A Marriage Made In Heaven, Pentecost

LIBERTY UNIVERSITY

A MARRIAGE MADE IN HEAVEN THE GIVING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

A PAPER SUBMITTED TO DR. WILLIAM VICTOR IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE COURSE

NBST 522

LIBERTY THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY BY JONATHAN L. KEENE

LYNCHBURG, VIRGINIA SUNDAY AUGUST 9, 2009

Table of Contents Preface..................................................................................................................... .....3 A Marriage Made in Heaven...............................................................................................4 A Hebrew Holiday.............................................................................. .............................4 The Marriage and Divorce of Israel......................................................................................7 Segulah........................................................................................................... ...........7 Mikvek............................................................................................... .......................8 Chupah............................................................................................... .......................9

Ketubah....................................................................................... ............................10 Adultery and Divorce.................................................................................................. .10 The New Covenant.................................................................................................... .....12 The Comforter.................................................................................. ............................13 A Rushing Mighty Wind................................................................................ ...............15 Tongues of Fire...................................................................................... ....................15 Speaking in Tongues.............................................................................................. ......16 Conclusion.......................................................................................................... .........17 A Comparison of Facts.................................................................................... .............19 Works Consulted...........................................................................................................22

Preface The Day of Pentecost is an amazing story from the Book of Acts that is one of my favorite Bible narratives. A mighty rushing wind, tongues of fire, and the miracle of speaking invarious languages lends the story a phenomenal attraction to the spectacular. These miraculous signs often outweigh the foundational truth that is found in the giving of the Holy Spirit to the believers of Christ. I have developed this paper with an understanding that I received while studying the scriptures from a messianic point of view. God led me to be the leader of a Bible study group that was made up of Christian men and women who desired to know God more fully. In order to 2

accomplish this task we approached the Scriptures from a messianic direction. We found that this point of view incorporated a theological understanding which had been built on 5000 years of history, when a majority of today’s general Christian perspective is only gained from a 2000 year old theological understanding. This messianic view offered a unique perspective in the fact that as the Old Testament progressed toward the New, we could more clearly seethe hand of God at work in history in regards to the ultimate fulfillment of Scripture: the New Covenant. As this document progresses I intend to write it from an historical perspective that is placed before the giving of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. It is my assumption that most contemporary Christians view Pentecost from a 20th Century perspective and look back to the advent of the Church at Pentecost. By approaching Pentecost from a 1st Century view I intend to shed old Light on the subject. This will hopefully create in the reader an anticipation that was similar to what the first century Christians may have felt while they counted the Omer in anticipation for Pentecost. May God bless you and create in you a heart that desires Him more fully as you read this work. A Marriage Made in Heaven It is no secret among believers that God desires a relationship with mankind. In the beginning God walked with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. It was the original intent of God to live among people. Sin entered into the world and since that time we have been separated from God and the paradise that was ours. As history progressed, mankind continued to walk farther and farther away from God. Yet there was always a faithful remnant who remained as close to God as they knew how. Able, Enoch, and Noah were men of God who remained faithful to him in the face of a sinful world. Abraham, Isaac and Israel were men who received the promise of a covenant that would ensure a place for their descendants and a blessing for the entire world. 3

The purpose of this paper is to reveal the secret of Pentecost. It will show that Pentecost became a holiday to remember the giving of the Law at Sinai at which point the Israelites entered into a marriage relationship with God. It will also show how Israel was not faithful to God and received a divorce. Furthermore it will discuss the fact that Jesus had to die in order to re-marry Israel as a new man and that the Holy Spirit encourages us to keep from falling into adultery against God. Finally we will discuss the Power that the Holy Spirit has to help us enter into the New Covenant. A Hebrew Holiday Many Christians today are unfamiliar with Pentecost from a Hebraic perspective. If one were to ask a Christian what Pentecost was you would receive answers like the following: “It is the day that God poured out the Holy Spirit.” “It is the day that God created the Church.” “Itis the day that Holy Spirit made the disciples talk in tongues to preach to the people in Jerusalem.” While all these statements are true, they are all statements that look back in time to the Day of Pentecost. These statements really don’t address the original question of what Pentecost was. In fact, these statements answer the question of what happened on Pentecost day after Jesus had ascended to Heaven. It is appropriate for a Christian to focus on that time in History due to its very significant nature for the Church. But to gain a full understanding of the day one must look back further in time to the advent of the holiday of Pentecost and the social idioms associated with that festival season. Our main source for understanding Pentecost is the Scriptures. There are three ancient passages thatgive instruction regarding the holiday of Pentecost. Exodus 34:22-23 says,

