This Bible Study is written by Roger Christopherson, and it's transcription/ location
is provided by http://www.theseason.org/plough.htm

The

ACTS OF THE APOSTLES

Chapter 2

"The Ministry of Peter (with others) to the Nations."

As we read in the first chapter, the apostles have been place along with Matthias, that is to say "the gift of God" in Greek, to start their acts of ministry. They will teach us how we should act even today. Jesus had been with them up to the fortieth day, then on the Mount of Olives He ascended into the heaven. When Jesus had gone up, two angels spoke to them, and told them the Jesus would return just as He had left from them.

He is not going to stop out in space somewhere and zip a bunch of people out before He returns, it doesn't even imply such a thing in the Greek, or any other language. But Jesus will retun to the Mount of Olives, exactly as He departed. Exactly as the account of this is recorded in Zechariah 14.

Zechariah 14:4
4 And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.

Then He said, wait here in Jerusalem, be patient until you receive that that I send, which means; Wait until you have the uncion from the Holy Spirit or you fall flat on your face. The apostles would have received no power to do anything, had they not waited upon the Holy Spirit. It was from their waiting and receiving of the Spirit of God, that the power was given which built the foundation of the Church, the body of our Lord Jesus Christ.

This chapter two of Acts then is about the receiving of the Holy Spirit of God, and the starting of the Church, the body of Jesus Christ here on earth. It is to bad that few people understand what the Holy Spirit is, that was sent. There are reports of many that claim that they know what and who He is, that Spirit of God, but what we will read in this chapter will show us that many of those are confused.

You must let God's Word speak to you directly, rather then listening to men and their traditions, or you be in trouble. Satan loves to use men's traditions to pull you away from what God's word simply states. There is only one way to keep yourself from being deceived, and that is to be familiar with God's Word and what is written in it.

Acts 2:1 "And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place."

Jesus appeared to them on the fortieth day, and told them to wait in Jerusalem. Pentecost is simply the word in the Greek meaning "fifty". So this is what happened ten days after Jesus ascended into heaven, and the two angels appeared to them. Pentecost or fifty, is the numerical value given in biblical numerics for first fruits. So we would call Pentecost the grace of the firstfruits.

The first fruits are God's election, and in this final generation it will be those firstfruits that this event shall come upon. The speaking of the Holy Spirit, in the manner that we will see that it happened in Acts 2, shall not happen until the final generation, our generation, and we shall document it in this chapter. There will be examples of it, as we saw the the Holy Spirit was even with David.

Acts 2:2 "And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting."

This mighty rushing wind was the Spirit of God, the "Pneuma" in the Greek. Strong's Greek dictionary records the # 4151. There was no wondering and guessing whether the Spirit of God was there, it filled the house, and all of the hundred and fifty that were in that house.

It is written in Revelation 7:1, "And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor the sea, nor any tree."

The four winds of the earth are concentrated on that one spot, and Holy Spirit of the God approached, and now we will see what it will do.

It is important that you know what happened on Pentecost day, and what the Holy Spirit said to the apostles, and to those those that were with them. You hear many different ideas of what the sound of the Holy Spirit is like, and it could become confusing; and that is why it is important that we take our information direct from the Word. Much is made of how the Holy Spirit spoke, but there is not much about what was said. This is the most important part.

Acts 2:3 "And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them."

"Cloven" in the Strong's Greek dictionary, # 1266, "Diamerizo, to partition thoroughly (lit. in distribution), cloven, divide, part." Cloven is going out in every direction, just like a uncontrolled fire that consumes everything in it's path. We are told in Hebrews 12:29 that; "For our God is a consuming fire." God's spirit and glory is this fire of His Holy Spirit.

Think a moment; God has no lost motion. Everything that is written by His scribes, the prophets and apostles have a very special meaning. What was given by the Holy Spirit was distributed in every direction, or language?

Acts 2:4 "And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance."

What those apostles spoke was not from their mind, but from what the Spirit gave them utterance. What we are to see in this chapter is not to talk down on anyone's beliefs or intelligence, we are studying to understand what is written in God's holy Word. Friend, it is not important what men might think, but what is important is what God's Word actually states. That is the only thing that we will give value to in this study, for it is important what God has stated in His Word. What God states shall come to pass. We are not out to mock, but to correct any misunderstandings that one might have about "tongues".

