What is Pentecost? There were three major feasts in Israel, in the first month, the third month, and the seventh month of their calendar. Passover was the first major feast, Pentecost, and then the feast of Tabernacles. Within Passover, there are three feasts. Within Tabernacles, there are three feasts. And then, you have the Feast of Pentecost. Pentecost was the celebrating of the giving of the law on Mount Sinai. Pentecost means 50th. Pentecost was 50 days after Passover.
What happened at Pentecost?
Acts 2:(AMP) “ 1 When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place, 2 and suddenly a sound came from heaven like a rushing violent wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 There appeared to them tongues resembling fire, which were being distributed [among them], and they rested on each one of them [as each person received the Holy Spirit]. 4 And they were all filled [that is, diffused throughout their being] with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues (different languages), as the Spirit was giving them the ability to speak out [clearly and appropriately]. 5 Now there were Jews living in Jerusalem, devout and God-fearing men from every nation under heaven. 6 And when this sound was heard, a crowd gathered, and they were bewildered (confused) because each one was hearing those in the upper room speaking in his own language or dialect. 7 They were completely astonished, saying, “Look! Are not all of these who are speaking Galileans? 8 Then how is it that each of us hears in our own language or native dialect? 11 we all hear them speaking in our [native] tongues about the mighty works of God!”
The Bible says these people were not speaking their own languages but speaking other languages that they have never spoken before. Just image, suddenly you are speaking a language you have never spoken before and it is understood by strangers. This is what happened here.
In Genesis 11 the story of Babel is recorded. They all spoke one language. They were not gathered in unity; they were gathered in rebellion. On the day of Pentecost, they were gathered in unity. At the tower of Babel, they all had one language, God came down and confused them. On the day of Pentecost God restored a pure language and they heard the wonderful works of God. That is the work of the Spirit of God. Pentecost is the blessed reversal of the curse of Babel.
Pentecost originated as the celebrating of the giving of the law on Mount Sinai. The Bible says when the law was given, there was a loud noise. There was fire. God wrote His law on tablets of stone. And on that day when the law was given, 3000 people died.
On the day of Pentecost, there was a loud noise. God showed-up, the cloud descended. There was fire. The Spirit descended. God wrote His law on men’s hearts and 3000 people were saved.
Jesus came to make us in right standing with God. The Holy Spirit came so that we can live righteously. He came to empower us. Jesus promised that he will send us the Holy Spirit in John 14. On the day of Pentecost, in Acts 2 the promise was fulfilled.
John 14:16-17 — And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.
I conclude with the words of Mark Hart “Pentecost is a celebration of God… a celebration of God’s power… a celebration of God’s desire to empower us and to dwell within us.”
