The Day of Pentecost, a Shadow of Things to Come

[Vicki]

Some Bible texts that Shawn Boonstra used in his The Presence  DVD set:

Acts 2:32-33 "This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear."

Boonstra commented that as Jesus was annointed in heaven it was like the annointing of Aaron where the oil dripped down from his beard onto his garments and onto the earth. So when "Jesus received of the Father the Holy Spirit" the Holy Spirit was poured out in abundance and dripped down upon the earth to Christ's people. (Not his exact words, but I hope I captured his meaning.)

Exodus 29:7 "Then shalt thou take the anointing oil, and pour it upon his [Aaron's] head, and anoint him."

Psalm 133:1-3 "Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments; As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.

Mark Finley has a great sermon called "Strange Fire on Church Altars" which can be viewd here: source

Being "immersed in the spirit" is essential.

[Vicki]

Here's another sermon by Mark Finley: Petecost Repeted!

In brief:

5 Conditions for Receiving the Latter Rain

1. Earnest Prayer
Acts 1:14 "These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren."

RH 8-25-1896
"We should pray as earnestly for the descent of the Holy Spirit as the disciples prayed on the day of Pentecost. If they needed it at that time, we need it more to-day. All manner of false doctrines, heresies, and deceptions are misleading the minds of men; and without the Spirit's aid, our efforts to present divine truth will be in vain."

8T, p 23
"My brethren and sisters, plead for the Holy Spirit, God stands back of every promise He has made. With your Bibles in your hands, say: "I have done as Thou hast said, I present Thy promise, 'Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.'" Christ declares: "What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them." "Whatsoever ye shall ask in My name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son." Matthew 7:7; Mark 11:24; John 14:13"

Luke 11:13
"If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?"


2. Undivided Heart
Luke 3:21,22
Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus also being baptised, and praying, the heaven was opened, And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son: in thee I am well pleased.

John 8:29
[Jesus said] And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.

3. Saturate Mind with the Word of God
John 6:63
It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

4. Put Away Dissension
8T, p 21.2
So it may be now. Let Christians put away all dissension
and give themselves to God for the saving of the lost. Let them
ask in faith for the promised blessing, and it will come. The
outpouring of the Spirit in the days of the apostles was "the
former rain," and glorious was the result. But the latter rain
will be more abundant.

Active Labor for Others
8T, p.21.1
The disciples did not ask for a blessing for themselves. They
were weighted with the burden of souls. The gospel was to be
carried to the ends of the earth, and they claimed the endowment
of power that Christ had promised. Then it was that the
Holy Spirit was poured out, and thousands were converted in
a day.

TM, p 510
From the two olive trees, the golden oil was emptied
through golden pipes into the bowl of the candlestick
and thence into the golden lamps that gave light to
the sanctuary. So from the holy ones that stand in God's
presence, His Spirit is imparted to human instrumentalities
that are consecrated to His service. The mission
of the two anointed ones is to communicate light and
power to God's people. It is to receive blessing for us
that they stand in God's presence. As the olive trees
empty themselves into the golden pipes, so the heavenly
messengers seek to communicate all that they receive
from God. The whole heavenly treasure awaits our
demand and reception; and as we receive the blessing,
we in our turn are to impart it. Thus it is that the holy
lamps are fed, and the church becomes a light bearer in
the world.

This is the work that the Lord would have every
soul prepared to do at this time, when the four angels
are holding the four winds, that they shall not blow
until the servants of God are sealed in their foreheads.
There is no time now for self-pleasing. The lamps of
the soul must be trimmed. They must be supplied with
the oil of grace. Every precaution must be taken to
prevent spiritual declension, lest the great day of the
Lord overtake us as a thief in the night. Every witness
for God is now to work intelligently in the lines which
God has appointed. We should daily obtain a deep and
living experience in the work of perfecting Christian
character. We should daily receive the holy oil, that we
may impart to others. All may be light bearers to the
world if they will. We are to sink self out of sight in
Jesus. We are to receive the word of the Lord in counsel
and instruction, and gladly communicate it. There is
now need of much prayer. Christ commands, "Pray
without ceasing;" that is, keep the mind uplifted to
God, the source of all power and efficiency.

[Vicki]

Let us examine the Early Rain on the Day of Pentecost and see if there be important lessons for us today.

Early Rain:

”And, being assembled together with them, [Jesus]commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me.” Acts 1:4


Latter Rain:

"Ask ye of the Lord rain in the time of the latter rain." Do not rest satisfied that in the ordinary course of the season, rain will fall. Ask for it. The growth and perfection of the seed rests not with the husbandman. God alone can ripen the harvest. But man's co-operation is required. God's work for us demands the action of our mind, the exercise of our faith. We must seek His favors with the whole heart if the showers of grace are to come to us. We should improve every opportunity of placing ourselves in the channel of blessing. Christ has said, "Where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst." The convocations of the church, as in camp meetings, the assemblies of the home church, and all occasions where there is personal labor for souls, are God's appointed opportunities for giving the early and the latter rain. TM, p 508.1

[Richard Myers]

Vickie, thank you for the information on the reality of the shadow. There is much to learn from the ceremonial celebrations and their services, but the reality is in Christ. The Holy Spirit is working today preparing a people for the Latter Rain. Interchange between church members and the world provides opportunity for God to manifest Himself through His people. The shadow is but a dim revelation of the true. When we walk in the light because we have the Spirit within, then we shall be preparing for the anti-type of the Jewish Day of Pentecost. It will come and may even be here. Only those who are walking in the light as He is in the light will receive Him. It will not fall in one location, nor at one time as He did upon the disciples after the death and resurrection of Christ. He will come in many places and over a period of time to lighten the world with the glory of God!

