And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What meaneth this?
The amazed question was asked by devout Jews from every nation gathered at Jerusalem for the festival, who were confounded to hear Galileans speak the wonderful works of God each in his own birth tongue and wondered what it signified. It came when the disciples who had obeyed the command to wait in Jerusalem, continuing with one accord in prayer and supplication after confessing sins, were filled with the Holy Ghost and spoke in other tongues as the Spirit gave utterance amid sound as of rushing wind and tongues like fire. Their amazement was before a divine manifestation that Christ's reception and coronation in the heavenly courts was complete, and the miraculous speech confirmed the apostles' testimony and commission from God. The crowd was divided between honest inquirers who wondered with desire to understand and others who mocked that the men were full of new wine, and Peter standing with the eleven answered that they were not drunken but this was the outpouring spoken by Joel in the last days. The same manifestation of heaven's power in Acts 2:6-20 will be seen again among God's people with warnings and explanation of the Word, and the same converting work is still to be done to wake from stupor because there is a world to save.
Wonder at Pentecost
The question in Acts 2:12 arose after the disciples obeyed Christ's command not to leave Jerusalem but to wait there for the promise of the Father to be baptized with the Holy Ghost and with fire for power to witness. They continued with one accord in prayer and supplication in an upper room, Peter, James, John, Andrew, Philip, Thomas, Bartholomew, Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, Simon Zelotes, Judas the brother of James, with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus and His brethren, spending several days confessing sins and praying for the Spirit. When Pentecost fully came they were all with one accord in one place, when a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind filled the house, cloven tongues like fire sat upon each of them, and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost and spoke in other tongues as the Spirit gave utterance.
Those who asked what it meant were devout Jews from every nation under heaven gathered at Jerusalem for a religious festival. They heard unlearned Galileans speak the wonderful works of God, every man in his own birth tongue wherein he was born. Parthians, Medes, Elamites, dwellers in Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, parts of Libya about Cyrene, strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes, Cretes and Arabians all heard, and being confounded and amazed and marveling they said one to another in doubt and uncertainty what this signified.
Their amazement was at a divine manifestation, the power of the Holy Spirit poured out as heaven's communication that Christ's reception and coronation and inauguration in the heavenly courts, with the angels who accompanied Him to heaven, was complete. That miraculous speech in their own languages confirmed the apostles' testimony and their commission from God.
The crowd was divided, for part asked in honest wonder with desire to understand the outpouring, while others failed to recognize the Holy Spirit's work. Those others mocked and said the men were full of new wine, seeking to undermine the preaching.
Joel Prophecy Fulfilled
To the amazed question, What meaneth this, Peter stood up with the eleven and answered that the men were not drunken, since it was only the third hour of the day, but this was that spoken by the prophet Joel, that in the last days God would pour out His Spirit upon all flesh and whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. The crowd had been astonished by hearing Galileans speak in their own birth languages, and while honest inquirers wondered what the outpouring meant, others tried to undermine the preaching by mocking that the men were full of new wine.
The fulfillment declared is that sons and daughters shall prophesy, young men shall see visions, old men shall dream dreams, and servants and handmaidens shall prophesy. It includes wonders in heaven above and signs in the earth beneath, blood and fire and vapor of smoke, the sun turned into darkness and the moon into blood before the great and notable day of the Lord come.
The great subject that brought about three thousand souls to repentance in one day was the Spirit's unfolding of Jesus and glorifying Him before the people. Jesus, whom God exalted to be a Prince and a Saviour to give repentance and forgiveness of sins, was lifted up and preached with tremendous effect in demonstration of the Spirit and with power. Eyes that before saw no beauty in Him to desire Him were quickened by the Spirit to behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, for the glorious inner beauties of His work and character are not discerned with natural eyes.