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“And you shall observe the Feast of Weeks, of the firstfruits of wheat harvest, and the Feast of Ingathering at the year's end. Three times in the year all your men shall appear before the Lord, the LORD God of Israel.”1 In Deuteronomy 16:9-10 it reads, “You shall count seven weeks for yourself; begin to count the seven weeks from [the time] you begin [to put] the sickle to the grain. Then you shall keep the Feast of Weeks to the LORD your God with the tribute of a freewill offering from your hand, which you shall give as the LORD your God blesses you.”2 Finally in Leviticus 23:15-17 and 21 it is written, “And you shall count for yourselves from the day after the Sabbath, from the day that you brought the sheaf of the wave offering: seven Sabbaths shall be completed. Count fifty days to the day after the seventh Sabbath; then you shall offer a new grain offering to the LORD. You shall bring from your dwellings two wave [loaves] of two-tenths [of an ephah]. They shall be of fine flour; they shall be baked with leaven. [They are] the firstfruits to the LORD. And you shall proclaim on the same day [that] it is a holy convocation to you. You shall do no customary work [on it. It shall be] a statute forever in all your dwellings throughout your generations.”3 Thesescriptures give specific instructions to count seven weeks from the time that the firstfruits offering was presented at the time of Passover. It was to be a count of 50 days. The Bible refers to Pentecost as the Feast of Weeks in the Old Testament. The name changed from Feast of Weeks to Pentecost due to the fact that one was to count 50 days. In Jewish circles this time of counting is known as Counting the Omer. The Omer is the 50 day period of anticipation for the Feast of Weeks.

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Blue Letter Bible. "Exodus - New King James Version." Blue Letter Bible. 1996-2009. 3 May 2009. http://www.blueletterbible.org/Bible.cfm?b=Exd&c=34&v=22&t=NKJV#22 2

Blue Letter Bible. "Deuteronomy - New King James Version." Blue Letter Bible. 1996-2009. 3 May 2009. http://www.blueletterbible.org/Bible.cfm?b=Deu&c=16&v=9&t=NKJV#9 3

Blue Letter Bible. "Leviticus - New King James Version." Blue Letter Bible. 1996-2009. 3 May 2009. http://www.blueletterbible.org/Bible.cfm?b=Lev&c=23&v=15&t=NKJV#15

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When correlated to Biblical History a person can count 50 days from the Passover in Egypt to the Giving of the Torah at Mt. Sinai. In fact this is not a modern thought. Possibly by the time of the first century and definitely by the 3rd century one understanding of the Festival of Pentecost was to commemorate the giving of the Law at Mt. Sinai. “Besides its primary agricultural significance Shavu’ot later came to be understood as commemorating the giving of the Torahto Moshe. The earliest reference to this reinterpretation date from the 2nd and 3rd centuries C.E. (Talmud: Shabbat 86b, Pesachim 68b); but Louis Jacobs, using material from Louis Finkelstein’s The Pharisees, theorizes the “the transformation into a historical feast took place before the present era” (Encyclopedia Judaica 14:1420-1421). Exodus 19:1 says that the Israelites came to the foot of Mt. Sinai “in the third month”; from this and other biblical data the rabbis deduced that God actually gave the Torah on Shavu’ot.”4 The author believes that Pentecost is not only a harvest festival, but also a commemoration of the giving of the Law at Mt. Sinai. Indeed the first century believers could have understood this as well.

The Marriage and Divorce of Israel

A very interesting thing about the meeting at Mt. Sinai and the children of Israel gathered to receive the Torah is the situations similarities to a Hebrew marriage ceremony. Each detail of the meeting can be viewed as allegorical of a traditional betrothal and marriage. In fact, a marriage is an appropriate way of viewing the relationship between God and Israel as we will see. 4

David H. Stern, Jewish New Testament Commentary, Clarkesville, Maryland, (Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. 1999), p. 219

