Acts 2:2, commentary and pictures

Suddenly a sound came from heaven like a rushing mighty wind and filled all the house in Jerusalem where the disciples were sitting together in the upper room at Pentecost. It was the fulfillment of the promise that they would be baptized with the Holy Spirit in fullness and power, proving that Christ had ascended, been enthroned and glorified, and sent the Spirit as He promised. They had waited ten days in obedience to His command, humbling themselves, confessing sin, putting away differences, and continuing together in one accord in earnest united prayer. With the sound came divided tongues like fire and utterance in other tongues, so the disciples became bold witnesses for Christ, about three thousand joined them that day, and a great harvest followed. That outpouring was the former early rain that began the gospel work and is the pattern for the more abundant latter rain at its close, and the same pentecostal power still belongs to all who seek it with the same cleansing, confession, unity, and prayer.

Sound From Heaven

Suddenly a sound came from heaven like a rushing mighty wind and filled all the house where the disciples were sitting, fulfilling God's promise after they had waited ten days in Jerusalem for the baptism of the Holy Spirit. The outpouring came at Pentecost upon the believers as the first-fruits of the Christian church, giving them power for their work. It came as they waited together in prayer, and provided powerful evidence that Jesus was God's Son, risen from the dead and ascended to heaven, moving those who had been afraid to act openly on their convictions.

The filling was complete and public, filling the whole house, room, and place of meeting, manifesting power to outsiders and not done as a private matter. It was heaven manifesting the power that will be given to God's people in their emergency, with heaven's light shining in its most powerful rays upon the Lord's witnesses in Jerusalem as a great center to equip them to bear the gospel outward. The Spirit came in fullness and power, as though held in restraint for ages and now poured out on the church to be shared with the world. That blessing upon the assembled disciples brought them power to go out and do effective work for Christ, with penitence, confession, praise for forgiven sins, thanksgiving, and prophecy, so that thousands were converted in one day.

The setting was a house, upper room, and upper chamber in Jerusalem, where the disciples sat together with one accord in one place during the Pentecost feast while multitudes were assembled. People of different nationalities were present and heard the message in their own languages, and that testimony brought conviction and was to spread everywhere. The sound was joined to divided tongues like fire resting on each one and to being filled with the Holy Spirit to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave utterance, so devout Jews out of every nation heard the wonderful works of God in their own tongue. It came after the disciples had spent several days together in obedience to Jesus' command not to depart from Jerusalem until they received the promise of the Father, confessing sins, settling differences, continuing in unity, prayer, and communion with Jesus, including meeting Him in Galilee, His parting on Olivet, and the angels' promise, through ten days of seeking. In that power they became witnesses of the risen Saviour in Jerusalem, in Judea, and to the uttermost parts of the earth, beginning with the multitudes assembled on that occasion.

The wind is an image of divine life, power, and the breath of God. Human strength and eloquence cannot convict and convert, but the Spirit's heavenly power can fill people, enable truth to be presented with force, bring many to conversion, and make witness effective. The church needs that renewing presence and should seek it in prayer, for spiritual power is poured out on those prepared to receive it.

The sound was a sudden, unmistakable heavenly sign accompanying the reception of the Spirit and manifestation of power from heaven as a witness to God's people and the world. The Spirit's baptism draws believers together and brings them into harmony with one another by its vivifying influence. The same kind of divine working can bring revival, conversions, and powerful witness, though those not under its influence may mistake it for fanaticism.

Waiting Disciples Prepared

The sound came after ten days of waiting in Jerusalem in obedience to the command not to depart but to wait for the promise of the Father and the baptism with the Holy Spirit. The Christian church in its infancy began without Christ's personal presence by praying for the promised Spirit, and at the end of the ten days the promise was fulfilled by a wonderful outpouring. The influence that had long been held in restraint was then poured out in no restricted measure to equip believers for their work in the world. The day of Pentecost fully come found them united in one place awaiting the gift, when suddenly the sound from heaven like a rushing mighty wind filled the house where they sat, followed by divided tongues like fire resting on each one and all being filled to speak with other tongues and receive power to witness in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the uttermost part of the earth.

Those ten days were deep heart-searching in which they humbled their hearts before God, confessed sin, put away all differences, bitterness and disunion, and drew close together in Christian fellowship. They waited with one accord in one place with unclouded faith, knowing for a certainty that Jesus was the Son of God, preparing themselves until the baptism came. It was the answer to united prayer and the heavenly strengthening for the spiritual conflict, the Spirit of God working mightily among them because they were harmoniously united.

