Pentecost: Speak Power!

Today is the Christian Pentecost. Last Sunday June 1st, started the Jewish Pentecost called “Shavuot” or “Feast of Weeks.” It is called the “Feast of Weeks” because it was 7 Sabbaths (weeks) plus one day. 7 days x 7 weeks = 49 plus 1 day = 50. “Pente” means 50.

The Jewish feast of Passover celebrates the Angel of Death “passing over” the children of Israel who marked their door posts with the blood of the lamb. 50 days later came the day of Pentecost when God gave Moses the 10 Commandments at Mount Sinai. When God appeared at Mount Sinai, the trumpet sounded extremely loud, and the mountain shook as God spoke. This was the first “Great Shaking” as God established His jurisdiction, forming the nation of Israel.

God Descended on Mount Sinai in Fire
Ex 19:16-20 Then it came to pass on the third day, in the morning, that there were thunderings and lightnings, and a thick cloud on the mountain; and the sound of the trumpet was very loud, so that all the people who were in the camp trembled. 17 And Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. 18 Now Mount Sinai was completely in smoke, because the Lord descended upon it in fire. Its smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain quaked greatly. 19 And when the blast of the trumpet sounded long and became louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God answered him by voice. 20 Then the Lord came down upon Mount Sinai, on the top of the mountain. And the Lord called Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up.

1,400 years after the original Pentecost, 50 days after the celebration of Passover and the resurrection of Jesus, the second Pentecost took place. Before Jesus ascended into Heaven, He gave instructions to His disciples.

Luke 24:49 Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high."
Acts 1:8 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."

The Apostles and believers were in the Upper Room “assembled together” men and women. Judas who betrayed Jesus, hung himself and now the 12 are 11.

The disciples of Jesus were praying in the Upper Room, waiting for the Promise of the Father. On the fiftieth day, the Holy Spirit in the shape of “a tongue of fire” descended on each one of them, giving them the ability so “speak with the fire of the Holy Spirit, the Word of God, releasing His power to “Call Forth” His Kingdom, His will be done on Earth as in Heaven.

Power, Strong’s # 1411, Greek dunamis: a force, ability, abundance, might, strength, worker of miracle(s), wonderful work, energy, explosive power. Dunamis compares with the words dynamite and dynamic. Both deal with power that brings about unstoppable change. *Dynamite also means the complete failure or destruction of, (Webster). We have the power to completely destroy the works of our enemy.

At the first Pentecost, God gave His law, His 10 Commandments. The second Pentecost, the Holy Spirit wrote God’s law in the heart of man. This was a promise from God. This was called “The New Covenant.” Those with the Holy Spirit now hunger after God’s righteousness and no longer see it as a burden impossible to carry.

Jer 31:31-34 "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 — 32 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. 33 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.

Both Shavuot Pentecost, and the Christian Pentecost had to do with God’s law. In the Old Covenant, Israel feared God’s law, but in the New Covenant, we hunger and thirst after righteousness. If we love righteousness (God’s law) more than sin, we will stand strong and not stumble. God’s Righteousness took the place of the law.

Issachar Anointing Applied: Those Gathered in the Upper Room

Acts 1:15-17 And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples (altogether the number of names was about a hundred and twenty), and said, 16 "Men and brethren, this Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke before by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus;
• What is currently happening? Assembled together waiting on the Promise of the Father; 11 Apostles and Believers.
• What does the Bible say prophetically? “let another take his office.” (Ps 69:25, Ps 109:8)
• What are the Biblical patterns or paradigms? 12 is the spiritual number of God’s government; 120 = 12 x 10. 10 spiritually means “test” or man’s responsibility towards the things of God. “Connecting the dots!”
Coming of the Holy Spirit
Acts 2:1-4 When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

There were other Christians in Jerusalem at this time, but only 120 “assembled together” in the Upper Room, praying, waiting and expecting the Promise.

Acts 2:14-21 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, raised his voice and said to them, "Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and heed my words. 15 For these are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day. 16 But this is what was spoken (prophesied) by the prophet Joel:

17 'And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh;
Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
Your young men shall see visions, (prophecy)
Your old men shall dream dreams. (prophecy)
18 And on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days;
And they shall prophesy.
19 I will show wonders in heaven above And signs in the earth beneath: Blood and fire and vapor of smoke (same as at Mt. Sinai in the first Pentecost).
20 The sun shall be turned into darkness, And the moon into blood, Before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord. 21 And it shall come to pass That whoever calls on the name of the Lord Shall be saved.'

The first Jewish Pentecost Shavuot, God gave us the 10 Commandments; His Word, His law, as His voice shook the earth. The second Pentecost, God put His Word, His fire in our heart and mouth giving us the power to “Call Forth” to prophesy His Kingdom and His will be done on Earth as in Heaven.

Heb 8:10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.

God has promised; Heb 12:26-29 whose voice then shook the earth; but now He has promised, saying, "Yet once more I shake not only the earth, but also heaven." 27 Now this, "Yet once more," indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken, as of things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain. 28 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. 29 For our God is a consuming fire.