The word "tongues" simply means "languages". In Strong's Greek dictionary # 1100 the word; "Glossa, gloce-sah', by impl. a language (spec. one naturally unacquired): - tongue."

It stated here that the Holy Spirit fell upon the apostles and all of the people that were present with them. Then who actually spoke? They didn't. The Holy Spirit spoke through all of them. It was the Holy Spirit that formed the words and made those words to be distributed in every direction. There are some people that will tell you that if you do not speak in these tongues, you are not even saved. Friend, you can speak in whatever noise you desire to make, and call it from the Holy Spirit, but as long as utterance is formed in your mind by you, and you are the doing it, the Holy Spirit is not connected with it.

It is the Holy Spirit that gives the utterance. "Utterance" in the Greek as defined by Strong's Greek dictionary # 669 is; "Apophtheggomai, ap-of-theng'-om-ahee, to enunciate plainly, i.e. declare; say, speak forth."

It is very sad, but it is done because of peer pressure, and when a person is in the middle of a congregation, and all those around this soul will help them along a little bit. They try to help him demonstrate his ability to speak in their so-called tongues. This is done by the chanting "hallelujah, hallelujah,.."over and over, either in word or song. This is not the Holy Spirit that is speaking after such pressure, but they are instructing the individual to speak.

Chants are very unbiblical. It is called repetition prayer, something that is done over and over, and pretty soon the flesh takes over, and this becomes the flesh speaking. Satan and the flesh really likes to get into the act of Christian's prayers. Jesus instructs how to pray in Matthew 6:6,7:

Matthew 6:6 "But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father Which is in secret; and thy Father Which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly."

Matthew 6:7 "But when ye pray, use not vain repetions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.

For those that do not know what the word "Hallelujah" means, or what language it is in; "Hallelujah" is a Greek form [Alleluia] of a Hebrew Word, and it means "Praise (ye) the Jah". "Jah" comes from the name of the Father "YHVH". When you are using the word Hallelujah, you are using the sacred name "YHVH", so when you are saying the name Jah, or "YHVH" over and over in a chant, you playing with the Father's sacred name. God is not the author of confusion, or any confusion that may come out of man's traditions.

So what did they say, and what was this cloven tongue? Be careful and let God's Word speak.

Acts 2:5 "And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven."

There were people in Jerusalem, Jews that came from all the languages of the world. from the oriential, to the Greek, from the Hebrew to the tongues of Africa. The people that were about to hear what was spoken by these apostles and those that were with them that were fill with the Holy Spirit, were all devout men from every nation on the face of this earth.

Acts 2:6 "Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language."

This was on the feast day, Pentecost, and when all the people came together to hear what these people were saying that were filled with the Holy Spirit, they were stunned, [sunchuno, in the Greek]. They were shocked, but what shocked them? This is the reason they were shocked and stunned. "Because that every man heard them speak in his own language."

There was no turkey calling nor confusion that needed translation from the mind of a man. There was no interpretation needed because every man heard them speak in the tongue or language that they spoke back home. They knew who these people were that were speaking in tongues, that they were Galilaeans, but how could they speak and everyone understand at the same time what was spoken? Friend, that is how the Holy Spirit of God shall speak in our generation. There will be no confusion, nor need of any interpreter. This is the evidence of the presence of the Holy Spirit, it is not the spirit of some man's making.

What ever language that ear hears with in its home neighborhood, that is exactly how the Holy Spirit of God will sound to them when it comes from God's Spirit. If you are Mexican, then you would hear in the Spanish tongue, with all the dialect words of your neighborhood. The Holy Spirit unctions, and speaks in all the languages of the world, and man can not copy that.

If you hear one speaking in such a manner, where all those listening can hear and understand in a clear manner, then you are witnessing the evidence of the Holy Spirit. On the other hand, if you are witnessing something that sounds like a strange turkey call, and nobody around understand any part of what is said, then you are witnessing confusion. Confusion is not of God, but of Satan. These are the words from the Living Word, Jesus Christ. I would rather hear something that I understood directly, then something that needed interpretation from man traditions.

Confusion could be from the mouth of a good person, that has been forced into such actions by peer preasure only.