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The Hebrew people divide the Torah into a yearly reading schedule. Each week another Torah portion called a Parasha HaShavuah is read. The Parasha that deals with the Mt. Sinai narrative is Parasha HaShavuah ‘Yitro:’ whichis found in Exodus 18:1-20:26. Many of the allegorical aspects of an ancient Hebrew wedding are found within this portion of Scripture. “I am not alone, nor am I the first one to see things this way. For example, Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan, basing his remarks on centuries of Jewish biblical interpretation, says, “It is significant that God’s taking Israel as His nation is likened to a marriage.” If this is so then there are several features in this week’s portion which, when put together, show that here at Mt. Sinai we are attendants of a sacred wedding.”5 Let’s take a look at some of the similarities of this meeting with an ancient Hebrew wedding ceremony. Segulah Firstly God’s opinion of Israel at this point is very high. He loves her and calls her is “special treasure” in Exodus 19:5. The term ‘special treasure’ is interpreted from the Hebrew word ‘segulah’ which is a very expressive word. “Segulah means a cherished treasure, the same as (Ecclesiastes 2:8), “and treasures of kings” costly vessels and precious stones which kings store up. In the same manner shall you be unto Me a cherished treasure more than other peoples.”6 In Exodus 19:1-8 we see God actually lay out the groundwork for the Marriage relationship. He states in no uncertain terms the relationship he desires with Israel and expresses the give and take nature of what this marriage would entail. As stated above, God calls Israel his “special treasure.” This is, however, conditional to their faithfulness. “Now therefore, if you

Michael Boaz, First Fruits of Zion, Torah Club: Messianic Commentary on the Parashot HaShavuah, Vol. 1, Torah Treasures, Littleton, Colorado, (First Fruits of Zion, Inc. 1999), p. 353-354. 5

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Rashi, Sapirstein Edition, Brooklyn New York, (Mesorah Publications 1994), p. 98

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will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth [is] Mine.”7 The fascinating thing is that God has not even begun to give the Israelites his instructions or even the Ten Commandments when He makes this statement. This conditional statement is given even before the conditions of the covenant have been expressed. The response of the people is given without ever having heard the rest of the deal. God was asking them to step out into the relationship on faith, which to Israel’s credit, she did. Verse 19:8 tells us that the people responded to God positively, “All that the Lord has spoken we will do.”8 The Hebrew wording is very telling, “Na'aseh V'Nishmah -- we agree to do even before we have listened.”9 The people of Israel were so enamored with the God who had delivered them from slavery through mighty acts and deeds that they fell into His arms simply because of his awesome reputation and his expressed love for them through previous actions. Mikvek Secondly, God tells Israel to get ready for the wedding. Exodus 19:10-11 says, “Then the LORD said to Moses, "Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow, and let them wash their clothes. And let them be ready for the third day. For on the third day the LORD will come down upon Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people.”10 In a traditional wedding ceremony among the Hebrew people the bride would take a ceremonial bath called a ‘mikveh.’ This was no ordinary bath for cleansing, it meant much more.

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Blue Letter Bible. "Exodus - New King James Version." Blue Letter Bible. 1996-2009. 3 May 2009 http://www.blueletterbible.org/Bible.cfm?b=Exd&c=19&v=1&t=NKJV#top 8

Blue Letter Bible. "Exodus - New King James Version." Blue Letter Bible. 1996-2009. 3 May 2009 http://www.blueletterbible.org/Bible.cfm?b=Exd&c=19&v=1&t=NKJV#top 9

Eddie Chumney, The Seven Festivals of the Messiah, (Sippensburg, Pennsylvania. Treasure House, 1994), p.87

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Blue Letter Bible. "Exodus - New King James Version." Blue Letter Bible. 1996-2009. 3 May 2009 http://www.blueletterbible.org/Bible.cfm?b=Exd&c=19&v=1&t=NKJV#top

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“In many ways, the mikveh represents the womb. When a person immerses, it is as if he has momentarily returned to the womb. Then when he emerges, it is as if he were reborn. He is a completely new person.”11 The mikveh is the progenitor of the Christian baptism and is very similar in understanding. When applied to the bride it was a symbol saying that she is not only ready for a relationship with her new husband, but is in fact a whole new person in all the aspects of her life. Israel prepared for two days to meet the Lord at Mt. Sinai and was being prepared for a new intimate relationship with God. This idea of a bridal mikveh is repeated in Ezekiel 16:8b-9a, “…I swore an oath to you and entered into a covenant with you, and you became Mine," says the Lord GOD. Then I washed you in water…”12 Chupah The traditional Hebrew wedding also includes a ‘chupah.’ The chupah is the tent like structure that is erected for the bride, groom, and officiator to stand under during the wedding ceremony. “In Jewish thinking, the chupah is a symbolic house. It is a single domain into which the groom welcomes the bride.”13 Allegorically speaking, the mountain itself, wrapped in smoke can be seen as a chupah. It is the place where, on the third day, Israel meets God to accept the wedding contract. Ketubah Now we come to the central part of the wedding, the ‘ketubah.’ The ketubah in a traditional Hebrew wedding is the contract or covenant that both parties agree to live by. It is a legally binding contract between the bride and groom which governs their marriage. 11

Aryah Kaplan, Made in Heaven, (Jerusalem. Moznaim Publications, 1983) p. 74.

