The Arm of the Lord

The Father is Spirit. Throughout the Old Testament, God used metaphors to describe His power, redemption, salvation, omnipresence, acceptance, mercy, judgement, and authority.

These metaphors include the arm, eyes, ears, nose, face, back, and hand. God used these metaphors so we could better understand and relate to God, as we are physical beings.

God’s arm is a metaphor of His power, redemption, and salvation. The Bible says God redeemed the children of Israel from Egyptian bondage with His arm.

"Wherefore say unto the children of Israel, I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with a stretched out arm, and with great judgments:" - Exodus 6:6 (Deuteronomy 9:29, Psalm 44:3)

All of humanity needed a redeemer. More than redemption from Egyptian bondage, mankind needed redemption from the bondage of sin and death. (Hebrews 2:14-15)

The Bible says that God saw there was no man that could redeem mankind from sin. Why? Because all are born in sin. Only God Himself – our Heavenly Father – could step in and redeem mankind from sin and death. Only our Heavenly Father could be our Savior. The Bible describes God’s salvation as His arm.

"And he saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor: therefore his arm brought salvation unto him; and his righteousness, it sustained him." - Isaiah 59:16 

Isaiah prophesied of the revealing of God’s arm. Isaiah begins his prophecy with the statement, "Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?” The rest of the chapter describes in detail in advance of the now familiar life, death, burial, and resurrection of Christ – foretold through prophecy by Isaiah hundreds of years before Christ’s birth. (John 12:37-41, Romans 10:13-16)

". He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief... But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed...." - (Isaiah 53:1, 3, 5, 10-12)

It is clear the arm of the LORD is Christ – the Father in a human body. He is our Savior and Redeemer.

"The LORD hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God." - Isaiah 52:10 ¹¿j

Forgiveness of sins by the name of Jesus in baptism

Hebrews 9:22 And almost all things are by the law [old testament] purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission. [forgiveness of sins]

Jesus told His disciples:

Matthew 26:28 For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.

It is through the name of Jesus in water baptism that His blood is applied for the remission [forgiveness] of sins.

Peter preached to the Gentiles:

Acts 10:43 KJV To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins. [Acts 10:43 NLT - He is the one all the prophets testified about, saying that everyone who believes in him will have their sins forgiven through his name.]

Acts 10:48 - And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord.

Jesus told His disciples:

Luke 24:47 And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

Peter preached repentance and remission of sins in the name of Jesus beginning at Jerusalem to all nations gathered on the Day of Pentecost.

Acts 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Peter preached to the rulers of the people and the  elders of Israel:

Acts 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

Lead me Jesus

 Lead me Jesus 

When we turn from sin, take on the name of Jesus in water baptism, and receive the Holy Ghost, speaking in tongues as the Spirit gives us the utterance, we have God’s Spirit within us to lead, and guide us. (Acts 2:38)

The Lord spoke to Abraham, and he listened, the Lord leading him out from his family and homeland to the land God promised him. (Gen.12:1-4, Heb.11:8)

Because Abraham allowed the Lord to lead him, he was greatly blessed.

Joshua 24:3  - And I took your father Abraham from the other side of the flood, and led him throughout all the land of Canaan, and multiplied his seed, and gave him Isaac.

When Abraham needed a wife for his son Isaac, Abraham sent his servant on a mission back to his homeland to find a wife from his kindred.

Knowing what a monumental task this was and that he needed God to lead him, the servant prayed.

Genesis 24:13  - Behold, I stand here by the well of water; and the daughters of the men of the city come out to draw water:

Genesis 24:14 - And let it come to pass, that the damsel to whom I shall say, Let down thy pitcher, I pray thee, that I may drink; and she shall say, Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also: let the same be she that thou hast appointed for thy servant Isaac; and thereby shall I know that thou hast shewed kindness unto my master.

Before he had done speaking, Rebekah came out with her pitcher upon her shoulder. The Lord answered his prayer. Rebekah gave the servant to drink and then told him she would water all his camels. When the servant asked whose daughter she was, she was of the house of Abraham’s brother.

God had led the servant to the wife God had chosen for Isaac. (Gen.24)

Genesis 24:26-27  - And the man bowed down his head, and worshipped the LORD. And he said, Blessed be the LORD God of my master Abraham, who hath not left destitute my master of his mercy and his truth: I being in the way, the LORD led me to the house of my master's brethren.