Acts 2:7 "And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, "Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans?"

They identified all the apostles, and those with them, even the mother of Jesus Mary, as Galilaeans, and knew how they should have spoken, yet they heard in their own tongues, or languages.

Acts 2:8 "And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?

"Tongue" as it is used here, is from the Greek # 1258 in Strong's Greek dictionary. "Dialectos, mode of discourse, or i.e. dialect; language". If you were from Texas you would have the Texan draw, from Boston there would be no doubt over your Boston accent. The high Germans know the difference from the low Germans, and so on in every neighborhood in the world. The Holy Spirit has complete control of all languages, and dialects in the world, and when He speaks that is the evidence of the Holy Spirit.

So on this Pentecost day, the Holy Spirit has begun to make this voice or sound through each of them, and that sound is in a cloven tongue that goes out in every language in the world. When you hear someone that claims to be speaking in tongues, and it comes out where every language in the world can understand in their own dialects, without an interpreter, then listen to what they have to say. That is the evidence of the speaking of the Hoy Spirit. If that evidence is not there, then somebody is pulling your leg, and making a fool out of you. They are checking out your credibility.

The person that is the mouth piece of the Holy Spirit may not even speak any tongue but the one of his parents, but if the Holy Spirit is within him and speaking through him, it doesn't matter. It isn't that person speaking anyway.

Acts 2:9 "Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia,"

These are the people that showed up in Jerusalem on that feast day of Pentecost. The Parthians are from India, and the Medes, or those from the middle land, between Persia [Iran]and India. The Elamites, and the dwellers in Messopotamia cover the land from Turkey all the way across to Iraq, and down to Arabia. This woud cover Syriac, Greek, Hebrew, Helenist.

Cappadocia are provinces in Asia Minor, and the nations on the Western Coast governed by Rome. Even in far off Asia, were those Jews that were scattered present in Jerusalem during the time of this Pentecost feast day.

Acts 2:10 "Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, andin the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes,"

Phrygia and Pamphylia were in Asia Minor, and Egypt, Libya and Cyrene were from the north African nations. The strangers of Rome, came from Europe and other European nation governed by Rome. Jews are directed to brother Judah, and proselytes are men and women that are from every other place, for the proselytes are even Kenites that have mixed and accepted the traditions of the Jews. There were people there speaking in every tongue known to man.

What startled them, was that these Galilaeans spoke their language just as perfect as they had been born in the same family as each of them. This is what they have heard.

Acts 2:11 "Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God."

What was being said by these Apostles and those with them were "the wonderful works of God." The Holy Spirit was telling all those men from all over the world of God's wonderful plan in action. It was given by the Holy Spirit to where all men could hear at the same time, and understand each word. That is not turkey scratching or turkey calling my friend. It was spoken with clarity. This "unction" given by the Holy Spirit of God is the act of anointing as a rite of consecration or healing, and it is a supernatural form of a language in the manner that it is given.

Pentecost day is the day of the firstfruits. It is a time to think on things of God, and that is what the Christian is to do on Pentecost day. Now we are going to find out what they said on that day.

Acts 2:12 "And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, "What meaneth this?"

Every man from all over the world listened, and they were in doubt as to what they heard. They wern't confused by the turkey calling, but the heard the words, understood what the words were, but simply were in doubt as to the meaning of what they had heard. God is not the author of confusion.

Acts 2:13 "Others mocking said, "These men are full of new wine."

Others had no other explanation, except to say that they were all drunk. One of the main reasons that some of the men that heard, mocked what was being said, was because of what was said. The most dramatic thing spoken was that women will have an important part in the church in the end days. Many men even to this day, if you mention that the daughters of God shall witness, and testify, and prophecy get all bent out of shape. We will see this in detail later in this chapter.

Acts 2:14 "But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, "Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words:" "

Peter stood there boldly with the other eleven Apostles, and he told them to be certain of this one thing, when you say that these men have been drinking. Peter told them to listen closely to the words being spoken.

Acts 2:15 "For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day."

It is only nine oclock in the morning, and you know on a feast day it is prohibited to partake of anything until the noon hour that would intoxicate. Friend, are you ready to learn what they said."

Listen.