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Blue Letter Bible. "Ezekiel - New King James Version." Blue Letter Bible. 1996-2009. 3 May 2009 http://www.blueletterbible.org/Bible.cfm?b=Eze&c=16&t=NKJV 13

Michael Boaz, First Fruits of Zion, Torah Club: Messianic Commentary on the Parashot HaShavuah, Vol. 1, Torah Treasures, Littleton, Colorado, (First Fruits of Zion, Inc. 1999), p. 357.

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“It is always a written agreement, which is how the word ketubah derives its name, from the Hebrew… ‘to write.’ The ketubah is read and signed during the Jewish wedding ceremony. In truth, the custom of using a written contract only dates to about the middle of the third century of the Common Era, not back to Mt. Sinai. However, there was always (at the least) an oral marriage agreement which was legally binding.”14 It is evident that the contract that was received at Mt. Sinai is the Torah itself. Onewill notice that in this portion of Scripture the focus is on the Ten Commandments, but a closer observation of the Ten Commandments will reveal that they act a preamble for the rest of the Torah. All the other laws of the Torah, of which there are 613, can be grouped under one of the Ten Commandments. When the people of Israel agreed and said, “All that the Lord has spoken we will do,”15 they agreed to all of these 613 laws that were revealed to them over time starting with the Ten Commandments. Adultery and Divorce Israel did not keep her end of the contract however. Over time she began to chase after other gods. She adulterated herself with Baal, Molech, and Asherah. Thus she broke her contract with the Lord that was established at Mt. Sinai. God waited for centuries for her to return to Him. In long suffering kindness he chastened her at which point she would return for a time to turn away again later. He sent judges and prophets to protect and warn her of calamity, but ultimately Israel was divided into South and North. Hundreds of years after receiving the Torah from God at Mt. Sinai, God had had enough and gave Israel a divorce as it is written in Jeremiah 3:8, “Then I saw that for all the causes for which backsliding Israel had committed

Michael Boaz, First Fruits of Zion, Torah Club: Messianic Commentary on the Parashot HaShavuah, Vol. 1, Torah Treasures, Littleton, Colorado, (First Fruits of Zion, Inc. 1999), p. 357-358. 14

Blue Letter Bible. "Exodus - New King James Version." Blue Letter Bible. 1996-2009. 3 May 2009 http://www.blueletterbible.org/Bible.cfm?b=Exd&c=19&v=1&t=NKJV#top 15

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adultery, I had put her away and given her a certificate of divorce; yet her treacherous sister Judah did not fear, but went and played the harlot also.”16 Israel, the Northern Kingdom, was carried away by the Assyrians in 740 B.C.E. never to be a nation again. Judah, however, was taken into captivity into Babylon and returned to the land after a period of exile. Notice only Israel was given the divorce. So what is God to do? His love is unfailing, his promise to Abraham was unconditional, yet the marriage he had with Israel was now in ruins. God always kept his end of the covenant toward Israel. God was required to act according to Torah Laws as well. In Deuteronomy 24:1-4 it is written, “When a man takes a wife and marries her, and it happens that she finds no favor in his eyes because he has found some uncleanness in her, and he writes her a certificate of divorce, puts it in her hand, and sends her out of his house, when she has departed from his house, and goes and becomes another man's wife, if the latter husband detests her and writes her a certificate of divorce, puts it in her hand, and sends her out of his house, or if the latter husband dies who took her as his wife, then her former husband who divorced her must not take her back to be his wife after she has been defiled; for that is an abomination before the LORD, and you shall not bring sin on the land which the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance.”17 It is appear ant that God could not rekindle the relationship he had with Israel, because he is faithful to keep the covenant he made at Mt. Sinai. Therefore, a portion of God’s ‘special treasure’ was lost to him. But it is widely known that a marriage is only as good as long as both parties are alive. In Romans 7:2 it reads, “For the woman who has a husband is bound by the

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Blue Letter Bible. "Jeremiah - New King James Version." Blue Letter Bible. 1996-2009. 3 May 2009 http://www.blueletterbible.org/Bible.cfm?b=Jer&c=3&v=8&t=NKJV#8 17

