Thursday: The Significance of Pentecost
In the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, Acts 2:1-4 confirms one of the most decisive events in the history of the plan of salvation: the inauguration of Christ into His post-Calvary ministry as High Priest and King in the heavenly sanctuary (see also Acts 1:4-8, Acts 2:33). Through His high-priestly ministry at the right hand of the Father (Rev. 5:6-7), Christ is able to carry out the plan of salvation to its ultimate realization. As our Mediator in the heavenly sanctuary, Jesus works to save us. Through Him, believers may have free access to God and receive forgiveness for their sins.
Read Acts 2:32-36 along with John 7:39. What hope and encouragement do you find in the fact that Jesus stands in heaven as our Priest and King?
Image © Damon Bowie from GoodSalt.com
The exaltation of Christ in the heavenly sanctuary was followed by the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples. Revelation 5:6 mentions the seven Spirits that are “sent out into all the earth” (NKJV). As we saw in an earlier lesson, the seven Spirits denote the fullness of the activity of the Holy Spirit in the world. At Christ’s enthronement the Spirit is sent to the church. This sending of the Holy Spirit is one of Christ’s first acts as our High Priest in the heavenly sanctuary. This outpouring of the Holy Spirit meant that Jesus had appeared before the Father and that God had accepted His sacrifice on behalf of humanity.
“Christ’s ascension to heaven was the signal that His followers were to receive the promised blessing. … When Christ passed within the heavenly gates, He was enthroned amidst the adoration of the angels. As soon as this ceremony was completed, the Holy Spirit descended upon the disciples in rich currents, and Christ was indeed glorified, even with the glory which He had with the Father from all eternity. The Pentecostal outpouring was Heaven’s communication that the Redeemer’s inauguration was accomplished. According to His promise, He had sent the Holy Spirit from heaven to His followers as a token that He had, as priest and king, received all authority in heaven and on earth, and was the Anointed One over His people”. – Ellen G. White, The Acts of the Apostles, pages 38, 39.
| Read Hebrews 4:16 and Hebrews 8:1. What hope and encouragement do you find in the assurance that Jesus as Priest and King, has received all authority in heaven and on earth? How does believing this truth help you deal with everyday situations in your life and with the uncertainty of the future? |
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In describing the throne room in Revelation 4 and 5 the writer leaves it until the middle of Revelation 5 to introduce Jesus. John is told that the Lion of the tribe of Judah can open the scroll but sees instead the slain Lamb with seven horns and eyes. This is a significant combination of both images taken from the Old Testament. The Lion and the Lamb are one and the appearance of the Lamb in the midst of the Throne is indicative that Jesus is God.
The big picture takeway message from this weeks lesson is that salvation has been accomplished. History makes sense. Jesus in the centre of the solution.
The second paragraph states, “This outpouring of the Holy Spirit meant that Jesus had appeared before the Father and that God had accepted His sacrifice on behalf of humanity.”
How do we hear this?
1. That the Father required a legal payment and the payment of Jesus was sufficient for the Father now to be willing and legally able to dispense the Holy Spirit?
Or,
2. That God was satisfied that Christ had achieved what was necessary to heal and restore humanity to His perfect design and thus the Holy Spirit could be dispatched to take the remedy Christ had procured and apply it in all who respond in trust to the truth Jesus revealed?
I like the the latter more,though both are correct in the sense that the Bible says the wages of sin is death, man had to pay the price of disobedience if he ever was to be restored back to his former glory...the cost of this man had not, but Christ paid the price as required by the father.
A question for you.
Why does Paul say in Rom 6:23 that the “wages” of sin is death rather than saying the penalty of sin is death? Paul was very careful and deliberate with his word choices.
By looking into what Christ is "priest and king, (and has) all authority in heaven and on earth", why would we worry about present or future when we place ourselves in His hands?
All we need to do with this complete assurance is to be connected with Him, thus we can colaborate in His plan to our lives and be used as instruments of peace wherever we are!
The Significance of Pentecost
Begins the demonstration of redeemed earth.
