Parallels of Pentecost at Mt. Sinai and the Upper Room
Jun 23, 2019 10:23:33 #
Parallels of Pentecost at Mt. Sinai and the Upper Room
By Ben Godwin - June 23, 2019
As we recently celebrated Pentecost Sunday, we were reminded that God is still pouring out His Spirit as He did on the First Century Church. The term “Pentecost” is found three times in the Bible (Ac. 2:1, 20:16; 1 Cor. 16:8) and refers to a specific feast and holiday on the Jewish calendar. The word “Pentecost” means “fifty,” because it occurred 50 days after Passover. (Now it falls on the 7th Sunday after Easter.) To fully understand Pentecost, we must study God’s manifestation on Mt. Sinai (Ex. 19). Pentecost was a feast instituted by God to commemorate the giving of the Law. It’s also called the “feast of weeks” and “feast of harvest” (Ex. 23:14-16; Lev. 23:15-21; Dt. 16:9-12). The first Pentecost occurred when God consumed Mt. Sinai with fire and thundered His 10 Commandments to Israel. Incidentally, when God spoke to a man (Moses), He lit a bush on fire; when He spoke to a nation (Israel), He lit a mountain on fire! “For our God is a consuming fire” (Heb. 12:29).
In the New Testament sense, Pentecost was the birthday of the Church, the day the Holy Spirit was given to 120 believers in the upper room. This resulted from a week-long prayer meeting.
“He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father . . . for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now” (Ac. 1:4-5).
Jesus’ crucifixion corresponded closely with Passover and, after His resurrection, He appeared to His followers for 40 days before His ascension (Ac. 1:3). That left about 7-8 days before Pentecost arrived.
“And when the day of Pentecost had fully come . . . they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance” (Ac. 2:1, 4).
The word “filled” here means “to saturate, penetrate or permeate as with a stain or a dye.” When you stain wood, it penetrates the surface and seeps down into the wood. When you dye cloth, it saturates every fiber of the fabric. Likewise, when we are filled with the Spirit, He permeates every part of our being with His presence and power.
Consider these comparisons and contrasts between the original Pentecost at Mt. Sinai (Ex. 19) and the spiritual fulfillment in the upper room (Ac. 2):
The Israelites gathered at Mt. Sinai; the disciples came to Mt. Zion (a figurative metaphor for the Church—Heb. 12:18-24).
The first Pentecost was the birth of Judaism; Pentecost in Acts 2 was the birth of the New Covenant Church.
At Mt. Sinai, the Israelites were sanctified for three days in preparation for God’s visitation (Ex. 19:10-11, 14-15); in the upper room, the disciples tarried in prayer for about a week before the Holy Spirit arrived (Ac. 1:14-15).
The fire of God fell on Mt. Sinai (Ex. 19:18); cloven tongues of fire appeared on the disciples (Ac. 2:3).
God’s audible voice spoke from Mt. Sinai the 10 Commandments (Ex. 19:19; 20:1, 27); God spoke through the disciples via tongues the wonderful works of God (Ac. 2:4-11).
Supernatural signs indicated God’s presence on Mt. Sinai (a cloud, thunder, lightning, fire and smoke—Ex. 19:16, 18); in Jerusalem, they heard a sound from heaven as a mighty wind (the breath of God) when the Spirit filled the house (Ac. 2:2).
An earthquake shook Mt. Sinai with the glory of God (Ex. 19:18); the disciples staggered under the influence of the Spirit and bystanders thought they were drunk on new wine (Ac. 2:13, 15).
At Mt. Sinai, the Mosaic Covenant was established, written on tables of stone; in Acts 2, the New Covenant was established, written on the tables of their hearts (2 Cor. 3:3, Heb. 8:10).
At Mt. Sinai, the Levitical Priesthood was instituted after the golden calf idolatry (Ex. 32:26-29); at Pentecost, the priesthood of all believers became reality (1 Pt. 2:9).
At Mt. Sinai, God gave Moses the blueprint for the Tabernacle (Ex. 25-31); at Pentecost, God gave the Apostles the plan for the Church (Ac. 2:14-18).
At Mt. Sinai, 3,000 rebels who worshipped the golden calf were killed (Ex. 32:28); at Pentecost, 3,000 repentant sinners were saved (Ac. 2:37-41).
At Mt. Sinai, the Law was given; in the upper room, the Holy Spirit was given.