Blue Letter Bible. "Deuteronomy - New King James Version." Blue Letter Bible. 1996-2009. 3 May 2009 http://www.blueletterbible.org/Bible.cfm?b=Deu&c=24&v=1&t=NKJV#1

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law to her husband as long as he lives. But if the husband dies, she is released from the law of her husband.”18 The Divorce was only as good a God and Israel were alive…God had a plan. The New Covenant In Jeremiah 33:31-34, God tells of a time when there would be a new covenant! "Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when 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 lead them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, though I was a husband to them, says the LORD. But this [is] the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, 'Know the LORD,' for they all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more."19 To establish this new covenant with His people, He would have to die. Jesus was sent to not only die for humanity’s sins, but he also died to make a way for all of humanityto have a personal relationship with the Father. By being crucified, he again fulfilled the Torah, by paying for humanity’s sins with death. Yet when he was raised, he was glorified and reborn a new man, therefore he can re-marry lost Israel as well as the rest of those who believe in Him! It is written in Ephesians 5:25-27 that the Church is like a wife to Christ. “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.”20 18

Blue Letter Bible. "Paul's Epistle - Romans 7 - (NKJV - New King James Version)." Blue Letter Bible. 1996-2009. 13 Aug 2009. < http://www.blueletterbible.org/Bible.cfm?b=Rom&c=7&t=NKJV > 19

Blue Letter Bible. "Jeremiah - New King James Version." Blue Letter Bible. 1996-2009. 3 May 2009 http://www.blueletterbible.org/Bible.cfm?b=Jer&c=31&v=31&t=NKJV#31 20

Blue Letter Bible. "Ephesians- New King James Version." Blue Letter Bible. 1996-2009. 3 May 2009 http://www.blueletterbible.org/Bible.cfm?b=Eph&c=5&v=1&t=NKJV

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It is safe to say that a relationship with the Most High God through the person of Jesus Christ is like a marriage relationship. But how does that correlate with Pentecost? How is the giving of the Torah at Mt. Sinai like what happened in the upper room on Pentecost day? What were the believers expecting only 10 days after the ascension of the risen Lord? The Comforter We come to it at last, that fateful day in history when the Spirit of the Living God was pouredout. Let us look at the day itself. It is the 50thday of the Omer. For fifty days the devout Jewish men would have counted every day, “Today is the first day of the Omer, today is the second day of the Omer, today is the thirdday of the Omer, etc.” Ten days before these same devout men and women who were believers in the risen Lord Jesus Christ, had witnessed the risen Lord ascend into Heaven in a cloud. It is interesting that the last question asked of Jesus on Earth was, "Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel"(Acts 1:6b)?21 The author believes that they didn’t exactly know what they were asking. “Will you at this time restore the marriage relationship with estranged Israel?” Maybe they did know. Jesus avoided the questions about the relationship, or political standing of Israel and said, "It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth"(Acts 1:7b-8).22 The very last thing that Jesus says before he floats up into Heaven is that the Holy Spirit is coming.

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Blue Letter Bible. "Acts- New King James Version." Blue Letter Bible. 1996-2009. 3 May 2009 http://www.blueletterbible.org/Bible.cfm?b=Act&c=1&v=1&t=NKJV#top Ibid.

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Preceding the question which was asked in verse 6 of Acts is the Lord’s last command to his disciples. In Acts Chapter one, verses four and five it reads, “And being assembled together with [them], He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, "which," [He said], "you have heard from Me; for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”23 It is easy for a twentieth century Christian to look back and wonder why the disciples would then ask about the restoration of the Kingdom of Israel. The disciples were not familiar with what it meant to be baptized with the Spirit. The mindset of their particular time in history was day 40 of the Omer. They were anticipating something great, something wonderful, and their idea of great was the restoration of Israel. Indeed something great and wonderful would occur. The promise of the Father was to be given. Remembering that the Torah commands that “Three times in the year all your men shall appear before the Lord, the LORD God of Israel,”24 it is imperative to understand that every devout Jewish male who could be in Jerusalem was in Jerusalem at this time of year. Therefore,men from every tribe of Israel and representatives of all the Roman provinces had descended upon Jerusalem in force. Not only would the city be full of devout Jews, but it would also have been full of devout merchants and peddlers who were there to take advantage of the yearly festival. The city was full and ready to be harvested. The harvest and the giving of the Torah would have been predominate themes on the minds of those gathered in the upper room and of those on the street. “When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing 23

