Lately I have been writing about Passover, now it's time to take a look at Pentecost. And I mean to take several looks here to bring out several meanings and to illustrate a point.
The single most important thing the Lord has taught me about bible interpretation is that there is often more than one correct interpretation of a bible topic or passage.
So we're going to give you several views of Pentecost here. We're not going into great depth, these will just be sketches of possible teachings. They will all be diverse and all correct. And some are more correct that others, whatever that might mean.
Bible Texts on Pentecost
Exodus 19 - 20
Exodus 23 - 24
Exodus 32
Exodus 34
Leviticus 23
Acts 2
Pentecost Basics
The basic ordinance of Pentecost is found in Leviticus 23:15-21. Starting the day after the Feast Of First Fruits, which is the 16th Aviv a.k.a. Nisan, 50 days are counted off. The 50th day is the day of the feast. Since 7 weeks must pass it is also called Feast of Weeks, and Shavuot in Hebrew.
Historically this is the day that Israel received the Law from God on Mt. Sinai. They traveled 47 days from the Red Sea crossing and camped at Sinai. On the third day after this, The Lord came down on the mountain as recorded in Exodus 19.
On the feast of Pentecost as recorded in Acts 2, the Holy Spirit descended upon the gathered disciples as Jesus foretold. This is considered the beginning of the church and the church age.
Now here are some of the interpretations.
1. The Law and the Lawyer
This one is from Ralph Mahoney who notes that the Law was given at the first Pentecost and the Lawyer at the time of Acts 2. The Holy Spirit being the paraclete, advisor, lawyer, teacher etc. So that before under the law we had only the strictness of the law. But now under the New Testament we have a lawyer to help us.
2. Betrothal of the Bride
This view sees the first Pentecost as one where the law was given to serve as a marriage contract, and that it represents the betrothal of Israel as the bride of the Lord. The giving of the Holy Spirit in acts 2 must therefore represent the betrothal of the church as the bride of Christ. There are several directions you can take it from here, some pointing to a future fulfillment at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb.
3. Rejection of God's Voice
Here we note that when Israel first arrived at Mt. Sinai God gave them the ten commandments by speaking to them. But they couldn't stand to hear his voice and begged Moses to hear from God for them.
Ex 20:19 And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die.
So God then gave them the Law written in stone. In doing this they rejected the path of direct communication with God and chose to use an intermediary. In other words they chose to be under the law rather than hear from God for themselves.
4. The Law, the Spirit and the Covenant
This view sees the Law as the covenant with the Old Testament saints, and the Spirit as the covenant with the New Testament saints. But it does not consider or discuss the question of the bride.
5. The Covenant, the Promise and the Payoff
This view sees that the Law is a sign of the Old Testament or Old Covenant, and the Spirit is a sign of the New Testament or New Covenant. And further since that Spirit is called the 'earnest of the spirit' there must be a future fulfillment of the giving of the Spirit. The word used for earnest is also translated 'pledge'. In other words it is a token of good faith or a down payment. This then must to point to a time when there is a full payment or a completion of the Promise of the Father.
2 Co 1:22 Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.
2 Co 5:5 Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit.
6. Death under the Law, Life under the Spirit
This approach takes the approach of #4 and adds depth to it. It notes that at the giving of the Law, it was immediately broken by Israel and consequently 3 thousand of them died. [You can also see an illustration of how it's impossible to keep the law, as it was broken as soon as it was received.]
Ex 32:25 And when Moses saw that the people were naked; (for Aaron had made them naked unto their shame among their enemies:)
26 Then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, Who is on the LORD'S side? let him come unto me. And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto him.
27 And he said unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Put every man his sword by his side, and go in and out from gate to gate throughout the camp, and slay every man his brother, and every man his companion, and every man his neighbour.
28 And the children of Levi did according to the word of Moses: and there fell of the people that day about three thousand men.
And this is the exact number that are saved in Acts 2.
Ac 2:41 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.