The outpouring came suddenly in answer to earnest, persevering prayer by disciples united in one place in seeking power to overcome their own failings and faults and to save others. While gathered together in prayer and unity the divine answer came, marking the beginning of the Spirit's empowering work to speak boldly and serve together. Their experience is the pattern for believers to pray for the Spirit's presence, to be sought through united, earnest prayer in faith and patience, which God may answer suddenly with overpowering might or after a delay that tests faith.

Their waiting included communion with Jesus and remembrance of the privilege of close association with Him. They recalled meeting with Him in Galilee, His parting on Olivet and the angels' promise, and their days of prayer and communion together in the upper room and upper chamber. They were filled with sadness and grief over having grieved Him by slowness of comprehension and failure to understand His lessons until after His trial and crucifixion. Yet they held assurance of His presence as a Friend, and power and glory followed that communion.

Promise Fulfilled Outpouring

The rushing sound marked the fulfillment of God's promise and Christ's commission after ten days of waiting in Jerusalem in obedience to the command not to depart but to wait for the promise of the Father and baptism with the Holy Spirit. When the day was fully come and the believers were all with one accord in one place in united, earnest prayer with deep heart-searching, confession, putting away of differences and close Christian fellowship, the promised blessing came suddenly as a sound from heaven like a rushing mighty wind filling the house where they were sitting, followed by divided tongues like fire and filling with the Holy Spirit to speak with other tongues. That coming equipped them with power to be witnesses in Jerusalem, in Judea, in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth, so that devout Jews from every nation heard in their own language and despite fierce opposition the gospel was within a short time proclaimed throughout the inhabited world. It was the baptism and plentiful outpouring of the Holy Spirit in fullness and power, given in no small or restricted measure after that influence had long been held in restraint, as though restrained for ages and now poured out on the church to be shared with the world.

The outpouring proved that Christ had ascended, been offered and accepted as the great Sacrifice, been received in the heavenly courts, entered the heavenly sanctuary by His own blood, been enthroned in His mediatorial kingdom and glorified, and sent the Spirit as promised under His omnipotence and abiding presence. Believers became conscious of the presence of their ascended Lord, and the descent carried the disciples' minds from the earthly sanctuary to the heavenly to receive the benefits of His atonement now that Jewish sacrifices and ordinances would no longer be received, as shown by the rending of the veil of the temple. Those who rejected the testimony of John and then rejected and crucified Jesus placed themselves where they could not receive this blessing, and were left in complete deception and total darkness with no light on the plan of salvation, still trusting in useless sacrifices and offerings with no knowledge of the way to the heavenly sanctuary and no benefit from Christ's mediation. It was a powerful revelation of God to the church in which heaven cooperated with earth, angels worked with the disciples, and all heaven bent low to behold matchless love, manifesting power publicly to outsiders and not as a private matter, showing the power that will be given to God's people in their emergency.

It was far greater than the earlier gift when Christ breathed on the disciples and imparted His peace, which was only a few drops before the shower given for a special purpose to fit them for their official duties in connection with the church and to prepare them for the fuller gift as witnesses of His resurrection and teachers of His words, character, precepts, and example. Not until the fuller, more abundant impartation after His ascension and glorification was received could the disciples fulfill the commission to preach the gospel to the world. The day fulfilled in its order and time one of the spring types of the law of Moses, just as the crucifixion fulfilled the Passover and the resurrection fulfilled the wave sheaf. This exact fulfillment of the spring types in time proves that the autumn types will likewise be fulfilled as to time in the events connected with the second advent, including Christ as great High Priest coming out to bless His waiting people on the tenth day of the seventh month. The event began the fulfillment of Joel's prophecy of God pouring out His Spirit on all flesh with wonders and salvation for all who call on the Lord, a work belonging to the gospel and the last days, laying solemn responsibility in view of salvation purchased at infinite cost. That Pentecost outpouring was a partial fulfillment, whose full fulfillment will come with a manifestation of divine grace and power in the closing work of the gospel.

Power and Results

The sound was joined to divided tongues like fire resting on each one, and to being filled with the Holy Spirit to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave utterance. Devout Jews out of every nation who were assembled at the feast heard in their own tongues the wonderful works of God. This was the fulfillment of the promise that they would receive power to be witnesses in Jerusalem, in Judea, in Samaria, and unto the uttermost parts of the earth. Under that power they preached Christ everywhere and carried the gospel from Jerusalem to all nations and to the ends of the earth. They overcame fierce opposition by the Spirit and the Word rather than by earthly weapons, and the great response to Peter's preaching came through the Spirit working through the disciples.

