled room while all heaven beheld the wisdom of matchless love, and the disciples grasped the gift with wonder, mingling penitence and confession with songs of praise, thanksgiving and prophecy. Their hearts were surcharged with full, deep, far-reaching benevolence and intense longing to add to the saved, impelling them to the ends of the earth proclaiming the gospel and glorying only in the cross, calling believers to arouse so all nations hear and the earth be filled with glory. As they went forth filled with power, so servants today are to go forth with unselfish desire to reap fields white to harvest and give mercy to those in darkness, error and unbelief in regions beyond, no longer blocked by listless indifference. At Pentecost thousands were converted in one day and believers held possessions for the gospel, and when moved by the same Spirit believers give generously and a broad, far-reaching work is accomplished with God's missionary spirit burning in their hearts.
The events of Pentecost and the early church's experiences immediately afterward are to be studied for instruction in truth and refreshment of mind, as the model for God's people facing opposition and bearing convincing testimony. God's people in the present day must pass through similar experiences. The call to pray for the Spirit's apostolic power stands, while claims to possess such power must be tested, since they can be self-deception and can lead others into fanaticism.
When the day of Pentecost was fully come the disciples were together in one place in Jerusalem in the upper chamber, seven weeks after Passover at the appointed Jewish feast of firstfruits when multitudes gathered at the temple.
They were all with one accord, united in mind and heart in holy fellowship, waiting in Jerusalem in obedience to Christ's command for the promise of the Father by continued earnest prayer and deep heart-searching confession putting away sin and division.
When readiness was reached the promise was fulfilled in a plentiful outpouring of the Holy Spirit in power like a rushing mighty wind filling the house, with cloven tongues like fire on each of them, and they spoke with other tongues so devout Jews from every nation heard the wonderful works of God in their own languages.
Through the Spirit the truths of Christ became clear, and on that day three thousand were converted through preaching of Christ crucified and risen, with thousands more believing and joining the church as bold witnesses carried the message from Jerusalem to the ends of the earth.
The outpouring was the former rain fulfilling Joel's prophecy of the Spirit poured out on all flesh, and it is the pattern for the latter rain and loud cry when the scenes of Pentecost will be repeated with greater power and large numbers converted in a day.
Place Time and Gathering
When the day of Pentecost was fully come the disciples were in Jerusalem, together in one place in united waiting for the promised outpouring of the Father. That one place was one room, the upper chamber where they continued in prayer and supplication in obedience to Christ's command not to depart from Jerusalem but to tarry there until endued with power from on high. Their waiting was active, for they met to pray, praised God, trusted Jesus as their Advocate in heaven, and held to one mind grounded in God's Word and established in its truth. Their gathering in unity and readiness coincided with God's providential opportunity to give the assembled multitudes powerful evidence that Jesus was the Son of God risen from the dead and ascended to heaven, moving those who had believed but feared to acknowledge Him openly to act on conviction. When they were all with one accord in one place in prayer and supplication the Lord fulfilled His promise with a sudden outpouring from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, with cloven tongues like fire sitting on each of them and filling with the Holy Ghost and utterance in other tongues heard by devout Jews from every nation.
Pentecost was the appointed Jewish feast coming seven weeks after Passover, when Jews gathered in Jerusalem at the temple with multitudes and presented the firstfruits of the harvest to acknowledge dependence on God and return gifts to sustain His work. It was a great religious festival with multitudes assembled, and God used the disciples on this occasion to give those multitudes the message of the risen Saviour, beginning the record of their experiences when they received the Holy Ghost with power to be witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea, and to the uttermost parts of the earth. Their gathering took place during that Jewish festival, and after the Holy Ghost came upon them they healed the sick and boldly continued their work despite attempts to silence them.
