Acts 2:1-4 – When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
“They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them.” They saw what appeared to be “tongues of fire.” It is interesting that what is seen is described as tongues of fire, and it seems appropriate. After all they would, after they were immersed in the power of the Holy Spirit, begin to speak in the languages, or tongues of other people. Family, this incident is listed in the Bible and so we consider this section, and all sections about speaking in tongues and about the gifts of the Holy Spirit, as powerful and as true as any other section of the Bible. We know that we either accept and have the whole of scripture, or we have none it. The Bible is not a buffet that we can pick and choose what we want. The whole of it is from God and either it is all the divine Word given to us, or none of it is. No exceptions. Now some things sound strange to people. And certainly to the unsaved, they don’t understand it (1 Corinthians 2:14). They see the Words but without having the Holy Spirit within, they cannot fully grasp it. So let’s proceed knowing that this is as much the Word of God as any other part of the Word of God.
What is described as “tongues of fire” could have been described as lightning bolts from heaven. This was no limitation or fancy of words that described it as appearing like tongues. Lightening had previously been seen and so if it had looked like lightening, then it would have been described in that way. However, it looked like tongues and so that was how it was described.
Fire seems apt. This was the grand entrance of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples. It is consistent with the Bible that fire is indicative of the presence of God. Exodus 3:1-6 speaks of God appearing as a flame that engulfed a bush but did not consume it. This is what is referred to as the Shekinah Glory of God. This Shekinah Glory also appeared to and led the Israelites when they were leaving Israel. Also the Shekinah Glory is the presence of God above the Ark of the Covenant (Exodus 25:22, Leviticus 16:13). So the Shekinah Glory, that watched over the Israelites and protected them, the same Shekinah Glory that was in their temple, then came to the Jesus’s disciples to lead and guide them. The Israelites were led by God who appeared in the form of fire. The Holy Spirit came as the Lord appeared to the Israelites, as fire. The fire representing the presence of God led the Israelites from bondage to freedom. This presence of God was with them and could be seen by them both during the day and at night. The power of the Holy Spirit came upon Jesus’s disciples and sat down, or began to dwell upon them. This was not for show, but to enable them to lead people to Jesus. The disciples of Jesus, all of them even until today and beyond, are called to lead people to Jesus. We will see that is exactly happened when the Shekinah Glory of God empowered these disciples.
It is easy to overlook the end of V3, “on each of them.” This power of the Holy Spirit came to rest upon, to dwell upon, each of them, all of them. Not one was left out!
“All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.” The beginning of V4 begins with again pointing out that all of the disciples were recipients of the power of the Holy Spirit.
They, all the disciples, began to speak in tongues. They did not speak in a tongue they had studied and learned, they spoke in tongues “as the Spirit enabled them.” As we will see these disciples spoke in the tongue (language/dialect) of the many different countries and cultures that were gathered there to celebrate the Holy Days. As we will see them speaking in the many languages it is notable that the word for used for tongue is plural.
They also did not speak in an unknown language as described in 1 Corinthians 14:2.
We may note that no-one spoke in tongues before this arrival of the power of the Holy Spirit upon them. This was in no way something learned through natural process, this was the supernatural power of God upon them. V4 ends by stating “as the Spirit enabled them.”
Something else is that the Word states that they “began to speak in other tongues.” The term being expressed here is not expressing a one-time event. It was something that began and then continued. It is a term that we might use when stating that a baby began to walk. It is something the baby did and will continue to do, and get better at it. The disciples received an original sign of the gifts of the Spirit, and the Holy Spirit would continue to express supernatural power through the disciples of Christ as He decides. It is to lead the unsaved to Christ, as was done here. Also, the gifts will be used to encourage and edify all the saints of God, as expressed in 1 Corinthians 14:3-5, 12, 16, 26, 31. The gifts of the Spirit, including tongues, are never meant to lift up the person, but rather to lift up Jesus and to point lost souls to Him, and also to build up and encourage the body of Christ.
Family, just as the Spirit came upon all the disciples at Pentecost, the Spirit comes to empower all of saints living today. God desires all of us to spread the Word (Matthew 28:18-20) and He empowers us all to do that. Let us be aware of the gifts of God to His church. The Spirit of God empowers people to be used of God. The gifts come with a purpose. As we are actively living out the divine command to spread the Gospel and to minister to each other, that is who is empowered by the Holy Spirit. However, we are all gifted differently, the point is to serve Jesus with all our hearts and He will bless us as we carry on His mission. Jesus is always with us, and empowering us. Praise God! Oh what comfort is the love of God! Praise God!
Psalm 150:6 – Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!
Micah 7:7 – But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.
Micah 6:8 – He has shown You, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of You but to do justly, to love mercy, And to walk humbly with Your God.