About three thousand souls joined the believers that day, and great additions, harvest, and ingathering followed. The seed sown by Christ, by patriarchs and prophets, and by holy men was reaped, and thousands were converted in one day under the empowered witness. Those who hold a different number teach that on that occasion five thousand were converted in one day and the church began to grow rapidly with great additions made that day. The gift brought penitence, confession, praise for forgiven sins, thanksgiving, and prophecy. It brought brotherly love, unity, gladness, liberality with possessions, and a missionary spirit, so that no one lacked and no one said what he owned was his own but all was held for advancing the work. Confession came from human lips, humiliation of soul, and songs of praise and thanksgiving mingled with penitence, while believers were united in loving service.

Truths Christ had spoken in parables and proverbs became clear, mysteries were unfolded, and heavenly illumination and understanding were given for the work left them. Fanciful theories, confused ideas, and earlier interpretations appeared foolish, and the disciples accepted the teachings of Scripture with new faith and assurance that Jesus was the Messiah. Fearful, discouraged followers who had been afraid to act openly on conviction became bold, energetic witnesses, moved and enabled to speak with power. Their words were confirmed by signs and wonders, giving extraordinary power and energy to preach Christ. The manifestation restrained opponents from violence though it did not soften their malice.

The demonstration gave powerful evidence and public weight that Jesus was God's Son, the one they had crucified, risen from the dead, and ascended to heaven. It was a special public demonstration in Jerusalem that lifted up Jesus and accompanied preaching that brought thousands to repentance in one day. Peter explained to the people what had happened, and the manifestation gave weight to their witness as evidence of Christ's power and glory. Those who did not come under the influence of the Holy Spirit did not recognize His work and knew it not, for the Lord was at work in His own way and not according to human devising or expectation. They thought the disciples drunk, mocked them, and called the coming of the Spirit fanaticism.

Prophecy and Doctrine

The outpouring at Pentecost was the former, early rain that began the gospel work and caused the seed to spring up, and it is the pattern for the more abundant latter rain that will ripen the harvest at the close of the gospel work under the loud cry. That former rain came as a heavenly endowment bestowed in large measure in answer to prayers offered daily in faith after the disciples united in faith and prayer, bringing power for their work so that thousands were converted in one day. The latter rain will fall in the same way upon believers after they remedy defects in character and cleanse the soul temple of every defilement, leaving no spot or stain, which must be done before anyone can receive the seal of God. The future worldwide work under the loud cry of the third message will be similar to the work at Pentecost, though it will surpass it in extent and power, and that Pentecost ingathering is the pattern for a future ingathering when an angel comes down from heaven and the earth is lightened with his glory.

The day fully opened the Christian dispensation and commenced the Christian age with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and abundant manifestation of spiritual gifts, including prophecy. The signs promised to follow believers were manifested in a most wonderful manner through various spiritual gifts, and the manifestation of the Spirit was given to every man to profit withal, meaning to every man in the church, not to every man in the world. The descent carried the disciples' minds from the earthly sanctuary to the heavenly sanctuary, where Jesus had entered by His own blood to shed upon them the benefits of His atonement. The great Sacrifice had been offered and accepted, and Jewish sacrifices and ordinances would no longer be received, as shown by the rending of the veil of the temple. Those who rejected the testimony of John and then rejected and crucified Jesus placed themselves where they could not receive this blessing, and were left in complete deception and total darkness, losing all light on the plan of salvation, still trusting in useless sacrifices and offerings, with no knowledge of the way to the heavenly sanctuary and no benefit from Christ's mediation in the holy place.

As at Pentecost, the Spirit later fell on Gentile believers while Peter preached, showing God gave them the same gift and granted them repentance unto life and welcome into the church. The descent on the Gentiles at Cornelius's house interrupted Peter's preaching in a way comparable to Pentecost, but that gift did not take the place of baptism, for conversion required faith, repentance, and baptism. As the seventy elders were endowed with the Spirit for their work, so the disciples were endowed with power from on high at Pentecost. The elders foretold Christ's work and mission, and their wisdom and fluent speech showed that God's power was upon them.

