Act 2:1-4 “And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.”
In the first chapter of the book of Acts, we see some of the thoughts and actions of the apostles leading up to Pentecost. There were ten days between the time of His ascension and the day of Pentecost. Now that ten days was up. Pentecost had fully come.
Many Pentecosts had come and gone over the years. The day of Pentecost was observed, by God’s command, fifty days after the Passover. However, this day was different from all the others. While previous Pentecosts had pointed to the coming of a great and wondrous day, that day had now fully come.
Jesus had promised His disciples that if He went away the Father would send them another Comforter who would abide forever (John 14:16). That day (age) had now fully come. The apostles and disciples were experiencing something that was unlike anything they had witnessed before. They were being “endued with power from on high (Luke 24:49), and it was occurring while they were all in one place with their hearts fixed on Jesus.
For the child of God called into His service, there is nothing quite like being filled with the Holy Spirit. Just as it did that day, the Spirit comes suddenly. It may not have an audible sound, but it still comes with unexpected power and carries the very breath (Spirit) of God. When we experience its coming, it fills us so that there is no room for the things of the world; no room for our doubts and fears; no room for sorrow; only the Comforter.
The sudden coming of the Comforter partitions our language (cloven tongues) so that we, who are flesh, may speak of the wonders of spiritual things. This is not something that is generated from within us, but it comes to us from above as lightning (fire). It is not my intent to detract in any way from what they experienced on that day when Pentecost was fully come. Rather, I would that we may realize that Pentecost has not left since the day it fully came.
There are many different opinions as to what the scripture is referring to when talking about “speaking in other tongues.” Some think it is a language that is not known anywhere on the earth. Others thing it simply means that all these men (who were Galilaeans) were heard to speak in the language of other countries. One thing is clear: they were doing something that was miraculous.
That same miracle occurs today when we are blessed to speak with power concerning this heavenly kingdom Christ has given us. To speak of God’s absolute power over all flesh is not something we have by worldly wisdom. Declaring with conviction that Jesus is the very Son of God, born of a virgin, crucified on a cross, and raised victorious from the grave is not the “language” of this world. We can only speak these things as the Spirit gives us utterance.
May it please God to fill us with the Holy Ghost so that we may speak things that are otherwise to wonderful for us to know!