The term “Pentecostal” refers to Christians who believe in and/or have received the baptism of the Holy Spirit. John said of Jesus:
“I indeed baptized you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit” (Mk. 1:8).
To baptize means “to immerse, submerge or to overwhelm.” Think of a pail being dipped into a well and pulled up when it is full and overflowing with water (Jn. 7:38-39). Spirit baptism is a subsequent experience to salvation that benefits every phase of Christian living. Notice all who were filled with the Spirit in Acts were already believers:
The 120 disciples on the Day of Pentecost—Ac. 2:1-4.
Philip’s converts in Samaria—Ac. 8:12-17.
Paul after his Damascus Road encounter—Ac. 9:17-18.
Cornelius’ household—Ac. 10:1-2, 30-31, 44-47.
The Twelve believers in Ephesus—Ac. 19:1-7.
Spirit Baptism is an intimate encounter with God, a special anointing and application of spiritual power. It’s a deeper step in your walk with God after the initial step of salvation. It doesn’t make you more saved or more qualified for heaven; rather, it enables you to live in victory and equips you for ministry. Jesus promised:
“But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me . . .” (Ac. 1:8).
The word “power” is translated from the Greek word dunamis, from which we derive “dynamic” and “dynamite.”
“Without the power of the Holy Spirit all human efforts, methods and plans are as futile as trying to propel a boat by puffing at the sails with our own breath.”
Have you had your own personal Pentecost? Peter indicated we can all have the same experience:
“Repent, and let every one of you be baptized . . . and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call” (Ac. 2:38-39).
The greatest gift a sinner can receive is salvation; the greatest gift a Christian can receive is Spirit baptism. Pray to receive the power of Pentecost!
By Ben Godwin - June 23, 2019
As we recently celebrated Pentecost Sunday, we were reminded that God is still pouring out His Spirit as He did on the First Century Church. The term “Pentecost” is found three times in the Bible (Ac. 2:1, 20:16; 1 Cor. 16:8) and refers to a specific feast and holiday on the Jewish calendar. The word “Pentecost” means “fifty,” because it occurred 50 days after Passover. (Now it falls on the 7th Sunday after Easter.) To fully understand Pentecost, we must study God’s manifestation on Mt. Sinai (Ex. 19). Pentecost was a feast instituted by God to commemorate the giving of the Law. It’s also called the “feast of weeks” and “feast of harvest” (Ex. 23:14-16; Lev. 23:15-21; Dt. 16:9-12). The first Pentecost occurred when God consumed Mt. Sinai with fire and thundered His 10 Commandments to Israel. Incidentally, when God spoke to a man (Moses), He lit a bush on fire; when He spoke to a nation (Israel), He lit a mountain on fire! “For our God is a consuming fire” (Heb. 12:29).
In the New Testament sense, Pentecost was the birthday of the Church, the day the Holy Spirit was given to 120 believers in the upper room. This resulted from a week-long prayer meeting.
“He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father . . . for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now” (Ac. 1:4-5).
Jesus’ crucifixion corresponded closely with Passover and, after His resurrection, He appeared to His followers for 40 days before His ascension (Ac. 1:3). That left about 7-8 days before Pentecost arrived.
“And when the day of Pentecost had fully come . . . they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance” (Ac. 2:1, 4).
The word “filled” here means “to saturate, penetrate or permeate as with a stain or a dye.” When you stain wood, it penetrates the surface and seeps down into the wood. When you dye cloth, it saturates every fiber of the fabric. Likewise, when we are filled with the Spirit, He permeates every part of our being with His presence and power.
Consider these comparisons and contrasts between the original Pentecost at Mt. Sinai (Ex. 19) and the spiritual fulfillment in the upper room (Ac. 2):
The Israelites gathered at Mt. Sinai; the disciples came to Mt. Zion (a figurative metaphor for the Church—Heb. 12:18-24).
The first Pentecost was the birth of Judaism; Pentecost in Acts 2 was the birth of the New Covenant Church.
At Mt. Sinai, the Israelites were sanctified for three days in preparation for God’s visitation (Ex. 19:10-11, 14-15); in the upper room, the disciples tarried in prayer for about a week before the Holy Spirit arrived (Ac. 1:14-15).
The fire of God fell on Mt. Sinai (Ex. 19:18); cloven tongues of fire appeared on the disciples (Ac. 2:3).