Prior to this event God's Spirit had limited roll in selected individuals.
Our bodies became the manifestation of the most holy place because the
Spirit of God himself dwells among us.
No longer satan can claim this earth as his kingdom because all authority in heaven
and earth has been given to Christ.
Hebrews 2
We must pay the most careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. 2 For since the message spoken through angels was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment, 3 how shall we escape if we ignore so great a salvation? This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him. 4 God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.
Pentecost was Jesus, as the true High priest, lighting the first of the 7 Lamps typified in the earthly sanctuary at Sinai. This act of pouring out the Spirit upon converted sinners proves the acceptance of Jesus' propitiating sacrifice for sinners.
It was said of Peter, when sent to teach Cornelius the gospel, that Jesus "went about doing good". Jesus, while doing so, was accused of receiving sinners.
So what can we expect from the priest and king who now has all power? Who can defeat His purposes or overrule His authority? The gospel will go to the world and all who believe shall be saved, as promised.
If we believe the word of God, how is the future uncertain? We read: "the fear of the Lord is strong confidence", and "commit your way unto the Lord, trust also in Him, and He will bring it to pass". No uncertainty where faith is active and God's word believed and followed. Look at the "exceeding great and precious promises" given to any who will "receive Him and believe on His name". Jesus gives His peace, that peace which allowed Him to sleep through the storm on a sinking ship.
I remember as a green teenager beginning work in an international corporation and being in awe and holding in the deepest respect anything and anyone who came from "Head Office". Those who worked in 'head office' or were promoted to that most venerable of institutions surely must have been the hardest working, most talented, most gifted, and most favoured of all who claimed to be an employee of said corp.
And here we are given a glimpse into the greatest of "Head Office" in the entire universe...that great intergalactic interplanetary corporation known as the Kingdom of God and we are told that 'whosoever will' may have a seat on the governing Board of Directors, simply as a gift! Astonishing!
As to the inauguration of Christ, I`d like to share my tentative observation studying Revelation 4:1 on the open door. As to grammmar, we have a so called perfect passive participle. The sentence could be paraphrased: "After this I looked and behold a door has been opened and now ist is open." We have a singel action in the past (a door has been opened) followed with a present condition: the open door.
A similar usage can be seen in Acts 5:28: "We charged and command you not to teach in that name, and behold, you have filled (perfect tense) Jerusalem with your teaching..." The teaching of the apostels is a single action, followed by a present condition to be implied: "And now the whole city is full of your teaching."
As to Revelation 4:1 the opening of the door in heaven is corresponing to the act of inauguration of Christ in the heavenly sanctuary, followed by the condition of the sanctuary being in operation, as described in Revelation 4-5. A description of Chrit`s inauguration in terms of opening up a door for us into the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus, the blood of the lamb, is seen in Hebrews 10:19-22.
As to the inauguration of the kingdom in terms of renewal, see 1 Samuel 11:14; or the inauguration of a newly built house in terms of dedication, see Deuteronomy
20:5; as to the inauguration of the tabernacle see Exodus 40:9-12 and the inauguration the High Priest see Exodus 40:13-15; as to the inauguration of the Salomonic Temple, see 1 Kings chapter 8.
In all passage we observe the act of inauguration followed by the condition of things or persons being in operation of some kind of action. So the inauguration of Christ in the heavenly sanctuary is follwed by the sanctuary in operation with Christ performing his mediatorial performance for us. (Hebrews 7:25; 9:22; Revelation 5:12) To follow Jesus also means to follow him by faith in his way and operation as our High Priest in both departments of the heavenly sanctuary. While we have access there by faith, John was granted a visionary view of the reality of the heavenly sanctuary where Christ is serving as our High Priest in order to bring about the termination of the plan of salvation, which is our assuance and hope. (Revelation 22:12; 22:20)
Winfried Stolpmann
How does the information in today’s lesson help me to carry on with my trust in God as each and every day passes by? It certifies or confirms if you will Christ promise, “I will be with you always even unto the end of the world.” Matthew 28:20.