| Fifty days after
Christ's
Death and Resurrection was the Jewish Pentecost Harvest Festival, during
which an offering of The First Fruits are returned to God. Jesus'
surrender of His life had been the ultimate blessing to God and now God
received the first of a great harvest of believers. The coming of The Baptism of The Holy Spirit was marked by a roaring sound of Wind and visible Tongues of Fire resting upon each of 120 believers, including the women, who had gathered for prayer.This was followed by all of them, speaking in foreign languages. Wind and Fire are also accepted symbols for the powerful cleansing operation of The Holy Spirit. Many Jews came to Jerusalem for The Feast of Pentecost from 150 Jewish colonies scattered around the known world. These visitors stood stunned as they each heard the believers of Jesus speaking in their own language about the miracles of God. Peter explained to them that this was a fulfillment of scripture being Joel 2:28-32. He told them that Jesus was crucified and was raised from the dead in accordance with prophecy of Holy Writ. Peter proclaimed that Joel's prophecy of the out pouring of The Holy Spirit of all flesh, male or female, young or old, race or status, Jew or non-Jew began on the day of Pentecost. The Holy Spirit is for the church age until Jesus' Second coming. The New Covenant is The Covenant of Grace and Spirit. God, The Father promised The Holy Spirit to all believers and their children's children and even to those who are afar off, not just the believers at the time of the initial outpouring, it is an ongoing promise to all who accept Christ as their Lord and Saviour, all believers are co-heirs with Christ.
|
![[line]](images/hrcolor.gif){kind=small}
![[arrowleft]](images/arro33w1.gif){kind=small}
![[arrow up]](images/arro33n1.gif){kind=small}