The foundation of the Christian church and missionary activity was laid in prayer, when the disciples were of one accord in one place calling upon the Lord for the outpouring of His Holy Spirit upon them. The Holy Spirit is given richly through various channels, and the more it is sought the wider will be its diffusion. Earnest work to save souls gives constant necessity for renewed application to the Source of all power, establishing habitual communication between the soul and God, and the Fountain of the Water of Life drawn upon by faith is never exhausted. The Spirit given that day is sufficient power to overcome all hereditary and cultivated tendencies to evil and to impress God's character on the human agent, and through that agent upon all who come within the sphere of his influence. By yielding all capabilities to the control of the Spirit, believers become instrumentality through which the Holy Spirit can work, becoming fellow laborers with God in carrying out redemption by working out His mercy, goodness, and love and thus impressing other minds with whom they come in contact.

The promised Helper comes as a constant, working, regenerating helper who gives supernatural power, teaches the mysteries of God's kingdom, and makes effective in believers what Christ accomplished through His life and death. That promised presence and work are not limited to one age or race, but from Pentecost onward the Spirit has come to those who fully yield themselves to the Lord and His service and to all who accept Christ as personal Saviour, serving as Counselor, Sanctifier, Guide, and Witness. The experience of receiving the Spirit with speaking as the Spirit gives utterance and with special signs of the Spirit's influence does not require that future signs must take the same form or produce the same physical effects. The appeal for apostolic power, when joined to claims of authority to cast out devils, can be part of self-deception and fanaticism; similar fanaticism arose after 1844 and will recur in the closing days.

Pattern for Today

The same pentecostal energy and all-conquering power that came at Pentecost belongs to every age, to all who need the Spirit, trust God's word, and believe every word from His mouth, and the blessing of heaven is still open. That promise is not limited to that day but is available now to all who trust and need His grace and Spirit, with the same power then received promised now to carry the work forward. It is the power promised to enable preaching of the Word everywhere, with thousands converted, as people of different nationalities heard in their own languages and conviction spread everywhere, and similar manifestations will come if God's people follow on to know the Lord.

Receiving it now calls for the same preparation as then, when the blessing may be expected as people come wholeheartedly, putting away prejudice, doubt, and unbelief. Hearts must be united with Christ and lives in harmony with His work, with the soul-temple cleansed and consecrated, hindrances and selfishness put away, sin confessed, the heart humbled, and the King's highway cleared. This requires earnest prayer for the Spirit's presence and power, together and alone, in seeking, praying, and believing, for heaven is waiting to bestow it and lack is not from restriction on God's part. The need is even greater now in a time of moral darkness, false teaching, heresy, and deception, for without that help labor to present truth is in vain, yet when unity with Christ is reached revival, conversion, and souls added to the church will follow.

Pentecostal seasons can be experienced even now when God's people pray fervently and believe His promises, for prayer and faith make the world see a steady light. Pentecost followed a period marked by a spirit of intercession, and that same spirit will be seen again in a great reformatory movement and revival accompanied by the Spirit's power and genuine conversion. Such seasons have been known when heartfelt confession, reconciliation, weeping, and praise continued nearly until morning, with praising of God, healing of the sick and other miracles, hundreds and thousands visiting families and opening the Word, hearts convicted, doors thrown open to truth, the world lightened with heavenly influence, great blessings to the true and humble, and voices of thanksgiving like the reformation of 1844, while those refusing conversion and clinging selfishly to earthly possessions are separated.

The outpouring is expected to produce missionary zeal in those upon whom the Spirit manifestly moves, sending them out to preach everywhere with thousands converted in a day. Under that influence believers are to carry truth into towns, cities, unentered fields, and regions beyond as pilgrims and strangers rather than colonizing in one place, taking the Bible from house to house to read to people, faithfully taking up personal duties for those who do not know Christ. That demonstration comes after days of preparation in prayer with all disunion put away, bringing close relation to God so He can work for and through believers marvelously in harmony with heaven and with one another in faith and works, hearing His voice, so great things are accomplished and the influence is felt through all eternity, with angels cooperating. Therefore none are to sleep in this judgment hour, but to wake from stupor and indifference because there is a world to save and a message to give.

Jerusalem is presented as the great center from which heaven's light was to shine in its most powerful rays upon the Lord's witnesses, when the sudden heavenly sound filled the whole house where they sat together in complete unity in prayer and supplication with holy boldness from assurance of Jesus as a Friend at court to equip them to bear the gospel outward. It is the model for establishing a strong representation of the gospel in the nation's capital, where believers gathered in one accord received the Spirit's coming and empowerment to proclaim the gospel. A mighty power is at work in the world, and heaven will cooperate with those who do the Lord's work, including the large work to be done in the last days among people of all countries and speeches. If believers now pray and believe and come into harmony with one another and with the Word, keeping hearts humble, drawing close to the Great Teacher, drawing in even cords, with truth in the heart creating necessity to enlighten others, the Lord will work with them to open understanding and hearts and bring knowledge of truth, acknowledged in the courts of heaven. For this, every soul who believes present truth, whatever his country or speech, should gain intelligent knowledge of the third angel's message to do intelligent work, searching Scripture and walking humbly to have understanding opened and receive power.

