Pentecost was an Old Testament Feast day. Pentecost means “fiftieth” and was celebrated 50 days after Passover. It was one of the three annual feasts for which the nation was to come to Jerusalem. It was on Pentecost that the Holy Spirit was poured forth on the Church and provided the leadership and power for world evangelism.
God told Abram (“Exalted Father,”) “in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed” (Gen. 12:3). Concerning Abraham (“Father of a Multitude”) the Apostle Paul wrote, “who against hope believed in hope that he might become the father of many nations” (Rom. 4:18). Acts 2 links the world-wide redemptive purpose of God with the Patriarch Abrham. This is further expanded in Romans 11 where we are told of the Jewish root of the olive tree. Some of the natural branches (Jews) were broken off because of unbelief so that Gentiles could be grafted in. However, the apostle warns the Gentile readers, “Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root but the root thee” (Rom. 4:18).
What happened on the Day of Pentecost was prophesied in the past (Joel 2:28-29) and was partially fulfilled as an illustration of God’s future work in the past (Acts 2). But the prophecy reaches far into the future: “And I will show wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath, blood and fire and vapor of smoke: The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come” (Acts 2:19-20; Joel 2:30-32). These phenomena are all connected with tribulation judgments and events leading up to and surrounding our Lord’s Second Coming (Blood: Rev. 8:7,8; 14:20; 16:3. Fire: Rev. 8:5,7,10. Smoke: Rev. 9:2,3,17,18; 18:9, 18).
The Day of Pentecost And the Church
Pentecost was a pivotal event in redemptive history. Apart from Pentecost, the church as we know it from the Pauline Epistles and other New Testament revelations could not exist. I know there are those who do not agree that the Church began in Acts 2, but they miss the pivotal importance of Pentecost. I think their real goal is to push what many consider “Hyper Dispensationalism.” In A Bible Handbook To The Acts of the Apostles, by General Editor Dr. Mal Couch, we read a statement that I fully endorse: “…the church of Jesus Christ began on Pentecost. Until the Holy Spirit came that day with His new and expanded ministries, the church did not exist. It could not exist until the Head of the body, Jesus Christ, had risen from the dead, ascended to heaven and had sent the Holy Spirit” (p. 35) My personal observations are as follows:
- Christ indwells believers in the Church Age. This is never said of the people of Israel.
- In the Church Age, Jew and Gentile are on an equal footing. This was not true in times prior to Pentecost.
- The existence of the church is dependent on the giving of spiritual gifts to the body, something which was dependent on the ascension of Christ (Eph. 4:8). Since the church is rooted in the resurrection and ascension, the church is distinctive to this age and did not exist in earlier times.
The Place of the Day of Pentecost in the Big Picture
There were some, on the Day of Pentecost, who mocked the miraculous phenomena. “And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What meaneth this? Others mocking said, These men are full of new wine.”
Peter’s answer, in verses 14-16 is critical in understanding the place of Pentecost in God’s wonderful plan of redemption and consummation: “But Peter standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words: For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day. But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel…”
It is common among many Christians to believe that at least part of Joel’s prophecy was fulfilled at Pentecost, as recorded in Acts 2. However, a thoughtful study of the passage will show that the reference to Joel is not a reference to show fulfillment—in fact, the word “fulfill” does not even appear in the sacred text. Peter is not affirming fulfilment, but he is observing similarity. “This is that,” meaning “like that” between the working of God’s Spirit in the future and what the Holy Spirit was doing in Acts 2. Peter was seeking to show that the phenomena of Acts was not drunkenness and that, in fact, similar phenomena was noted in the prophecy of Joel. Peter is not saying this is the fulfillment of Joel’s prophecy – which would be impossible in view of the cosmic-apocalyptic manifestations mentioned in Acts 2:19-21. Joel describes the activity of God’s Spirit at work in events surrounding the second coming of Christ. Peter, I believe quite convincingly, shows the similarity between what the Holy Spirit will do in the future with the nation of Israel and what He was doing 2,000 years ago. God has not forgotten the land and the people of Israel.
Acts 2 and Israel’s Future Restoration and Final Deliverance
The Bible tells us that the Holy Spirit plays a dynamic role in Israel’s future restoration. Scripture refutes replacement theology which teaches that Israel’s promises are “carnal” and not to be taken literally, because they are totally contrary to the spirituality of the New Testament. As a former Amillennialist this is what I assumed to be true – until I started to study the prophetic Scriptures for myself.
Ezekiel 36 spells it out for us. Verse 25: “Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you…from, all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you… Verse 27: “And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes…Verse 31: “Then shall ye remember your own evil ways, and your doings that were not good, and shall loathe yourselves in your own sight for your iniquities and for your abominations…” Verses 34-35: “And the desolate land shall be tilled, whereas it lay desolate in the sight of all that passed by. And they shall say, This land that was desolate is become like the garden of Eden; and the waste and desolate and ruined cities are become fenced, and are inhabited.” Clearly the future rejuvenation of the land of Israel occurs at a time of spiritual renewal for God’s people because of the work of the Holy Spirit.
Christian Hebraist, Merrill Unger, comments on Joel 2:28 and writes, “The great event of the outpouring of the Spirit will occur afterward, that is ‘in the last days’ (Isa. 2:2) after Israel’s chastisement at the hands of the nations during the Great Tribulation, which will result in the purging out of a saved remnant at the Messiah’s second advent.” (Unger’s Commentary on the Old Testament, p. 1763).
The Scripture does teach that there will be a great purging out of Israel and the remaining remnant will be refined. Zechariah 13:8-9 reveals that finally “I will say, it is my people: and they shall say, the Lord is my God.”
Acts 2 is a wonderful testimony to the power of the Holy Spirit energizing the work of the church, and proving that the Holy Spirit will also work in the nation and people of Israel in later times. I believe that this study will give us all a more comprehensive view of the wonder and the true significance of Pentecost.
