What was Sunday June 5th, 2022 like for you? Do you remember what you did? I didn’t do much. Didn’t even make it to church. Didn’t want to expose anyone to COVID. My day wasn’t memorable. Definitely not anything to whoop and hollow over. So why even bring up such an unspectacular day? Because I think back on this day over 2000 years ago. Now that was a day! It was a most spectacular day! We call it Pentecost and on that day The Lord God sent … Well let me let God tell you what He did…
“On the day Pentecost was being fulfilled, all the disciples were gathered in one place. Suddenly they heard the sound of a violent blast of wind rushing into the house from out of the heavenly realm. The roar of the wind was so overpowering it was all anyone could bear! Then all at once a pillar of fire appeared before their eyes. It separated into tongues of fire that engulfed each one of them. They were all filled and equipped with the Holy Spirit and were inspired to speak in tongues—empowered by the Spirit to speak in languages they had never learned!”
Acts 2:1-4 TPT
What a day and what a God!
Do you think those first disciples were expecting this? I don’t think so. No mind can conceive all the things God has prepared for us.
In the weeks before this event, before Jesus ascended back into heaven, this was their question.
“Every time they were gathered together, they asked Jesus, “Lord, is it now the time for you to free Israel and restore our kingdom?””
Acts 1:6 TPT
They weren’t even asking the right question.
This was Jesus’ answer:
“Just before he ascended into heaven, Jesus left instructions through the Holy Spirit for the apostles he had chosen. After the sufferings of his cross, Jesus appeared alive many times to these same apostles over a forty-day period, proving to them with many convincing signs that he had been resurrected. During these encounters, he taught them the truths of God’s kingdom. Jesus instructed them, “Don’t leave Jerusalem, but wait here until you receive the gift I told you about, the gift the Father has promised. For John baptized you in water, but in a few days from now you will be baptized in the Holy Spirit!” Every time they were gathered together, they asked Jesus, “Lord, is it now the time for you to free Israel and restore our kingdom?” He answered, “The Father is the one who sets the fixed dates and the times of their fulfillment. You are not permitted to know the timing of all that he has prepared by his own authority. But I promise you this—the Holy Spirit will come upon you, and you will be seized with power. You will be my messengers to Jerusalem, throughout Judea, the distant provinces —even to the remotest places on earth!””
Acts 1:2-8 TPT
“Right after Jesus spoke those words, the disciples saw him being lifted into the sky, and disappearing into a cloud! As they stared into the sky, watching Jesus ascend, two men in white robes suddenly appeared beside them. They told the startled disciples, “Galileans, why are you staring up into the sky? Jesus has been taken from you into heaven, but he will come back in the same way that you saw him ascend.””
Acts 1:9-11 TPT
I wonder, when they woke up that Pentecost morning, what were they expecting? Did they question if this day might be the day Jesus had promised? How many days had transpired since Jesus promised to send the Holy Spirit on the day He ascended? I was curious, and what do we do when we are curious about a subject these days? We google all things.
From my google search:
“Q: #121. How many days were there between Jesus’ ascension to Heaven and Pentecost?
By: Steve Shirley
A: There were 10 days between His ascension and Pentecost. How do we know this? Jesus arose from the dead on the Feast of Firstfruits (See: Q: #117 for more on this). A “wave offering” was made on this day (Lev 23:9-10). The Feast of Weeks, also known as Pentecost (from the Greek word “Pentecoste” meaning fiftieth) began 50 days after the wave offering (Lev 23:15-16)(Deut 16:9-10). Jesus was on the Earth for 40 days before His ascension (Acts 1:3). Therefore, 50-40= 10 days.”
Could have deduced that from scripture but hey google works faster than my mathematical skills these days.
I can’t even! Just imagine what that must have looked like, what it must have sounded like?
Jesus promised these disciples many truths. They didn’t grasp what He meant when He spoke of His death and Resurrection. Their minds couldn’t wrap around His death, so when He died they fled. They hid out for three days, but that day 40 days later on the mountain with their Resurrected Rabbi, King Jesus, they were all in. Granted they didn’t see the full depth of this promise from their side of His Story. Their meager human eye couldn’t grasp it all, but they were in it to win it. With mouths gaping open as they watched Jesus head back to heaven, they had to have known with full belief something spectacular was just around the corner. This time they obeyed and waited.
“The disciples left the Mount of Olives and returned to Jerusalem, which was less than a mile away. Arriving there, they went into a large second-floor room to pray. Those present were Peter, John, Jacob, Andrew, Philip, Thomas, Bartholomew, Matthew, Jacob (the son of Alpheus), Simon (the zealot), Judas (the son of Jacob), and a number of women, including Mary, Jesus’ mother. His brothers were there as well. All of them were united in prayer, gripped with one passion, interceding night and day.”
Acts 1:12-14 TPT