Acts 2:4, commentary and pictures

They were all filled with the Holy Ghost and began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance, describing the descent and outpouring of the Holy Spirit filling the disciples on the Day of Pentecost. The tongues like as of fire were an emblem of this gift of different languages, with the fire signifying fervent zeal and power attending their words. This came at the end of ten days of united prayer and supplication in one accord, after putting away differences, selfishness, and sin and becoming cleansed dwelling places ready for the Spirit. The Spirit enabled unlearned Galileans to speak miraculously and fluently in foreign languages they had not learned, so each nationality heard in its own tongue and the commission from heaven was confirmed. It fulfills Christ's promised baptism of the Holy Spirit and power from on high after His ascension, and that same promise belongs to believers today who fully yield, unite, and pray for it.

Meaning and Pentecost Setting

The filling means all were filled with the Holy Ghost and began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance, describing the descent and outpouring of the Holy Spirit filling the disciples on the Day of Pentecost. They were enabled by the Spirit to speak fluently and miraculously in several foreign languages they had not previously known or learned, with pure speech and words supplied as the Spirit gave utterance for their witness. This came after ten days of united, earnest prayer and searching of hearts to remove hindrance, put away sin, confess, and receive the promised gift, and it fulfilled the Father's promise and equipped them to preach Christ and bring many to faith.

The tongues like as of fire were an emblem of this gift of speaking different languages. The fire signified the fervent zeal with which they would labor and the power that would attend their words and work. The Holy Spirit is thus presented as holy fire from God and the source of true inspiration, leading and guiding people and making them safe counsellors, while counsel apart from God's guidance is unsafe.

This happened at Pentecost, the feast celebrated seven weeks after Passover, when the believers were the first-fruits and firstfruits of the Christian church. It fulfilled the spring types in their appointed order and time after Christ's crucifixion and resurrection.

It came before any New Testament book had been written or any gospel sermon preached after the ascension. It marks the beginning of the Christian church in its infancy without Christ's personal presence, begun by praying for the Holy Spirit in obedience in Jerusalem. It is the opening of the Christian age with spiritual gifts wonderfully and abundantly manifested, with some gifts appearing at Pentecost in a remarkable way including speaking in other tongues. The fulfillment came after ten days of obedient prayer, deep heart-searching, putting away differences, and drawing close together in Christian fellowship, remembering the privilege of association with Christ and grief at having grieved Him by slowness to understand His lessons, ending in a wonderful outpouring when all were with one accord in one place in prayer and supplication, followed by about three thousand joining the believers that day.

It took place in Jerusalem in the house and upper chamber where with one accord in one place were the disciples continuing with one accord in prayer and supplication with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus and His brethren. There was a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind filling the house and the whole place where they were assembled, with cloven tongues like as of fire sitting upon each of them, as the Infinite One revealed Himself in power descending by His Holy Spirit from the heights of heaven. This was during a great gathering of devout Jews out of every nation under heaven dwelling at Jerusalem, including Parthians, Medes, Elamites, dwellers in Mesopotamia, Judaea, Cappadocia, Pontus, Asia, Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, Libya about Cyrene, strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes, Cretes and Arabians. The filling was light from heaven shining in most powerful rays upon the Lord's witnesses to bear the gospel message, bringing penitence and confession of sin mingled with songs of praise for sins forgiven, thanksgiving and prophecy, while all heaven bent low to behold matchless incomprehensible love. It made the apostles and disciples lost in wonder at love, grasp the imparted gift, and become surcharged with a benevolence so full, deep and far-reaching that it impelled them to go to the ends of the earth testifying of the cross of Christ with intense longing to add to the church such as should be saved. The Spirit's power enabled them to preach the Word wherever they went so thousands were converted, testifying that the gospel was for the whole world and not one territory or country, and that same heavenly endowment Jesus longs to bestow in large measure now in answer to daily faithful prayers to produce a similar ingathering when the earth is lightened with heavenly glory.

After communion with Jesus in Galilee, His parting on Olivet and the angel's promise, and days of prayer and communion in the upper room, their petitions were answered. This was a special public manifestation of Christ's and heaven's power, not a private experience. It showed the power God would give His people in an emergency so that others outside could know the power of Jesus Christ.

The public event in Jerusalem during the great gathering powerfully evidenced that Jesus was the Son of God who had risen from the dead and ascended to heaven. It publicly demonstrated to the assembled Jews and others that He had ascended and that the message about Him was to begin from Jerusalem as a great center of influence where it was to shine powerfully. The demonstration revealed Him as the one they had crucified. The Spirit moved people who had been convinced of His divine mission but intimidated from openly acknowledging Him to act fearlessly on their convictions. The Spirit supplied utterance to equip them to bear the gospel witness from that influential center.

The descent was a display of God's power and glory that confirmed and established the faith of the early believers. With the Spirit supplying utterance, they were equipped to bear the gospel witness from Jerusalem as a major center of influence.

Prayerful Preparation in Unity

The filling followed obedience to Christ's command to wait in Jerusalem for the promised outpouring, with the disciples returning with gladness and triumph rather than sorrow over disappointed hopes, encouraged by the risen Saviour's promise and continuing together in prayer. Their unity illustrates being of one mind and grounded in the Bible and its eternal truths, and the Spirit gave power to their missionary message with heavenly beings cooperating so that three thousand were converted in a day.

The filling came at the end of ten days of united prayer and supplication in the upper chamber after the ascension, sometimes with fasting, trusting God's word without fear. Men of varied talents and capabilities assembled to pray for the gift, continuing with one accord in prayer and supplication with unity of purpose. After ten days of prayer, confession, humility and faith they received the promised blessing, the Holy Spirit filled them, gave them power, filled the place where they were gathered, and equipped them to go out and do effective work for the Master. Their preparation included earnest, effectual prayer, drawing nearer to God, being changed into His image by faith in Jesus, putting away differences and sins, and uniting in holy fellowship.

They prepared by gathering in unity with one accord and unity of purpose, putting away differences, disunion, selfishness, love of supremacy, striving for the highest place, bitterness, alienations and division. They prayed earnestly, confessed sins, searched their hearts to remove what could hinder the promised gift, sought help to overcome weaknesses and be fitted for saving others, prayed for Christ's love to fill their hearts, and sought to be ready to speak helpfully and encouragingly. They were not gathered to spread scandal or expose one another's faults, but laid aside selfish ambition and submitted their hearts to God. The Spirit cannot be revealed while dissension and strife exist, and souls will not be convicted and converted until believers come into unity and Christian fellowship, so their unity and surrender made room for Christ to fill them.