Acts 2:16 "But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;"

But, [on the other hand]; this is what Joel was saying in the book of Joel. So to find out we have to go to the book of Joel. You don't have to worry about the turkey calls, God had those Words written in His Book of Joel in our Bible. As long as you can read in your language, and the Word is in that language, you can read it for yourself.

Peter is saying this is a sample of what Joel said would come to pass, but you have to remember that Joel said it wouldn't come to pass until the end days. That is what is shocking about the words to all those religious men.

This is what Joel said.

Acts 2:17 " `And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, `I will pour out of My Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:"

What is going to happen in their speaking in cloven tongue by the Holy Spirit, shall come to pass in the last generation. It is God that will pour out His Spirit, the Holy Spirit on all flesh. Then Peter told them that "your daughters would prophecy in church", and can't you see all those old men choking and gasping for air when the words were spoken. Women shall prophecy, they shall preach and teach from the Word of God. Now that isn't to confusing, is it.

Well if you were living two thousand years ago on Pentacost day, it would have been earth shaking. Friend, this is what Joel said, and what Peter just repeated. It is found in Joel 2:28-32.

Joel 2:28 "And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out My spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:"

After the northern army comes lead by Antichrist. "My Spirit" is the Spirit of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit. It is what the People will say on Pentecost day, during the time of this filling of the Holy Spirit. Here the daughters are mentioned again. Friend, listen to what God's Word has to say, and shut off the turkey callers. It is absolute, the daughters shall prophecy in the church right along with the sons.

This was the message that was given two thousand years ago also, and it was a sample of what would happen in our generation.

Joel 2:29 " And also upon the servants and upon the hand maids in those days will I pour out My spirit."

Joel 2:30 "And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke."

Joel 2:31 "The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the Lord come."

Joel 2:32 "And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the Lord hath said, and in the remnant whom the Lord shall call.

Remember, Joel called out to those living in the final days to sound the trumpet, sound the alarm, we are getting ready for the Antichrist to come to earth with his locust army, and he is going to lead his northern army against the children of God. Then when the Antichrist does that, the firstfruits which are the elect of God are going to stand up, and we just read is what they will say.

Do you understand now what was mouthed on Pentecost Day by those dear souls that were filled wih the Holy Spirit. It was the truth of God's Word, and there was no interpreter needed, for God did His own interpretating.

In the book of Mark it records where the Holy Spirit will speak through the sons and daughters, to give us the evidence of the presence of the Holy Spirit. Mark 13:9-11;

Mark 13:9 "But take heed to your selves: for they shall deliver you up to councils; and in the syagogues ye shall be beaten: and ye shall be brought before rulers and kings for My sake, for a testimony against them."

"Councils" is "Sanhedrin", the religious councils of the day. The only reason you will be delivered up in this last generation, is for Christ's sake. What you have to say to them, is not something that they want to hear, because they have all been deceived by that moment, and you are telling them so. Think of this totally in a spiritual way, in that it will be the Holy Spirit that will be doing the speaking and giving you the unction to speak.. The beating is not by a club, but by brow beating. It is using mental preasures and suasion to try and get you to change your stand. This will be more like a church revival, battling the good head deacons who have bought Satan's lies.

Mark 13:10 "And the gospel must first be published among all nations."

This is the reason for the need of the the voice of the Holy Spirit, or tongues being spoken. When one of God's elect speaks, it will be just as prophesied by Joel the prophet.

Mark 13:11 "But when they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought before hand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost."

Don't sit and plan ahead on what you are going to say, because you are not going to be the one doing the speaking, though the voice comes from you. The hour that this is talking about is the "hour of temptation". This is the hour spoken of in Revelation 17:12; that hour with the beast, the one world religious system, where Satan, the Antichrist rules over all mankind. It is also called the "hour of Temptations", which is a five month period as told by Jesus in Revelation 9:5, 10.

Revelation 9:5 "And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man." How do we know it is for only five months, and not three and one half years, as Daniel spoke? Because Jesus told us that this time would be shortened for the elect's sake. Matthew 24:22; "And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened." Our Father knows the limits of man in the flesh body, and the soul is what is being refered to here. In the longer three and a half year period, under Satan's pressures, all mankind would be deceived and worship the Antichrist, who is Satan the destroyer.

