Do you really know why they were meeting on the day of Pentecost? Why were all those people praying in that room together?  In this blog I give you a brief history, meaning and why that day was so important in our walk with God.  A lot of people have a lack of understanding or they are scared of the Holy Spirit. It is something we need to embrace, not run from.

Acts 2:1-4 “And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from Heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.”

On that day the Spirit moved among the apostles and gave them the extraordinary ability to speak forth the word of God in foreign tongues.  Christ’s outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost was a very open and visible action.  As a result, “there were added on that day about three thousand souls” (Acts 2:41). Those who believed that day was born again and baptized with the Holy Spirit.  Making real to them what Christ is, Abba, Father!

The History 

The Festivals for the wheat harvest (feast of weeks) was held fifty days from the first Sunday after the Passover.  The name Pentecost comes from the Greek word “fiftieth.” The Feast was observed after the Israeli people settled in the promised land.  It marked the time when the first fruits of the wheat harvest were gathered and offered to the Lord.  These fruits were celebrated with a wave offering.  Bread was made from a fine flour from the wheat, and then they literally waved in the air before the Lord.  (Lev 23)  It expressed their dependence on God for bread.

It also commemorated the giving of the law at Mount Sinai.  It is calculated that God gave the law fifty days after they left Egypt.  It was the second of three major Jewish festivals (Passover and Feast of Tabernacles). What made it a major festival is that all adult males were required to travel to the sanctuary to take part.  Devout Jews would stay awake on the first night to purify and elevate their souls.

This particular wheat celebration was like no other, it marked the first Pentecost after the Resurrection.  It was the last Jewish and the first Christian Pentecost.  I love how this all fits together. They had always celebrated actual bread made from the flour.  You see, fine flour (made from wheat) represented perfect righteousness.

The Bible says in John 12:24  “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.”  He was talking about Himself.  Except that word die, and the word could not die, unless it was made flesh.  The Bible says the seed of God is the word of God.  God does not have any reproduction seed, except His word.  That is the way He reproduces, through His word, the seed of God.  God planted the seed and the seed grew.  The bible says in Romans 8, Jesus is the first among many brethren, the power of God, and everything that you need. (Quote from:  revlarrywright.wordpress.com/2015/02/11/seed-of-god/)

They were not only celebrating physical seed they were now celebrating Spiritual seed.  The growth of many seeds to come! WOW! I would have given anything to see that celebrating.

Around every two thousand years, something major has taken place on earth.  Adam (4714 BC) Flood (2158 BC) Christ’s death, resurrection and Pentecost (30 AD), I believe the last event marked the beginning of the last days. It was a manifestation of the universal priesthood and brotherhood of believers in Christ, where all are one, whether Jew or Gentile, law or free, male or female.

The Effect 

The disciples begin to walk in a powerful anointing after the baptism of the Holy Spirit.  They begin to see a ministry of healing unfold in a great way.  When Peter and John went to pray they met a lame man at the gate called beautiful, asking for alms. They replied, “silver and gold have I none, but such as I have give I thee: in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.”(Acts 3:1-10).  “ There came as a multitude out of the city round about Jerusalem, bring sick folks, and them that were vexed with unclean spirits, and they were healed every one” (Acts 5:16).

There were many more miracles that happened, blind Saul, (3-9) Dorcas restored to life (9:36-43), Cripple healed at Lystra (14:8-10), Publius’ father healed, (28:8-9)  Eutychus restored to life(20:7-12).  Paul was bitten by a viper and no harm came to him (28:3-6).  “ And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul: So that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits when out of them.” (Acts 19:11-12).  Jesus equipped them for a great ministry with the Holy Spirit.

The effect of Pentecost was like no other, it gave supernatural power to believers, to accomplish supernatural things.  It was the beginning of a very powerful end-time ministry. “But ye shall receive power after the Holy Ghost has come upon you, and ye shall be witnesses unto me…….unto the uttermost parts of the earth. (Acts 1:8)

The Purpose

         Pentecost is more than just a festival.  It is the inheritance of all believers.  Many view the experience of Pentecost as an unnecessary aspect of the Christian faith, but there is a reason behind the advent of the Holy Spirit.  The disciples were commissioned, but not equipped.  All of them believed in Jesus, but something more was needed to spread the Gospel.  At Pentecost, they received a new power and fullness in their lives. The new power changed them from mere believers to equipped witnesses, ready to spread the word.  With it, they filled Jerusalem with the word of God and turned the world upside down. One may know the truth, but it takes the Holy Spirit to understand it.  The baptism of the Holy Spirit does not make us holier, but it does make us more useful.

When the Spirit came the disciples went.  They went everywhere and preached the gospel. “When the Comforter is come…..he shall testify of Me.” (John 15:26) The rushing mighty wind that filled the upper room swept their fears away and replaced them with boldness.

Peter, now had the power of Pentecost.  He faced the very ones who had crucified Christ with the message of the cross and resurrection.   He broke Jewish tradition when he told of Jesus, at the home of Cornelius. When asked to refrain from witnessing, he said, “For we cannot but speak” (Acts 4:20).  The Baptism gave him Holy Boldness.  The purpose of Pentecost is to supply the tools you need to do God work.  It is the power of the task of world evangelism.

Conclusion

Many of us, because of our complex life, have no understanding of the actual production of our food supplies.  Harvest time was the most important season for the Hebrew people. They didn’t have a supermarket or drive-thru windows; they depended on God for food.  Pentecost was a time of great celebration and thankfulness to God.  They understood the true meaning of growth.  Just as the wheat needs rain to grow strong and mature, we as Christians need the Holy Spirit to make us grow strong and mature in Christ. The day of Pentecost was very important because it represents not only the growth of the crops but the growth of the seed of God!  This gift can open up so many doors to believers, just like it did for the disciples.  From the understanding of God’s word, directing us in the paths we should go in our lives, and give us power over the enemy.

I challenge you to study the book of Acts and ask God for that supernatural power of the Holy Spirit! What do you have to lose?   The last days started on the day of Pentecost, we are in the latter of that.  In the book of Acts 2:17-21 God tells us what the Holy Spirit can do:   “And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy: And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke: The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come: And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” 

I believe the disciples set the standards on the day of Pentecost. It is our time for another great revival.