God’s audible voice spoke from Mt. Sinai the 10 Commandments (Ex. 19:19; 20:1, 27); God spoke through the disciples via tongues the wonderful works of God (Ac. 2:4-11).
Supernatural signs indicated God’s presence on Mt. Sinai (a cloud, thunder, lightning, fire and smoke—Ex. 19:16, 18); in Jerusalem, they heard a sound from heaven as a mighty wind (the breath of God) when the Spirit filled the house (Ac. 2:2).
An earthquake shook Mt. Sinai with the glory of God (Ex. 19:18); the disciples staggered under the influence of the Spirit and bystanders thought they were drunk on new wine (Ac. 2:13, 15).
At Mt. Sinai, the Mosaic Covenant was established, written on tables of stone; in Acts 2, the New Covenant was established, written on the tables of their hearts (2 Cor. 3:3, Heb. 8:10).
At Mt. Sinai, the Levitical Priesthood was instituted after the golden calf idolatry (Ex. 32:26-29); at Pentecost, the priesthood of all believers became reality (1 Pt. 2:9).
At Mt. Sinai, God gave Moses the blueprint for the Tabernacle (Ex. 25-31); at Pentecost, God gave the Apostles the plan for the Church (Ac. 2:14-18).
At Mt. Sinai, 3,000 rebels who worshipped the golden calf were killed (Ex. 32:28); at Pentecost, 3,000 repentant sinners were saved (Ac. 2:37-41).
At Mt. Sinai, the Law was given; in the upper room, the Holy Spirit was given.
The term “Pentecostal” refers to Christians who believe in and/or have received the baptism of the Holy Spirit. John said of Jesus:
“I indeed baptized you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit” (Mk. 1:8).
To baptize means “to immerse, submerge or to overwhelm.” Think of a pail being dipped into a well and pulled up when it is full and overflowing with water (Jn. 7:38-39). Spirit baptism is a subsequent experience to salvation that benefits every phase of Christian living. Notice all who were filled with the Spirit in Acts were already believers:
The 120 disciples on the Day of Pentecost—Ac. 2:1-4.
Philip’s converts in Samaria—Ac. 8:12-17.
Paul after his Damascus Road encounter—Ac. 9:17-18.
Cornelius’ household—Ac. 10:1-2, 30-31, 44-47.
The Twelve believers in Ephesus—Ac. 19:1-7.
Spirit Baptism is an intimate encounter with God, a special anointing and application of spiritual power. It’s a deeper step in your walk with God after the initial step of salvation. It doesn’t make you more saved or more qualified for heaven; rather, it enables you to live in victory and equips you for ministry. Jesus promised:
“But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me . . .” (Ac. 1:8).
The word “power” is translated from the Greek word dunamis, from which we derive “dynamic” and “dynamite.”
“Without the power of the Holy Spirit all human efforts, methods and plans are as futile as trying to propel a boat by puffing at the sails with our own breath.”
Have you had your own personal Pentecost? Peter indicated we can all have the same experience:
“Repent, and let every one of you be baptized . . . and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call” (Ac. 2:38-39).
The greatest gift a sinner can receive is salvation; the greatest gift a Christian can receive is Spirit baptism. Pray to receive the power of Pentecost!
Jun 24, 2019 04:46:09 #
Being baptized into the Holy Spirit is our entrance into the One Body of Christ, His church universal. "Receive the gift of the Holy Spirit" is a command, not a request. It is instantaneous at the moment one believes.
Ben Godwin's statement that "The greatest gift a sinner can receive is salvation; the greatest gift a Christian can receive is Spirit baptism." is certainly true.
The author of this very true statement, however, fails to understand that it is a "done deal," a "package deal,"on God's part, it has already been done.
"And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues (literal languages), as the Spirit was giving them utterance." (Acts 2:4)
Jesus never spoke in tongues... the ecstatic babbling, rather than literal languages, that is practiced in some 20th century churches today, there is not the slightest indication of Him ever doing so.
This was a fulfillment of prophecy , and a sign of judgement from Isaiah 28:11-12 to the unbelieving Jewish people who always demand a sign.
Isaiah 28:11-12:
"Very well then, with foreign lips and strange tongues
God will speak to this people,
12
to whom he said,
“This is the resting place, let the weary rest”;
and, “This is the place of repose”—
but they would not listen."