They prepared by thorough heart-searching and individual self-examination, humility, faith, consecration, confession and forsaking of sin, becoming cleansed and consecrated dwelling places ready for the Spirit. They made thorough work for repentance by confessing their own sins with no burden laid on them to confess one another's sins, settling all differences, laying aside malice and envy and evil traits, losing sight of self, and working together. The Spirit's power then equipped them for preaching Christ and helped bring many to faith, with the Spirit-empowered Word cutting through unbelief and thousands converted in one day.

Their lives were permeated and their actions directed by the Spirit before the general outpouring, during individual preparation in the ten days in the upper chamber. Their humble, united prayer, ten days of heart-searching and individual self-examination prepared them to receive the Spirit, who came with abundant power upon those who asked as a blessing God had the prerogative to give, filling every heart as heaven's choicest blessing bestowed on cleansed hearts. They sought power not for themselves but with a burden for souls to carry the gospel to the ends of the earth and save souls, weighted with the burden of souls because the gospel was to be carried everywhere, and they claimed the promised endowment of power. The same unity remained after the gift, with the whole congregation of one heart and one soul, animated by the Spirit of Him who died that sinners might live, resulting in thousands converted in a day, idolatry overthrown and new territory added to the church.

The apostles obtained this endowment by Christ's grace through sincere devotion and humble, earnest, persevering prayer that brought them into close communion with Him, so that they sat together with Him in heavenly places and realized the greatness of their debt to Him. They prayed ten days before the blessing came because all that time was needed to learn what effectual prayer means, to draw nearer to God, confess sins, humble their hearts, behold Jesus by faith and become changed into His image. When the blessing came it filled all the place where they were assembled and endowed them with power to go forth and do effectual work for the Master, and filled with the Spirit they went forth weighted with the burden of saving souls and zeal to extend the triumphs of the cross, with many souls brought from darkness to light and many churches raised up.

The baptism came in answer to united, effectual, earnest, persevering prayer, bringing wisdom and grace upon the whole body of believers, and God remains willing to hear His people's petitions. Prayer laid the foundation of the Christian church and missionary activity while the disciples were of one accord in one place calling upon the Lord. The Spirit is given richly through various channels, and the more it is sought the wider its spread, with earnest work to save souls continually creating need for renewed resort to the never-exhausted Fountain of the Water of Life drawn upon by faith and establishing habitual communion between the soul and God.

The event teaches those seeking God's promised answer to watch, pray, wait patiently and hopefully in unity with patient faith in God's promise, putting away differences, division, envy and malice so they may be united in heart and mind. The answer may come suddenly and powerfully or after a delay that tests faith, for God knows when and how to answer. Jesus is ready to work for His followers as He did for the praying, watchful disciples, giving them courage and utterance through the Spirit when God calls them to act. The same baptism of the Spirit is needed to turn backslidden believers and ministers from self-sufficiency, renew their lives and prepare them for faithful service, and the Spirit will likewise be given fully to those whose hearts are prepared to receive Him.

The disciples' example of gathering after the ascension to pray for the descent of the Spirit applies to decisions involving solemn, far-reaching principles and to institutions, requiring earnest, united prayer and the Spirit's guidance before action. The ten days they spent seeking God show how much more time and prayer such weighty decisions may require. That outpouring is a model for the wonderful work expected when everyone in the institution is truly converted and shaped by the Spirit.

Pentecost is associated with a spirit of intercession before the Spirit's work became manifest. Its manifestation of the Spirit provides a precedent and point of comparison for a later reformatory movement marked by prayer, miracles and people convicted by the Spirit.

After the ascension as the disciples waited, prayed, believed and earnestly sought the Lord, the Spirit came upon them with fullness and power that reached every heart. As they sought Him they were able to present the Word more forcibly than before. This coming shows God desires to refresh His people and baptize them anew in His love, so the church need not lack the Spirit. During the ten days of waiting they humbled themselves and repented of unbelief, and the Spirit brought Jesus' forgotten words back to their minds, helping them understand what they had misunderstood and preparing them to bear witness to His life and character.

Gift of Other Tongues

The Spirit enabled unlearned men from Galilee, who had not studied in the schools of the prophets, to speak miraculously, accurately and fluently in several foreign languages they had not previously known or learned. It was a work they could not have accomplished on their own in a lifetime, and from the beginning of the church missionaries were in this way miraculously given knowledge of the languages where they were called to preach the unsearchable riches of Christ. Their Spirit-given speech was pure, simple, accurate and fluent in both native tongues and other languages, correct even in words and accent, as the Spirit gave utterance and words.

The gift overcame the language barrier among those gathered in Jerusalem, allowing accurate proclamation so the different nationalities present could each hear in their own tongue about God’s wonderful works and the risen Saviour. Hearing in their own language carried conviction so the message would go broadcast everywhere, showing the gospel is for the whole world. Visitors carried the truths they received back to their own lands and homes, where those truths helped win souls to Christ. This speaking confirmed that their commission came from heaven and gave weight and evidence of God’s power to their testimony about Christ, His works, and salvation through the Son of God.

The languages could be foreign to the speakers yet understood by those who knew them, and the Spirit could enable several people to converse with each waiting for another to finish, and this promised blessing can recur. When God sends workers to people of a strange tongue He sometimes opens the missionaries’ minds to learn the language quickly, with the very people they came to help aiding them, thus preparing those people to hear the gospel in their own tongue. While the weight of testimony holds that the tongues were foreign languages miraculously spoken, those who held the other view describe the new tongues as eloquent speech touched by the Spirit proclaiming simple profound truths, not foreign languages. In that view the Spirit changed their understanding to preach simple powerful truths bringing light and conversion, showing power came from the Spirit not their learning, as they saw Christ’s teachings anew and understood He had been glorified as Advocate in heaven.

The filling was like that placed on the seventy elders, producing prophesying that foretells Christ’s work and mission with wisdom and fluency of speech evidencing to all that the power of God is upon the speakers. As with the two elders away from the tabernacle who also prophesied, God’s gift was not confined to those gathered, publicly honoring the recipients as divinely chosen and preparing them for their work. The same Spirit-given ability to speak other languages and to prophesy was later given to Gentiles who believed, as at Cornelius’s house where they spoke in tongues and magnified God and at Ephesus equipping them as missionaries to Asia Minor. That repetition when Peter preached Jesus’ life, ministry, miracles, betrayal, crucifixion, resurrection, ascension, and work in heaven as man’s Representative and Advocate showed God accepted Gentiles and granted repentance unto life, so none could rightly oppose their inclusion and baptism.

God gives utterance so workers speak and write as He leads with freedom to share thoughts and receive loving counsel, since He teaches different people not just one mind, so contributions should be heard in confidence and Christian fellowship. The manifestation of the Spirit was given to every man in the church to profit withal, meaning every man in the church and not every man in the world, marking the commencement of the Christian age with abundant spiritual gifts among believers. Receiving the Holy Ghost did not replace baptism, for faith, repentance and baptism remain necessary steps in conversion, as shown when Gentile believers who spoke in tongues and praised God were still to be baptized.