The believers gathered on that appointed day were the firstfruits of the Christian church, receiving on that day the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. The day marks the full opening of the Christian age and dispensation and the opening of the gospel, when the outpouring of the Holy Spirit began and some spiritual gifts were manifested in a remarkable way as recorded in Acts 2:1-11. It marks the beginning of the disciples' Spirit-empowered witness to the risen Saviour, whose unity and shared purpose continued in the believers' fellowship, worship and care for one another, with love shown not only in words but in tender, self-denying actions and willingness to sacrifice for the truth and the salvation of others.
The setting follows the return from Olivet to Jerusalem after Christ's ascension, when they were glad and triumphant because they had seen the risen Saviour and remembered His promise. Between the ascension and Pentecost were ten days which they devoted to earnest preparation for the Holy Spirit, and those ten days were days of deep heart-searching in which they searched their hearts, humbled themselves, strengthened their faith, confessed their sins, gave up every idol, put away all differences, drew close together in Christian fellowship, realized the privilege of having associated closely with Christ, and sorrowed for having grieved Him by failing to understand His lessons. The power and glory of Pentecost came after days of prayer and communion together in the upper chamber, following communion with Him, the meeting with Jesus in Galilee on a mountain, the parting scene on Olivet and the angels' promise.
Unity and Heart Preparation
They were all with one accord, united in purpose, mind, heart and soul, in one faith and in one spirit, in holy fellowship and Christian fellowship, with Christ filling their thoughts and the advancement of His kingdom as their aim. In Jerusalem they waited together and united for the Father's promised outpouring of the Spirit, meeting to pray, praising God, and trusting Jesus as their Advocate in heaven. Their unity is the lesson that believers should be of one mind, grounded in God's Word and established in its truth. Their gathering coincided with God's providential opportunity to give the assembled multitudes powerful evidence that Jesus was the Son of God, risen from the dead and ascended to heaven, and the Spirit moved those who had believed but feared to acknowledge Him openly to act on their convictions.
In obedience to Christ's command not to depart from Jerusalem but to tarry there and wait for the promise of the Father, baptism with the Holy Ghost not many days hence, to receive power to witness in Jerusalem and in Judea and in Samaria and unto the uttermost parts of the earth, they remained in Jerusalem and waited. They had spent several days together in Jerusalem as Jesus commanded until they received the promise, at the time of a great religious festival with multitudes assembled there whom God would give the message of the risen Saviour. When Pentecost arrived they were gathered together in one place and united in purpose, and this setting preceded the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and their witness to Christ.
They spent ten days, and in some accounts several days, in continued earnest prayer and supplication with one accord, pleading for the promised gift and for the fulfilment of God's promise of the Holy Spirit. In obedience to Christ's commission to preach the gospel and to tarry in Jerusalem until endued with power from on high, those ten days after Christ's ascension were devoted to earnest preparation and united prayer. They gathered with a sense of their spiritual need, praying for spiritual help, for Christ's love to fill their hearts, for help to overcome their own weaknesses and faults, and to be prepared to save others, not to expose one another's faults. When they were all with one accord in one place in prayer and supplication, the Lord fulfilled His promise by a wonderful outpouring of His Spirit.
Their preparation was deep heart-searching and individual self-examination to remove anything that could hinder the promised gift. They searched their hearts, humbled themselves, strengthened their faith, confessed their sins to God and to one another, surrendered themselves and their possessions to God, fasted, and gave up every idol and put away sin. They put away all differences, strife, envy, malice, prejudice, doubt, unbelief, selfish ambition and striving for the highest place, drew close together in Christian fellowship, realized the privilege of having associated closely with Christ, and sorrowed for having grieved Him by failing to understand His lessons. Their hearts were in harmony, and the church should likewise seek God unitedly and earnestly in preparation to receive heavenly grace.
Spirit Outpouring and Signs
When unity and readiness were reached the promised gift came suddenly from heaven in wonderful and plentiful fullness and power. A sound as of a rushing mighty wind filled the whole house where the united waiting ones were gathered in Jerusalem. Cloven tongues like as of fire sat upon each of them, and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost. This was the baptism with the Holy Ghost to give power to witness in Jerusalem and in Judea and in Samaria and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
They spoke with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. Devout Jews out of every nation under heaven and people of many different nationalities heard them speak the wonderful works of God, each in his own tongue wherein he was born. Hearing in their own tongue carried conviction to the hearers and caused the message to go broadcast everywhere. The same kind of representation from many tongues will happen again for those who follow on to know the Lord.