The book of Acts is filled with accurate historical detail. Every page of Acts abounds with sharp, precise details, to the delight of the historian. The account covers a period of about 30 years and reaches across the lands from Jerusalem to Rome.
By God's grace, three thousand persons accepted the gospel invitation on Pentecost, that first day in existence of the church of Jesus Christ. The gift of the Holy Ghost, which they all received, and from which no true believer has ever been shut out, was that counseling, guiding, sanctifying, indwelling Spirit, promised by Jesus, who, once here, is now bestowed upon every member of the body of Christ at the moment they believe.
An obvious exception to this was the 120 in the Upper Room, who although already believers had not yet received the Holy Spirit, because He had not yet been sent to earth; it was a time of transition, and the three times in Acts, those who had already believed did not receive the Holy Spirit until the Apostles were there to witness it (Philip’s converts in Samaria—Ac. 8:12-17; Cornelius’ household—Ac. 10:1-2, 30-31, 44-47, and the twelve believers in Ephesus—Ac. 19:1-7, was in order that they would see and believe that God was giving men of all nations entrance into Christ's body, and not just the Jews.
Being obedient to the Lord's command to be baptized is an external symbol to the world of an internal spiritual work that has taken place.
The Apostle Peter exhorted them to repent of their sins, and to openly affirm their belief in Jesus as the Messiah, by being baptized in His name. Professing their faith in Him, they immediately received the remission of their sins, and were sealed for eternity by the indwelling Holy Spirit, in whom they were baptized, entering them into unity with all other true believers, and gifting them with the spiritual gifts He had selected for each believer.
The book of Acts is a historical saga; at the beginning, all Apostles are devout Jews, attending the Synagogue as their place of worship.
At the end of the book of Acts, the Christian church, a.k.a., the Body of Christ has become a living entity, and a functioning faith, separate and apart from Biblical Judaism, with their own meeting places and services.
When a sinner repents of his sin, believing in Christ, and His death and resurrection for the payment in full of his sin debt to Almighty God; at that moment, his sins are wiped out, and taken away, "as far as the east is from the west," and he is baptized with the Holy Spirit, into the universal Body of Christ, in unity with all other true believers.
One cannot receive one without the other. One cannot be a Christian without the presence of the indwelling Holy Spirit, who has sealed you for eternity. One cannot be half a Christian.
The Bible says, "and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit" (Acts 2:38). It is a command, a statement of fact, and not a suggestion.
There is only one body of Christ, not multiple bodies. Christ does not allow one elitist body of believers lording it over the other, the "zapped," and the "unzapped," if you will, one in possession of the Holy Spirit, and the other without Him. That is the same type of self-importance, and superiority in reasoning that Gnosticism has always displayed, believing they have secret esoteric knowledge the rest of Christ's body do not.
Again, there is only one body of Christ, not two. We are one body and are all "made to drink of the one Spirit."
Being filled with the Spirit must be distinguished from being baptized with the Spirit. The apostle Paul carefully defines the baptism with the Spirit as that act of Christ by which He places new believers into His body (Rom. 6:4–6; 1 Cor. 12:13; Gal. 3:27).
In contrast to much errant teaching today, the New Testament nowhere commands believers to seek the baptism with the Spirit. It is a sovereign, single, unrepeatable act on God’s part, and is no more a separate subsequent experience than are its companions justification and adoption.
Although some wrongly view the baptism with the Spirit as the initiation into the ranks of the spiritual elite, nothing could be further from the truth. The purpose of the baptism with the Spirit is not to divide the body of Christ, but to unify it. As Paul wrote to the Corinthians, through the baptism with the Spirit “we were all baptized into one body” (1 Cor. 12:13; cf. Gal. 3:26–27; Eph. 4:4–6).
Unlike the baptism with the Spirit, being filled with the Spirit should be continuous. Believers are commanded to be filled with the Spirit (Ephesians 5:18). That passage indicates believers are to be continuously being filled with the Spirit, rather than themselves. Those who would be filled with the Spirit must first empty themselves of selfish desires and worldly ambition. To be filled with the Spirit is to have a mind saturated with the Word of God, and if we are full of ourselves, rather than having died to ourselves, this is not possible, for we leave no room for the Holy Spirit to expand.
The baptism with the Spirit, received at the moment of conversion, cleanses from sin, seals for eternity, and empowers the believer to perform his spiritual gifts in whatever ministry God has called him, as the Holy Spirit is unleashed and maintained by the internal continual filling that we allow.