Enlightenment and Bold Witness

The filling brought heavenly illumination that unfolded truths the disciples had not understood while Christ was with them. They accepted the teachings of Scripture with new faith and assurance, knew Christ as the Messiah, and told the world about Him with confidence that God was with them, understanding the work left for them to carry forward where He had left it. The Spirit cleared away confused ideas and fanciful theories, led them into heavenly understanding, and made plain Christ's teachings that had seemed mysterious, including truths He had spoken in parables and proverbs. What had been mystery became clear light, and their earlier theories were exposed as foolish compared with knowledge of heavenly things.

The outpouring turned their minds from the earthly sanctuary to the heavenly sanctuary where Jesus had entered by His own blood. Through the Spirit they received the benefits of His accepted atonement. Those who had rejected John's message and Jesus could not receive this blessing nor learn the way into the heavenly sanctuary. With the Spirit's coming they received light clarifying Christ's teachings, and understood that He had been glorified and was their Advocate in heaven. Their lips touched by the Spirit proclaimed simple profound truths that converted thousands, and they could speak with power in a new light.

The giving of the Spirit was the signal of Christ's enthronement in His mediatorial kingdom after the ascension, and the time of the Spirit's power is the time when the heavenly gift is sought and found in a special sense. Under the Spirit's teaching the disciples received final preparation for their life-work, having learned their need of the Spirit through Christ's work. The Spirit revealed Christ's preciousness and glory through them, heaven's light penetrated minds darkened by false teaching and deceived by His enemies, and Christ was seen exalted with infinite treasures to bestow on all who turn from rebellion. People who had despised Him became His disciples, and their Spirit-enabled labor stirred the world. Through the Spirit resting on men Christ was lifted up and glorified, and three thousand were convicted, saw themselves sinful and polluted and Christ as Friend and Redeemer, saw Him by faith bearing humiliation, suffering and death that they might not perish but have everlasting life, gained a realizing sense of His power and majesty, and stretched forth hands saying I believe.

The great subject that brought three thousand souls to repentance in one day was the Spirit's unfolding of Jesus and glorifying Him, lifting Him up as exalted by God to be a Prince and a Saviour to give repentance and forgiveness of sins. Before, eyes saw no beauty in Him to desire Him, but now the glorious inner beauties of His work and character were seen, which natural eyes cannot discern because it is the Spirit that quickens. God's promises are sure, His word never falls to the ground, and the Father bestows His blessings in His own way and has been faithful in every age. Their preaching of Christ was accompanied and confirmed by signs and wonders to a vast crowd gathered from many parts of the world, and thousands openly declared Jesus to be the promised Messiah. Their Spirit-given speech was preaching that could not be refuted, and their words confirmed by miracles convinced many that Jesus was the Son of God and their Saviour, bringing a large harvest and temporarily silencing opposition.

The disciples had to receive the Spirit first before they could do their work. When He came their constant fear of persecution and of what the Jews would do was taken away. Angels then worked to impress minds of those who had seen evidence for the truth but had never taken their stand, and the disciples saw that God would deliver from prison if He chose, and if not were ready to suffer whatever was laid upon them. After being helpless and discouraged following Jesus' death they went forth as humble witnesses with courage and power, relying on God's word and Spirit rather than earthly weapons, telling the story of His birth and death and overcoming opposition. This display restrained opponents from violence but did not soften hearts or change malice.

John was with the other disciples and shared in the outpouring after the ascension, which made him a faithful earnest laborer, gave him fresh zeal and power to proclaim the words of life and lead thoughts to the Unseen despite threats of imprisonment and death. After the outpouring Peter undertook busy years of ministry bearing witness to Jesus and strengthening believers, putting forth untiring efforts to reach Jews coming to Jerusalem for the annual festivals, of whose later work Acts gives little account. The descent came during a great Jewish gathering after the disciples gathered and prayed for the Holy Ghost, and was followed by healing and bold witness. It occurred shortly before Peter and John healed the cripple at the temple, after a season of fervent prayer.

At Pentecost many mysteries became clear and the disciples understood more fully truths Christ had taught in parables, receiving as much knowledge of God as they could bear. Yet understanding remained partial, with deeper understanding of trials, discipline, sanctification through the truth, atonement and kingdom coming after the ascension. The promise that Christ would show plainly of the Father will be completely fulfilled only after the conflict ends, when He acknowledges faithful workers before the Father and they understand what is now mysterious.

Immediate Harvest and Church

While gathered in prayer they were filled and spoke as the Spirit enabled, and about three thousand joined the faith and were added the same day through Spirit-empowered words, with prayers flowing from love for Christ and those He died for and preaching confirmed by signs. This came at the end of ten days in Jerusalem of obedience to the promise, deep heart-searching, putting away differences, and drawing together in fellowship, when the Lord fulfilled His and Christ's promise of power from on high by a wonderful outpouring. It was the signal of Christ's enthronement in His mediatorial kingdom after the ascension, when the Spirit revealed His preciousness, heaven's light penetrated minds darkened by false teaching, Christ was seen exalted with treasures to bestow, and through the Spirit resting on men He was lifted up and glorified so that three thousand were convicted, saw their sin and pollution, saw Him by faith bearing humiliation, suffering and death for everlasting life, sensed His power and majesty, and believed. Heavenly beings cooperated with the missionary message that day, and the descent with mighty power after prayer and confession accompanied the conversion.

Five thousand were converted in one day under the Spirit's influence after prayer, fasting, confession of sin and coming into unity, when the heavens were opened, the glory of God was revealed, and filled with the Spirit they went forth to proclaim the gospel with power. The Spirit must confirm the spoken word for the message to go with power, and Jesus is magnified through believers when He imparts the fullness of His Spirit, revealing truth that converts. The outpouring follows the meeting of type and antitype in Christ's life and death, His resurrection as the resurrection and the life, and His ascension escorted by angels to lead captivity captive and give gifts, fulfilling every specification and leaving no uncertainty that He is the Son of God, and it obligates God's people with accumulated light of centuries to shine more brightly. Great additions were made that day and the church grew, but the gospel was not to stop in Jerusalem, for persecution scattered members to proclaim it in Judea, Samaria and farther afield.

Among the three thousand converted in one day were people who had first heard truth at Matthew's feast, and some became messengers of the gospel. With people from many nations gathered in Jerusalem, the disciples bore bold witness to Christ that challenged false reports about His resurrection and testified to the truth of His words. Those who heard carried the message to their homes and other places, spreading repentance and forgiveness of sins in Christ's name.

