[The text below represents an edited transcript of this Tomorrow’s World whiteboard.]

Here’s What Happened on Pentecost in Acts 2

The unexpected happened on the Day of Pentecost that fell 50 days after Jesus’ resurrection. And those events recorded in Acts chapter 2 forever changed the course of history for all those who would believe in Him.

It was the birth of the New Testament Church. It’s those very events—and their meaning—that we’ll explain in this video.

Pentecost: One of God’s Holy Days in the Bible

It all started with His disciples meeting together on that day as they had every year before.

But on this particular Pentecost, in the place where His disciples were gathered:

There came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house (Acts 2:2).

This sound actually grabbed the attention of many of those who were around. In fact, verse 6 described them as a “multitude.”

Hearing and Speaking in Tongues (Languages)

And as this multitude began gathering together, something happened that there is no record of before or after that day.

[Then] there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And [immediately] they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with [what the Bible calls] other tongues… (Acts 2:3–4).

Now, this word, “tongues” here, simply means “language,” or “dialect.”

In fact, verse 5 and 9–11 explain that this “multitude” was made up of people from several different nations all speaking different languages.

And picking it up in verse 6, we see that when:

…the multitude came together, [they] were confused, because everyone heard them speak in his own language. Then they were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, “Look, are not all these who speak Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each in our own language in which we were born?” (Acts 2:6–8).

Verse 11 adding even more clarity:

… we hear them speaking in our own tongues the wonderful works of God (Acts 2:11).

This is incredible!

In other words, while the apostles were speaking in their own language, everyone visiting from the surrounding nations was hearing the apostles in their own native language.

This was a miracle designed by God to grab attention and show His power. But the story doesn’t end there.

The Apostle Peter Explains Joel 2

Some were trying to explain away the situation by saying the apostles were drunk.

So, in response, Peter stood up and said:

“For these are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day” [or about 9:00 a.m.] (Acts 2:14–15).

Then he explained what was happening. He said:

But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: “And it shall come to pass in the last days,” says God, “That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh… and it shall come to pass that whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Acts 2:17, 21).

So about 800 years before, Joel prophesied that a day would come when God’s Spirit would be made available in a way that it hadn’t prior to Jesus’ sacrifice, and that was happening right in front of them, at least in part, on this Day of Pentecost.

That Day God Filled Them with His Holy Spirit

After quoting Joel, Peter rebuked the crowd.

He told them that:

… by lawless hands, [they had] crucified, and put to death [Jesus Christ], whom God raised up… because it was not possible that He should be held by it [that is death] (Acts 2:23–24).

Then he explained:

This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses. Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear (Acts 2:32–33).

In other words, what they were seeing and hearing was a result of the Holy Spirit being made available in a way it had never been before.

Recognizing Your Sins Required Jesus Christ’s Death

Knowing he had their undivided attention, Peter told them:

“Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.” Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart… (Acts 2:36–37).

They felt convicted, realizing they were the very ones who wrongfully put Him to death.

And with this conviction, they asked Peter and the apostles:

“Men and brethren, what shall we do?” (Acts 2:37).

Repent, Get Baptized, and Obey God

Any of us who realize that our personal sins caused Him to be sacrificed should have the same question. “Men and brethren, what should we do about it?”

Peter gave this answer:

Repent, and let everyone of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38).

To repent is to turn from sin and live a life of obedience to God’s laws, since sin is the breaking of His laws (1 John 3:4).

After repentance, one must be baptized by a true minister of God to have those sins wiped away as we see from this very example in Acts 2. But it doesn’t stop there.

After Baptism, You Receive the Holy Spirit

As we can see here and in other passages, after we’re cleansed through baptism, we’re to receive the Holy Spirit through the laying on of hands of His ministry (Acts 8:17; Acts 9:17; Acts 19:6).

Then Peter declared:

For this promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call (Acts 2:39).

Now, we see here the promise was not just for those at that time, but for all those whom God would call down through the centuries, and the promise was also to their children.

And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation.” Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them (Acts 2:40–41).

The Holy Spirit Empowers You to Overcome Sin

So, it was on this day of Pentecost in 31 AD, after Jesus’ death and resurrection, God’s Holy Spirit was given to all those whom God would call and who would respond to that calling by repenting, accepting the blood of Jesus Christ, being baptized, and having hands laid on them by a true minister of Jesus Christ.

And on this day, the New Testament Church of God was born.

And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship… (Acts 2:42).

It’s God’s Holy Spirit that gives us the power to overcome and obey Him. It’s how He puts His laws in our hearts and minds (Hebrews 8:10), and through which Jesus Christ lives His life in all true Christians (Galatians 2:20).

Pentecost Pictures Step 3 of God’s Plan

And just as the apostles did, the Church of God continues to keep the Day of Pentecost every year, along with the other seven biblical feasts, just as it’s commanded in Leviticus 23.

And while the outpouring of the Holy Spirit is one major aspect of the meaning of Pentecost, it was also the same day the Ten Commandments were given to the Israelites on Mt. Sinai, which we may cover in a future video. With this, both the Old and New Covenants began on God’s holy day of Pentecost.

We hope you found this video helpful. Check out this next video explaining the meaning of each of God’s feast days. You’ll be glad you did.