The outpouring fulfilled Christ's parting promise of the Comforter to remain with the church and to be shared with the world. After His crucifixion, resurrection and ascension with angels to the city of God, He was enthroned, inaugurated and crowned, interceded in heaven, and claimed the Spirit to pour out upon those assembled. It was far more than the few drops imparted when He breathed on the disciples, for now the fuller gift equipped them as witnesses of His resurrection and teachers of His words, character, precepts and example. Its coming communicated heaven's acceptance of His mediation and empowered the disciples to witness to Christ.
The manifestation was not private but public on a great religious festival with multitudes assembled in Jerusalem, a great center of influence where light was to shine in its most powerful rays. God used the united gathering to give the assembled multitudes the message of the risen Saviour and powerful evidence that Jesus was the Son of God, risen from the dead and ascended to heaven, the very One they had crucified. The Spirit moved those who had believed but feared to acknowledge Him openly to act on their convictions, and the message was to begin there before going to the uttermost parts of the earth.
Understanding and Immediate Results
The Spirit made clear what had been mysterious in Christ's parables and proverbs, exposed fanciful theories as foolish, and opened Scripture in new light, so the disciples knew with unclouded faith that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God and their Advocate, and testified with confidence that God was with them. Their waiting had been active prayer and praise with trust in Jesus as Advocate in heaven, in hope that the Spirit's full coming would illuminate their minds to understand and continue the work He had left them. They came to grasp the meaning of His humiliation, rejection, crucifixion and heavenly advocacy, and to explain His teachings with power, so hearers saw light and recognized they had been with Jesus. Their new tongues were Spirit-given eloquent words to preach Christ's simple, powerful truths, bringing many to conversion after fear and mistake were removed by baptism of the Spirit.
On that day 3,000 were converted in one day through Spirit-empowered preaching of Christ crucified and risen unto repentance and forgiveness. The sermon unfolded Jesus and glorified Him before eyes that had seen no beauty in Him to desire Him, preached with tremendous effect in demonstration of the Spirit and with power because Jesus was lifted up, exalted to give repentance and forgiveness of sins, whose inner beauties are not discerned by natural eyes, for it is the Spirit that quickens. This showed God's faithfulness in every age, His promises sure and His blessings given in His own way. The believers were in united brotherhood regarding everything as the Lord's, after ten days in Jerusalem as directed in prayer and confession of sin, obeying the command to return and wait for the promised outpouring that empowered missionary work beginning at Jerusalem. From heaven immediately after His ascension Jesus acted to preach the gospel to all the world, His first act being to send the Holy Spirit in rich abundance as a heavenly endowment giving power for the commanded work, so that seed Christ had sown bore fruit and thousands were converted in a day.
In the same harvest 5,000 were reported converted in one day as the Spirit confirmed the word with power beyond human learning, eloquence or strength, which cannot convict and convert without God's aid. The Spirit rests only after criticism and faultfinding cease, every difficulty with a brother is settled in Christ's spirit, and ten days are spent before God in prayer, fasting and confession until unity comes, when the heavens are opened, the glory of God is revealed, and believers are sent forth to proclaim the gospel with power. The promise was fulfilled when type met antitype in Christ's life, death, resurrection and ascension, the veil rent at His predicted death, His rising as the resurrection and the life, His ascent escorted by angels, His leading captivity captive and giving gifts, leaving no uncertainty that He is the Son of God, and with that accumulated light of centuries His people are bound to shine more brightly. The church then received great additions, yet the disciples were in danger of staying in Jerusalem to protect and maintain the new church instead of training members for service, until persecution scattered them to carry the gospel beyond, since strength against temptation is gained through active service.