The Spirit-empowered Word cut through unbelief, convicted hearts, overcame priestly traditions, superstitions, unbelief and idolatry, was confirmed by mighty miracles, convinced many that Jesus is Son of God and Saviour, enlarged the church, added new territory, and sent the gospel to the ends of the earth since Christ's field is the world. After ten days of earnest prayer, heart-searching, humble supplication and putting away hindrances, united expectation was met by heaven's power equipping the church to carry the gospel to the world, sanctifying and strengthening human speech to convince of sin, convert sinners and bring Christ's righteousness. The Spirit came with abundant power to cleansed and consecrated hearts, opened hearts and doors, gave witness power to reach minds and hearts, pierced hearts, overthrew idolatry, made believers a living force for the kingdom, and as the promised endowment of power enabled preaching everywhere into new fields, as former rain to be followed by more abundant latter rain.

Believers became of one heart, soul and mind animated by one spirit, with every pulse beating in unity in Christlike service and praise. The heavenly endowment came in copious effusion with great power long waited and longed to bestow, filling members with Christ's grace so the church did not pull apart, convincing of sin, drawing all to unite interests in advocating truth with one theme of salvation through Christ, removing strife for supremacy and making loyalty and likeness to Christ the only rivalry. The proclaimed Word became as a two-edged sword subduing all to Christ, producing thousands converted in a day as harvest of Christ's sowing, and the Spirit glorifies Christ by bearing truth as it is in Jesus through human agents to all parts of the world. The love of Christ revealed among them, the love they were to have for one another as He had loved them, became the mark that Christ was formed within.

Believers held possessions as the Lord's with no one claiming what he possessed as his own, but all property held for advancing the reformation and the work of God, in a spirit of brotherhood. They ate with gladness and singleness of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people, so the Lord added daily those being saved, and thousands were converted in a day through brotherhood and liberality, which the same Spirit acting today will reproduce in giving back to God of His own for a wide and far-reaching work. Though few in number and without wealth or honor, Spirit-filled believers exerted mighty influence with the light shining from them and were a terror to evildoers wherever character and doctrines were known, for which they were hated and persecuted even unto death.

The outpouring led to self-denial and self-sacrifice for others' salvation, expressed in works of charity and benevolence. After the descent they proclaimed the risen Saviour and sought salvation of souls, showing His love in tender, self-denying, united lives, with hearts filled with love moving them to obey His command, care for one another and willingly sacrifice for truth. The power was imparted when the church was a separate, holy and peculiar people under persecution, and that same power would still be with the church if she had retained that character, making her mighty and a terror to enemies, healing the sick and rebuking and casting out devils.

The gift did not free them from temptation or trial; they still had to strive, pray daily for fresh grace and grow toward Christlike maturity, and through the Spirit and faith even the weakest could develop entrusted powers and become sanctified, refined, ennobled, receiving the fullness of God and shaped in the divine likeness. At Pentecost the Spirit filled the whole church bringing light and prompting praise and thanksgiving from every heart. People who had been afraid to confess Christ were converted and acknowledged Him as Son of God before hostile priests and rulers. The Spirit's presence could be manifested with great power bringing people helpless to the floor, and those who experienced this acknowledged the Spirit's work.

Promise Fulfilled in Christ

The filling is the fulfillment of Christ's promised baptism of the Holy Spirit and power from on high to be waited for in Jerusalem after His ascension, including the promised Comforter and gifts unto men when leading captivity captive, with the Spirit empowering the disciples and resting on the apostles as the bereaved church prayed. After the ascension they returned to Jerusalem knowing for a certainty that Jesus was the Son of God with unclouded faith, and waited preparing themselves by prayer and by humbling their hearts before God, trusting His word without fear, until the Spirit came. When the day was fully come they were all with one accord in one place after ten days of prayer in which they had put away differences and sins, confessed, and united in holy fellowship, and the rushing mighty wind filling the whole place and cloven tongues of fire sitting on each came before they were all filled and began to speak as the Spirit gave utterance. The Lord was at work in His own way, and those who did not come under the influence of the Spirit did not recognize it and mocked them as full of new wine, as if drunken, so the same manifestation in the last days upon whom the ends of the world are come would also be mocked by some. The Spirit's coming was essential to success in preaching the gospel, giving power for the mission to all nations, tongues, and peoples, and its effect was the conversion of thousands in a day. It came in copious effusion and with great power as what God had long waited and longed to bestow, that under the holy unction they might declare Christ and Him crucified. It filled the members with the grace of Christ so the church did not pull apart, convinced of sin, drew all to unite interests in advocating truth with one theme of salvation through Christ, removed strife for supremacy and made loyalty and likeness to Christ the only rivalry, made the whole multitude of one heart and one mind and animated by one spirit with every pulse beating in unity, and made the proclaimed Word as a two-edged sword subduing all things to Christ. It produced thousands converted in a day as the harvest of Christ's sowing and sent a work not limited to one country because Christ's field is the world, carrying the gospel to the ends of the earth as the Spirit glorifies Christ by bearing the truth as it is in Jesus through human agents to all parts of the world, and Jesus longs to bestow the same heavenly endowment in large measure now in answer to prayers ascending daily for the fulfillment of the promise, not one of which put up in faith is lost, producing a similar ingathering when the earth is lightened with the glory of the heavenly angel.

After Christ's crucifixion, resurrection, ascension and inauguration He claimed the gift and added His intercession, and the Spirit came with great fullness and power like rushing wind filling the house and believers, with long-restrained heavenly influences descending to cooperate with human agencies. The Spirit was poured out on the gathered disciples after ten days of continued fervent prayer by the humble disciples, claimed for them by Christ in heaven at His ascension and inauguration, and given as their Comforter to remain with the church and to be communicated to the world. Heavenly influences had been held in restraint for ages, but in response to their prayers they descended with power to cooperate with human agencies. The filling produced confession from human lips, humiliation of soul, penitence, and songs of praise and thanksgiving, while all heaven bent to listen to the lowly seekers after God, showing workers today need this same deep moving of the Spirit and a fuller conversion.

The verse marks a more abundant impartation after the ascension; the earlier gift when Christ breathed on them imparting peace was only a few drops before the shower, preparing them for church duties, but they needed this fuller gift before carrying out the commission to preach to the world. Filled with the Spirit, the disciples were equipped for their appointed work as witnesses to testify to Christ's resurrection and repeat His gracious words, presenting His spotless character, precepts, and example to the world. Their close association with Christ had made them more like Him and fit to show His holy character, and their spiritual life and ability to represent Him came from the Holy Ghost.