Those about three thousand added the same day continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship and in breaking of bread and in prayers, and fear came upon every soul while many wonders and signs were done. They were in unity and had all things common, selling possessions and goods to meet need, and continuing daily with one accord in the temple and breaking bread from house to house, they ate with gladness and singleness of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people, while the Lord added daily such as should be saved. Those who witnessed the events heard the disciples testify to Christ's resurrection, and they carried the message of repentance and forgiveness in His name to their homes.
Pattern for Today
The amazement and questioning show the Holy Spirit working mightily through believers who were harmoniously united, with one accord in one place. Jerusalem stood as a center where Spirit-empowered speech was given before people gathered from many nations, and the wonder and inquiry arose because the Spirit-given speech made the hearers wonder what was happening. That working is the pattern for establishing a strong public witness for the gospel in a major capital city.
The manifestation of heaven's power described in Acts 2:6-20 will be seen again among God's people. Revelations from heaven will then be given in warnings and reproofs and in explanation of the Word, so that all may understand they have come to the very period prophesied there. Because that manifestation is to appear again, every soul must be on the watchtower. The account of promised power coming when they spoke in other tongues as the Spirit gave utterance, amid the amazement and questions, stands as a parallel to later experiences of Spirit-given speech in languages understood by listeners.
The experiences during and just after Pentecost are an example for God's people in the present day. They have special bearing now, urging remembrance that salvation was purchased at infinite cost and that solemn responsibility rests upon believers to witness in Jerusalem, and in Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost parts of the earth. The same converting work is still to be done, for when the Spirit came the believers went out and preached the Word everywhere and thousands of sinners were converted in a day. That power is needed now to wake from stupor and indifference, because there is a world to save and a message to give and no one is to sleep in this judgment hour. Believers have a part in it by gaining the self-denying life of Christ and by gaining an intelligent knowledge of the truths of the third angel's message in order to do an intelligent work for God, taking the Bible from house to house to bring souls to the knowledge of the truth, since in the last days there is a large work to be done among people of all languages whatever their country or speech. Heaven cooperates with all who do the work of the Lord and who come into right relation to God by searching the Scriptures and walking humbly with Him, giving them understanding of the Word and power to work.
The amazed question was asked by devout Jews from every nation gathered at Jerusalem for the festival, who were confounded to hear Galileans speak the wonderful works of God each in his own birth tongue and wondered what it signified. It came when the disciples who had obeyed the command to wait in Jerusalem, continuing with one accord in prayer and supplication after confessing sins, were filled with the Holy Ghost and spoke in other tongues as the Spirit gave utterance amid sound as of rushing wind and tongues like fire. Their amazement was before a divine manifestation that Christ's reception and coronation in the heavenly courts was complete, and the miraculous speech confirmed the apostles' testimony and commission from God. The crowd was divided between honest inquirers who wondered with desire to understand and others who mocked that the men were full of new wine, and Peter standing with the eleven answered that they were not drunken but this was the outpouring spoken by Joel in the last days. The same manifestation of heaven's power in Acts 2:6-20 will be seen again among God's people with warnings and explanation of the Word, and the same converting work is still to be done to wake from stupor because there is a world to save.
Wonder at Pentecost
The question in Acts 2:12 arose after the disciples obeyed Christ's command not to leave Jerusalem but to wait there for the promise of the Father to be baptized with the Holy Ghost and with fire for power to witness. They continued with one accord in prayer and supplication in an upper room, Peter, James, John, Andrew, Philip, Thomas, Bartholomew, Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, Simon Zelotes, Judas the brother of James, with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus and His brethren, spending several days confessing sins and praying for the Spirit. When Pentecost fully came they were all with one accord in one place, when a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind filled the house, cloven tongues like fire sat upon each of them, and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost and spoke in other tongues as the Spirit gave utterance.
Those who asked what it meant were devout Jews from every nation under heaven gathered at Jerusalem for a religious festival. They heard unlearned Galileans speak the wonderful works of God, every man in his own birth tongue wherein he was born. Parthians, Medes, Elamites, dwellers in Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, parts of Libya about Cyrene, strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes, Cretes and Arabians all heard, and being confounded and amazed and marveling they said one to another in doubt and uncertainty what this signified.
