Pentecost Sunday, which we commemorate this Sunday, is a historical day with significant meaning for the New Testament church. The fast pace of life that shapes our busy routines sometimes overshadows what this day should mean to us. But today, take a moment to consider that Pentecost was more than tongues; it was the manifestation of prophecy and the promise of a better covenant.
When those present mocked the disciples, assuming they were drunk, Peter had a clear response. “Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. These people are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning! No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel” (Acts 2:14-16 NIV). Peter let them know that what was happening before their eyes was the fulfillment of Joel’s prophecy in Joel 2:28-29. God was pouring out His Spirit on mere human flesh, and they had entered the last days. Thus, Pentecost was the fulfillment and manifestation of prophecy. It was a day to be remembered and marked as one in which God kept His Word and performed it.
In the days leading up to His crucifixion, Jesus had also told them several times that He would send them another Helper, the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth. He also told them they would receive power after the Holy Ghost came upon them. So, Pentecost was also a fulfillment of Jesus’ promises to them. They received power and promises.
And those promises were not just about tongues; they stemmed from the Promise of the Father of a better covenant, which Jeremiah prophesied generations before. He said, “This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel after that time,” declares the Lord. “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts” (Jeremiah 31:33 NIV). The only way God could do that was to indwell us with His Spirit.
So, when we commemorate Pentecost, we are not only celebrating tongues, but the greater promise of our better covenant that has so many implications for us. I pray that we come to understand why Hebrews says we have a better covenant, established on better promises.