The speaking in the cloven tongue will only come in our generation during that time of the "hour of temptation". That hour has not come yet, for it is the hour that Satan, the Antichrist is playing the role of Jesus Christ, and deceiving all those people that have not sealed the truth of God's Word in their mind, but rather follow the traditions of men. This is the only hour, or time period of five months where the unforgivable sin can becommitted. That unforgivable sin is when one of God's elect will deny the Holy Spirit the opportunity to speak through you, with the evidence of the presence of the living God.

There we have that time when when the cloven tongue shall be spoken, and when it is used it is not you but the Holy Spirit speaking, and giving His elect the unction to do so. Unction is a supernatural act, and there is nothing that needs a translator for what the Holy Spirit has to say, for all people will hear in their own natural languages.

When and where are those people going to do this speaking in the cloven tongue? Some would have us believe that they will already be raptured out. That is not true, they will still be here when the Satan, the Antichrist is walking on the earth, controlling all the peoples and nations of the earth.

Acts 2:18 "And on My servants and on My handmaidens I will pour out in those days of My Spirit; and they shall prophesy:"

Again this is talking about the hour of temptation; the days that Joel spoke of in Joel 2:28-32. That time when Satan's locust army will also be on the earth deceiving men and women, thats the dayspoken of here called "those days". Both men and women of God, God's elect shall teach in those days. Remember it will be the Holy Spirit that will be doing the teaching through them.

Acts 2:19 "And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke:"

Some people live a life time and they just don't understand many of the miracle and signs that have happened during our generation. In this generation, where our heavenly Father is in control, He shows us many things. In 1981, during the eruption of Mount St. Helens in the state of Washington, we observed smoke and fire that came from the volcano, and spread around the entire earth. Friend, it happened on Pentecost day, we can consider it also a benchmark of the signs of the times.

There was an aircraft flying at that time, and the photographer on board took a photo of the smoke and fire rising, with lightning going on. Within the photo of this professional photographer, which was run in the Seattle Intelligencer, was the form of a face, and it was called "the face". The face was a complete face with all detail of a man looking down. Because of the date and the time, I feel this was a sign reflecting the generation of the "parable of the fig tree". We will not know the exact date of the start of the hour of temptation, but we will know the season. and we are in that season.

Signs are continually being show by our Father, and we should learn of them and take note of them when they happen. On the Passover of April 3, 1996 there was a eclipse of the moon, where the moon turned a dark blood red, and then the moon disappeared with an eclipse of the earth passing between the sun and the moon. On the same day an unexpected comet passed close to the earth, and it was plainly visable to the naked eye. Other signs do exist in the heavens to show us that the season of that hour of temptation is drawing to a close.

The time of the "generation of the fig tree" that Jesus warned us about started when those good figs [brother Judah], and bad figs [Kenites] returned to Palestine and reestablished their nation. That tiny nation today is called Israel, and it was established on May 15, 1948. The establishment of this tiny nation of Israel, of the good and bad figs, was created under the same one world political order, that I feel is the political beast's head of Revelation 13:2, 3, which is to have a mortal head wound, before the other head, a religious head comes to life, with Satan the Antichrist ruling over that governmental system.

Revelation 13:2 "And the beast which I say was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority. The dragon is one of the roles that Satan plays, showing his power

Revelation 13:3 "And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondeded after the beast."

When a governmental power receives a deadly wound, it ceases to carry on with any power and authority. The time is coming very shortly when the nations of the world will catch on that the United Nation does not have their interest at heart, and will not allow this so called "New World Order" have any say over their borders or people.

It will be Satan that will be the dragon that comes to earth, and with his fallen angesl, his miracles and lying wonders, deceive the world into accepting Him as their messiah. The second head to appear to revive the political head is a religious form of Government.

Revelation 13:4 "And they worshipped the dragon [Satan, the Antichrist] which gave power unto the beast [religious form of government]: and they worshipped the beast, saying, "Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?"

The one world system of the political beast, with it's ten agencies of power that the nations of the world have all joined, is over fifty years old. We call it the United Nations, and the entire world is talking Peace, peace and friend, there is no peace. Most of the end time prophecy has come to pass, and the signs of that times im most cases is history to us today. Many so-called prophets have Christians looking to Europe and the common marked to explain the ten nation confederacy of Daniel. And when that ten nation body went to eleven then twelve, they were stuck trying to alibi for God. Friend, God doesn't need anyone of them to alibi for Him.

