Acts 2:1ff
On the day of Pentecost, after Jesus ascended to heaven, the Holy Spirit came upon 120 believers who were praying in the upper room. When the Holy Spirit descended on them, they spoke in tongues. There were onlookers who didn’t understand what was happening. Although they were Jews, although they knew about the Old Testament promises, they didn’t under:6-‘d what was happening. They had different opinions on what was happening. So Peter quoted the prophecy in Joel to explain the phenomenon that they saw.

Acts 2:17
God says He will pour His spirit on all flesh. This is God’s promise which will be fulfilled in the period called: the last days. The last days are exciting times! Why exciting? Because it’s a time where the long awaited fulfilment of the Old Testament prophecies will happen one by one. Throughout the Old Testament period, the saints of old had their own personal encounters with God. The people of God can be seen to gather that as a nation. Many things happened. Some against their wishes. But they all had the assurance that came from the word of God, that exciting times would come. When God would restore them the blessing God had promised to Abraham their father. The long awaited time had finally come.

Heb 1:1-3
These verses give us the understanding that throughout the many years God spoke to the prophets, all the prophecies converge to a period called the last days. The history of mankind or God’s dealings with mankind can be divided into two periods:
(1) The time past (2) Last days
When the prophets spoke in various times and ways. When the author of Hebrews wrote this epistle, he used “last days”.
So the people in the New Testament who had Jesus ministering to them were already in the last days. The last days refer to the time the long awaited anointed one/Messiah came to minister to them; to fulfil all the prophecies.
“Jesus purged our sins. After purging our sins, He sat at the right hand of God.”
Jesus came to purge our sins. This was something ordained long before the foundations of the world.

1 Pet 1:20
Read
When Jesus came to purge our sins, she tells us that the last days have come. When Jesus died for our sins, He resurrected on the third day, and then He ascended to the right hand of God according to the author of Hebrews. It was at the right hand of God that He poured down the Holy Spirit.

Acts 2:33
Read
When Peter saw that many Jews were perplexed by the phenomenon of tongues, he pointed them to the fact that seeing the speaking of tongues is the fulfilment of Joel’s prophecy. It’s a sign that they were already in the last days. “This is what is mentioned by the prophet Joel. It shall come to pass in the last days that I’ll pour My spirit on all flesh”. This is in preparation for the great and terrible day of the Lord, because Peter continues to mention the rest of the prophecy of Joel.

Acts 2:20-21
The sun shall turn to darkness and the moon to blood. The coming of the great and terrible day of the Lord. Whoever calls upon His name will be saved.

This is to prompt Man to call upon His name and be saved. This is why the last days are exciting times. All the prophecies in the Old Testament will be fulfilled. On one hand these prophecies will bring blessings on believers. On the other hand, it’ll bring judgement.

We’re in the last days now. Because Jesus has died and resurrected, and because we have the Holy Spirit now.

Note: God said He will pour His spirit on ALL flesh.

This is the difference between (1) time past and (2) last days.
In the last days, God speaks through Jesus Christ. He opens up the scriptures in a way that has never been before. Not just in explanation but also in fulfilment. The Holy Spirit being poured down makes the Scriptures even clearer.

1 John 5:20
The Son of God has come. When He has come, it means exciting times! Means the last days have done.

This knowledge isn’t just head knowledge, but experiential knowledge. This acquaintance with God who is true creates a relationship. So we’re in Him who is true. This is the true God and eternal life. Knowing God and Jesus whom God chose is eternal life. Such an acquaintance with God is not what everyone in the Old Testament could experience.

Look at the set up of the temple. Nobody could enter except the priest. God’s chosen people could only watch the priests enter the holy place. The closest they could come to was the altar they sacrificed animals on. Also when God spoke to the people, He did so through intermediaries - the prophets.

But in the last days, when God speaks through His son Jesus Christ, this is God in the flesh. We no longer need to know God through third parties. We may say, “I’ve never met Jesus in person.” But Jesus says after He goes, He’ll come again in the form of the Holy Spirit. “I’ll come to you in a short while.” The Holy Spirit is the very spirit of Christ that spoke to the prophets of old.

1 Pet 1:10-11
When the ancient prophets spoke, it was the spirit of Christ who spoke through them, talking of distant things in the future. They didn’t understand what they spoke of last time. But now WE understand because of the Holy Spirit, the very spirit of Christ.

1 John 2:20
We have an anointing because of the Holy Spirit we receive. Because of this anointing, we know all things. This is repeated in v27 read. ALL THINGS. The holy anointing teaches you all things. Therefore you don’t need any other person; you don’t need to go through a third person.

So when God says He means to pour His spirit on all flesh, He means that now every believer now can have access to an acquaintance with God. When we read the Scriptures, the Holy Spirit opens our eyes. All things of course doesn’t mean you’ll know what the speaker ate for dinner just now. All things refers to what God wants us to know. We’re able to understand what’s written in the Bible because of the Holy Spirit.

In (1) time past, it wasn’t that the Holy Spirit wasn’t given to people. It just wasn’t given to everyone, but some only. Prophets. Some kings. For example, King Saul prophesied. King David wrote psalms that contained prophecies of Jesus. When Saul sinned against God, the spirit of God left Saul and the next verse shows that the spirit of God came upon David. When David sinned, he was so fearful of God

In the Old Testament period, the Holy Spirit was only given to select people, so that they would prophesy, be inspired penmen of forms Scriptures. But today God says since it’s the last days, and Jesus has fulfilled all things and is sitting at the right hand of God, He gives His spirit on all flesh. What a wonderful blessing! Blessed are we!