The disciples' experience was not their own achievement but entering into the labor of patriarchs, prophets and other earlier servants and the harvest of Christ's sowing, with God nourishing the seed and continuing grace through Christ. It followed the sowing of truth by patriarchs, prophets, and other holy people, which Christ anticipated as fruit, and showed God continuing to give grace through Christ by unseen power nourishing the seed of truth. They were not to credit the Spirit's coming to their own labor, but to recognize that they were entering into work begun by others.

Peter explained it as the pouring of God's Spirit on all flesh foretold by Joel, with sons and daughters prophesying, wonders and signs, and salvation to whoever calls on the Lord's name, with Peter's quotation using in the last days in place of Joel's afterward. All the disciples with one accord in one place were suddenly filled with a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind filling the house and with cloven tongues like fire sitting on each, so that devout Jews out of every nation heard each in his own language wherein he was born and were amazed and in doubt, while others mocked, and Peter declared it was the pouring out foretold by Joel. Their speech was recognized by some hearers as the Spirit's work empowering witness to His divinity and glory after His ascension, though others mocked them as drunk. This outpouring accompanied the followers of Christ preaching the gospel and fulfilled Christ's promise of the Spirit's power for witness.

The outpouring was heaven's communication that Christ had been received in heavenly courts with angels and that His coronation and inauguration were complete, testifying He had been enthroned in His mediatorial kingdom and exalted to give repentance and forgiveness. All heavenly intelligences joined in receiving Him with the angels who accompanied Him. The Spirit's descent equipped the disciples to proclaim Christ, first in Jerusalem and then throughout the world. The speaking with other tongues amazed the multitude as a divine manifestation and was the power of the Holy Spirit, not drunkenness, fulfilling what Joel spoke that in the last days God would pour out His Spirit upon all flesh so sons and daughters would prophesy with wonders and signs before the great day of the Lord, and that whosoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. The same outpouring added about three thousand souls that day and made believers steadfast in doctrine, fellowship, breaking of bread and prayers, with wonders and signs, unity, gladness, and daily growth.

Pentecost brought fullness of joy in the Comforter's presence as Christ promised, coming when they no longer distrusted the future knowing Jesus was in heaven with sympathy as Friend at God's throne, eagerly praying to the Father in Jesus' name and pleading His death, resurrection and intercession. Pentecost brought the promised Comforter through whom Christ came to dwell continually in hearts, with His light, love and power shining through them so people recognized they had been with Jesus. The verse shows Jesus' first act in heaven after ascension corresponding with His will to preach to every creature, sending the Spirit in rich abundance as heavenly endowment of power so they could go as witnesses under His omnipotence beginning at Jerusalem then Judea, Samaria and the uttermost earth. Empowered in this way the apostles commenced their work in Jerusalem with His abiding presence, and three thousand were converted in a day.

The verse shows the Spirit's work revealing the Father and the Son through Christ's appointed witnesses, guiding God's work, with Spirit-given testimony that adversaries could not gainsay. When truth is lived in simplicity, God works through His angels as He did then, and the Spirit's influence changes hearts so decisively that thousands are converted in a day. The record testifies to Christ's abundant grace, and the church can continually receive grace as it connects and cooperates with Christ the source of power, refreshing and strengthening the church and influencing the world. The Spirit makes the right impression on the human heart and convinces of sin, of righteousness and of judgment, which costly book covers and illustrations cannot do, for conversion depends on the Spirit working upon minds. Christ sending the Holy Spirit after He ascended on high to take His place as Advocate in the heavenly courts, having reached His throne He sent the Spirit as He had promised in answer to the prayers of His disciples, so dependence must be on the working of the Holy Spirit upon human minds rather than on outward adornment.

Former and Latter Rain

The outpouring at Pentecost was the former and early rain, glorious in its result in enabling the disciples to preach the gospel with thousands converted in a day. That former rain is to be repeated with greater power in the latter rain, which will be more abundant, through which Christ will be revealed in His fullness and His worth recognized above all else to ripen the harvest with a powerful worldwide proclamation like Pentecost. The latter rain will fall upon believers in the same way as the early rain fell on the disciples, following their unity, prayer and faith in the promise of power, and those who ask in faith for the promised blessing will receive it. It will come only after every defect of character is remedied and the soul temple is cleansed of every defilement with not one spot or stain remaining, in preparation for receiving the seal of God.

It was an initial and partial fulfillment of Joel's prophecy of a special manifestation of God's Spirit, when believers were filled and spoke in other tongues as enabled, astonishing the crowd, which Peter identified with what Joel had spoken. That prophecy extends across the Christian age and is not exhausted by Pentecost, reaching its full accomplishment in the grace and power accompanying the closing work of the gospel. Its latter-rain outpouring is reserved for the close of the age in connection with the signs of the great day of the Lord, and the church needs this special endowment no less now than in apostolic times.

The day stands as a model for the later proclamation of the third angel's message, when God's servants empowered by the Spirit will carry the warning widely with extraordinary force and signs accompanying their work. That same Spirit and power that characterized Pentecost is waiting to manifest its power upon the men now standing between the living and the dead as ambassadors for God, whose labor has altogether too little of it. The power that stirred the people so mightily in the 1844 movement will again be revealed, and under this Pentecost power the third angel's message will go forth not in whispered tones but with a loud voice. In the same way the seventh-month movement of 1844 is compared to Pentecost, in that as the first disciples waited for and experienced the outpouring so its participants waited for and enjoyed an outpouring, which later believers in the Second Advent may look back upon with interest and spiritual benefit.

A similar work of converting power will accompany the gospel near the close of the conflict between Christ and Satan, when the message will go with power and the Holy Spirit and Christ will be glorified as a people are prepared to stand the final test. The Spirit glorifying God by revealing His character makes Him the object of supreme affections and manifests His character in His people, making clear that all righteousness comes from Him alone, flooding the church with light whose source is Christ, putting His name on every tongue and filling every heart with His love. That same work will be repeated when the angel having great power lightens the whole earth with glory and with His righteousness, with the latter rain more abundant bringing hearers to recognize the risen Christ as Prince and Saviour, reject false representations of Him, and reach out to Him in faith.

The reception of the Spirit followed by proclamation and the conversion of a multitude in one day provides the comparison for a future day when a multitude of Jews will be convinced of the truth and take their stand for God, as many as were converted on the day of Pentecost. God's people are likewise filled with the Holy Ghost as they go forth at the commencement and beginning of the time of trouble to proclaim the Sabbath more fully, with the Spirit filling them and giving power to speak. This Spirit-filled proclamation empowers the message and helps reveal the truth to God's chosen ones, while it enrages churches and nominal Adventists who cannot refute it, and God's chosen recognize its truth and join in enduring persecution.

