Enter The Holy Spirit

The waiting is over. The day of Pentecost arrives.

“Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting. Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them. And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability.” Acts 2:2-4 NLT

Wind and fire imagery, representing God’s presence and power, appears throughout the Bible. The same mighty breath that brought the Holy Spirit at Pentecost breathed life into Adam (Genesis 2:7). Fire announced the presence of God when He revealed himself to Moses in the burning bush (Exodus 3:2). A pillar of fire guided the Israelites out of Egyptian captivity (Exodus 13:22). The symmetry between the Old and New Testaments can not be avoided.

The arrival of the Holy Spirit transformed the Apostles. The apostle Peter, who had only recently denied Christ, delivered a bold and eternally consequential message to the gathered crowd, imploring them to “turn from sin, return to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; then you also shall receive this gift, the Holy Spirit. For Christ promised Him to each one of you who has been called by the Lord our God, and to your children and even to those in distant lands!” Then Peter preached a long sermon, telling about Jesus and strongly urging all his listeners to save themselves from the evils of their nation. And those who believed Peter were baptized – about three thousand in all!” Acts 2:38-41 TLB

Thus began the Christian Era, with wind and fire. And with the Holy Spirit, the Helper promised by Jesus the Christ.