Believers must first receive the Holy Spirit in answer to united prayer, and the sweet Spirit comes in when they kneel and pray together. With the Spirit come angels to impress minds of those who have had evidence for belief but never taken their stand, held back by fear of persecution and fear of the Jews, but when the Spirit comes fear is taken away. They then trust God to deliver if He wills, and if not are ready to suffer whatever comes. That power would remain with the church if it kept its holy and distinct character, making it mighty and a terror to enemies, with the sick healed and devils cast out.

The Spirit is to guide church business as fully as prayer, and every decision and line of work is to follow heaven's principles. Church dealings since Pentecost should show more unselfishness and freedom from covetousness, for prayer meetings are not the only setting for His work. John was with the disciples when the outpouring came after the ascension, and it gave him fresh zeal and power to continue speaking the words of life and to lead thoughts to the Unseen. Philip likewise was transformed by that outpouring from unbelief and dullness into a teacher after the divine order who knew from personal experience what he spoke and taught with assurance carrying conviction.

The sudden descent came shortly before Peter and John healed the cripple at the temple, after a season of fervent prayer. Apostolic success came after humble, self-denying sacrifice and earnest supplications from broken, contrite hearts, and the same proportion of success attends work done in that spirit. Those who would learn of Christ need the Spirit of God, and the disciples' unity and earnest prayer in waiting accompanied expectation of power to equip them to preach to all nations. That converting power then sought now is the model for a later work when the gospel goes with power and many are converted, even many in a single day, through people united under the Spirit by whom God works mightily.

Before any New Testament book was written or gospel sermon preached after the ascension, the Spirit's presence upon the praying disciples made witness effective, so enemies said Jerusalem was filled with teaching. That outpouring exemplifies the wonderful work the Spirit accomplishes among the truly converted, softening hard hearts, filling with joy, transforming into channels of blessing, bringing fullness of joy through the Comforter, renewing love and grace, making union with Christ closer than His physical presence, and leading hearers to accept Christ and praise God with light, comfort, and hope. The Spirit's presence brings love, gladness, unity, and parental tenderness, so when parents are softened by grace they draw erring children with patient love, and Pentecost stands as the model for revival needed among God's people and institutions.

That power did not free recipients from temptation or trial; they still needed to strive, pray for fresh grace, and grow toward maturity, yet through the Spirit and faith even the weakest could develop entrusted abilities and become sanctified, refined, and shaped in God's likeness. When that power as at Pentecost still descends upon assembled saints, it exposes and drives in terror from the assembly the harsh, rabid, rebellious spirit that troubles and tears hearts, and prostrates those deceived into error and fanaticism, bringing confession of parents to children and children to parents and to one another with pleading for forgiveness, making the meeting a green spot in the desert and the beginning of better days. It begins active ministry, as with Peter and the apostles reaching people and strengthening believers, and is given as instruction and pattern to be studied, the model for renewal needed by workers to discern distant fields and labor worldwide.

The believers were the first-fruits of the Christian church, receiving the baptism of the Spirit at the feast appointed for presenting harvest first-fruits when the Lord poured out His Spirit with sound from heaven filling the house. Believers should now stand under the moving of that same power from heaven as witness to the world, the pattern appealed to for speaking in unlearned languages, for which earnest prayer shows the need. The gift comes unexpectedly like rain after generations of sowing, works through angels for decided heart change when truth is lived simply, will be seen again by simple trusting workers, was remembered with pleasure alongside the 1844 waiting as a Jerusalem, and floods the church with light from Christ until His character is manifested and the earth lightened with glory.

The early church history must be studied because present believers must pass through similar experiences, and its scenes of divine power and grace are expected to be repeated wonderfully. Ten days of seeking is the pattern before weighty decisions, with expectation of many converted in a day at Battle Creek and elsewhere, in Oakland and surrounding cities through clearer atmosphere, searching the Word, burden for souls, humiliation, humble prayer pleading for grace and power, contrition, faith taking hold of the Infinite, and heavenly messengers working with sincere souls, and among Nashville workers in true repentance with Christ and angels in daily labor. Refusal to humble, confess, and consecrate as at the 1901 conference and Minneapolis shuts away the light that is to lighten the earth.