The filling to speak in other tongues means that in the last days there is a large work to be done among people of all languages, with heaven cooperating with those who do the Lord's work and a mighty power at work in the world. All people in all languages shall receive a large measure of the grace of Jesus Christ. Every soul who believes present truth for this time, whatever his country or speech, should have an intelligent knowledge of the truths of the third angel's message in order to do an intelligent work for God, and the Lord will open the understanding of all who come into right relation to Him, so that those who search the Scriptures and walk humbly with God will receive understanding of the Word and power to do a work for God.

Call and Power Today

The same promise of the Spirit and power from above belongs to people today, just as available now to all who need and trust God's word, given from Pentecost onward through the end of time to those fully yielding to the Lord, with the Comforter coming as Counselor, Sanctifier, Guide and Witness to those who accept Christ as personal Saviour, refreshing God's people, reaching every heart, and working through those sanctified by truth to carry divine influence to the world. The same Spirit will fall on those who bring hearts into unity with Christ and lives into harmony with His work, united in Christ, free from selfishness, rivalry and strife and marked by love, bringing revival, conversion and many added to the church, for the Spirit's work removes selfishness to bring believers to one mind and one heart. It is a blessing believers may still claim when complying with its conditions, when consecrated people work in harmony with God's Word exalting and obeying it and pray with one accord and one mind, then the Word is spoken so every man hears it in his own language and thousands are converted in a day as they take hold of the Word declared during Christ's ministry, very soon after His ascension. This blessing may be expected by those who come wholeheartedly putting aside prejudice, doubt and unbelief, opening hearts to God, putting away complaints and cooperating in earnest self-sacrificing work, with the Spirit given fully in abundant fullness as the rushing mighty wind filled the place when hearts are prepared to receive Him.

Without the Spirit and power of God labor to present truth is in vain, and if the disciples needed the Spirit at Pentecost He is needed even more today when moral darkness like a funeral pall covers the earth and all manner of false doctrines, heresies and Satanic deceptions mislead minds, so believers should pray earnestly for that gift and baptism as the apostles exemplified in praying earnestly for the descent. The Pentecostal energy is the promised all-conquering power and vivifying influence God has promised to send, coming as people pray and confess sin to clear the King's highway, renewing spiritual life, overcoming weakness and giving boldness, unity, power and earnestness to proclaim truth with freedom from selfishness. The Spirit's presence softens hard hearts, fills with joy, transforms people into channels of blessing, refreshes, renews and equips God's people to carry salvation throughout the world, with divine influence reaching the world through those sanctified by truth and revealing the things of God. The converting power seen at Pentecost is needed in every heart to turn people to God, resist evil, forgive failure, reveal God and Christ, make partakers of the divine nature reflecting Christ in words and actions, sweep away darkness, mold character after the divine similitude, bring angels into homes, enlighten minds, give victory so the enemy flees, and prepare to meet God in peace.

The power and grace then displayed will be bestowed again in a remarkable way on those who receive His word in answer to daily faithful prayers not one of which put up in faith is lost, producing an ingathering like Pentecost with thousands converted in a day when the earth is lightened with the heavenly angel's glory, as Christ leading captivity captive gave gifts unto men and longs to bestow the same heavenly endowment in large measure now. The early disciples' filling is strength for the conflict between good and evil angels, showing strength comes through seeking God together in united prayer and receiving power to speak as He gives words, through whom God can work mightily for conversion of sinners. The Spirit worked mightily through early believers harmoniously united in one place with one accord, and their unity was associated with revelation of the Lord's glory, fitting them to carry out Christ's words, represent Him and be entrusted with sacred truths in dependence on the Spirit for utterance. The Spirit giving utterance for proclaiming God's message is the pattern for Spirit-directed work where laborers need God's guidance and should not rely on human direction alone, and this witness from an influential center models establishing a strong representation of present truth in the nation's capital.

It shows the preparation and empowerment of Christ's disciples for the mission He gave them, with power following communion with Jesus, prayer and preparation, enabling them to discern distant and nearby fields, plan without self-interest and recognize the whole world as the field. The promised Spirit sanctified and strengthened human speech to proclaim saving truth to the whole world, convince of sin, convert sinners and bring Christ's righteousness, overcoming unbelief and magnifying God's power with thousands converted in one day, and their example patterns going with unselfish desire to bring mercy to those in error and unbelief, with God moving hearts to regions beyond and listless indifference removed. Filled with the Spirit they went forth weighted with saving souls and zeal to extend the cross's triumphs, sitting together with Him in heavenly places and realizing their debt through sincere devotion and humble earnest persevering prayer, and under their labors many were brought from darkness to light and many churches raised up, with heavenly beings cooperating and three thousand converted in a day. The Spirit-empowered witness to the risen Saviour carried the gospel throughout the inhabited world bringing conversions and reconversions, turning opponents into champions and uniting believers to reveal Christ's character and enlarge His kingdom when yielding to the Spirit's control.

Believers received power from on high and became conscious of their ascended Lord's presence, preparing them to carry the gospel even through sacrifice and martyrdom, with tender self-denying united lives, love, obedience, care for one another and willingness to sacrifice for truth, their words and deeds encouraging that love in others and magnifying the Saviour's justifying righteousness. The verse presents the Spirit's baptism and filling as divine empowerment believers and ministry workers should pray for, seek to be filled with, and go quickly to proclaim, with the apostles' success attending workers who share humble self-denying sacrifice and earnest prayers from broken contrite hearts, learning of Christ. The verse shows the apostles receiving special power giving efficiency to carry truth to the world, which God longs to impart for apostolic effectiveness so the whole earth is lightened, but unwillingness to yield preconceived opinions and opposition at Minneapolis through Brethren Waggoner and Jones shut that power away in great measure and kept light from the world. The descent is not only future hope but present privilege heaven waits to bestow, so believers should seek, pray and believe for it, and the Lord wants to bless His people today as well.

The Spirit-filled speech bringing revival and substantial conversions through heavenly beings working through human agents may be mistaken for drunkenness or fanaticism by those who do not understand, showing a real revival may include genuine alongside spurious and requires discernment, avoiding both manufactured excitement and skeptical criticism rather than stopping it outright. Receiving the Spirit can be accompanied by speaking as He gives utterance, providing comparison for future signs especially when opposition is strongest, but the form those signs will take is not specified. Claims that apostolic power to cast out devils had been given are self-deception deceiving others, while the true baptism is to be sought wholeheartedly in meekness in connection with Christ and His lines, alone in secret prayer as well as in meetings, valuing every soul at the cross with broken hearts full of love, mercy, compassion and tenderness, cutting off cherished faults that offend little ones and giving up supposed essentials, then diffusing light and moving others including youth in school, dealing more easily with hard characters with Christ as Helper, singing all the way to Zion. The verse shows believers drawn together with brethren living in harmony when filled, and when the Spirit comes upon hearts unity in voice and understanding follows with wisdom to place work on solid ground and carry it forward unitedly rather than one-sidedly.

