Meaning of Pentecost.
Pentecost means fiftieth that is from the Greek reference to fiftieth day after the resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The Hebrew reference to Pentecost is Shavuot and means weeks (7 weeks) with the reference to fiftieth day after Passover and the giving of the Law at mount Sinai.
Fifty is a significant number in the bible and represents a new beginning. The beginning of the church was on the fiftieth day after Jesus’s resurrection and is also the day that the church was empowered by the Holy Spirit to walk in the authority of the resurrected Christ, being His representative on earth. Believers are called to rule and reign in life through Jesus Christ by exercising the spiritual authority we received in Christ Jesus. This authority involves reigning over the influences of darkness, as we proclaim the victory achieved on the cross rather than living as victims. Romans 5:17 For if because of one man’s trespass (lapse, offense) death reigned through that one, much more surely will those who receive [God’s] overflowing grace (unmerited favor) and the free gift of righteousness [putting them into right standing with Himself] reign as kings in life through the one-Man Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One).
Part of this new beginning is the New Covenant in the Blood of Jesus Christ, as in Jeremiah 31:33, indicating that we are under a new law, the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus {that} has made me {us} free from the law of sin and death. Romans 8:2. This was demonstrated, in that on Shavuot when God gave the law to Moses and Israel, 3000 people died because of their transgression of the Law. Whereas on the day of Pentecost 3000 people got saved because they received the truth about Jesus being the Messiah that came to set them free, free from the law of sin and death.
The outpouring of the Holy Spirit confirmed the promise of the Father and thus every other promise to be fulfilled in Christ Jesus. This outpouring demonstrated God’s love, enabling us through His Holy Spirit to walk in obedience, it is no more a matter of own effort to adhere to the law, it is now a matter of surrender, and consequent empowerment. Jesus proclaimed the gates of sheol (Hebrew) or hades (Greek) will not be able to withstand the power of the His church, the bride of Christ, the new Living temple. Sheol is not a reference to the place of eternal judgment or hell, it is a reference to were all dead souls dwell. However Jesus said that the gate of Sheol will not overcome the church, for the church in Christ have overcome death as we have been empowered by the Holy Spirit to live a life as witnesses to the resurrected overcoming power of Jesus Christ. Jesus said to Martha in John 11:25-27 “Martha replied, I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day. Jesus said to her, I am [Myself] the Resurrection and the Life. Whoever believes in (adheres to, trusts in, and relies on) Me, although he may die, yet he shall live; And whoever continues to live and believes in (has faith in, cleaves to, and relies on) Me shall never [actually] die at all. Do you believe this?”
On the day of Pentecost that fear of death made way for faith in the knowledge that we became partakers in a new Covenant as promised. Therefor every other promise is Yes and Amen in Christ Jesus, including being co-heirs with Christ Jesus as in Romans 8:17 “And if we are [His] children, then we are [His] heirs also: heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ [sharing His inheritance with Him]; only we must share His suffering if we are to share His glory. [But what of that?] For I consider that the sufferings of this present time (this present life) are not worth being compared with the glory that is about to be revealed to us and in us and for us and conferred on us!”
However before the spiritual union with Christ can come into effect, the old man need to die in order to cancel any prior agreements or contracts. This is accomplished through the water baptism where the old man died with Christ and the new recreated man is raised with Christ into the new life and can now enter into union with Christ through the baptism of the Holy Spirit as promised. This is the reason why we become children of the promise in Christ. Paul use the story of Abraham to demonstrate the difference between the son of the promise or the son of the slave. The son of Hagar represented Sinai as the son born from the flesh, whereas Isaac was the son God promised Abraham. It is further mentioned that the son of the slave could not inherit with the son of the promise. Our inheritance in Christ Jesus is confirmed and sealed by the promised outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Being immersed in Holiness and authority of the Holy Spirit so that the fruit and the gifts of the Holy Spirit can be released, empowering the church as a witness. For the church, the transformation to new recreated life in Christ starts with the willful decision to surrender to the life in Christ by being baptized. Galatians 3:27-29 For as many [of you] as were baptized into Christ [into a spiritual union and communion with Christ, the Anointed One, the Messiah] have put on (clothed yourselves with) Christ. There is [now no distinction] neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is not male and female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ [are in Him Who is Abraham’s Seed], then you are Abraham’s offspring and [spiritual] heirs according to promise.
Being baptized in the Holy Spirit confirms and secure our new life in Christ, acknowledging that our purchased have been sealed by the Holy Spirit. Ephesians 1:14 means that in the Spirit we have been made into one body as we are sealed by one Spirit, the seal of our down payment as being purchased by Christ.
Lastly we acknowledge that at the outpouring of the Holy Spirit the new temple, the Body of Christ was established as the new living temple in the Spirit. The church as the priest/priests of the new living temple prepare a way for the people to enter into their full inheritance in Christ Jesus and to rule and reign as kings and priests with Christ.