There is a unified political body in the world today, and the entire world looks to it for their peace, however what comes from that one world system is only confusion and a bloodbath. That body of the United Nations calls out peace, peace where ever it goes, but it's sole concern is its own survival and power. It controls through its ten kings, which we call agencies with names like, "The Red Cross, the world bank, the world court, UNICEF", and so on this political body controls all nations on the earth today, including space, and the oceans. This "new world order" is fifty years old, and yet many Christians are still looking for their first sign of the end times. The United Nations, just like myself, both have gray hairs through age, and it is high time we wake up to the signs and wonders that are going on around us today. This system is run by the Kenites, the hidden hand that is in control.

It is time to keep abreast of the times and observe what is going on around us. Never forget, our Father is in control, and what is happening is completelay according to His written Word.

Acts 2:20 "The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come:"

So so-called Hebrew scholars would tell you that this word "blood" means "Adam", because the word "Adam means "ruddy complected", showing blood in the face. They tell you that Adam, the "ruddy complected" man has walked on the moon. This is to point out that this has happened also prior to the coming of Antichrist as a sign of the time. It is not a miracle that man has accomplished this, but it is "high tech". What was considered a miracle 50 years ago, is comon knowledge today, with all our satellites planted in space providing the many services that they give.

The only problem with the high tech and the sciences, is that man's mind has moved to the point in advancing his mind, that is, he has gone to sleep in trying to understand the signs given in the Word of God. We can place a man on the moon, but the world is biblically illiterate.

Acts 2:21 "And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.'

That is all it takes, my friend, and there will be some saved when these witnesses used by the Holy Spirit give the gospel, the good new of Jesus Christ saving power, and the Love of our heavenly Father. When people see and hear that power of the Holy Spirit, they will know that it is truly of God. This is an exciting time to live in our generation.

Acts 2:22 "Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a Man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by Him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know:"

Peter is continuing to talk to talk to those men from all over the world that were standing there on Pentecost day. Jesus of Nazareth was doing these miracles and wonders and signs right in the middle of you, while you witnessed those things taking place. When you watched Jesus preform those things, you know that He was not a common man.

They witnessed Lazarus come alive after being dead four days, which defied there tradition of soul sleep for the first three days, before ascending to the Father. He fed thousands twice with only five loaves and two fishes. He walked upon the water, and made the lame walk, and the blind to see. Most of all, Jesus of Nazareth rose from the tomb after three days, and ascended into heaven, as witness by hundreds of men and women.

Acts 2:23 "Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:"

Peter is saying that it is with the foreknowledge of God that this would come to pass. Psalm 22 gives us the detail of how Christ would be crucified, and by God's controlling hand on the events, Jesus was taken, tried before their counsel, and by the wicked hands of these Kenite Priests and Pharisees, Jesus was hung on the cross, and slain for the sins of many. Psalm 22 gives us Jesus words on the cross, and the fact that He was pierced, and nailed to the cross. Those prophecies tell us not only the words that Jesus would say, but also the words that the High priest would say. That high priest was not appointed not by God, but by a Roman governor. Even those words are written in that Psalm 22.

Acts 2:24 "Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that He should be holden of it."

No power of man could hold Jesus in that tomb. Death was defeated on that day, and Satan is that death. Hebrews 2:14; "Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise took part of the same; that through death He might destroy him that had the power of death, that is , the devil;" That was the sole purpose of Christ coming to earth to be born of a woman; that through His death, He could destroy death, which is the devil.

Acts 2:25 "For David speaketh concerning Him, `I forsaw the Lord always before my face, for He is on my right hand, that I should not be moved:"

David said this in Psalm 16:8.

Acts 2:26 "Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope:"

David rested in the hope knowing that the Savior, the Messiah would come and deliver.

Acts 2:27 "Because Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt Thou suffer Thine Holy One to see corruption."

No only wiuld Christ be left in Hell, the grave, but David's soul also would suffer being left there. The subject here though is the Messiah's resurrection, after going to that place where the souls of the dead where held and releasing those that would hear and go with Him. Did Christ go to hell?

