Studies In The Book Of Acts (Acts 2:1-4; part 1)

Acts 2:1-4 – See the note below.

1 When the day of Pentecost [4005- “fiftieth”] had come [4845- “to fill completely, to complete entirely, be fulfilled”], they were all together [3674- “together, at the same place or time”] in one place [see Genesis 1:9, Joshua 3:16; see 2 Thessalonians 2:1-2 below].

2 And suddenly there came from heaven a noise like a violent rushing wind [4157- “wind, breath, the breath of life (Acts 17:25)], and it filled [4137- “to render full, to fulfill, to complete, end”] the whole house where they were sitting [2521- “to sit down; fig. to remain, reside”].

[It is the breath of life from the Lord (i.e. the final outpouring of the Holy Spirit) that will perfect, bring to completion in Him, all those who hear the call at the end of this age, and then gather and remain at the place of His choosing (Nehemiah 1:8-9; Deuteronomy 12:5, 11, 14, 18, 21, 26).]

3 And there appeared to them tongues [1100] as of fire distributing [1266- “to divide, distribute”] themselves, and they rested on each one of them.

4 And they were all filled [4130- “to fill, to end, to fulfill, to make come true, to soak (Matthew 27:48)”] with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues [1100], as the Spirit was giving them utterance. [The filling of the Holy Spirit was the fulfillment of the prophesied promise of God, when the day of Pentecost was being fulfilled.]

NASU

Pentecost, which means “fiftieth,” was the second of the annual feasts of the Lord celebrated by the Jews. It was the fiftieth day after Passover, the first feast. One literal interpretation of verse one is; “When the day of Pentecost was being fulfilled…” The seven feasts of Israel appointed by God are all a picture of something that God would fulfill on the very day they were being held. The two spring feasts of Passover, which included the Feast of Firstfruits and Unleavened Bread, and Pentecost, as we’ll discover, were fulfilled through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. To me it becomes obvious, then, that the last three feasts celebrated in the Fall, the Feast of Trumpets, the Day of Atonement, and the Feast of Tabernacles will also be fulfilled on the very day they are being celebrated (see the Bible study Elul; The Season Of Preparation and 40 Days Of Favor).

In obedience to the Lord’s command, the disciples had gathered together, in the specific place they were told to be at, waiting for what the Father had promised (Acts 1:4-5, Luke 24:45-49). Waiting on the Lord to act, according to His promise, can be a very difficult thing to do. Fortunately, these young disciples only had ten days to wait (Jesus had appeared to them for forty days after His resurrection; ten is a number of testing in the Bible – see Daniel 1:12-15, and Rev. 2:20). Isaiah 64:4 says, “Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait [2442- “to wait for, to long for”] for him.” (See Psalm 37:7-9, 33:20, and Hebrews 6:11-15.) Only those who wait patiently for the Lord will inherit the promises of God (see the notes for Psalm 37:7-9, and Hebrews 6:10-20 about Abraham patiently waiting before obtaining the promise of God in the Bible study The Reason Why).

The Feast Of Pentecost (Acts 2:1)

See the Bible study, and outline called Wheat Disciples for many crucial insights into this, and Pentecost Sunday. Here’s an excerpt about the firstfruits requirement of God for this feast in the study;

The following excerpts are from the article “The Jewish Roots of the Feast of Pentecost” by Rich Robinson (April 27, 2021):

• “Shavuot was originally a harvest festival, the second of two firstfruits occasions. In Leviticus 23, following the description of Passover, we read this:

‘And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, when you come into the land that I give you and reap its harvest, you shall bring the sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest to the priest, and he shall wave [5130- “to move to and fro, to wave, to sprinkle, to shake”; see Luke 22:31-34 and Amos 9:9 below] the sheaf before the Lord, so that you may be accepted [7522- “favor, goodwill, acceptance, will, desire, pleasure” (Matthew 3:16-17, 17:5; see the Bible study Well Pleased)]. On the day after the Sabbath the priest shall wave [5130] it.”’ (v. 9-11)

• This was the first firstfruits offering [Jesus Christ, 1 Cor. 15:20-23; Jesus was the first “waved” offering presented to the Father, and accepted], the harvest of barley [see Ruth 1:22; Naomi had been sifted by the Lord in Moab; returned at the beginning of barley harvest (i.e., the latter rain); see Peter’s sifting in Luke 22:31-34 below], which includes sacrifices. Next, we read about the second firstfruits occasion, the holiday of Shavuot:

“You shall count seven full weeks from the day after the Sabbath, from the day that you brought the sheaf of the wave offering. You shall count fifty days to the day after the seventh Sabbath. Then you shall present a grain offering of new [2319- “new, new thing, fresh”] grain to the Lord.” (Leviticus 23:15-16)

This time it is the wheat harvest [The disciples in the upper room on Pentecost were the beginning of the second “waved” (“shaken”) offering presented to the Father. It continues today until the completion of this group of Christ followers.]. Because it occurs seven weeks after the first offering (50 days, the day after the completion of the seven weeks), the holiday was known as Shavuot, or Weeks…

• … The day God gave the Torah (law of Moses) on Mount Sinai was calculated as falling exactly on the day of Shavuot. By the time of Jesus, in addition to being the firstfruits holiday, it had also become the anniversary of the giving of the law. It was on this very holiday, when tens of thousands of pilgrims were bringing their firstfruits, that the events of Acts 2 took place … 

[Look at the contrast between when the law was given (Exodus 32:28), and when the Holy Spirit was poured out (Acts 2:4). Both involved 3,000 people, with the major difference being one unto death and the other unto life. Paul said, “He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter [law] but of the Spirit; for the letter [law] kills, but the Spirit gives life.” (2 Cor. 3:5/NIV)]

• … Peter’s explanation is that Acts 2 is a fulfillment of the prophet Joel, that in the last days God’s Spirit would be poured out, with one of the results being “prophecy,” or speaking forth God’s words [see Isaiah 8:20 in the Bible study Outer Darkness]. The events of Acts 2 are the result of God’s Spirit at work. Acts 2 reveals that there is a new revelation happening. Jerusalem has become the location of recreating Mount Sinai and the words of the disciples are a new word from God. This is not a negation and replacement of the Torah (Law of Moses). It is rather a fulfillment of the hopes of the Torah and Prophets, a fulfillment of the hopes of the Jewish people in the appearance of the Messiah, and this calls for a new word from on high…

• … In Genesis 11, at the Tower of Babel, God confused the languages of the world so that people could no longer understand one another. In Acts 2 that confusion, at least for the moment, was undone. The promise of the Gospel is that one day humanity will find reconciliation and unity through faith in the Messiah Jesus. In Acts, we have a “down payment,” or promise, that that will eventually indeed happen. [See the Bible study The Seal Of The Holy Spirit.]

• “…Shavuot/Pentecost was the second occasion of the Jewish calendar on which to bring the first of the crops to God. Seven weeks earlier at the barley harvest [see Ruth 1:22, 2:21-23], firstfruits were brought, and now wheat was coming in.”

• “When the first of the crop came in, it was a visual promise that the rest of the crop would follow. And so the idea of first fruits became a metaphor for the first of anything that would follow in larger measure…”

• “Jesus’ resurrection is like the first of the crops [see 1 Corinthians 15:20-26, Colossians 1:18, Acts 26:23]. It’s a promise and guarantee that more resurrection will follow, namely of those who place their faith in Him…”

• “Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.” (Romans 8:23) As believers, God’s Spirit dwells in us individually and corporately. But the fullness of what that means lies in the future, when we experience the fullness of the Spirit’s work in our lives.”

• “Likewise greet the church that is in their house. Greet my beloved Epaenetus, who is the firstfruits of Achaia to Christ.” (Romans 16:5/NKJV) And, “I urge you, brethren — you know the household of Stephanas, that it is the firstfruits of Achaia, and that they have devoted themselves to the ministry of the saints” (1 Corinthians 16:15/NKJV) In keeping with the meaning of firstfruits, Paul envisioned more coming to faith, both Jews and Gentiles.”

• “He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created” (James 1:18). James writes that believers are the first evidence that God will redeem the universe on a grand scale. With all our imperfections and failings, God tells us that we are the first of something much greater. We are the firstfruits of redemption, God’s harbinger of the future.”