Colossians 3:16–25 describes the result of “letting the word of Christ richly dwell” in us. They are the same as from the filling of the Spirit (Ephesians 5:19–33). As believers yield the moment by moment decisions of life to God's control, they “walk by the Spirit” (Gal. 5:16).
Ephesians, MacArthur New Testament Commentary [Chicago: Moody, 1986].)
CARM
Got Questions?
MacArthur Study Bible
Ben Godwin's statement that "The greatest gift a sinner can receive is salvation; the greatest gift a Christian can receive is Spirit baptism." is certainly true.
The author of this very true statement, however, fails to understand that it is a "done deal," a "package deal,"on God's part, it has already been done.
"And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues (literal languages), as the Spirit was giving them utterance." (Acts 2:4)
Jesus never spoke in tongues... the ecstatic babbling, rather than literal languages, that is practiced in some 20th century churches today, there is not the slightest indication of Him ever doing so.
This was a fulfillment of prophecy , and a sign of judgement from Isaiah 28:11-12 to the unbelieving Jewish people who always demand a sign.
Isaiah 28:11-12:
"Very well then, with foreign lips and strange tongues
God will speak to this people,
12
to whom he said,
“This is the resting place, let the weary rest”;
and, “This is the place of repose”—
but they would not listen."
The book of Acts is filled with accurate historical detail. Every page of Acts abounds with sharp, precise details, to the delight of the historian. The account covers a period of about 30 years and reaches across the lands from Jerusalem to Rome.
By God's grace, three thousand persons accepted the gospel invitation on Pentecost, that first day in existence of the church of Jesus Christ. The gift of the Holy Ghost, which they all received, and from which no true believer has ever been shut out, was that counseling, guiding, sanctifying, indwelling Spirit, promised by Jesus, who, once here, is now bestowed upon every member of the body of Christ at the moment they believe.
An obvious exception to this was the 120 in the Upper Room, who although already believers had not yet received the Holy Spirit, because He had not yet been sent to earth; it was a time of transition, and the three times in Acts, those who had already believed did not receive the Holy Spirit until the Apostles were there to witness it (Philip’s converts in Samaria—Ac. 8:12-17; Cornelius’ household—Ac. 10:1-2, 30-31, 44-47, and the twelve believers in Ephesus—Ac. 19:1-7, was in order that they would see and believe that God was giving men of all nations entrance into Christ's body, and not just the Jews.
Being obedient to the Lord's command to be baptized is an external symbol to the world of an internal spiritual work that has taken place.
The Apostle Peter exhorted them to repent of their sins, and to openly affirm their belief in Jesus as the Messiah, by being baptized in His name. Professing their faith in Him, they immediately received the remission of their sins, and were sealed for eternity by the indwelling Holy Spirit, in whom they were baptized, entering them into unity with all other true believers, and gifting them with the spiritual gifts He had selected for each believer.
The book of Acts is a historical saga; at the beginning, all Apostles are devout Jews, attending the Synagogue as their place of worship.
At the end of the book of Acts, the Christian church, a.k.a., the Body of Christ has become a living entity, and a functioning faith, separate and apart from Biblical Judaism, with their own meeting places and services.
When a sinner repents of his sin, believing in Christ, and His death and resurrection for the payment in full of his sin debt to Almighty God; at that moment, his sins are wiped out, and taken away, "as far as the east is from the west," and he is baptized with the Holy Spirit, into the universal Body of Christ, in unity with all other true believers.
One cannot receive one without the other. One cannot be a Christian without the presence of the indwelling Holy Spirit, who has sealed you for eternity. One cannot be half a Christian.
The Bible says, "and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit" (Acts 2:38). It is a command, a statement of fact, and not a suggestion.
There is only one body of Christ, not multiple bodies. Christ does not allow one elitist body of believers lording it over the other, the "zapped," and the "unzapped," if you will, one in possession of the Holy Spirit, and the other without Him. That is the same type of self-importance, and superiority in reasoning that Gnosticism has always displayed, believing they have secret esoteric knowledge the rest of Christ's body do not.
Again, there is only one body of Christ, not two. We are one body and are all "made to drink of the one Spirit."
Being filled with the Spirit must be distinguished from being baptized with the Spirit. The apostle Paul carefully defines the baptism with the Spirit as that act of Christ by which He places new believers into His body (Rom. 6:4–6; 1 Cor. 12:13; Gal. 3:27).
