New Beginning
1When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. 2And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. 4And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. Acts 2:1-4 ESV.
Earlier in the Bible just before Jesus takes up to heaven, we read that Jesus command the disciples to go back to Jerusalem and wait for the helper. And they waiting and waiting, and I can imagen maybe Tomas starts to ask Peter when will the helper come and will we recognize him? Peter answer Tomas Jesus told us that we will recognize him when he comes. We just need to have patient and believe in what Jesus said to us just before he left.
The Pentecost is coming and that is an ancient Israeli harvestfestival which is in early summer when thousands and thousands of Jewish pilgrims come back to Jerusalem from all over the world, with all these different language and culture in the city.
Here we can see how brilliant God is. He not just chooses a random day to send His Holy Spirit. He sends His Holy Spirit when the “world” is coming together in Jerusalem. We alsoread that many came to faith. And when they are going back to their countries, they probably will tell other people what they heard and saw in Jerusalem.
If we are going back to our scripture and looking how the Holy Spirit comes. It seems like God like to come down to us in a dramatic way. Luke shows us some connection patterns from the Old Testament (OT). That God come down in a mighty wind and fire. And that often associated with two things: God`s presence and formation of the temple.
We read in Exodus 3 how God speak to Moses through a burning bush. God speak in Moses own language and tell him to free his own people from slavery in Egypt.
After Moses has deliver Israel from slavery they come to Mt. Sinai (Exod. 19:18-20) another time God show up with smoke and fire. The fire signals God`s presence, making Mt. Sinai to a dwelling place symbolic temple. And it was here God gave Moses the ten commandments. We also read that the people get both amazed and terrifying at the same time how God showed up.
When Solomon had finished the temple (1 kings) and the priest place the ark in the most holy place. A big cloud come down and filled the temple. Here we see the wind not the fire but if we turn to the parallel version. Solomon`s temple dedication in 2 Chronicles 7 there we find it.
“Now when Solomon finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices and the glory of the LORD filled the house” (2 Chronicles 7:1).
As we see in the scripture everyone of God`s people knows when God show up. Because He come with the whole package – wind, storm and fire.
Now when we have been looking back in the OT and see how God showing up. He is still on one place at a time, and I don’t think that is God’s original plan. God made some of his people to be priest. The priest in the OT stood between the people and God. And that make Gods kingdom like a kingdom with priest. As we see in our verses from Acts 2, we see something new take place like a new beginning. It looks like God start what is to be a kingdom of priest instead and I think that is more like God’s original plan. Because when we receive Jesusin our hearts. Which means a piece of God now lives inside us. Our bodies become a temple for the Holy Spirit.
Paul said something like this in 1 Corinthian 3 – now when we receive the Holy Spirit in our body, we become Gods temple.
And my question is, how do you take care of your temple?Not just in a spiritual way but also in a physical and psychological way?
Do you clean up in your temple or do you let it be a mess in there? Or do you but things in boxes and label it, so you understand what is going on inside of you?
Personal I think we need to clean up in our temples now and then, so we can live more in harmony with our ourselves.Which mean with our emotion and feelings in place. And to understand and to see what the Holy Spirit do in us, through us and around us. Also, I think you can hear and feelGod’s presences easier when we are in balance with ourselves.
When the disciples got Baptist with the Holy Spirit, they felt the need from the Holy Spirit to go out to the street and tell thepeople about the gospel that they had heard and seen. So,what are you doing when you feel the Holy spirit lead you?Do you answer to it or do nothing?