Blue Letter Bible. "Acts- New King James Version." Blue Letter Bible. 1996-2009. 3 May 2009 http://www.blueletterbible.org/Bible.cfm?b=Act&c=1&v=1&t=NKJV#top 24

Blue Letter Bible. "Acts- New King James Version." Blue Letter Bible. 1996-2009. 3 May 2009, Exodus 34:23, http://www.blueletterbible.org/Bible.cfm?b=Exd&c=34&v=22&t=NKJV#22

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mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven. And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were confused, because everyone heard them speak in his own language.”25 A Rushing Mighty Wind The Holy Spirit’s presence was announced by a rushing mighty wind. In Greek the word for wind is pnoe, (πνοή). It is Strong’s word G4157 and can also mean ‘breath’ or ‘breath of life.’26 It was such a strong wind and made such a ruckus that the people on the street heard it. In Acts 2:5-6a it reads, “And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven. And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together.”27 This wind acted like the trumpet blast as Mt. Sinai. It announced the presence of the Lord and was heard by a multitude of the sons of Abraham. The wind brought with it the breath of life that filled those gathered in one accord with the Holy Spirit. Tongues of Fire As the Disciples of Christ heard the wind that had filled the place where they were, they saw what looked like tongues of fire which came to rest on each of them. As this happened they were filled with the Holy Spirit. It was an answer to the prayer that Moses had uttered centuries

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Blue Letter Bible. "Acts- New King James Version." Blue Letter Bible. 1996-2009. 3 May 2009 http://www.blueletterbible.org/Bible.cfm?b=Act&c=1&v=1&t=NKJV#top 26

Blue Letter Bible. "Dictionary and Word Search for pnoē (Strong's 4157)". Blue Letter Bible. 1996-2009. 11 Aug 2009. < http:// www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm? Strongs=G4157&t=NKJV > 27

Blue Letter Bible. "Acts of the Apostles 2 - (NKJV - New King James Version)." Blue Letter Bible. 1996-2009. 11 Aug 2009. < http://www.blueletterbible.org/Bible.cfm?b=Act&c=2&t=NKJV >

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earlier in Numbers 11:29b, “Oh, that all the LORD's people were prophets [and] that the LORD would put His Spirit upon them!”28 John the Baptist foretold this day in Luke 3:16-17, “John answered, saying to all, "I indeed baptize you with water; but One mightier than I is coming, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fan [is] in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather the wheat into His barn; but the chaff He will burn with unquenchable fire.”29 Notice the idioms of Pentecost used in his prophecy. The tongues of fire may or may not represent the languages spoken. “Again, it is difficult to translate this experience into terms which will convey its true significance.”30 One understanding of the tongues of fire calls us to remember what happened at Mt. Sinai. “The roar and fire in Jerusalem recalled the fire, smoke and sounds at Sinai. However, instead of God’s people being kept away, God’s glory, represented by tongues of fire, came to each individual.”31 When the Lord descended on the mountain, he did so with smoke, thundering and fire. The fire was far off then, impersonal. On Pentecost, the fire was very personal; the Divine presence was in the fire and was then transferred to the believers gathered Speaking in Tongues As each person was filled with the Holy Spirit they went out into the streets and began preaching to the multitude who had gathered at the sound of the might rushing 28

Blue Letter Bible. "Book of Numbers 11 - (NKJV - New King James Version)." Blue Letter Bible. 1996-2009. 11 Aug 2009. < http://www.blueletterbible.org/Bible.cfm?b=Num&c=11&t=NKJV > 29

Blue Letter Bible. "Gospel of Luke 3 - (NKJV - New King James Version)." Blue Letter Bible. 1996-2009. 11 Aug 2009. < http://www.blueletterbible.org/Bible.cfm?b=Luk&c=3&t=NKJV > F.F. Bruce, The New International Commentary on the New Testament: The Book of the Acts. Grand Rapids, (Eerdmans Publishing Co. 1988) p. 50. 30

David H. Stern, Jewish New Testament Commentary, Clarkesville, Maryland, (Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. 1999), p. 221. 31