The verse shows the Spirit animating believers and speaking through them, with peace, surrendered lives and service giving visible evidence of consecration, and advocates of truth must be imbued to speak as He directs. The verse shows the Spirit empowering for work, giving supernatural ability and utterance suited to the work Christ calls them to do, to stand against idolatry and exalt the Lord alone, and when the Spirit gives this gift a work like Pentecost will be done with Christ's representatives working intelligently and not tearing down one another. The verse means sinners are to be converted and believers must take Christ's self-denying life and carry the Bible from house to house to read to people, waking from stupor and indifference and not sleeping in this judgment hour because there is a world to save and a message to be given, with the same power needed now to preach everywhere so thousands are converted in a day. Under the Spirit disciples were filled with compassion and intense longing to add souls, with penitence, confession, thanksgiving, prophecy and songs for sins forgiven while all heaven bent low to behold matchless love, sending them beyond Jerusalem to all nations to the ends of the earth testifying of the cross, and servants today are likewise to be filled with zeal to carry present truth to fields white to harvest, with God moving hearts to regions beyond.

The outpouring is expected to bring a missionary spirit burning in hearts moved by the Spirit, with visible fruits kindling the same spirit in others. When truth in simplicity is lived in godliness, God will work through angels to manifest genuine truth and decisively change hearts as at Pentecost, and the same work will be done again with thousands converted in a day under the Spirit's guidance. Their work patterns reflecting truth and proclaiming Christ and redeeming love through the Spirit's power with mighty power, with those baptized becoming witnesses who as they let light shine receive still more power. The Spirit's work glorified Christ by opening hearts and doors, making the gospel convincing and carrying it through human agents to all parts to the ends of the earth, with the Word as a two-edged sword subduing all to Christ and the church not pulling apart, and the Spirit will likewise work for those faithfully carrying out personal work for Christ.

The verse marks the disciples' new experience in which the Spirit promised by Father and Son was imparted as source of understanding and power to continue Christ's work and bear witness, with gifts already theirs in Christ but actual possession depending on receiving the Spirit through faith, prayer and full surrender. The verse shows the Pentecostal blessing that would have come if God's people had worked in harmony with Christ and put away what grieved the Spirit, for humility and yielding would have brought blessing and glorified God while resistance hindered the work. God gave His Spirit to receptive hearts making the yielded agent a fellow laborer and instrumentality through whom He can work as capabilities are yielded to control and co-operated with, sufficient to overcome hereditary and cultivated evil tendencies and impress mercy, goodness and love on all within influence. The verse is invoked as a model of apostles beginning work when the Spirit descended, so churches must awaken to win souls, enlighten the ignorant and relieve the oppressed, with angels ready to cooperate and waiting to do for believers now as for early disciples when sanctified, harmonized, holding strongly on God, reaching divinity through faith, carrying out the Word in the home and imparting hope to perishing souls and fulfilling duty to children and the ignorant.

The verse belongs to history of conversion and light then given as example of what believers need now, with the same light impressing minds and the Spirit working on hearts of those trusting God's word, relying on Jesus and believing He hears and answers prayer. The early experience patterns laboring for souls with humble contrite hearts and earnest prayer pleading for grace and power, since God's power alone softens hearts and heavenly messengers work with sincere humble souls. The verse shows an experience to be repeated in a great reformatory movement with intercession before outpouring, then praise, healing and miracles, conviction and genuine conversion, with hundreds and thousands visiting families and opening the Word, doors opening to truth, and the world lightened with heavenly influence. In that repeated reformation great blessings are received by the true and humble with thanksgiving like 1844, while those refusing conversion and clinging to earthly possessions when calls for liberal offerings are made become separated.

The day shows those who received the Spirit carried the message outward preaching wherever scattered, and the blessing in Battle Creek should likewise have led believers to reflect and spread received light, with a promised outpouring for souls there like Pentecost to follow decision and wholehearted seeking in every family. That Pentecost-like outpouring is conditional on responding to offered grace and love, hearing God's voice with yearning, obeying commands in love and accepting invitation to the marriage feast and satisfying banquet of His Word that meets every want. The day brings true repentance and conversion, and when that experience comes to workers in Nashville they will unite in labor with Christ and angels working with them. The verse shows the true fire filling God's people for united missionary work, whose opposite is strange fire of faultfinding, criticizing, judging and accusing zeal that discourages workers, tears down others' work, binds means and hinders the Southern field; being filled means being quenched of that fire through thorough conversion wiping out questioning and criticizing, working in harmony and building up new destitute places with decided effort.

The verse is reflected when God's Spirit comes upon believers assembled, which in early days of the message was accompanied by visions and praise for light, comfort, hope and joy. The verse shows the Spirit glorifying God by revealing His character so He becomes supreme affection and His character manifested in them, flooding the church with light whose Source was Christ, putting His name on every tongue and filling every heart with love, to be repeated when the angel lightens the earth, making clear all righteousness comes from Him alone. The verse shows the vivifying influence believers today need, bringing bold speaking, oneness of heart and soul, expulsion of selfishness with no one claiming possessions, Christ's love so none lacked, powerful witness to the resurrection and great grace upon all. The verse shows the Spirit's power manifested among God's people, and churches may experience this baptism when receiving God's words and choosing to be guided and controlled by Him, with power poured on those prepared and need tied to renewed effective service and divine life.

The verse marks the outpouring after ascension empowering the first gospel church and revealing the risen Saviour's power, fulfilling every Old Testament specification with type meeting antitype in Christ's life, death, resurrection and ascension to lead captivity captive, leaving no uncertainty He is Son of God, and obligating God's people with accumulated light of centuries to shine more brightly, with five thousand converted in one day. The verse shows the Spirit's mighty revealing enabling those who seek Christ and let His love soften hearts to receive power to move others including youth with Christ as Helper, and likewise enabling parents softened by grace to draw erring children with patience and kindness in a Pentecostal outpouring. The verse shows teachers and principals are to receive a like outpouring, and the blessing is to be received with thanksgiving with light gathered and shared including through preaching and publications, for the Holy Ghost moves people to speak and gives utterance. Pentecost is a season of the Spirit's work, and churches may experience comparable outpouring when believers humble themselves, confess, are cleansed and open hearts without hindrance, removing what obstructs grace, resulting in converting power.

