Pentecost is remembered as the time the Holy Spirit was poured out on the disciples as Jesus had foretold. The disciples, being Jews, had been accustomed to celebrating the appointed feast of Weeks fifty days after Passover. This festival served to link the deliverance from the bondage of Egypt to the time Moses received the Ten Commandments, God’s covenant law and instruction. Interestingly enough, it served as a reminder that the redemption from bondage was not fully complete until God’s people had received His covenant in word. It was during this very same time of celebration following Jesus’ resurrection that the Holy Spirit was poured out upon them as recorded in Acts 2. What values can we apprehend from this?
RELEVANCE
At Pentecost God brought connection of His Word with His Spirit. He brought completion—or fullness—to the expression of His covenant. In this He brought fulfillment to Isaiah’s prophecy expressing the fullness of God’s covenant.
“As for Me,” says the LORD, “this is My covenant with them: My Spirit who is upon you, and My words which I have put in your mouth, shall not depart from your mouth, nor from the mouth of your descendants, nor from the mouth of your descendants’ descendants,” says the LORD, “from this time and forevermore” (Isaiah 59:21).
Jesus made an interesting remark regarding the Scriptures of the Old Testament: “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill” (Matthew 5:17-18). He didn’t render the law void; He provided illumination and a stronger measure of grace—a greater way to more accurately understand God’s purposes—through the Holy Spirit! He gave more relevance to the Scriptures.
Paul wrote much on how the Spirit and the law related with one another. He provided particular insight relating to one’s walk with God. “But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law” (Galatians 5:18). In other words, you are not in subjection to the system that results from perverting God’s law into legalism. That’s why he encouraged believers to be continually filled with the Spirit (Ephesians 5:18). This is accomplished by regular reading and meditation of God’s Word, and communing with God, praying in the Holy Spirit.
REFLECT AND RELATE
How do you allow God’s Word and Spirit to refresh your thoughts and opinions?
How do you guard yourself from legalistic or dogmatic interpretations of God’s Word?
REFERENCES
Joshua 1:8; Colossians 2:8-10; Galatians 5:1-6; Philippians 4:8-9; 1Timothy 4:12-16