In contrast to much errant teaching today, the New Testament nowhere commands believers to seek the baptism with the Spirit. It is a sovereign, single, unrepeatable act on God’s part, and is no more a separate subsequent experience than are its companions justification and adoption.
Although some wrongly view the baptism with the Spirit as the initiation into the ranks of the spiritual elite, nothing could be further from the truth. The purpose of the baptism with the Spirit is not to divide the body of Christ, but to unify it. As Paul wrote to the Corinthians, through the baptism with the Spirit “we were all baptized into one body” (1 Cor. 12:13; cf. Gal. 3:26–27; Eph. 4:4–6).
Unlike the baptism with the Spirit, being filled with the Spirit should be continuous. Believers are commanded to be filled with the Spirit (Ephesians 5:18). That passage indicates believers are to be continuously being filled with the Spirit, rather than themselves. Those who would be filled with the Spirit must first empty themselves of selfish desires and worldly ambition. To be filled with the Spirit is to have a mind saturated with the Word of God, and if we are full of ourselves, rather than having died to ourselves, this is not possible, for we leave no room for the Holy Spirit to expand.
The baptism with the Spirit, received at the moment of conversion, cleanses from sin, seals for eternity, and empowers the believer to perform his spiritual gifts in whatever ministry God has called him, as the Holy Spirit is unleashed and maintained by the internal continual filling that we allow.
Colossians 3:16–25 describes the result of “letting the word of Christ richly dwell” in us. They are the same as from the filling of the Spirit (Ephesians 5:19–33). As believers yield the moment by moment decisions of life to God's control, they “walk by the Spirit” (Gal. 5:16).
Ephesians, MacArthur New Testament Commentary [Chicago: Moody, 1986].)
CARM
Got Questions?
MacArthur Study Bible
bahmer wrote:
Parallels of Pentecost at Mt. Sinai and the Upper ... (show quote)
Jun 24, 2019 12:51:37 #
Peewee
Loc: San Antonio, TX
So wonderful and so simple. Ask and you shall receive. Then live it out. You will stumble but keep pressing on to the end. You gotta have faith. Wonder astray and you'll discover an unseen hand guiding you back to the narrow way. His is the potter and we are the clay. He will mix you, pound you, spin you, shape you, and then fire you in an oven. And at the end, He'll thump you for that ring sound that proves you are without an imperfection or crack. Then you are stamped sincere, which means no flaws.
Jun 24, 2019 19:30:22 #
Wow, Peewee, you just made that brilliant, theologically sound statement in ten (10) completely understandable sentences of short duration.
Who would have thunk ut?
I have one question. It's a question of chronology on the "ask and you shall receive," - when Jesus said, "how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him," was it not before His death and resurrection, thus, before His ascension, back to God, the Father. and the descent of the Holy Spirit, as Jesus had promised?
That was my understanding from Billy Graham's book, "The Holy Spirit," read years ago.
Who would have thunk ut?
I have one question. It's a question of chronology on the "ask and you shall receive," - when Jesus said, "how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him," was it not before His death and resurrection, thus, before His ascension, back to God, the Father. and the descent of the Holy Spirit, as Jesus had promised?
That was my understanding from Billy Graham's book, "The Holy Spirit," read years ago.
Peewee wrote:
So wonderful and so simple. Ask and you shall rece... (show quote)
Jun 24, 2019 19:59:45 #
Peewee
Loc: San Antonio, TX
Zemirah wrote:
Wow, Peewee, you just made that brilliant, theolog... (show quote)
Thanks for the kind words. It comes from the Sermon on the Mount before His death and resurrection. Matt 7: 7-8.
Got another video I'd like you to watch when you have time. Chuch Missler is my all-time favorite Bible teacher. The Bible becomes really real when he teaches scriptures. It's an hour long so you may need to break it into 10 min segments. He proves the Bible is a supernatural book. I love sharing this one with any non-believer.
https://youtu.be/1QdUhNY6DnY
Jun 25, 2019 10:52:36 #
Zemirah wrote:
Wow, Peewee, you just made that brilliant, theolog... (show quote)
Zemirah I thought that you would enjoy this article I posted. It is about the Chinese Christians and the title of the article is here. US Pastor Visits Persecuted Christians, After Meeting Prays ‘That We Become Just Like You’
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