A meeting can be called a day of Pentecost or pentecostal season because God's Spirit is powerfully present bringing earnest praise, joy, unity, fervent prayer, heartfelt testimonies, confession, humility, forgiveness, reconciliation and praise continuing through the night with extraordinary blessing. The verse shows a pentecostal season marked by earnest prayer, deep conviction, weeping, heart-broken confession of sins, hardness, injustice, disunion and Laodicean pride, humbling, mutual forgiveness, rejoicing till morning with men of influence leading and none too proud to confess, which God waits to give when people humble themselves and which is lost as a mere might-have-been when men in trust fail to break through. The verse shows Spirit-filled believers speaking as enabled, and pentecostal seasons can occur now as believers pray, trust God and let the Spirit enter, confess wrongs and humble themselves, with faith shining steadily. The verse is connected with being baptized with the apostolic spirit to go as missionaries where truth is unknown, and its spirit of revival and self-sacrifice is needed in God's institutions.

The verse is associated with speaking in praise and testifying for Christ to glorify God, when God's salvation was revealed among the gathered church. The verse shows the Spirit filling believers joined with confessing sin, with pardon and justification given to those repenting and humbling themselves, and when the Spirit comes in the same way blinded eyes are opened and scales fall away. The verse shows the gift also offered to believers who can be filled when willing to receive and turn attention to what is true and living. The day is the measure for the great revival that could have occurred at the 1901 General Conference, pointing to the Spirit's work among the prepared through humility, confession and consecration, while refusal of full surrender bars entrance; if leaders had humbled themselves there could have been a revival as great as any since Pentecost with the Spirit able to enter and remove evil.

The verse gives pentecostal power, but believers today need more because of a large open field, requiring greater power to serve Christ, reveal His character and illustrate heaven with no strife for supremacy or selfish spirit but love for one another in words and actions as representatives of His kingdom. The verse shows the Spirit leading and guiding people and making them safe counsellors as holy fire and true inspiration, while counsel apart from God's guidance is unsafe. The Paris meeting is compared to Pentecost because God's power descended similarly moving those gathered including those led into error to fall prostrate, feel conviction, confess, plead forgiveness and repent; the comparison does not specify speaking in tongues. The Pentecostal outpouring is a source of spiritual power and promised renewal needed for reformation, coming as God's people seek Him through prayer and confession, described as Pentecostal energy reviving spiritual life.

The Spirit comes as on Pentecost when the way is cleared by ministers drawing nigh to God by confession, humiliation and prayer, closing distance, exercising faith, gaining daily experience and becoming converted men sanctified through truth they present and representing Christ, and only then will bearers succeed with the longed-for greater manifestation. The coming after the ascension is connected with people joining the disciples in seeking the lost, and when disciples received the Spirit He enabled them to speak preparing the way for harvest gathered through preaching. The Pentecost experience models seasons of renewal that can occur again: when God's people pray fervently and believe promises they may receive fresh outpouring, with prayer and faith making witness shine steadily. The season's blessing was meant not to be kept to oneself but to equip believers to carry divine light and Christ's fragrance to the world through good works, and its results will not be seen unless people make determined efforts to seek God and cooperate with His servants.

The disciples received the prayed-for outpouring after putting away selfishness, love of supremacy and differences and becoming united, which evidenced acceptance and answered prayers of faith, whose converting power brings decisive change so people stop opposing God's work, coming from Christ not human numbers so glory belongs to Him and continuing for conversion of souls. The powerful rushing wind filling the place resulted in great ingathering with thousands and five thousand converted in a day, presented as pattern for future outpouring bringing similar harvest, and the Spirit must confirm the word with truth presented for the message to go with power and Jesus magnified through believers in His fullness. The outpouring empowered Christ's witnesses to proclaim salvation bringing conviction and converts, with Christ's Spirit animating believers in unity and love, and heaven and earth working harmoniously in one God, one faith, one baptism as disciples prayed, believed, humbled hearts, drew close to the Teacher and sought to enlighten others, opening understanding and hearts to truth acknowledged in heaven. The disciples were animated for zealous work for God's glory, an example for followers to seek similar work, grow in faith and share light rather than remain satisfied with meager experience.

The Spirit of Christ poured on the early church made believers one, and unity produced by abiding in Christ is the fruit of the Spirit, with the Spirit enabling witness held up as example and model for taking truth to new places and leading people to accept and proclaim Christ. The Spirit's gift was received in fullness after ascension when through faith and prayer they surrendered fully of one accord in one place calling on the Lord, laying the foundation of church and mission, and the Spirit is given richly through various channels the more sought the wider spread, with earnest soul-saving creating need for renewed resort to the never-exhausted Fountain establishing habitual communion. On the day angels worked for early disciples and wait to do the same now with divine help when powers are sanctified, hearts harmonized and hold on God strong, enabling duty to children and the ignorant, carrying out the Word in the home and imparting hope to perishing souls, ready to help parents as they helped disciples. The outpouring serves as point of comparison for unselfishness and freedom from covetousness expected in followers free from selfish ownership with property held for the reformation, and the same Spirit acting today will make them give back to God of His own with same liberality for wide work.

Pentecost is a decisive manifestation of salvation and model for awakening and earnest soul-winning needed, with the apostles praying when poured upon teaching followers to pray for the Spirit and seek baptism. The verse shows the Spirit's gift to bear fruit in preaching the word, as Spirit-filled believers should carry the message everywhere as missionary witnesses to others. The verse belongs to the event when great additions were made with five thousand converted and the gospel was not to stop in Jerusalem, for disciples needed to carry it beyond and persecution scattered believers proclaiming it in Judea, Samaria and farther. The verse belongs to the outpouring whose light and deep heart work are available to those trusting God's word, and the descent is to be sought as churches prepare for the Spirit's presence in meetings.

The verse shows the apostles receiving power from heaven enabling bold preaching of Christ followed by remarkable works in His name, and a similar season could have come to the meeting if people had confessed, humbled themselves and stood for right. Some now uncertain will receive the Holy Spirit of truth in a repetition of the Pentecost experience. The verse shows the Holy Ghost moving people to speak, and when the Spirit gives this gift a work like Pentecost will be done with Christ's representatives working intelligently and not tearing down one another. The coming during ten days of supplication putting away differences and sins and uniting in heart-searching and holy fellowship fulfilled Christ's promise and empowered witness despite fierce opposition so within short time the gospel had been proclaimed throughout the inhabited world. After ten days of prayer, confession, humility and faith they received the blessing, were filled and given power to go out and do effective work for their Master.

The verse shows the position believers should now occupy under the Spirit's moving power, requiring readiness through self-denial after Christ's self-denial, diligent study of the Scriptures to carry them out, and putting away of self that hinders progress, with the wonders joined to the outpouring still to be shown and listeners hearing in their own tongue. The verse concerns the Spirit's divine manifestations and power whose transforming work is to be a living testimony enabling believers to witness to Christ from personal knowledge of God and to develop characters patterned after Christ. The verse presents the early church experience as a pattern for later times when God's people will face opposition to God's Word and must bear a living testimony that can convince minds and turn many to the Lord, to be studied because they will pass through similar experiences.