Just like the servant, we can ask God to lead us in all we do. (Philippians 4:6-7)

The Good News

 Why does the devil, the enemy of our souls, want to keep us from obeying the gospel? 

Because when we obey the gospel, we have forgiveness of sins so the devil no longer has the power of death over us.

"Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage." - Hebrews 2:14-15 

By Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection - the gospel, Jesus destroyed the devil and his power of death. (2Tim.1:10-11) 

"But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel: Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles." - 2 Timothy 1:10-11 

How do we obey the gospel? By faith in Jesus we repent, becoming dead to sin. We are buried in water baptism in the name of Jesus for the remission of sins. We receive the gift of God’s Spirit, the Holy Ghost, speaking in tongues as the Spirit gives the utterance, to live a new, holy life. (1Cor.15:1-4, Rom.6:1-4, 1Pet.4:17, 2Th.1:3-10).

"Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." - Acts 2:38 

When we are baptized in the name of Jesus for the remission of sins we become justified [made righteous in God’s eyes] by the blood of Jesus through His name. We are redeemed [set free from wrath]. Our sins are forgiven. 

We are sanctified [made holy, separated unto God] by His Spirit when we receive the gift of His Holy Ghost. (1Cor.6:9-11, Col.1:14).

"But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them." - 2 Corinthians 4:3-4 

After we have obeyed the gospel, the devil can no longer accuse us of the sins we have repented of - we are washed, sanctified, and justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. (1Corinthians 6:11, Acts 2:38).

Walking in the Spirit - Part 2

Walking in the Spirit - Part 2

Now that we have repented of our sins, have been water baptized in the name of Jesus for the remission of sins, and have received the gift of the Holy Ghost, we need to stay full of the Holy Ghost.

Jesus said we must be born again. We can compare our spiritual birth with our natural birth. 

When a baby is born, there is first water. When the baby emerges from the womb, the baby takes a breath and lets out a cry. 

We can see this being like our spiritual birth – water baptism and Spirit baptism. When we are filled with the Spirit there is a sound – speaking in tongues as the Spirit gives the utterance.

"And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance." - Acts 2:4 KJV

Jesus told Nicodemus,

"The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit." - John 3:8 KJV

While a baby breathes his first breath when he is born, it is necessary that the baby keeps breathing to live.

When we receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, it is not a one-time experience. We need to stay full of the Holy Ghost.

When Peter and John taught the people, and preached through Jesus the resurrection from the dead, the rulers of the people and elders of Israel threw them in jail. 

The next day, they brought them out. When questioned, Peter, “filled with the Holy Ghost,” preached the gospel to them. (See Acts 4). The council then conferred among themselves.

"And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus." - Acts 4:18 KJV

"And being let go, they went to their own company, and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said unto them." - Acts 4:23 KJV

"And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord…" - Acts 4:24 KJV

"And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness." - Acts 4:31 KJV

Walking in the Spirit

 

Walking in the Spirit (Part 1)

"This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. [Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves.]" - Galatians 5:16 

How do we walk in the Spirit?

First of all, we must be filled with the Spirit. The Spirit of God has many titles – Holy Ghost, Holy Spirit, Spirit of Truth, Comforter, Spirit of your Father, Spirit of Christ, Spirit of God, Spirit of the Lord, Spirit of holiness… The one name that is attached to all these titles is Jesus. (John 14:26).

Jesus is the Father manifest in flesh (John 14:7-10). It took a human that was without sin to pay the price of our sins to reconcile us back to God. Because there was no human that was born without sin, God overshadowed Mary causing her to conceive. That holy child is the only begotten Son of God.

"The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God." - Luke 1:35 

The Son of God is the flesh and blood body of God. Jesus was born the only begotten Son of God. We BECOME sons of God when we are born AGAIN. (John 1:12-13). We are born again when we are born of water (water baptized in the name of Jesus for the remission of our sins) and born of the Spirit (baptized with the Holy Ghost speaking in tongues as the Spirit gives us utterance). When we are filled with the Holy Ghost, we have the Spirit of Jesus within us. (John 3:5, Acts 2:4,38)

If we want to go to heaven, being born again of water and of the Spirit is not an option; Jesus said it is a requirement. 

"Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." - John 3:5 (Matthew 16:18-19, Acts 2:37-42,47).

Having turned our back on sin by repentance, water baptized in the name of Jesus,  and filled with the Spirit, we are ready to walk in the Spirit.

To be continued.

Rest for our Souls

In this weary world of trials, temptation, stress, and crises, Jesus offers us the promise of rest for our souls through His Spirit. 

"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." - Matthew 11:28-30

We come to Jesus when we turn from the world of sin by repentance. We take His yoke upon us when we enter into covenant with Him by water baptism by immersion in JESUS name. We find rest for our souls when we receive the gift of His Spirit, the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost is the Spirit of Jesus in us.

When the disciples received God’s Spirit on the day of Pentecost, they spoke with tongues.

"And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance." - Acts 2:4 

The prophet Isaiah foretold of the pouring out of God’s Spirit.  He described it as the rest for the weary. We would speak in tongues as God speaks through us when we receive God's rest. God's Spirit, which is the Holy Ghost, is rest and refreshing for our souls. 

"For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people. To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear." - Isaiah 28:11-12

The rest and refreshing of the Holy Ghost is for everyone, for Jesus is calling all to come to Him.

"Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;" - Acts 3:19

"Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call." - Acts 2:38-39 

There is a promise to receive from Jesus - the rest and refreshing for our souls.

His Kingdom

What does the Bible say about God’s kingdom?

In the beginning of His ministry, Jesus began to preach of His kingdom.

"From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." - Matthew 4:17 KJV

"And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom..." - Matthew 4:23 KJV

When Jesus taught His disciples to pray, He told them to pray that His kingdom would come.

"Thy kingdom come...For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen." - Matthew 6:10, 13 KJV [“and” (kai) also means “even”]

His kingdom is to be our priority.

"But seek ye first the kingdom of God…" - Matthew 6:33 KJV

Jesus began preaching the gospel of the kingdom…

"And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel." - Mark 1:15 KJV

 Jesus answered the Pharisees, "The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you." - Luke 17:20-21 KJV

"For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost." - Romans 14:17 KJV

"Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." - John 3:5 KJV

"For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power." - 1 Corinthians 4:20 KJV

When His disciples asked Him if He at that time would restore again the kingdom to Israel, He told them, "Ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you..." - Acts 1:8 KJV

Jesus told Peter, 

"And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." - Matthew 16:19 KJV

On the Day of Pentecost, Peter declared the keys of the kingdom when he preached the gospel.

"Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." - Acts 2:38 KJV

The Original

 

Here are the verses:

Jesus Died

"Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;" - 1 Corinthians 15:1-3

Jesus Was Buried

"And that he was buried…" - 1 Corinthians 15:4 

Jesus Rose Again

"And that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:" - 1 Corinthians 15:4

We Must “Die”

"God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?" - Romans 6:2

We Must Be “Buried”

"Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death..." - Romans 6:3-4 

We Must “Rise Again”

"That like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life." - Romans 6:3-4 , "For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death." - Romans 8:2 

ACTS 2:38

"Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." - Acts 2:38

Finishing the Race

It’s not how we start the race, it is how we finish it.

Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy, his son in the faith,

"I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing." - 2 Timothy 4:7-8

We must not let the pain and regrets of the past bog us down, but rather keep focused on our new life and the love and joy we now have in Jesus. (Acts 2:38-39).

"Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." - Philippians 3:13-14 

Paul gave counsel and encouraging words, instructing it is a necessity that we have self-control. If we want to be saved, we must not give into the lusts of the flesh – our old sinful nature. God has given us the gift of His Spirit to overcome evil. We overcome by walking in His Spirit. (Galatians 5:16).

"Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: but I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway." - 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 

Paul endured humbly many temptations and trials throughout his walk with God. (Acts 20:19). Towards the end of his life, with prophecies of bonds and afflictions awaiting him, he continued to face death so that he might be faithful to the ministry Jesus called him to. (Acts 20:20-24)

"But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God." - Acts 20:24 

Paul lived his faith in Jesus, as he encourages us to live.

"Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord." - 1 Corinthians 15:58

Cleansing

 Cleansing 

"Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God." - 2Corinthians 7:1 

What are these promises?

"… I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty." - 2Corinthians 6:17b-18.

If we turn our back on sin, separating ourselves from it, Jesus will receive us. We will become sons and daughters of the Lord Almighty! 

When we hate the sin we committed, sorry that we did it, committing ourselves to not do it again, this is repentance.

Jesus paid the price of our sins when He suffered and died on a cross, giving His life for us.

We claim what He did for us when we are baptized by immersion in His name, “Jesus.” When we are baptized in the name of Jesus, His blood washes away all of our sins. Our old sinful life is buried with Him in baptism.

Because we have repented of our sins,  and  have been baptized in the name of Jesus for the remission of our sins, Jesus promises the gift of His Spirit, the Holy Ghost. 

When we allow God to completely fill us with His Spirit, He will change our words of praise and thanksgiving into another language which we have not learned. The Bible calls this speaking in tongues.

When we are full of the Holy Ghost, we have power to overcome temptation. The Spirit of God leads us in the path we should go. With temptations, He makes a way of escape from it that we can choose to take.

If we stumble and sin, we can ask Jesus for forgiveness, applying His blood to our sin from our baptism in His name Jesus and purposing to be more careful, wise, and determined next time so that we can keep from stumbling.

When we are faithful to “assemble ourselves together” (going to church), we can hear the anointed preaching of the Word of God by a preacher that is called, baptized in the name of Jesus, and filled with the Holy Ghost.

The preaching of the Word of God is to perfect (mature) us, getting us ready to meet Jesus when He calls for His Bride. 

As we hear the Word of God, we apply it to our life, cleansing ourselves by committing to make changes that will be pleasing to God, making us more like Him, day by day.

(2Corinthians 6:17-18, 2Corinthians 7:10 [NLT], Matthew 26:28, Revelation 1:5, Romans 6:4, Acts 2:38-39, Acts 2:4, 11, Acts 1:8, 1Corinthians 10:13, Hebrews 10:25 [NLT], Romans 10:15, Ephesians 4:11-13, Ephesians 5:27, Acts 22:16).

Pentecost Sunday!

On Sunday, May 19, 2024, Christians will be celebrating Pentecost Sunday. Pentecost Sunday celebrates the first outpouring of the Holy Ghost.

Jesus spoke to His disciples before He ascended up into heaven.

"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. 

"For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence." - Acts 1:4-5 

Joel prophesied of "the promise of the Father."

"And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh…" - Joel 2:28 

Jesus explained to His disciples that His Spirit would dwell in them.

"But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:" - John 15:26 

"Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you." - John 14:17-18 

"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. 

"And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight." - Acts 1:8-9 

"Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet... 

"And when they were come in, they went up into an upper room, where abode both Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew, Philip, and Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon Zelotes, and Judas the brother of James. 

"These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren." - Acts 1:12-14 

There were about an hundred and twenty disciples all together. (Acts 1:15).

"And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting...And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance." - Acts 2:1-4 

Pentecost Sunday

Shavuot and Pentecost Sunday

Shavuot means “weeks.” It celebrates the seven weeks after the second day of Passover. It begins on the fiftieth day (the next day after the seven weeks following the second day of Passover.) It is celebrated on the anniversary of the giving of the Law at Mount Sinai. It is also the celebration of the first fruits of the wheat harvest. 

As Christians, we celebrate Pentecost. Pentecost is from a Greek word meaning “fiftieth.” It is the seventh Sunday after Easter. (This Sunday!)

Shavuot, also called the ‘feast of weeks,’ is one of the three times in a year that all Jewish males were to appear before the Lord at the temple in Jerusalem, bringing an offering. 

"Three times in a year shall all thy males appear before the LORD thy God in the place which he shall choose; in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles: and they shall not appear before the LORD empty:" - Deuteronomy 16:16 

Shavuot is a 2-day holiday which begins at sunset on June 11 until nightfall on June 13. In Israel, it is a 1-day holiday.

The giving of the Law on Mount Sinai is compared by Jewish sages to a wedding between God and the Jewish people. Shavuot also means “oaths.” 