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wind. They preached to the men from every nation in their own tongue. From a Hebrew understanding the gentile world had 70 languages. At Mt. Sinai some rabbis have purposed that the thundering that sounded from the mountain was actually God speaking all languages at once, so it sounded like thunder, but in actuality God was proclaiming His Law to all nations. At Pentecost it becomes apparent that God’s plan is that all nations would come to Him. Speaking in tongues reminds one of another story from the Bible; astory in which a group of people were in one accord and didn’t want to move from their spot. It is the story of the tower of Babel. Mankind can do great things when they are in one accord, Great things for God or great things for themselves. At Babel God created confusion of speech. At Pentecost God created perfect understanding. A huge barrier that caused separation was removed in order to aid in the spreading of the Truth to all nations in order to fulfill the Great Commission. “Almost 2,300 years after the tower of Babel something equally miraculous happened. Another group was gathered together in a common cause…Their unity paralleled that of the Babelites, and they penetrated the heavens with prayer and praise rather than stone and mortar.”32 The barriers of speech were no longer in the way. Three thousand people were added to the number of Christians that day. There were about 120 people gathered, who received the Holy Spirit and to gain so many new converts was a miracle; what a harvest! Conclusion “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by 32

Charles W. Conn, Pillars of Pentecost, Cleveland, Tennessee (Pathway Press: 1956) p.44-45.

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sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.” (Roman 8:1-4) 33 Some of the similarities of Mt. Sinai and Pentecost have been pointed out in this paper, but the truth of the matter is that the most important thing to understand is that the New Covenant is made possible by the giving of the Holy Spirit. The Old Covenant was written on tablets of stone. At Pentecost the New Covenant is written on hearts of flesh. “But if the ministry of death, written [and] engraved on stones, was glorious…how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious?” (2 Corintians 3:7a-3:8)34 With this understanding it is important to ask the question “Is the New Covenant in full effect yet?” In Jeremiah 31:34 it reads, “No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, 'Know the LORD,' for they all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.”35 This verse has been fulfilled in part with the salvific work of Christ, but it still needs part to be fulfilled, because there are thousands of people who do not ‘Know the Lord.’ Therefore, the New Covenant is not utterly complete and will not be complete until the above statement is true. It is true for individuals at this point, but not for everyon. This paper hasapproached Pentecost from a more ancient direction than is usually attributed to Christian thought. These questions still remain; “Did God give birth to the Church 33

Blue Letter Bible. "Paul's Epistle - Romans 8 - (NKJV - New King James Version)." Blue Letter Bible. 19962009. 12 Aug 2009. < http://www.blueletterbible.org/Bible.cfm?b=Rom&c=8&t=NKJV > 34

Blue Letter Bible. "Paul's Epistle - 2 Corinthians 3 - (NKJV - New King James Version)." Blue Letter Bible. 19962009. 12 Aug 2009. < http://www.blueletterbible.org/Bible.cfm?b=2Cr&c=3&t=NKJV > 35

Blue Letter Bible. "The Major Prophet Jeremiah 31 - (NKJV - New King James Version)." Blue Letter Bible. 1996-2009. 12 Aug 2009. < http://www.blueletterbible.org/Bible.cfm?b=Jer&c=31&t=NKJV >

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on Pentecost, and did the Holy Spirit act before Pentecost?” In regard to the former, David Stern asserts, “Because Shavu’ot commemorates the giving of the Torah it is sometimes thought of as the day which Judaism was born. Likewise, because God gave the Holy Spirit to his people on Shavu’ot, it is sometimes regarded as the birthday of the Messianic Community.”36 The author tends to agree with Stern when Stern puts forth the idea that Passover is a more likely candidate for the birthday of the Church. “But one could equally think of Pesach as the “birth of a nation” for the Jews, who are first portrayed as a unified people in Exodus 12, at the time of the first Passover. Similarly, it can be argued that the Messianic Community too came into bing on Pesach, since that is when Yeshua died and was resurrected, and we as a community have died and been resurrected with him (Ro 6:1-8).”37 Passover was the season that Christ was crucified and resurrected which created a way for people to enter into a personal relationship with the most High God. Pentecost was the day that people were empowered to live a life worthy of a closer walk with God. But then again, on Pentecost at Mt. Sinai a nation was born, and on Pentecost in Jerusalem it is said that the Church is born. A good way to reconcile this thinking is to realize that at Passover freedom was granted, and at Pentecost whole hearted commitment to God and Christ was granted, a harvest of hearts. In regard to the later question; God did work in his people in the Old Testament. The Holy Spirit came upon people from a need by need basis. In Judges the Holy Spirit would fill a judge for a time in order to accomplish a goal for Israel. The prophets would receive messages from the Holy Spirit to give to the people. The general out pouring of the Holy Spirit did not occur until Pentecost in Jerusalem.

