Reclaiming Pentecost: Fire, spirit, and the forgotten power of God

Pentecost — this is a day that’s gotten some bad press because the people associated with the name have some misguided ideas.

The Christian calendar outlines a series of annual events marking Jesus’ time on earth. It starts with Advent, which leads to Christmas, followed by Holy Week, which leads to Easter, followed by Ascension Day and, 10 days later, Pentecost, the day the Lord sent the Holy Spirit, precisely as Jesus had promised (John 14:16-31 and John 16:5-15).

This incredible day is described in Acts 2, surely one of the most dramatic chapters of the Bible. Take a moment and read it right now. Seriously.

Why is it called Pentecost? Because the Greek word pentekoste literally means “50th,” and the Holy Spirit came 50 days after Christ’s resurrection.

But did you know that Pentecost already existed as a Jewish holiday that was celebrated 50 days after Passover? Called the Festival of Weeks (or Shavuot in Hebrew), it commemorates God giving the Israelites His law at Mount Sinai, which Jewish tradition says took place 50 days after the Passover, or the Israelite deliverance from Egypt.

Much insight can be gained from comparing these two “Pentecosts,” so lets compare and contrast.

Exodus ‘Pentecost’ vs. Acts Pentecost

• Exodus: Took place 50 days after God’s people were delivered from slavery by the blood of a lamb painted on their vertical and horizontal doorposts (Passover)
• Acts: Took place 50 days after a far greater deliverance from slavery to sin by the blood of the Lamb painted on the vertical and horizontal beams of the cross
• Exodus: God descends in fire on Mount Sinai — in effect warning people to keep their distance from His presence
• Acts: Tongues of fire appear on all believers present as God’s presence draws near and fills them
• Exodus: Loud thunder and sound of trumpets
• Acts: Mighty sound of rushing wind
• Exodus: God gives His law, leading to awareness of sin, condemnation, and death
• Acts: God pours out His Spirit, leading to assurance of forgiveness and life, empowering people to obey Him
• Exodus: The people rebel and worship a golden calf, resulting in 3,000 deaths
• Acts: Peter boldly preaches the gospel, resulting in 3,000 people saved

But it wasn’t the Holy Spirit’s debut performance

The Spirit was active from before time began (see Genesis 1:2 for His first mention). He is who regenerated God’s people before Christ’s time, giving them the desire to obey.

As Barry Cooper writes:

Moses was given the Holy Spirit, and at one point he famously cried out, “Would that all the Lord’s people were prophets, that the Lord would put his Spirit on them!” But through the prophet Joel, God promised that the day would come when His Spirit would be given to all believers in a new and more powerful way: “It shall come to pass afterward [He says], that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh.”

Peter quoted that same passage in his Pentecost Day sermon (that you just read) as that precise prophecy was fulfilled in real time.

Here is perhaps the most critical distinction between the old covenant saints and new covenant believers: Not all of the old covenant saints were given gifts by the Holy Spirit for ministry — but every new covenant believer is gifted as He comes to dwell within us.

As Cooper notes, “That is the wonder of Pentecost: God coming to dwell more fully in each and every believer, to give them power and gifts for service.”

But what is the purpose of those gifts?

The first believers give us a hint: They immediately began declaring the glory of God in multiple different languages so that all present with them there in Jerusalem could understand.

Peter — the same man who, consumed with fear, had lied about his relationship to Jesus to protect himself just 50 days earlier — boldly proclaimed the gospel to all of Jerusalem, resulting in 3,000 souls joining God’s family.

This is the ultimate meaning of Pentecost. The same Spirit who emboldened Peter that day dwells within us for the purpose of proclaiming the gospel.

Taking Pentecost back

It’s important to understand that the emphasis should not be on the gifts.

I believe this is where many Christians get it wrong, including those who call themselves Pentecostals, because they emphasize speaking in tongues and other such manifestations as somehow being a “second act of grace” that Christians need to experience.

The whole counsel of the Bible teaches that the Spirit indwells us when God saves us, and certain gifts were clearly meant for the apostolic age — to help people verify who was actually representing Christ before the scripture was finalized. (Apostles, by the way, were the historical figures who personally experienced Jesus Christ in the flesh and whom Jesus sent out. There are no apostles today, although there are people claiming to be.)

Let’s celebrate Pentecost for the joyful reminder it is: that the very Spirit of God lives in us for the purpose of conforming us to Him in obedience and proclaiming Him fearlessly.

This Sunday, consider the wondrous gift of Him who is sometimes called the “forgotten God.”

This article was adapted from an essay originally published on Diane Schrader’s Substack, She Speaks Truth.