More generally thousands openly declared Jesus the crucified Messiah of Nazareth, believed, repented and joined the church, as the disciples preached Christ to the great multitude gathered for the feast with signs and wonders confirming their words, showing Christ's work did not end with His death as the leaders expected. Before Pentecost they had met, put away differences, and united in faith while praying for the promised blessing and power to save souls, and when the Spirit was poured as a rushing mighty wind, heaven pouring power on the church, their words of penitence, confession, praise, thanksgiving and prophecy followed and thousands were converted in one day. Together in one room the promised power enabled them to go everywhere preaching the word under the same commission and power belonging to followers in saving souls, the Spirit opening hearts and doors so the Word cut through unbelief. United in mind and heart in purpose to preach Christ crucified, they carried the message into new fields throughout the world, from Jerusalem throughout the inhabited world to the ends of the earth, and this former rain pledges a more abundant latter rain.
The disciples were transformed from helpless, discouraged men into bold, loving witnesses going out with fresh zeal, pure and accurate speech, penitence, confession, praise, thanksgiving and prophecy. The day fully come answered the continued fervent prayers of the humble disciples, releasing heavenly influences held in restraint for ages to work with human agencies, giving workers deep moving of the Spirit and fuller conversion, with confession from human lips, humiliation of soul, and songs of praise and thanksgiving mingled with penitence, while all heaven bent to listen to the lowly seekers and to behold and adore the wisdom of matchless love. They grasped the imparted gift with wonder, mingling penitence and confession with songs for sins forgiven, their hearts surcharged with full, deep, far-reaching benevolence and intense longing to add to the church those who should be saved, impelling them to the ends of the earth glorying only in the cross, calling believers to arouse so all nations might hear and the earth be filled with glory. Their unity and shared purpose continued in fellowship, worship and care, love shown not only in words but in tender self-denying actions and sacrifice for truth and salvation, regarding possessions as the Lord's so none lacked. Sanctified by the Spirit they became instruments to proclaim the gospel throughout the world, convicting of sin, leading sinners to conversion and bringing Christ's righteousness, so former opponents became champions and fearful believers openly confessed Christ before hostile rulers.
The harvest was not their labor alone but entrance into prior sowing, following the long work of patriarchs, prophets, holy and faithful people who sowed seeds of truth through the ages with the continuing grace Christ gave His people. After Pentecost Peter continued in later years to reach Jews coming to Jerusalem for the annual festivals and to strengthen believers in faith.
Prophecy Types and Latter Rain
Peter explained what happened that day as the fulfillment of what Joel had spoken about pouring out the Spirit on all flesh. The outpouring on the united waiting company — sudden sound like violent wind filling the house, divided appearances like fire resting on each one, all filled and speaking in other languages as enabled, heard by devout Jews from every nation — was the beginning and partial fulfillment of that prophecy. Its full fulfillment comes in the grace and power accompanying the closing work of the gospel, when the Spirit is given for the ripening of the harvest and whoever calls on the Lord's name will be saved. Even then there were mockers who did not recognize the Spirit's work and charged drunkenness, showing the Lord works in His own often unexpected way and those not under the influence do not understand, a warning that the same mocking would occur if such a manifestation came now.
That Pentecost outpouring was the former or early rain, and its results were glorious with thousands converted in one day. The latter rain will be more abundant, revealing Christ in His fullness through the Spirit's power. It will fall in the same way upon believers, to ripen the harvest for the close of the gospel. It will fall only after every defect of character is remedied and the soul temple is cleansed of every defilement, with not one spot or stain remaining, which must be done before receiving the seal of God. The same preparation now — meeting together, putting away differences and dissension, united in faith, believing the promise, praying in faith with the burden for salvation of souls and asking not for self merely but for power to carry the gospel to the uttermost earth — brings the same blessing.