So this entire story is an illustration of another scripture.
2 Co 3:6 Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.
7. God Coming Down with Great Noise and Fire
This view looks at how the Lord came down on Sinai with smoke and fire at the first Pentecost. This is the initial instance.
Ex 19:16 ¶ And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that was in the camp trembled.
17 And Moses brought forth the people out of the camp to meet with God; and they stood at the nether part of the mount.
18 And mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the LORD descended upon it in fire: and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly.
Secondly we compare that to the mighty rushing wind and tongues of fire in Acts 2.
Ac 2:2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
8. From First Fruits to End Time Harvest
Here we note that the counting of the homer begins at the feast of first fruits. At that time a sheaf of the first ripe grain is waved before the Lord. 50 days later two loaves of bread made from the first fruit grain are waved before the Lord. The first sheaf of grain speaks of the souls saved in the New Testament Church. The loaves prophesy of the multitudes saved in the End Time Harvest.
9. Prophecy of Judgment and Harvest
This view looks only at acts 2. Here we note Peter quotes Joel and the two main topics are the outpouring of the spirit and the day of wrath.
Ac 2:16 But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;
17 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:
18 And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:
19 And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke:
20 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come:
21 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.
His preaching produces great repentance and many are saved. So this entire story is a partial fulfillment of Joel 2:28 and also a prophecy of End Time Events involving the same elements on a global scale.
10. What it takes for effective preaching.
Here we look strictly at Peter's sermon for a lesson in what kind of preaching is needed for effective soul winning.
Ac 2:37 ¶ Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?
38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
11. The two sets of Stone Tables.
In this one we point out that there was a second set of stone tablets that The Lord gave Moses to replace the first ones that were broken. These were kept in the ark.
Ex 34:28 And he was there with the LORD forty days and forty nights; he did neither eat bread, nor drink water. And he wrote upon the tables the words of the covenant, the ten commandments.
So we can say that the new tablets prophesy of a New Covenant to come. The first tablets were broken as soon as Moses come down from the Mountain the first time.
12. The Fire of God
This approach concentrates on God's manifesting as fire. At Mt. Sinai we see the Lord coming as Fire.
Ex. 19:18 And mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the LORD descended upon it in fire
In Acts 2 we see him coming upon the saints as tongues of fire.
Ac 2:3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
The giving of the Spirit in the form of tongues of fire can be seen as giving each one a measure or portion of the Spirit. Thus it's a partial fulfillment of Joel.
Joe 2:28 ¶ And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:
29 And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.
The complete fulfillment of Joel will involve giving the Spirit without measure. John the Baptist, mentions this notion of 'Spirit without measure' when speaking of Jesus' anointing in John 3
John 3:34 For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him.
For another picture of the End Time Revival and fulfillment of Pentecost we can look to 1 Kings. The fire falling on Mt. Carmel for Elijah's sacrifice to the Lord.
1Ki 18:38 Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.
39 And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The LORD, he is the God; the LORD, he is the God.
Malachi describes it thusly.
Mal 3:1 ¶ Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts.
2 But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner's fire, and like fullers' soap:
3 And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness.
It's also mentioned in Isaiah.
Isa 33:14 The sinners in Zion are afraid; fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites. Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?
15 He that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly; he that despiseth the gain of oppressions, that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes, that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil;
Luke speaks of the baptism of Fire in Luke 3.
Lu 3:16 John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire:
And in Hebrews there is a long passage that alludes to the first Pentecost at Sinai, and the old covenant. And then leads right into a discussion of the new covenant, ending with mention of the all consuming fire like that of Elijah, Isaiah and Malachi.
Heb 12:18 ¶ For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest,
19 And the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which voice they that heard intreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more:
20 (For they could not endure that which was commanded, And if so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or thrust through with a dart:
21 And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake:)
22 But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,
23 To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,
24 And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.
25 See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven:
26 Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven.
27 And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.
28 Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:
29 For our God is a consuming fire.