"And Moses went up unto God, and the LORD called unto him out of the mountain, saying, Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel; Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto myself. Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel." - Exodus 19:3

As a bride says, ‘I do,’ the people answered together ‘we will do.’

"And Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid before their faces all these words which the LORD commanded him. And all the people answered together, and said, All that the LORD hath spoken we will do. And Moses returned the words of the people unto the LORD." - Exodus 19:7-8 

Pentecost Part 12

 Pentecost Part 12

Israel had a marriage covenant with God from Mount Sinai. Their marriage covenant bound Israel to keep the Law of Moses. 

God revealed by the prophet Jeremiah that He was bringing Israel a new covenant. 

"Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: 

"Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD: 

"But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; 

"After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. 

"And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: 

"For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more." - Jeremiah 31:31-34 

But how could Israel be released from her covenant of marriage with God?

"Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law,) how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth? 

"For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband. 

"So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man." - Romans 7:1-3 

To release Israel from her marriage covenant, God manifested Himself in flesh in the name of Jesus and died. 

Israel was now free to marry another. 

"Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God." - Romans 7:4 

God freed Israel to enter His new covenant.

Pentecost Part 9

Pentecost Part 9

God’s timing is always perfect.

The day that Jesus chose to pour out His Spirit in Jerusalem was one of the three holy days that God commanded every Jewish male to present himself in Jerusalem to offer a sacrifice in the temple. 

"Three times in a year shall all thy males appear before the LORD thy God in the place which he shall choose; in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles: and they shall not appear before the LORD empty:" - Deuteronomy 16:16 KJV  

The feast of weeks (also called Pentecost and Shavuot) is celebrated 7 weeks after Passover, thus "feast of weeks."

"And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven." - Acts 2:5 KJV

These devout Jews would have spoken Hebrew as well as the language of the nation they were from.

"And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. ... 

"And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. ... 

"Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language. 

"And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans? And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born? ... we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God." - Acts 2:1, 4, 6-8, 11 KJV

God's perfect timing placed men of every nation (and language) in Jerusalem to witness  the outpouring of His Spirit, hearing them speak in their languages the wonderful works of God. 

Otherwise, witnesses to the Spirit outpouring would have thought the 120 were all drunk. (Acts 2:13).

Notice they were not hearing the gospel when the 120 disciples were speaking in tongues. 

They heard the Gospel from Peter, (whom Jesus gave the keys to the kingdom), when they asked, What meaneth this? (Matthew 16:19, Acts 2:14-40).

When the men asked, What meaneth this? Then Peter began preaching, most likely in the Hebrew tongue, which they all understood as devout Jews.

Pentecost Part 8

Pentecost Part 8

When Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews, came to Jesus by night, Jesus told him he must be born again to  see the kingdom of God.

Jesus then told him, 

"Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." - John 3:5

Jesus then revealed there would be a sound when a person is born of the Spirit!

"The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit." - John 3:8 

Jesus compared the Spirit with the wind. We cannot see the wind because it is invisible. But, we can hear the sound of the wind as it blows through the trees. We cannot see the Spirit of God. But, we can hear the sound of His Spirit as it fills a person. 

We see this on the Day of Pentecost.

"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. For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence." - Acts 1:4-5 

It appears there were 120 disciples gathered in the upper room in Jerusalem, praying and waiting for the promise of the Spirit. (Acts 1:15).

"And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place." - Acts 2:1 

"And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting." - Acts 2:2 

The Bible does not say there was a wind that filled the house. It says there was a SOUND FROM HEAVEN AS of a rushing might wind.

There was not the sound of one or two people being filled with the Spirit. There were 120 people! That's why the sound was as of a rushing MIGHTY wind!

"And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance." - Acts 2:4 

Just as Jesus said,

"The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof...so is every one that is born of the Spirit." - John 3:8

Pentecost Part 7

Pentecost Part 7

Jesus foretold of the outpouring of His Spirit on numerous occasions. 

When Jesus was speaking to His disciples He told them His Spirit would be in them.

"And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you." - John 14:16-17 

Jesus was telling His disciples He is the Comforter, and the Spirit of Truth (and the Holy Ghost - John 14:26) -  "but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you." (John 14:17).