Pentecost fulfilled in its order and time the vernal meat-offering type of the law of Moses, standing third after Passover fulfilled in Christ's crucifixion and the wave sheaf fulfilled in His resurrection. This establishes the principle that the autumnal types would likewise be fulfilled as to time in events connected with the second advent, including Christ as great High Priest coming out to bless His waiting people. Type met antitype in the life, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus: the veil rent at His long-predicted death, He arose as the resurrection and the life, ascended escorted by the angelic throng, led captivity captive and gave gifts unto men, and then the Spirit was poured out, every specification of the Old Testament fulfilled leaving no uncertainty that Christ is the Son of God. The autumn of 1844 was a like Jerusalem where believers waited for and enjoyed outpouring of the Spirit and heavenly illumination in the seventh-month movement, which those embracing the Second Advent faith since may look back to with the same pleasure and profit as to Pentecost.
The day of Pentecost is a pattern for a later ingathering of souls when the earth is lightened with the angel's glory. That mighty work serves as the model for the future proclamation of the third message: as at Pentecost God's servants will proclaim the warning with holy power, but the later movement will reach the whole earth on an unprecedented worldwide scale, with miracles, healings, and signs and wonders accompanying it. That outpouring brought power to preaching Jesus and Him crucified with many converted in a day, providing the pattern for a similar work at the close of the gospel message when the Spirit will empower the message and Christ will be glorified as a people are prepared for the final test. The same work is waiting to be done today, and because the end of all things is at hand the zeal of the church should exceed even that of the early church and the power of God be revealed even more mightily, with every one shining with present truth in clear distinct rays from compassion for those in darkness, telling redeeming love through delegated messengers. That same Spirit is waiting to manifest power upon gospel ministers standing between the living and the dead, for there is too little of the Spirit and power in their labor, and the power that stirred people mightily in the 1844 movement will again be revealed as the third angel's message goes forth not in whispered tones but with a loud voice. The baptism of the Spirit is a pattern for renewed outpouring bringing revival, angelic help, Spirit-led speech and many wonderful works with genuine conversions not mere excitement, accompanying the final message, yet those resisting may mistake its work for fanaticism as some did then, and receiving this closer union requires surrendering the human will.
The scenes of that day will be repeated, and God's grace will again be bestowed in a remarkable way with similar or greater manifestation of grace and power. The events of Pentecost and the early church's experiences immediately afterward are to be studied for instruction in truth and refreshment of mind, for God's people in the present day must pass through similar experiences. The experience will be repeated with the gospel revealed and verified, and some now uncertain will receive the Holy Spirit of truth. That day became the example and measure of a great number being converted in a single day, and a similarly large number would be converted in the future, including in the promised work among the Jews.
Doctrine and Scripture Connections
The outpouring taught the way into the heavenly sanctuary, carrying minds from the earthly to the heavenly where Jesus had entered by His own blood after the great Sacrifice had been offered and accepted, to shed upon them the benefits of His atonement and His mediation in the Holy place. Those who had rejected John and then rejected and crucified Jesus placed themselves where they could not receive this blessing, and were left in deception and darkness having lost all light on the plan of salvation. They still trusted in useless sacrifices and offerings that would no longer be received after the veil of the temple was rent, with no knowledge of the way to the heavenly sanctuary that had taken the place of the earthly.
From that day the Holy Spirit has been sent to Christ's followers in every age and among every race as His promised divine presence with them until the end. After ten days of prayer the Spirit was poured out in fullness and power like a rushing mighty wind filling the house, as Christ's promised gift after His ascension and enthronement to remain with the church and be shared with the world. He comes as Comforter, Counselor, Sanctifier, Guide and Witness to those who accept Christ as personal Saviour and yield themselves fully to the Lord and His service, and the church has the privilege of receiving Him now by seeking, praying and believing. He made Christ continually present within the disciples in closer union than they had known during His bodily presence. He is the breath of spiritual life, so that receiving Him means receiving Christ's life and being formed in His attributes, fitting those inwardly taught and worked upon by Him and whose lives show Christ's character to represent and minister for the church.
Pentecost provides the pattern for the later descent of the Spirit on Gentiles, as on Cornelius's household, likewise shown by speaking with tongues and magnifying God. This matching gift proved that God accepted Gentile believers and granted them repentance unto life. Yet receiving the Spirit did not replace baptism, since conversion requires faith, repentance and baptism.