Only in as much as there is a place in paradise, that is documented in the Apocrypha, II Esdras 7:77, and in Luke 16:19-26 in the parable of Lazarus, where the rich man could see Lazarus in the bosom of Abraham. But there was a great gulf between the place where the rich man was, and that gulf could not be crossed.

Luke 16:26 "And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence."

Today you can call this hell if you please, but one thing is for sure, those in that place know that they did not overcome, and they are there by their own chosing. They did not accept Christ, nor did they repent. Those that are in that separated place in paradise, called "hell" are there wating for judgment. They knew, and yet refused.

Because our heavenly Father is fair, Christ on that day that He was in the tomb went to those that were in that tomb and preached to them, as we are told in I Peter 3:18, 20 and this will be also discussed in Acts 4.

I Peter 3: 18, 20; "For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the Just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:" [18] "By which also He went and preached unto the spirits in prison," [19] "Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing where few, the is, eight souls were saved by water." [20]

Jesus went to them and preached salvation to them, for at this time He had died on the cross, and all those souls had the privilege of accepting or rejecting Him at that time. At that time Jesus Christ freed many prisoners. No, God did not leave Him there. He freed all those people back to the time of "Noah", which means "the beginning". He gave them the same privilege that you and I have today to accept Him.

It would have been very unfair of God to withhold salvation from those souls that were born of women in that first four thousand years, and offer salvation only to the generation from the time of Jesus. Even David was included in this, for David was a murderer.

Acts 2:28 "Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; Thou shalt make me full of joy with Thy countenance.' "

This again is written in Psalm 16: Lets go to Psalm 16 and read those four verses that Peter is quoting from David.

Psalm 16:8-11 "I have set the Lord always before me: Because He is at my right hand, I shall not be moved." [8] "Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: My flesh also shall rest in hope." [9] "For Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell Neither wild Thou suffer Thine Holy One to see corruption." [10] "Thou wilt shew me the path of life: In Thy presence is fulness of joy; At thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore." [11]

Acts 2:29 "Men and Brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day."

Peter is reminding those devout men of the world that they can go and see the grave site in Jerusalem of David, and his bones are still there in it.

Acts 2:30 "Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, He would raise up Christ to sit on His throne;"

This is your documentation that David was a prophet. This was recorded in II Samuel 7:12; "And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of they bowels, and I will establish his kingdom." The New Testament only documents the Old Testament.

Acts 2:31 "He seeing this before, spake of the resurrection of Christ, that His soul was not left in hell, neither His flesh did see corruption."

Jesus flesh did not decay, but was transformed, and that is why the transfiguration took place that we read about in Matthew 17:1-9. Peter, James and John were taken by Jesus up on the mountain, and there they were given the opportunity to witness Jesus with Moses and Elias, as Jesus physical body was transfigured before them. "and His face did shine as the sunk and His raiment was white as the light." This allowed them to know that even as Enoch was transfigured, so was Christ.

Acts 2:32 "This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses."

All those that were part of the infilling of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost day, were all there ten days prior to see the resurrected Christ as He ascended into heaven.

Acts 2:33 "Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, He hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear."

This thing that these men from all over the world had seen and heard, was the cloven tongue of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost day. The fact that these men were not drunk, the thing that you were listen to was Christ's Spirit speaking through these people the words that Joel had prophesied.

Acts 2:34 "For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, `The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit Thou on My right hand,"

David's physical body is not ascended into the heavens, but only his soul and spirit. David said this also in Psalm 110; "The Lord said unto my Lord, "Sit Thou at My right hand, Until I make Thine enemies Thy footstool." It is written in the Old Teatament, and fulfilled in the New Testament.

Psalm 110:2 "The Lord shall send the rod of Thy strength out of Zion: Rule Thou in the midst of Thine enemies." And He still does to this day. If you are a child of God, then your enemies are His enemies.

Acts 2:35 "Until I make Thy foes Thy footstool.' "

Acts 2:36 "Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus Whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ."

Both "Lord", the servant of the living God; and "Christ" the anointed one, the one placed in charge.

Acts 2:37 "Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, "Men and brethren, what shall we do?"

When they heard this they were pierced in their hearts. They wanted to know what they should do to accept Christ. This is the same that men and women ask today, but when they are told, they would rather play church with their traditions, and fly-away doctrines. Are you ready to take a stand, and prepare yourself to where this Spirit can speak through you when you are delivered up? If you are, many will hear the Word, and believe on His name.

