Epaggelia

ACTS 1:21 – 2:21 (Scripture Reading/Text)

The Reason & Result: The prophet Joel 2:28-32 proclaims that God will give an escape to people and a remnant on Zion in Jerusalem. It is there, that he will pour out His Spirit. Why? Because God desires to deliver all people willing to trust & obey Him, showing their faith in that over 3000 people were baptized on this one miraculous event, Acts 2:41.

The Power Source: The Spirit of God, (Joel speaks of) is also called the Spirit of Christ, Romans 8:9. Factually, we can not belong to God, unless we have the Spirit of Christ, according to Paul. Colossians 1:27. The Spirit of Christ would testify through the Apostles, the very word of God, to everyone that would listen. Enacting miraculous interpretation in the ears of everyone who listened.

The Miracle Workers: For this ministry and apostleship (Acts 1:25-26), who is the BIble talking about? 

Why should the gospel writers list the apostles by name? Matthew 10:2-4, Mk. 6:12-16 & Lk. 6:12-16

THE SOUND OF RUSHING WIND The forceful change upon all authorities by God, which will affect all creation. It was the Spirit of God in creation that “hovered and/or moved” over the face of the deep and separated the waters from the land, forming order from chaos in the beginning, Gen. 1:1-10. It was a strong wind that God used to separate the Red Sea allowing Hebrews to escape one oppressive government and begin a journey for a theocracy to live and work in Canaan to become Israel. Wind represents the change God makes in the earth. Jesus talked about the wind as the Spirit, (John 3:8), as well as his own breath, creating sanctification in the Holy Spirit, John 20:22. 

FIRE  Isaiah writes that “the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and shall have purged the blood of Jerusalem from the midst thereof by the spirit of judgment, and by the spirit of burning, (Isaiah 4:4) When John the immersionist came, he said of Jesus, “He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire”, Luke 3:16. Which could be a reference to what happened to the Apostles on Pentecost. For centuries and in many different cultures it was well known that fire was used to purge dross from metals. There is the obvious sense of creating purity from fire. Which would be in the minds of every believer listening to the words spoken by the Apostles, as they were “pricked” in their hearts by God’s pure word. However there were unbelievers which simply ignored the wind, fire & message, claiming they were drunk. Obviously, it seems like the tongues of fire act like amplifiers and interpreters simultaneously.

LANGUAGES  The most notable fact of this miracle is that foreign languages were uttered by uneducated men, speaking to foreigners in their own language. The Greek word for language in Acts 2:6 is διάλεκτος anglicized as, “diálektos”, it is never translated as babel or noise, but always language or tongue, an intelligible sound recognized by clear speech forming words understood, not needing interpretation. However what was coming out of the Apostles mouths was “γλῶσσα” in verse 4, anglicized as ‘glossa’. This word means “tongues”, as in a body organ. The same word is used in verse 3 for the fire that appeared above each Apostle, so it would look like a literal tongue from their mouth but as if it was in flames! Glossa can also mean a sound, but when it’s used in reference to flames and words, the context demands a language understood by the audience, not a babbling noise needing interpretation, because there is no mention of a need for interpretation. That is the whole point of the miracle! It was as if the Apostles opened their mouths and foreign words were coming out, then straight through the flaming tongues and into the ears of thousands of foreigners, understanding them clearly.

The Audience: 

How many different countries are listed in 2:8-11 ? This would almost instantly result in planting brand new churches of Christ in all the countries mentioned!