36

David H. Stern, Jewish New Testament Commentary, Clarkesville, Maryland, (Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. 1999), p. 221. 37

David H. Stern, Jewish New Testament Commentary, Clarkesville, Maryland, (Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. 1999), p. 221.

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A Comparison of Facts In closingis given a chart of comparisons between Pentecost at Mt. Sinai and Pentecost in Jerusalem. Many of the points of this chart have been discussed in this paper, but some have not due to space requirements. The First Pentecost

The Giving of the Holy Spirit

The Fiftieth Day

The Fiftieth Day

God’s Law on Stone: Exodus 24:12

God’s Law on Hearts: Jeremiah 31:33, Romans 2:14-15, Isaiah 51:7

Written by the finger of God: Exodus 31:18

Written by the Spirit of God 2 Corinthians 3:3

3000 Killed: Exodus 32:1-8, 26-28

3000 Saved: Acts 2:41

The Letter of the Law

The Spirit of the Law: Romans 2:29, 7:6, 2 Corinthians 3:6

Mount Sinai: Exodus 19:11

Mount Zion: Romans 11:26, 1 Peter 2:638

It is obvious that there are many comparisons in scripture between Mt. Sinai and Jerusalem’s Pentecostal experience. As this work nears completion reflect on the words of Hebrews 12:1824. “For you have not come to the mountain that may be touched and that burned with fire, and to blackness and darkness and tempest, and the sound of a trumpet and the voice of words, so that those who heard [it] begged that the word should not be spoken to them anymore. (For they could not endure what was commanded: "And if so much as a beast touches the mountain, it shall be stoned or shot with an arrow." And so terrifying was the sight [that] Moses said, "I am exceedingly afraid and trembling.") But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn [who are] registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, to Jesus

38

Eddie Chumney, The Seven Festivals of the Messiah, (Sippensburg, Pennsylvania. Treasure House, 1994), p.84

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the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than [that of] Abel.”39 By gazing at Pentecost from a more ancient perspective this paper has shown how Pentecostclosely resembles the giving of the Torah at Mt. Sinai. It has explained that the Torah was a wedding contract that Israel failed to keep and was therefore divorced. It has brought light to the fact that God kept his end of the contract to the point of dying and being raised in order to restore relationship with his divorced bride. It has explained that the Holy Spirit is the empowerer of a New Covenant which is superior to the previous covenant. Finally this work has shown the historical similarities of Pentecost at Mt. Sinai and Pentecost in Jerusalem.

39

Blue Letter Bible. "Letter to the Hebrews 12 - (NKJV - New King James Version)." Blue Letter Bible. 1996-2009. 12 Aug 2009. < http://www.blueletterbible.org/Bible.cfm?b=Hbr&c=12&t=NKJV >

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Works Consulted Bruce, F.F. The Book of the Acts (Revised): The New International Commentary on the New Testament. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1988. _________. Paul: Apostle of the Heart Set Free. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1977. Carson, D.A. and Moo, Douglas J. An Introduction to the New Testament. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1992. Chumney, Edward, The Seven Festivals of the Messiah. Sippensburg, Pennsylvania: Treasure House, an Imprint of Destiny Image Publishers, Inc., 1994. Conn, Charles W. Pillars of Pentecost. Pathway Press: Cleveland, Tennessee, 1956. Kaplan, Aryah, Made in Heaven. Moznaim Publication: Jerusalem, 1983. Lea, Thomas D. and Black, David Alan. The New Testament: It’s Background and Message. Broadman & Holman Publishers: Nashville, 2003. Maier, Paul L. First Christians: Pentecost and the Spread of Christianity. New York: Harper and Row, Publishers, c. 1976. Michael, Boaz and Torah Club Production Team. First Fruits of Zion, Torah Club: Messianic Commentary on the Parashot HaShavuah, Vol. 1, Torah Treasures. Littleton, Colorado: First Fruits of Zion, Inc. 1999. 22

Pentecost, J. Dwight. The Divine Comforter: The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit. Westwood, New Jersey: Fleming H. Revell Company, 1963. Rashi, Sapirstein Edition. Brooklyn, New York: Mesorah Publications, 1994 Stern, David H. Jewish New Testament Commentary. Clarksville, Maryland: Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc., 1999. Wood, A. Skevington, Life by the Spirit: A Thorough and Exhaustive Study of the Place of the Holy Spirit in the Life of the Christian. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1963.

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