You don't place the gospel armor on to fly away, you put it on to fight against Satan and his firey darts which is a spiritual warfare, not with guns and tanks, but with words and ideas to change minds. The battle field is in the minds of people, not on some foreign soil.

Acts 2:38 "Then Peter said unto them, "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost."

Peter is telling them how to be saved. Does this mean that they will now speak in tongues? For some it shall in this generation of the end times. However to all they must be ready to be used by the Holy Spirit when He gives them the utterances to mouth. The Holy Spirit has many gifts that are given to those that are saved, and part of the body of Christ. It does not say the gift of tongues here, but those gifts include being pastors, teachers evangelists, Sunday school teachers, and He uses others to just plant a seed with a smile now and then. That is the gift of the Holy Spirit.

When you have the Lord Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit is within you, and you don't have to wonder whether the Holy Spirit is there or no, it will show. They are the fruits of the Spirit that will be reflected. Galatians 5:22, 23; "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, [22] "Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law." [23]

Acts 2:39 "For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many a the Lord our God shall call."

This promise applies to as many as God shall call.

Acts 2:40 "And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, "Save yourselves from this untoward generation."

"Untoward" in the Greek means "crooked". The ways of the world are crooked in comparison to the ways that God has set forth.

Acts 2:41 "Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls."

They understood Peter's teaching of the Word, and they accepted it gladly, and were baptized. You don't add flesh bodies to the heavenly family, but the each soul must enter individually by repentance, through the blood of Christ.

Acts 2:42 "And they continued steadfastly in the apostles doctrine and followship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers."

The apostles doctrine, is what Peter had just taught them. It was the Words of Christ, and the Words of the prophets. The apostles doctrine is everything that is written in God's Word; that is what they steadfastly followed. The apostles were sent for by Christ to teach His doctrine, they are one and the same. Friend, look out for those creeds and oaths that are different then the doctrine that Christ taught.

The breaking of bread is our communion service that we take in remembrance of Christ broken body, and His shed blood on the cross. You take the communion when you believe in your heart that Jesus is the Son of God, born of a virgin, suffered and died for your sins, and on the third day arose from the dead, and now has ascended into heaven and sits on the right hand of the Father, as our advocate. That is what you take the broken bread, and the cup of communion for, to remember what Christ has done for you.

Acts 2:43 "And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles."

"Fear" is a poor translation. In "ah" and reverence came upon all those there. The other is a statement by men, the translators. The wonders and signs were done by almighty God Himself. It is not even applied here that the apostles were making their own religion.

Acts 2:44 "And all that believed were together and had all things common;"

The whole church body of the early church thought as a unit, one for each other. In the doctrine of Christ, and in the Holy Spirit, there were no divisions amongst them at this time.

Acts 2:45 "And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men as every man had need."

Acts 2:46 "And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread with gladness and singleness of heart,"

They took communion together as a body of Christ, in singleness of heart. They all thought alike, with a common caring for each other. What it is talking about is the fact that it was not safe to teach the doctrine of Christ openly in the Temple, therefore they held home meeting. Remember the same Kenite religious leaders that killed Jesus, and plotted the murders against Him were still in charge of the temple. There was no writings of the New Testament at this time, so they had to carry the Word by mouth from one to another.

There were people that had the gift to teach, and they were sent from home to home in their teaching ministry, and they did not need a house, but lived where they ministering. Today the ministry is different in the methods being used. Today one can stay in one location, and thus possess properties, and use many different teaching tools to preach the gospel openly and boldly.

They sold all to be teachers of the Gospel, and the possibility of returning once you started to teach, was very slim. You became a marked person that was not popular in the Temple, nor amongst the Jews. So they went from house to house taking the Gospel.

Acts 2:47 "Praising God, and having favour with all people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved."

Did you catch that, "The Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved." It is not meant that all should have ears to hear, or eyes to see the plan of God, and be saved. Within that plan of God is the simplicity of salvation, not only to Israel, but as we will see in later chapters to the Gentiles. The Church started on Pentecost Day with these one hundred and twenty men and women, and on that first day, three thousand souls were added to the Church, the body of Christ. The church started to grow very fast.

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