Jesus is the Holy Spirit — Part 4
Three and a half days after Jesus died on the cross, God raised him back to life. This event triggered a revolution of faith in the God of Israel and formed the ‘heartbeat’ of the first century church, which was made up of Jews and Gentiles.
“And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.
Yes, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not.
For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: and if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; you are yet in your sins.”
During a forty day period following his resurrection, Jesus lived with his disciples and continued teaching them.
“The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen:
To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.”
[Noteworthy: In the Bible reference above, it refers to Jesus being 'taken up' meaning, he was taken up to God's throne (which is inside you). People that believe in the 'rapture' theory (a false doctrine that bypasses physical death) believe they will be 'taken up' from the earth into the clouds, relying upon one verse from the Bible. However, Jesus wasn't 'taken up' until after he physically died!]
At the end of this forty day period, Jesus instructed his disciples to wait in Jerusalem for the ‘promise’ of the Father, referring to them receiving the Holy Spirit.
“And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, you have heard of me.
For John truly baptized with water; but you shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.”
Exactly fifty days after Jesus was executed, the Holy Spirit was given to his disciples and all human flesh. This miracle was the result of Jesus being ‘glorified’ by God, which meant his spirit was multiplied, allowing him to enter into every human being. Thus, Jesus entered into the same ’state’ as God: a Spirit that is everywhere and in everyone.
“Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.
And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:
Of sin, because they believe not on me;
Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and you see me no more;
Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.”
The fiftieth day following Jesus’ death coincides with the Feast of Weeks, called Pentecost in the New Testament. Interestingly, the Feast of Weeks includes a reference to a ‘new meat offering’ and ‘firstfruits’ to the Lord.
“Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall you number fifty days; and you shall offer a new meat offering unto the Lord.
You shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals: they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baken with leaven; they are the firstfruits unto the Lord.”
The ‘new meat offering’ and ‘firstfruits’ can be connected to New Testament teachings that describe Jesus and his followers, showing us the fulfillment of the Old Testament writings.
“But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.”
“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.”
“I beg you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.”
Just as Jeremiah and the other prophets of God predicted, the ‘new covenant’ with Israel had arrived, fulfilling the Old Testament prophecies. One prophecy in particular stands out because it is quoted in the New Testament (Acts chapter 2) and confirms that every human being will receive the Holy Spirit in New Testament times. Not some people… everyone!
“But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;
And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:
And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy.”
The Book of Acts, chapter 2, establishes without a doubt that Joel’s prophecy is being fulfilled at that precise moment nearly two thousand years ago.
To be continued…
-Jo
Bible passages: 1 Corinthians 15:14-17, Acts 1:1-3, Acts 1:4-5, John 16:7-11, Leviticus 23:16-17, 1 Corinthians 15:20, James 1:17-18, Romans 12:1, Acts 2:16-18
Tags: bible, christianity, Comforter, faith, feast of passover, Feast of Weeks, firstfruits, God, Holy Spirit, human conscience, Jeremiah, jesus, Joel, judaism, last days, law of moses, new covenant, new meat offering, new testament, Pentecost, prophets of God, religion
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