Their amazement was at a divine manifestation, the power of the Holy Spirit poured out as heaven's communication that Christ's reception and coronation and inauguration in the heavenly courts, with the angels who accompanied Him to heaven, was complete. That miraculous speech in their own languages confirmed the apostles' testimony and their commission from God.
The crowd was divided, for part asked in honest wonder with desire to understand the outpouring, while others failed to recognize the Holy Spirit's work. Those others mocked and said the men were full of new wine, seeking to undermine the preaching.
Joel Prophecy Fulfilled
To the amazed question, What meaneth this, Peter stood up with the eleven and answered that the men were not drunken, since it was only the third hour of the day, but this was that spoken by the prophet Joel, that in the last days God would pour out His Spirit upon all flesh and whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. The crowd had been astonished by hearing Galileans speak in their own birth languages, and while honest inquirers wondered what the outpouring meant, others tried to undermine the preaching by mocking that the men were full of new wine.
The fulfillment declared is that sons and daughters shall prophesy, young men shall see visions, old men shall dream dreams, and servants and handmaidens shall prophesy. It includes wonders in heaven above and signs in the earth beneath, blood and fire and vapor of smoke, the sun turned into darkness and the moon into blood before the great and notable day of the Lord come.
The great subject that brought about three thousand souls to repentance in one day was the Spirit's unfolding of Jesus and glorifying Him before the people. Jesus, whom God exalted to be a Prince and a Saviour to give repentance and forgiveness of sins, was lifted up and preached with tremendous effect in demonstration of the Spirit and with power. Eyes that before saw no beauty in Him to desire Him were quickened by the Spirit to behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, for the glorious inner beauties of His work and character are not discerned with natural eyes.
Those about three thousand added the same day continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship and in breaking of bread and in prayers, and fear came upon every soul while many wonders and signs were done. They were in unity and had all things common, selling possessions and goods to meet need, and continuing daily with one accord in the temple and breaking bread from house to house, they ate with gladness and singleness of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people, while the Lord added daily such as should be saved. Those who witnessed the events heard the disciples testify to Christ's resurrection, and they carried the message of repentance and forgiveness in His name to their homes.
Pattern for Today
The amazement and questioning show the Holy Spirit working mightily through believers who were harmoniously united, with one accord in one place. Jerusalem stood as a center where Spirit-empowered speech was given before people gathered from many nations, and the wonder and inquiry arose because the Spirit-given speech made the hearers wonder what was happening. That working is the pattern for establishing a strong public witness for the gospel in a major capital city.
The manifestation of heaven's power described in Acts 2:6-20 will be seen again among God's people. Revelations from heaven will then be given in warnings and reproofs and in explanation of the Word, so that all may understand they have come to the very period prophesied there. Because that manifestation is to appear again, every soul must be on the watchtower. The account of promised power coming when they spoke in other tongues as the Spirit gave utterance, amid the amazement and questions, stands as a parallel to later experiences of Spirit-given speech in languages understood by listeners.
The experiences during and just after Pentecost are an example for God's people in the present day. They have special bearing now, urging remembrance that salvation was purchased at infinite cost and that solemn responsibility rests upon believers to witness in Jerusalem, and in Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost parts of the earth. The same converting work is still to be done, for when the Spirit came the believers went out and preached the Word everywhere and thousands of sinners were converted in a day. That power is needed now to wake from stupor and indifference, because there is a world to save and a message to give and no one is to sleep in this judgment hour. Believers have a part in it by gaining the self-denying life of Christ and by gaining an intelligent knowledge of the truths of the third angel's message in order to do an intelligent work for God, taking the Bible from house to house to bring souls to the knowledge of the truth, since in the last days there is a large work to be done among people of all languages whatever their country or speech. Heaven cooperates with all who do the work of the Lord and who come into right relation to God by searching the Scriptures and walking humbly with Him, giving them understanding of the Word and power to work.