“And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you forever.” John 14:16
Dear Ones:
Beyond the moment of Adam’s sin, and the center-point of history when Christ declared, “It is finished,” on the cross, the most significant, far-reaching, and monumental event on the calendar of God, to this very day, is the “outpouring” of the Spirit at Pentecost in the upper room. If ever there was a moment, an event, that would reveal to us the “otherworldness” of our Maker and Redeemer, it was when these so-called “insignificant” believers in Christ, relatively few in number, so diverse and yet so similar in their desire, were found giving themselves to prayer alone, in the expectation of the realization of “the promise of the Father.” (Acts 1:4) What was that promise, and why was it so very significant and far reaching?
There is no doubt throughout Scripture, that the message of the salvation of God was intended for all men. It is true that the Lord chose the nation of Israel to be the “light on a hill,” for all to see and know that God deals with men, and that salvation would come through the lineage of Abraham. For various reasons, whether by ignorance, or prejudice, this message lost its power and influence upon men. And yet, there is no doubt, as seen in the book of Jonah, that God sought to save those who were NOT of the nation of Israel. Later, during the time of the Apostles, the apostle Paul would write: “For ALL have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” (Rom. 3:23) Isaiah, hundreds of years before the birth of Paul, would write: “…and the Lord has laid on Him (the Lord Jesus) the iniquity of us ALL.” (Is. 53:6) Why is this matter of the universality of God’s salvation, in its proclamation and power to save, so very important to see? The answer has to do with the understanding of the purpose of God in creating man, and the redeeming of all men, in the most complete and effective manner. This occurred on the day of Pentecost, when according to Peter, the accomplishment of the “promise of the Father” was heard, seen, and known. The result of this intervention of God would be out-pouring of the Spirit of God “upon all flesh.” What does this mean? It does not mean that everyone on the face of the earth would see and know what the disciples did in the upper room on that day, but it does mean, that believers from every “…kindred, tongue, and people, and nation” would one day be before the Lord in heaven. The out-pouring of the Spirit of God that day, would assure this reality, for it would be for all men every where, and for all time.
What did the out-pouring of the Spirit specifically mean, and what would be the specific ramifications of the event? We see throughout Biblical history, that the ministry of the Spirit, and its manifestation, seems to be limited primarily in its expression and power, to a limited number of individuals. We see this especially in the lives of certain kings, prophets, patriarchs, individual men and women of God, but also, in all who would truly seek and trust Him. However, the work of the Spirit is seen at times in groups of people, cities, and even nations. That which we see on the Day of Pentecost is a universal promise of power and authority being realized, a gift for “all flesh,” sons and daughters, servants and maidservants. (Joel 2:28) It is this out-pouring, the manifest fulfillment of Christ’s prayer, that God would use to signify by His Spirit, that His Son had come to dwell in the heart of the believer. The believer, baptized into Christ, would be made “complete” in Him. All in Christ would be provided to him. The believer, regardless of nationality or status in life, would become by Divine power, a “light of the world,” a “city set on a hill,” the testimony of the saving, life Christ to men.
Dear Father, open our eyes to see Your design, Your ever-lasting provision and power, to save and indwell the hearts of men. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Love, Dad