Even in that assembly there were mockers who did not recognize the work of the Spirit and charged drunkenness with new wine, to whom Peter with the eleven answered that this was the fulfillment spoken by Joel. The Lord works in His own way, often unexpected, and those who do not come under the influence of the Spirit do not know it, so that Spirit-filled people seem like drunken people to them. Those who resist the Spirit may mistake genuine revival for mere human excitement or fanaticism, as some did then from taking no decided interest in the work, warning that the same mocking would occur if such a manifestation came now upon those upon whom the ends of the world are come. Receiving this closer union with Christ requires surrendering the human will to God.
The descent parallels the elders receiving the Spirit and prophesying, as God prepared and publicly equipped them for their work. As the Spirit rested on those elders, so the disciples were endowed at Pentecost, and their Spirit-given speech foretold Christ's work and mission and showed that God's power was upon them. Many of the three thousand converted in a day on that occasion had first heard the truth at Matthew's feast, and some became messengers of the gospel.
The healing of the cripple by Peter and John took place a short time after the Spirit's descent and immediately after a season of fervent prayer, showing the setting for remarkable heavenly power.
Fellowship and Church Life
The oneness of Acts 2:1 did not end when the Spirit came, but continued in the life of the believers as oneness of heart and soul. Animated by Him who died that sinners might live, they loved one another, shared meals with gladness, freely shared goods so that none lacked, and in daily association revealed Christ's character. They had received a clearer conception of the love of God and of the brotherly love they must have for one another, so their one desire in proclaiming a living Saviour was the salvation of souls. They rejoiced in communion with saints and were tender, thoughtful, self-denying, and willing to make any sacrifice for the truth's sake, striving by unselfish words and deeds to kindle that love in other hearts. Such love was ever to be cherished in willing obedience to the new commandment, in union with Christ so close that all His requirements could be fulfilled, so that their lives would magnify the power of a Saviour who justifies by His righteousness.
Prepared by sincere devotion and humble, earnest, persevering prayer that brought them into close communion with Him, sitting together with Him in heavenly places and realizing the greatness of their debt to Him, they went forth weighted with the burden of saving souls and filled with zeal to extend the triumphs of the cross. Filled with love through the Spirit, they spoke and prayed with power and brought many souls from darkness to light and raised up many churches, with thousands converted because the greater magnitude of their work came through the Spirit and not through greater exertions of their own. Baptism with the Holy Spirit draws believers together in harmony, and when God's people are of one accord in one place and lay hold of His promises by faith, the Holy Spirit comes upon them, heals their infirmities, and unites their efforts for God's work. The Pentecost gathering became the example of the whole company of believers united in mind and heart, for the unity sought comes through the Spirit of God removing selfishness. The coming of the Holy Spirit upon hearts brings unity in voice and understanding, together with wisdom for God's work.
That gift did not free them from temptation or trial. They still had to strive, pray daily for fresh grace, and grow toward the full stature of life in Christ. Through the Holy Spirit's work, even the weakest could exercise faith, develop their God-given abilities, and become sanctified, refined, and ennobled, and humble submission to the Spirit's shaping work brought them into the fullness of God and fashioned them in the divine likeness. After Pentecost, when the church received great additions with thousands converted in one day, the disciples were in danger of staying in Jerusalem to protect and maintain the new church instead of training its members to share the gospel and carry it to others. Strength to resist temptation is gained through active service, and the Spirit's coming led to missionary action in which believers who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word and carried the gospel beyond Jerusalem. Persecution scattered them to spread the gospel beyond Jerusalem, so that the blessings received bore fruit in preaching and sharing the light.