The following excerpt is from the article “Question: ‘What was the Feast of Firstfruits?’” (www.gotquestions.org)

• “One of the seven feasts of the Lord, the Feast of Firstfruits was celebrated on the sixteenth day of the Jewish month Nisan, two days after the Passover festival began… As its name suggests, The Feast of Firstfruits required the Israelites to bring “a sheaf of the first grain” they harvested each year to the priest (Lev. 23:10). A sheaf is a bundle or a cluster of harvested grains. The priest would then take the sheaf and wave it [5130- “to move to and fro, to wave, to sprinkle, to shake”; see Luke 22:31-32 and Amos 9:9 below] before the Lord the day after the Sabbath. On the same day, all the Israelites were to sacrifice a year-old lamb without defect [picture of Christ] as a burnt offering and give a food offering of grain, oil, and wine (Lev. 23:11-13). The Israelites were not allowed to eat any of the crop until the day the first portion was brought before the priest. The firstfruits belonged to God, and the people of Israel acknowledged God as the source of their crops and their provision overall (Lev. 23:14).”

[Israel’s acknowledgement of God as their provider, that the blessing of that which kept them alive had come from Him, is a picture of our need to acknowledge Christ as our provider of that which gives us eternal life. Without this first act of submission for acceptance before God, there can be no further provision of His life-giving blessings.

Also, notice that it wasn’t until the firstfruit group of disciples were waved/shaken before the Lord, so to speak, at Pentecost that others, including us, could partake of the life-giving substance of Jesus Christ.]

Amos 9:9-10 – The sifting of God’s people. See the note below.

9 "For surely I will command, and will sift [5128- “to wave, to waver, to shake, to sift, to toss about, to totter, to disturb”; see Luke 22:31-32 – Satan sifting Peter, a “firstfruit,” wheat disciple] the house of Israel among all nations, as grain is sifted in a sieve; Yet not the smallest grain shall fall to the ground. 

10 All the sinners of My people shall die by the sword, who say, 'The calamity shall not overtake nor confront us.'

NKJV

Regarding sifting, see Leviticus, chapter 2, which explains the law of God for grain offerings. Verse 1-3 says;

“Now when anyone presents a grain offering as an offering to the Lord, his offering shall be of fine flour, and he shall pour oil on it and put frankincense on it. He shall then bring it to Aaron's sons the priests; and shall take from it his handful of its fine flour and of its oil with all of its frankincense. And the priest shall offer it up in smoke as its memorial portion on the altar, an offering by fire of a soothing aroma to the Lord. The remainder of the grain offering belongs to Aaron and his sons: a thing most holy, of the offerings to the Lord by fire.”

NASU

“In the Bible, ‘fine flour’ (often translated as ‘choice flour’) refers to a finely ground, sifted grain, specifically the inner kernels of wheat, used in making bread and for religious offerings.” Oil represents the Holy Spirit. “Frankincense, as a perfume, was considered the purest of incense. In fact, the English word ‘frankincense’ comes from the Old French words, franc encens, meaning ‘pure incense.’ In fact, in both of these references above [Exodus 30:34 and Leviticus 24:7] the word frankincense was paired with the Hebrew word for pure: l’vonah (frankincense) zakkah (pure). Even the root of the word l’vonah, comes from laban/lavan, meaning pure or white. This incense was uncontaminated and refined… and worthy to be in the presence of YHWH.”

“Frankincense and the First Fruits Offering – There was one other offering that required frankincense. It was the offering of early ripened things:

Leviticus 2:14-16 – “Also, if you bring a grain offering of early ripened things [i.e. firstfruits] to YHWH, you shall bring fresh heads of grain roasted in the fire, crushed grain of new growth, for the grain offering of your early ripened produce. You shall then put oil on it and place frankincense [l’vonah] on it; it is a grain offering. Then the priest shall offer up in smoke its memorial portion, part of its crushed grain and its oil with all its frankincense [l’vonahtah] as an offering by fire to YHWH.”

This first fruits offering held special significance. It was giving back to God the very first food gift of the harvest that you received from God. In essence, Yeshua was a first fruit offering. He was a perfect, pure, gift from God, the first to dwell amongst us. But we humans did not treat Him like a first fruit gift from God. We treated Him like a sacrificial Lamb, slaughtered to atone for our sins. Essentially, we offered Him as a sacrifice back to God… and painfully, God received the sacrifice to set us free from our bondage to death.”