Because the Holy Spirit has been given to all flesh, we enter a special Union with God. The Bible says he who is joined with a harlot is one with her, he who is joined with God is one spirit with Him.

Peter quoted prophet Joel.
Acts 2:17
This doesn’t mean all the 120 believers saw visions and dreamt dreams. But they all spoke in tongues.

What does this mean?

Dreams and visions are a reference to the prophetic gift. Because God explains: besides Moses that God spoke to face to face, God appeared to the rest of the prophets in a dream or vision. The prophets who spoke the word of God in the Old Testament, have the Holy Spirit, the messages were given to them in a dream or vision. Today God says He pours His spirit on all flesh and sons and daughters will dream dreams and prophesy.

All believers in the New Testament will be able to understand the word of God directly. Just like the prophets of old. And so they will all be able to prophesy.

In the New Testament every believers is a priest because we have direct contact with the blood of Christ. Because Jesus has opened up the way.

Every believer can also be a prophet. That’s why Paul says he rather all prophesy. All of us know God’s words. All of us can bring the word of God to the world. This is the blessing and privilege of every Christian today. Having the Holy Spirit. Understanding all things. Being able to speak the word of God. Don’t need others to teach them. But can teach the rest of the world.

About tongue speaking:
In the last days God will pour His spirit on all flesh. This distinguishes the last days from former times. But how is it that God will pour His spirit on all flesh?

Tongues are a sign of this eschatological downpour. We think eschatology refers to the period just before Jesus comes. When the Bible says last days, Greek it says eschatos. The eschatology began on the day of Pentecost onwards. From the day of Pentecost onwards, the spirit of God was poured on all flesh. That’s the fulfilment of Joel’s prophecy. That’s the reason why they spoke in tongues.

Acts 10:44-45
The Holy Spirit even fell on uncircumcised Gentiles. This gives us another understanding of what all flesh means. Not just to the prophets and kings. Not just to the circumcised children of Jacob, the physical Israelites, Jews. It’s also given to Gentiles, even though they’re not circumcised. Because the last days means that God will save all men. The Gentiles will come into God’s kingdom. This was the understanding arrived at by the Jerusalem council.

Acts 15:16
Read
After this is also another way to describe the last days. Old Testament is called the ‘former times’. ‘After this’ refers to the New Testament.

Even in Amos(?),
The words of the prophetS agree.

The main point James is trying to stress here is this: in the end times Gentiles will come into the Kingdom of God. God will rebuke the tabernacle of David, who represents the Messianic King. Jesus is called the son of David because he’s the messianic King prophesied in many places in the Old Testament. He’ll bring the Kingdom of Israel to its greatest heights. Through this messianic king, God will subdue all earthly kingdoms.

Davidic kingdom, the kingdom of David’s son the Messiah.

This is the reason God gives the Holy Spirit to the Gentiles. People like us receive the Holy Spirit. Jesus Christ becomes our Saviour, our king. Jesus Christ is not just the king of the Jews, but of all the world. All Gentiles will acknowledge Him as king.

We see this fact in Acts 15.

Acts 19:
Paul came to a place named Ephesus and saw some people he thought were Christians bur actually they only knew of John’s baptism. They turned to John but hadn’t turned to Christ yet. Paul asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you first believed?”

All of us need to receive the Holy Spirit. The ultimate goal of John’s message is this: Jesus will baptise us with the Holy Spirit. Yes I baptise you with water. But the one who comes after me is much greater, whose sandal strap I’m not worthy to fasten. He will baptise you with the Holy Spirit.

Read v4
If you get baptised by John, you must get baptised by Jesus, because John points to Jesus.

On the day of Pentecost, in the house of the gentile Cornelius, when the Holy Spirit comes upon people, when the Holy Spirit baptises people, they speak in tongues.

Acts 8:14-17
When people are converted to Christ, it’s such a great joy. But after they turn to Christ went the Holy Spirit doesn’t come upon them, it’s a great cause of concern. It’s such an important thing. Philip was so concerned he sent people down all the way to Jerusalem. “Something strange has happened. Samaritans believe in Jesus but they haven’t received the Holy Spirit!” So Peter and John were sent down to lay hands on them. It’s a cause of concern when you haven’t received the Holy Spirit after believing in Jesus.

This isn’t what many churches preach. But the True Jesus Church preaches it. Believe. Receive water baptism. And receive the Holy Spirit.

This should be the concern of every Christian serious with their faith.

How did Philip know they hadn’t received the Holy Spirit? There was a lack of a physical sign.

When Peter and John came down to pray for them, something spectacular happened. That’s why when Simon saw people receiving the Holy Spirit by their laying of hands, he wanted to use money to buy this power.

Throughout the acts of the apostle when people received the Holy Spirit, it was something people could see and hear. Tongues. This is what happened on the day of Pentecost when Jesus had completed His mission on earth - died, resurrected, sent down His Holy Spirit.

Before the coming of the great and terrible day of the Lord, let us pursue to receive the Holy Spirit. That’s God’s important project on the last days.

Eph 4:30
The Holy Spirit is given to Holy Spirit to be a seal for the day of redemption.

Before the great and terrible day of the Lord comes, let us ensure we’re sealed by the Holy Spirit.

Rev 7:1-3
God is holding back the winds. God is holding back the great and terrible day of the Lord until He has sealed all His servants on the foreheads. Let us all pursue to be sealed with the Holy Spirit.