The "this' whose meaning is being questioned here refers to the noise of the 120 assorted people unrestrainedly speaking in other languages, in voices so loud that it was noised abroad
[note: speaking in tongues means actually opening your lips and speaking. In all my experiencing of speaking it is impossible to SPEAK IN your mind for others to hear! (though you may SPEAK your mind!) You can only think there! You speak when you actually open your mouth to allow His praise to flow forth! So get noisy for God!] The 120 could have done the most intense thinking and produced works of art and greatness in their minds, but it was not until they opened their lips and let the words flow that they drew the attention which subsequently resulted in the addition of about 3000 souls to the kingdom.
It was Pentecost (Shavuot), and Jerusalem was crowded with Jewish believers returned from the various parts of the world where they had made their home. They had returned in obedience to the Word of Yahweh to celebrate Yaweh's Feast. It was one of the 3 times in the year that the Jews were required to be present in Jerusalem
Shavuot is the time of the first fruits being harvested and brought to the temple. It is also the feast celebrating the giving of the Torah by Yahweh to Israel from Mount Sinai. The faithful have returned to Mt Zion and against this backdrop of celebration and commemoration, at 9.00 a.m. the Holy Ghost made a dramatic entrance in a rush of wind, tongues of fire and tongues ON fire for Yashua. The noise of praise filled the city drawing men to investigate and query, "What meaneth this?"
Shavuot is connected to the season of the grain harvest in Israel. In ancient times, the grain harvest lasted seven weeks. It began with the harvesting of the barley during Passover and ended with the harvesting of the wheat at Shavuot. Shavuot was therefore the concluding festival of the grain harvest. An offering of two loaves of bread from the wheat harvest was made on Shavuot.
Shavuot (or Pentecost) is also called the Feast of Weeks, the Feast of Harvest, or the Feast of the First Fruits. Passover was the barley harvest and Shavuot was the wheat harvest.
Exo 34:22 And thou shalt observe the feast of weeks, of the firstfruits of wheat harvest, and the feast of ingathering at the year's end.
Rth 1:22 So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter in law, with her, which returned out of the country of Moab: and they came to Bethlehem in the beginning of barley harvest.
Rth 2:23 So she kept fast by the maidens of Boaz to glean unto the end of barley harvest and of wheat harvest; and dwelt with her mother in law.
So...What does this mean?
THIS MEANS THAT...
A. SCRIPTURE IS BEING FULFILLED
(Peter quoted Joel 2:28-32as a direct fulfillment of what was actually taking place in their presence )
Joe 2:28-32 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. (30) And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. (31) The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come. (32) And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call.
B. IT IS THE LAST DAYS (ACTS 2:17)
Act 2:17-21 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.
C. JESUS IS GLORIFIED AND EXALTED (JN 7:39; ACTS 2:33)
It means that our LORD has ascended to heaven and has been exalted and glorified!
John 16:7-15 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. (8) And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: (9) Of sin, because they believe not on me; (10) Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; (11) Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged. (12) I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. (13) Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. (14) He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you. (15) All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you.
John 7:37-39 In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. (38) He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (39) (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)
Act 2:32-33 This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. (33) Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.
D. THE HOLY GHOST - THE COMFORTER IS HERE.
As noted in the previous point, the Holy Ghost has arrived to stay with the Church of the Messiah and with as many as the Lord our God shall call.
Act 1:4-5 And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. (5) For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.
Act 2:1-4 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. (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. (4) And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
And as even Jesus has promised, so the Holy Ghost has come leading us to the final point...)
E. WE HAVE RECEIVED POWER TO BE WITNESSES (LK 24:49; ACTS 1:8)
Luk 24:46-49 And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: (47) And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. (48) And ye are witnesses of these things. (49) And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.
Act 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
It has been noted that Shavuot (or Pentecost) is called the time of the giving of the Torah, rather than the time of the receiving of the Torah. It has been pointed out that we are constantly in the process of receiving the Torah, that we receive it every day, but it was first given at this time. Thus it is the giving, not the receiving, that makes this feast significant.
In similar manner it should be pointed out that on the day of Pentecost the Holy Ghost was given for the first time and we are constantly in the process of receiving Him.
Therefore I ask this question, "Have you received the Holy Ghost since you believed?" The Command is "...be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;" Eph 5:18 . The word translated "filled" denotes to be filled to the full, to have a constant liberal supply, to be filled to the top, to the brim, to make complete. We should therefore be constantly filled with the Holy Spirit and be submissive to Him thereby ensuring that our thoughts, words, and actions bring glory to Him!
SO...WHAT MEANETH THIS...TO YOU?
How do you respond to the fact that the Holy Ghost is here already given only for you to receive now? It is the command of the Messiah, It is the commitment required, It is a commission imparted.
How do we respond to the question what meaneth this? Today of you will hear His voice harden not your hearts toward Him or His Word but yield your members wholly to Him to glorify God in your mortal bodies which belong to Him. Amen
Someone has already created a comparison between the first Shauvot where Moses received the Law for Israel and the first one after Messiah ascended. I have added a few more similarities:
First Pentecost | Pentecost after Christ |
The Torah Given | The Holy Spirit Given |
Fifty days from the crossing of the Red Sea | Fifty days from the resurrection of Christ |
Torah given on Mount Sinai | Holy Ghost given on Mount Zion |
Torah moved to being external | Torah moved to being internal |
Torah written in tablets of stone | Torah written in tablets of the heart |
The letter of Torah | The Spirit of Torah |
Three thousand slain | Three thousand receive salvation |
Israel born as a nation | Birth of the Church |
Moses ascended and brought the Torah down | Jesus ascended and sent the Holy Ghost down |
Torah was given in thunder, lightning and fire | The Holy Ghost came in sound and fire |
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