Let us press together as that Day nears, that we may hasten it!!

[Vicki]

Richard, it appears as if you see in my posts that I am encouraging going to Jerusalem? Far be it from my thoughts! I was trying to do what you suggested: Examine the Early Rain on the Day of Pentecost to see what the lessons are for today. Jesus commanded His disciples to remain in Jerusalem, today He tells us through His prophet to seek the experience they obtained in our church meetings - not in Jerusalem.

[Richard Myers]

Amen!! I agree with you completely.  Not sure how you think otherwise!    Communications is hard at the best of times.

[ian rankin]

Hi,
Goals must be achievable and measurable. There is no question that the Latter Rain is achievable, but how will we evaluate our progress towards it?
I do not think it is just something we wait for God to do, I think we have a vital part to perform.
How will we know that the Latter Rain is falling, what measure do we have?
Satan's counterfeit is a great miracle, do we expect a greater miracle, something that will shatter the complacency of the Laodicean church?
I remember reading something to the effect that it may be falling all around us and we will not be aware.
What do you think?
Ian

[Vicki]

"Many have in a great measure failed to receive the former rain. They have not obtained all the benefits that God has thus provided for them. They expect that the lack will be supplied by the latter rain. When the richest abundance of grace shall be bestowed, they intend to open their hearts to receive it. They are making a terrible mistake. The work that God has begun in the human heart in giving his light and knowledge, must be continually going forward. Every individual must realize his own necessity. The heart must be emptied of every defilement, and cleansed for the indwelling of the Spirit. It was by the confession and forsaking of sin, by earnest prayer and consecration of themselves to God, that the early disciples prepared for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. The same work, only in greater degree, must be done now. Then the human agent had only to ask for the blessing, and wait for the Lord to perfect the work concerning him. It is God who began the work, and he will finish his work, making man complete in Jesus Christ. But there must be no neglect of the grace represented by the former rain. Only those who are living up to the light they have, will receive greater light. Unless we are daily advancing in the exemplification of the active Christian virtues, we shall not recognize the manifestations of the Holy Spirit in the latter rain. It may be falling on hearts all around us, but we shall not discern or receive it."

I made bold the phrase you referred to. (And wrote down where it's found so I can read the whole article later. 8T & TM also have an entire chapter on the Latter Rain.)

I would say the vital part we have is to make sure we are submitting ourself to having God working on our hearts so that no part of the light He has already revealed to His people is not received. I don't know that there is any way to measure our progress, unless it's by how quickly we die to self no matter what the obstacle in our path.

I don't think there will be a great miracle. The virgins who had no oil in the parable awoke, but it was too late.

[ian rankin]

Hi Vicki,
Thanks for looking up that quote. Earnest prayer and consecration would seem to be the factor for readiness to receive the Latter Rain.
The Early Rain fell on a group who had prepared themselves by earnest prayer and consecration. It was their prayer and consecaration that made them ready, but it did not influence when the Early Rain fell.
The Early Rain came at the time predicted, that is, the Day of Pentecost.
In GC 457-458 Mrs White comments on 2Peter 3:11-12, hasting the day of the Lord, and implies that the Latter Rain would have been poured out on the adventists of 1844 had they continued to preach the third angel's message.
Does this mean that the Latter Rain is dependant on our fulfilment of the commission of Revelation 14:6-12?
Ian

[Tim2]

These thoughts are wonderful and needed.  We are told that when Christ's character is perfectly reproduced in His people, He will come.  In my mind, there is a direct parallel between the character (Glory) that we reflect and the effective witnessing that we are able to do.  As we develop a character more closely reflecting that of Jesus, we not only become fit citizens for the heavenly kingdom, but we also become living testimonies to the power of God for a changed life.  Pentecost (the latter rain) then, only completes the work that we have allowed God to do in us and we become effective witnesses for him.  The work will finish quickly at that point and we can go home. 

Character building is the most important work ever entrusted to human beings; and never before was its diligent study so important as now. Never was any previous generation called to meet issues so momentous; never before were young men and young women confronted by perils so great as confront them today.  {Ed 225.3}

[Richard Myers]

Hi Vicki,
Thanks for looking up that quote. Earnest prayer and consecration would seem to be the factor for readiness to receive the Latter Rain.
The Early Rain fell on a group who had prepared themselves by earnest prayer and consecration. It was their prayer and consecaration that made them ready, but it did not influence when the Early Rain fell.
The Early Rain came at the time predicted, that is, the Day of Pentecost.
In GC 457-458 Mrs White comments on 2Peter 3:11-12, hasting the day of the Lord, and implies that the Latter Rain would have been poured out on the adventists of 1844 had they continued to preach the third angel's message.
Does this mean that the Latter Rain is dependant on our fulfilment of the commission of Revelation 14:6-12?
Ian

Brother Ian, I think that we are all coming to an inescapable conclusion. The Latter Rain will come when a people are "consecrated". You are right that the Spirit was not poured out  until the time was right. Christ had to have been sacrificed and then at the appointed time He (the Holy Spirit) came.  There is to be a secondary fulfillment. It is to be greater than the first. My question is does it need to be at the appointed time also?  And if so, will it only be for one day?  And did it not already begin to fall after 1844?

Brother Tim brings into the conversation something that will help in all discussions that deal with obedience, the fruit of conversion. Character development is in response to obedience to all that one has come to understand. As we abide in Christ, we develop habits which form character. Habits of obedience are what are to be seen in God's children. Disobedience reveals unbelief which hinders the spread of Christianity and the falling of the Latter Rain. But, God will not be delayed. He will have a people that are obedient to all of His revealed will and they will receive the Latter Rain.

We have a solid foundation as we study, but so many questions remain unanswered.