Acts 2:14-21 – Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: “Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. 15 These people are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning! 16 No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: 17 “‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. 18 Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. 19 I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke. 20 The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord. 21 And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’
“No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: 17 “‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people.” Peter is here quoting from Joel 2:28. In context, we could read all of chapter two, but let’s narrow it down Vs 2:28-32 “And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. 29 Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days. 30 I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and billows of smoke. 31 The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. 32 And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved; for on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be deliverance, as the Lord has said, even among the survivors whom the Lord calls.” Reading these verses Joel we can clearly see that Joel was talking about the Last Days. What is considered the Last Days? At this point in time, the term Last Days would apply to us more than a point in time over two thousand years ago. However, in fact, the Last Days started when Jesus walked the earth. Hebrews 1:2 states “but in these last days He has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe.” Hebrews was likely written about 66 A.D and it is referring to the times they lived in as the Last Days. So according to scripture we can say that at the time of the New Testament writers, those days were considered the Last Days. Additionally this verse from Hebrews states that “in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son.” So scripture also identifies the Last Days as the days that Jesus lived on earth and was teaching His disciples. In Matthew 24 Jesus tells the disciples what will happen during the Last Days which He describes as the “end of the age.” Those events that Jesus spoke about had not occurred and in fact have, or are, occurring during the time we now live in. So Jesus referred to the Last Days, or “end of the age” as a time in the distant future. The Apostle Paul in 2 Timothy 3:1 states “Understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty.” So Paul here states that the Last Days are also days beyond their times as he states the Last Days “will come.” Speaking of days still to come as the Last Days was Isaiah in Isaiah 2:1-5.
There is importance and application in understanding that we live in the Last Days (the days since Jesus walked and taught on earth). Peter states that the events that had just happened on that Pentecost day were what the prophet Joel prophesied (circa the 5th and 7th century B.C.) would happen in the Last Days. We have already established the Last Days began with Jesus and that the days we live in are still considered the Last Days. That being the case, then the prophecy of Joel applies to us every bit as much in these days as in the first Pentecost. So the power of the Holy Ghost is not a one-time event, but rather meant for all of Jesus’s church that have and will live during the Last Days. In fact Acts 10:44-47 records another instance of the Holy Spirit poured out on later believers and they spoke in tongues. In V47 Peter states that these gentile believers received the Holy Spirit “just as we have.” The original language points to the fact that these gentile believers received the Holy Spirit in the same manner, the same proportion and to the same degree as the Apostles and the disciples at the first Pentecost. Furthermore, another recorded act of subsequent new believers having the Holy Spirit come upon them is recorded in Acts 19:4-7. In this instance it is recorded that these new believers not only spoke in tongues, but prophesied. Family, the same power of the Holy Spirit that came upon the Apostles and disciples in the first Pentecost is also available to us. All believers have the Holy Spirit within and the gifts of the Holy Spirit are available to them. They are available to all disciples of Christ of have lived and do live in these Last Days. That includes us! Praise the Lord!
In many (most?) third world countries the gifts of the Spirit are known of and flowing through many disciples of Christ. They have not yet, as in western countries, been jaded because of the many frauds and self-promoters that we have seen. Certainly we have known of many frauds. Yet even the word fraud, or counterfeiter, reveals within themselves that there is an original, or a real, that they attempt to portray. In past days the words Christian and Rock being used together would have caused a great outcry. Now, it is commonly accepted. Family, because the enemy counterfeits something does not mean we must run from the fake, but that we must find the true. Rock music has certainly been used by the enemy, but it is also used by God. The instruments are not evil, but how they are used could be used by evil or could be used to bless. The gifts of the Holy Spirit have been counterfeited and misused. That does not mean that we run from the true gifts from God, but rather that we should seek them out and be blessed by God.
Family, we live in the last days and all are all joint heirs to all the blessings, and the gifts of God. From salvation in Jesus Christ, to the promises of provision and protection, and to the gifts of the Spirit. They are all for the edification and encouragement of the church, except one, the gift of tongues that is a personal prayer language to God. There are three types of tongues 1. An unknown tongue that no-one including the person praying understands. It is a language of heaven that speaks directly to God (1 Corinthians 14:2). This tongue is meant for the edification of the one whom has this gift (1 Corinthians 14:4). The second tongue is when a person gives a message for the group of people present and is meant to be interpreted (1 Corinthians 14:5). The third tongue is obviously represented in Acts 2:1-12. Family, let no-one cheat you from the fact that the gifts of the Spirit that began on the first Pentecost are intended to point people to Jesus and to enable and encourage the entire church to Jesus. Now, not all believers speak in tongues. They didn’t then (1 Corinthians 12:30) and not all do now. Yet, let us not end with that but also note 1 Corinthians 14:39 where Paul encourages the gifts and clearly states to not forbid speaking in tongues. Yes, V40 states that it should be done in an orderly way. However, this verse is often incorrectly used. Some state this verse as a reason not to speak in tongues. That is not what Paul in expressing. In fact, he said that everything, including these gifts, should be “done” in an orderly way. He said they should be done, not excluded.
The gifts of the Spirit are meant as a tool to: 1: Point to Jesus and glorify God. 2) To encourage and edify the church and also the individual believer. Any person who uses the gifts to point to oneself and, or, glorify oneself, errs and needs to repent.
From Pentecost to today, the Lord God equips His church to complete the works of Christ. Praise God who loves and empowers us even today. Praise God who continues to live within us, to transform us and who enables us today to do the continuing work of Jesus. 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.