"But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you." - John 14:26 

"But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:" - John 15:26 

(See also: John 16:7-16)

After His death, burial, and resurrection, shortly  before He ascended into heaven, Jesus said to His disciples -

"...Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And ye are witnesses of these things. 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." - Luke 24:46-49 

We see the promise of the Father is the Holy Ghost. 

God said,

"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:" - Joel 2:28 

The Holy Ghost is the Spirit of the Father which is the Spirit of Jesus. (See above).

Jesus is the image of the invisible God. (Colossians 1:13-15). "To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself..." - 2 Corinthians 5:19. The Son of God is the Father manifest in flesh - the Father's body. (John 14:7-10).  "For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily." - Colossians 2:9

Pentecost Part 6

Part 6

Bringing Forth Fruit and Multiplying

"Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God." - Romans 7:4 

[Strong’s Definitions - “fruit: to be fertile (literally or figuratively):—be (bear, bring forth) fruit(-ful).”].

The children of God’s New Covenant Marriage are born again believers.

Jesus describes the New Covenant Marriage birth of children as a spiritual birth, not a natural birth.

"That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit." - John 3:6 

The children of the New Covenant Marriage are sons of God. They are born of water and of the Spirit. (John 3:5).

"But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." - John 1:12-13 

The Mother is the church. The church is the water part of birth, baptizing new souls in the name of Jesus for the remission of sins. (Acts 2:38).

The Father is Jesus. Jesus is the Spirit part of birth, baptizing new souls with His Spirit. (Acts 2:38-39).

The mother and the father are both necessary for the birth of a child. Only the mother is able to water baptize, and only the Father is able to baptize with His Spirit.

"If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?" - Hebrews 12:7-9 

"Now I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that oftentimes I purposed to come unto you, (but was let hitherto,) that I might have some fruit among you also, even as among other Gentiles." - Romans 1:13 

The church as the Mother also travails (in prayer) to give birth to souls.

"My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you," - Galatians 4:19

Pentecost Part 5

Pentecost Part 5

Apostle Paul compares God’s New Marriage Covenant with the church to the marriage between a man and a woman. (Ephesians 5:22-32).

"Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing." - Ephesians 5:22-24 KJV

We submit ourselves to the Lord. He is head of the church. He is our Savior. 

"Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;" - Ephesians 5:25 KJV

God loved the church and gave His life for her.

(Ephesians 5:2, Luke 22:19-20, Galatians 1:4, Revelation 1:5, Galatians 2:20).

"That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word," - Ephesians 5:26 KJV

To make her holy and clean (to consecrate and sanctify her), to make her free from the guilt of sin, to purify, by “the washing of water” (baptism) “by the word” (the promise of the pardon of sins- others take ῤήματι “word” here as equivalent to 'the gospel,' c). [From: Thayer’s Greek Lexicon].

"That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish." - Ephesians 5:27 KJV

"So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:

 (Hebrews 13:5).

For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones." - Ephesians 5:28-30 KJV

(1Corinthians 12:12-13, 27)

"For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. 

“This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church." - Ephesians 5:31-32 KJV

To be continued…

Pentecost Part 4

 Pentecost Part 4

One of the reasons John the Baptist was sent by God, was to be a witness that Jesus is Christ, God manifest in flesh.

"There was a man sent from God, whose name was John." - John 1:6 

"John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me." - John 1:15 (John 1:10).

John was born before Jesus. As God, Jesus was before John.

Jesus came to bring the New Marriage Covenant of Grace to replace the Old Marriage Covenant of the Law.

"For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ." - John 1:17

 "And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water...he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost. And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God." - John 1:31, 33-34 

The “Son of God” is God manifest in flesh (the body of God).

"Again the next day after John stood, and two of his disciples; and looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God! And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus." - John 1:35-37 

"After these things came Jesus and his disciples into the land of Judaea; and there he tarried with them, and baptized." - John 3:22 

"And they came unto John, and said unto him, Rabbi, he that was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou barest witness, behold, the same baptizeth, and all men come to him." - John 3:26 

"Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him." - John 3:28 

"He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled." - John 3:29 

Jesus was bringing His New Covenant, baptizing. When we are baptized in the name of Jesus, we forsake the world and covenant our faithfulness to Jesus. Our baptism is our blood covenant of marriage. We become the bride of Christ. (1John 2:15-17).