The Day of Pentecost (Acts 2)

(Class Notes)

• The Power of Penetcost - The Coming of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:1-4)
  • The fulfillment of the promise of the Father was the baptism of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:4-5 cf. John 14:26; John 15:26; John 16:7)
  • The time for the promise to be fulfilled was 50 days from the TRUE FirstFruits, which was the TRUE Pentecost:
    • 40 Days from the resurrection (Acts 1:3)
    • 10 Days from the ascension (Acts 1:5,9)
    • ===================================
    • 50 Days from the FirstFruits (I Corinthians 15:20)
  • The fulfillment was evidenced by the gift of tongues, which anticipated a restored pure language to regathered Israel (Zephaniah 3:8-10,16-20)
  • The apostles received power from the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8), which provided them with utterance just as He spoke by the mouth of David (Acts 1:16)
    • RUSHING (Greek, phero) = MOVED (II Peter 1:21)

• The People of Pentecost - The Gathering of Israel (Acts 2:5-13)
  • There were Jews out of every nation under heaven in Jerusalem at Pentecost - three times a year every male Jew was required to appear before the Lord in Jerusalem (Exodus 23:14-17; Deuteronomy 16:16-17):
    • Feast of Unleavened Bread (Passover)
    • Feast of Weeks (Pentecost)
    • Feast of Tabernacles
  • The dispersions of Israel (Isaiah 11:11):
    • North: Assyria (Cappadocia and Pontus)
    • East: Babylon (Parthians and Medes)
    • South: Egypt, Libya, Cyrene
    • West: Strangers of Rome
  • The dispersions addressed in the writings of the Circumcision (Israel) apostles (Galatians 2:7,9):
    • The strangers scattered throughout (I Peter 1:1)
    • The twelve tribes scattered abroad (James 1:1)
    • The seven separate churches, which are in Asia (Revelation 1:4) as typified by the seven candlesticks (Revelation 1:20):
      • Moses was instructed to make one candlestick with seven lamps, which illustrated a unified Israel in the Land (Exodus 25:31,37):

• The Message of Pentecost - The Witnessing of Israel's Hope (Acts 2:14-36)
  • The witness of the Day of the Lord (Acts 2:14-21)
    • God will pour out His Spirit ON His people (Joel 2:28-29) AFTER His Son is glorified (John 7:37-39); prior to that it was necessary to ask the Father (Luke 11:9-13)
    • God will show signs in the heaven above and the earth beneath - the opening of the sixth seal (Revelation 6:12-17)
  • The witness of the Resurrection (Acts 2:22-28)
    • Jesus approved of God to Israel via signs that He was the Christ, the Son of God (John 20:30-31)
    • The ONLY sign given by Christ to rebellious Israel was His resurrection (Matthew 12:38-40)
    • The resurrection of Christ was the hope of Israel (Acts 26:6-7,22-23 cf. Acts 28:17-20)
    • God purposed the death of Christ that through it, Christ would vanquish Satan who had the power over it and, thereby, liberate those who were in bondage to it and him (Hebrews 2:14-16 cf. I John 3:8)
    • David testified to the resurrection of Christ as the pledge of his own which was his hope (Psalms 16:8-11)
  • The witness of the Throne of David (Acts 2:29-31)
    • David was promised an heir to his throne of his own flesh (Psalms 132:11 cf. Luke 1:32)
    • The earthly reign of Christ is referred to as the sure mercies of David (Acts 13:32-34 cf. Psalms 2:6-8)
  • The witness of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:32-36)
    • The apostles were eye witnesses of His resurrection (Acts 1:3) and of His promise to them of being endued with power from on High to be His witnesses (Acts 1:8)
    • Christ being on the right hand of the Father has fulfilled His promise to them (John 15:26) as evidenced by the gift of tongues (Acts 2:6-8)
    • David refers to the Lord as sitting at the Father's right hand UNTIL the time His enemies are made His footstool (Psalms 110:1) - note Stephen's vision (Acts 7:55-56)
    • Israel is told in no uncertain terms that the One they crucified is the One God has exalted (Psalms 118:22-24 cf. Acts 4:10-12)

• The Outcome of Pentecost - The Harvesting of Israel's Firstfruits (Acts 2:37-47)
  • The conviction of the multitude (Acts 2:37-42)
    • Repentance and water baptism were the requirements for remission of sins and entrance into the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 3:2; Matthew 4:17 cf. Mark 1:4)
    • The remission of sins is to take place at the return of Christ (Acts 3:19-21 cf. Zechariah 12:10; Zechariah 13:1,6)
    • Israel was told by Christ that they would be forgiven for their blasphemy against Him, but would NOT be forgiven for their blasphemy against the Holy Spirit (Matthew 12:31-32) - the apostles exhorted the convicted hearers to come out from among the blasphemers
    • 3000 Jews responded to the apostles' exhortation and, thus, became the firstfruits of a new nation (Matthew 21:43)
    • The new nation continued in the apostles' doctrine:
      • Expectance of the Day of the Lord (Acts 2:14-21)
      • The resurrection of Christ (Acts 2:22-28)
      • The exaltation of Christ (Acts 2:29-36)
  • The fear of the multitude (Acts 2:43-47)
    • The apostles wrought many signs and wonders in the midst of Israel (Acts 5:12):
      • The judgment of Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:1-11):
    • Signs and wonders in Israel's past and future:
      • The judgment of Achan and his family (Joshua 7:1,7,10-13,19-21,24-26)
      • ALL evil will be summarily judged during the Lord's earthly reign (Zechariah 5:1-4; Psalms 101:6-8)
    • Pentecost was an annual reminder of the year of Jubilee (7 x 7 years - Leviticus 25:8-10)
    • Daniel was told of the True Jubilee (70 x 7 years), which would usher in Messiah's Rest (Daniel 9:24 cf. Hebrews 4:1,3,9-11)
    • Those who believed in the soon return of the Messiah to give them rest - expressed that faith in accordance with the law of Jubilee by returning ALL possessions (Leviticus 25:11-13), e.g. Barnabas (Acts 4:36-37)
    • The firstfruits of the new nation grew daily (Acts 5:14)

Study Outline

Audio Message (Summary)