(https://hebrewwordlessons.com/2022/12/18/lvonah-frankincense-a-soothing-aroma/#:~:text=Frankincense%2C%20as%20a%20perfume%2C%20was,frankincense)%20zakkah%20(pure)

As with Israel in Amos 9:9-10, it is by sifting and shaking that the chaff is removed from among the church and the kernels, or grains are revealed (see the Bible study Shaking). I see the disciples in Acts 2 as the sheaf that was joined together in Christ. They were the second, firstfruits group, after Christ, that were sifted by the devil (see Luke 22:31-34 below), and then strengthened by the Holy Spirit, so as to be waved before the Lord as an acceptable offering that would be given to the world as a sign and wonder from Him (see my July 10, 2023 entry in My Journal Of Healing). Their presentation before God was the guarantee that more souls would follow. The final portion of the firstfruit brethren offered at the end of this age has arrived at the “appointed time” of the Lord.

Their imperfect hearts were proven in time through the fiery trials they experienced while walking together with Jesus. He who knows the heart saw that they would eventually, through further and even greater trials, become the mature grain that would stand firm in Him until the end. Judas, on the other hand, would prove to be a chaff-like disciple that did not stand the test and fell away. Unfortunately, his spirit of betrayal has never left the church which is why, at the end of this age, the Lord will clear His threshing floor, removing the chaff from among us (Matthew 3:11-12; see the Bible study Judas and Ahithophel; Brothers Of Betrayal).

We all have chaff tendencies within us that need to be cast off, which is why the Lord is mercifully going to help us through the prophesied shaking of the earth (Hebrews 12:25-29). At the end of this age there will, once again be a sifted, shaken, proven sheaf of disciples that must be presented before the Lord first before the rest of the final harvest of souls is ushered into the kingdom of God. The Lord had told Moses that the Israelites were not allowed to eat any of the crop until the day the first portion was brought before the priest (Leviticus 23:14). The firstfruits belonged to God. This is the way of the Lord at the end of this age.

The Lord declares, “I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say: My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please” (Isaiah 46:10/NIV). So then, at the beginning of the church in Acts 2, it is revealed to us, by the Spirit, what He is now doing at the end. The firstfruit “wheat” disciples are being sifted and shaken. After their revealing, the final harvest of the Lord will be gathered into His storehouse.

Regarding the untying of the colt and its mother in Matthew 21 (for more on who they represent see the Bible study Back To Jerusalem), the mother was birthed before the colt. It’s the way, the “natural” order of God. The “mother” represents the firstfruit disciples that are loosed first, before the colt, for the final mission, the final harvest of souls on earth. Like Jesus’ disciples on Pentecost, they will then, through the power of the Holy Spirit, be used to loosen the “colts,” the young Christians, that seem to have the honor of carrying the presence of God into Jerusalem. And then the end will come!

1 Corinthians 15:20-26 – See the note below.

20 But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep.

21 For since by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead.

22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive.

23 But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ's at His coming,

24 then comes the end [see Matthew 24:14], when He hands over the kingdom to the God and Father, when He has abolished all rule and all authority and power.

25 For He must reign [i.e. lordship] until He has put all His enemies under His feet.

26 The last enemy that will be abolished is death.

NASU

Jesus is the firstfruit, the guarantee that there will be more who will partake of His resurrection life. Notice though that Paul declares, “But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ's at His coming, then comes the end…” So, at the end of this age we can be confident that those who have died in Christ, not a physical death but one of a spiritual nature, having become “united with Him in the likeness of His death” (Romans 6:5), will rise again like He did, without undergoing decay in their body (Acts 13:34-37), “then comes the end!” And so, as the Scriptures declare, the last enemy of death will have been defeated by those who are in Christ and are walking under His lordship over them at His coming again for them (1 Cor. 15:26).

The last group on earth when Christ returns will not die physically, but like a person on their death bed, they will deal with anything that needs to be made right with Him, as if they were physically dying. The end of the age, of the death, or “the end of all things” as we know them now will be similar to the end of a person’s life. There will not be another chance to make things right. Judgment will then be next. Ultimately, the state of Christ’s lordship in our lives, of who sits on the throne of our hearts (even after turning to Him), will be the determining factor for our eternal destiny. (See the Bible study Lordship.)

(Continued in part 2...)