John was with the other disciples on that day of unity in one place and shared with them in the outpouring of the Spirit. The outpouring gave him and the other apostles fresh zeal and power to preach about Jesus, to speak the words of life to the people and lead their thoughts to the Unseen, and afterward he continued preaching with that fresh zeal and power. That same pouring out upon the disciples included Philip, and it changed him from unbelief, dullness and slowness of heart to believe into a teacher after the divine order who knew by experience what he spoke and taught with an assurance that carried conviction to his hearers. The power imparted in Acts 2:1-4 was given when the church was a separate and peculiar people. That same power with which the sick would be healed and devils rebuked and cast out, making her mighty and a terror to her enemies, would still be with the church if she had always retained her holy and peculiar character, but failure to remain separate dimmed the gold and changed the fine gold and left her without that power.
Pattern and Call Today
The first two chapters of Acts give the pattern for carrying forward God's work through shared prayer, counsel and unity under the Spirit's guidance, rather than arbitrary human direction or dependence on leaders as substitutes for personal responsibility before God. The ten days before Pentecost were required to bring the disciples to understand what effectual prayer means, as they drew nearer to God, confessed sins, humbled hearts, beheld Jesus by faith until changed into His image, and then were filled and endowed with power to go forth to do effectual work. Every worker and missionary now must breathe out prayer for the baptism of the Holy Spirit, gather in companies to call upon God for special help and heavenly wisdom to know how to plan and devise and execute the work, and pray especially that the Lord will choose His agents and baptize them. When church members unite under the control of the Spirit in counseling and praying together, they have a life and power they cannot obtain otherwise, and God can work mightily through them to convert sinners. Their example after Christ's ascension, assembling in one place to pray for the descent of the Spirit, teaches that momentous decisions require earnest, united seeking of God with seriousness and patience.
The same Holy Spirit who fell on the united disciples then will fall now on those whose hearts are united with Christ and whose lives are in harmony with His work. Their earnest seeking is the example, for believers need the Spirit even more amid widespread moral darkness and deception. That need is even greater amid false doctrines, heresies and satanic deceptions, and without the Spirit and God's power labor to present divine truth is in vain and ineffective. The outpouring upon them is an experience believers may earnestly pray to receive, for the Spirit softens hard hearts, fills them with joy, transforms them and makes them channels of blessing.
Believers should now be in the Pentecost position, together with one accord in one place in unity under the moving of the Spirit's power, as the disciples were when they obeyed the command to remain in Jerusalem and continued in prayer and supplication. They had devoted the ten days since the ascension to earnest preparation, searching hearts, humbling themselves, strengthening faith, confessing sins, giving up every idol, with hearts in harmony, and the church should likewise seek God unitedly and earnestly to receive heavenly grace. Their united gathering is the example to assemble in prayer and lay aside selfish ambition in seeking the Spirit. Readiness requires denying self as Christ denied Himself, studying the Scriptures with all might lest they fail to carry them out, and putting away self rising up among members, for as long as that spirit prevails there will be backward movement instead of forward. The baptism they received is what workers need to discern distant as well as nearby fields and to plan and labor with unselfish concern for the worldwide work.
Pentecostal energy is the Spirit's promised all-conquering power, which comes as God's people clear the way through prayer and confession of sin and brings spiritual renewal. The spirit of intercession manifested before Pentecost is the pattern for the reformatory movement among God's people and for the prayerful unity accompanying great revival. The same interceding spirit will be seen again, with many praising God, the sick healed and other miracles wrought, hundreds and thousands visiting families and opening the Word to them, hearts convicted and genuinely converted, doors thrown open to the truth, the world lightened with heavenly influence, great blessings received by the true and humble, and voices of thanksgiving and praise in a reformation like that of 1844. Those who refuse conversion and cling selfishly to earthly possessions when liberal offerings are called for become separated from believers. The converting power that came upon God's people then is the pattern for seeking that same power so people may be changed and prepared to serve.
Their gathering in Jerusalem in prayer to receive the Spirit and begin witness provides the pattern for establishing a united witness in places of great influence, so the message can shine out from the nation's capital. Jerusalem was a center from which the gospel would reach many people. The Pentecost beginning there sets the duty to make at Washington a special representation of present truth by establishing one signal memorial, and long passing by that city without it is a decided failure to understand the chapter and unfaithful stewardship of that part of the vineyard.
