Feb 12 - Pentecost

Read Acts 2:1-12

Context: Jesus has returned to heaven, and Matthias has been chosen to replace Judas as the twelfth apostle. Judas has committed suicide. The apostles are waiting together as Jesus instructed.

Text:
1When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues[a] as the Spirit enabled them.
5Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 6When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. 7Utterly amazed, they asked: "Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans? 8Then how is it that each of us hears them in his own native language? 9Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome 11 (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs-we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!" 12Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, "What does this mean?" (NIV)
Footnotes:
Acts 2:4 Or languages; also in verse 11
Pentecost is the 50th day after the Sabbath of Passover week. It is considered a big holiday for the Jewish people -- also known as The Feast of Weeks, The Feast of Harvest, and the day of first fruits. This was a day set aside for offering bread, lambs, bulls, and rams (see Leviticus 23:15-22 for more info) to show joy and thankfulness for the Lord's blessing of harvest.

What better time for God to display his glory? Thousands were together from all parts of the world to witness the new, personal touch of God as the Holy Spirit was to now reside in all those who believed. No longer did people have to go through priests to know the will of God, and representatives from the whole world were there to hear and relay the message.