The Spirit Bears Witness With Our Spirit

"The spirit bears witness with out spirit that we are God's children." -ROMANS 8:16.

IT WAS early Sunday morning, about nine o'clock.  This particular Sunday was special for those in Jerusalem. It was a festival day; it was also a sabbath.   The regular morning sacrifices had no doubt already been offered at the temple. Now excitement filled the air as the high priest prepared to present the wave offering of two leavened loaves of new grain.  (Leviticus 23:15-20)  This offering  marked the start of the wheat harvest.  The year was 33 C.E., and it as the day of Pentecost.

While all these things were taking place in the temple area, something of far greater importance was about to occur,  not at the temple, but in an upper room in the city. A  group of about 120 Christians were gathered together,  "persisting in prayer." (Acts 1:13-15) What was about to happen to them was closely related to the actions of the high priest every Pentecost, and it also fulfilled a prophecy uttered by the prophet Joel about 800 years prior to that day.  (Joel 2:28-32; Acts 2:16-21)  What could possibly happen that would be of such great importance?

Read Acts 2:2-4.  God's holy spirit was poured out on that group of Christians who were gathered in the upper room.   (Acts 1:8) They started to prophecy, or bear witness, concerning the wonderful things they had seen and heard.  To a multitude that soon gathered, the apostle Peter explained the significance of what had happened. Then he told his audience:  "Repent, and let each one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the free gift of the holy spirit.  "Altogether about 3000
 accepted the invitation that day and were baptized, and received the promised holy spirit.  -Acts 2:37,n38, 41. 

Why is Pentecost 33 C.E. so important to us?  Certainly not because of what happened at the temple in Jerusalem.  Rather, because Jesus Christ, as the great High Priest, fulfilled that prophetic pattern.  The high priest offered two symbolic loaves to Jehovah on that day.  The leavened loaves offered at the temple represented the anointed disciples who were taken from sinful mankind to become God's adopted sons. Thus the way was opened for some "firstfruits"  from mankind eventually to go to heaven and be included in the Kingdom that will bring countless blessings to the rest of obedient mankind.   (James 1:18; 1 Peter 2:9) So whether it is our hope to make our home in heaven with Jesus or to live forever on paradise earth, our lives are deeply affected by the events of that day! 

Next time: The Spirit Bears Witness With Our Spirit - HOW THE ANOINTING PROCESS WORKS 

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