The same blessing is to be sought by institutions, churches, families, schools and conferences, for when people are truly converted the Spirit does a wonderful work and in an institution conversion brings unity among workers with the Lord present to teach, lead and guide. Meetings marked by the Spirit's power become a pentecostal season, with the Lord moving hearts, intense response to prayer, many testifying to new blessing, vision, comfort and praise. At Paris the Spirit's presence brought striking conviction and humility, leading those deceived into error to fall down, confess wrongs to one another and plead with God for forgiveness. A congregation united in confession and forgiveness, praising God as a powerful work continued through the night, is a Pentecostal season. The meeting at Battle Creek could have had such a season if those present had worked in harmony with Christ, put away what grieved the Spirit, humbled hearts in contrition and yielded sin. The General Conference of 1901 could have been one of the greatest revivals since Pentecost if leaders had humbled, confessed and surrendered.
When believers pray, believe and come into harmony as the disciples did in united prayer and supplication while waiting for the promise to be baptized with the Holy Ghost, heaven cooperates with earth in a mighty power at work in the world. Heaven and God's workers work harmoniously together in one God, one faith, one baptism, and the Lord works with them to open the understanding and hearts of those they seek and bring them to knowledge of the truth, a work acknowledged in the courts of heaven. Before that day they made days of preparation by prayer and putting away all disunion, bringing them into such close relation to God that He could work for them and through them marvelously, and so now believing people must work in harmony and stand in right relation to Him so when He speaks they hear and understand and He demonstrates power in their behalf through their faith and works. Pentecost will fully come among workers when they unite in true repentance and conversion, after which Christ and heavenly angels will cooperate with them in daily work. United kneeling prayer brings the sweet Spirit as then, and the Spirit must be received first, then angels impress minds that had evidence but never took stand for fear of persecution, removing fear to give confidence that God will deliver if He wills and readiness to suffer if not, as when prison doors were opened. Christ, ascended to take His place as Advocate in the heavenly courts, sent the Spirit in answer to prayer to make right impressions on mind and heart, convincing of sin, righteousness and judgment and converting souls, so dependence must be on the Spirit's working, not on expensive covers, illustrations or pictures. By connection with Christ grace is continually received, blinded eyes are opened, understanding is enlightened, Scripture is revealed, faith is inspired, character is transformed, hereditary evil is overcome, stand is empowered against idolatry, and sufficient power is given to work as fellow laborers in each sphere.
The gathering included people of many nationalities so each heard in his own tongue, and hearing carried conviction and caused the message to go broadcast everywhere, and the same kind of representation will happen again for those who follow on to know the Lord. The Spirit came with fullness and power reaching every heart, and this first outpouring is linked to the future work through God's people by which the earth will be filled with God's glory and the world reached with grace. The Infinite One revealed Himself in power, descending as a rushing mighty wind to the assembled room while all heaven beheld the wisdom of matchless love, and the disciples grasped the gift with wonder, mingling penitence and confession with songs of praise, thanksgiving and prophecy. Their hearts were surcharged with full, deep, far-reaching benevolence and intense longing to add to the saved, impelling them to the ends of the earth proclaiming the gospel and glorying only in the cross, calling believers to arouse so all nations hear and the earth be filled with glory. As they went forth filled with power, so servants today are to go forth with unselfish desire to reap fields white to harvest and give mercy to those in darkness, error and unbelief in regions beyond, no longer blocked by listless indifference. At Pentecost thousands were converted in one day and believers held possessions for the gospel, and when moved by the same Spirit believers give generously and a broad, far-reaching work is accomplished with God's missionary spirit burning in their hearts.
The events of Pentecost and the early church's experiences immediately afterward are to be studied for instruction in truth and refreshment of mind, as the model for God's people facing opposition and bearing convincing testimony. God's people in the present day must pass through similar experiences. The call to pray for the Spirit's apostolic power stands, while claims to possess such power must be tested, since they can be self-deception and can lead others into fanaticism.