Joy comes in the morning, part 2

God is no respecter of persons, so it is logical that on the day of Pentecost “they were all filled with the Holy Spirit.” No one was left without a share in this wonderful blessing, and Peter mentioned in his speech that same day how “to you is the promise, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call unto him.” It is also worth noting how this work of God became complete when the disciples filled with the Holy Spirit “began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” The Holy Spirit gave what to speak, but the disciples spoke.

In connection with being filled with the Holy Spirit both hearing and seeing take place. The experience in question would indeed, in the light of Scripture, always seem to be such an experience that it is hard to hide from those around. Describing the events of the day of Pentecost it is told that “when this sound was heard, the multitude came together…” And on the other hand the experience was visible, for “others mocking said, They are filled with new wine.”

The apostle Peter, who just now had been sitting with the other disciples, now rose by the work of the Holy Spirit, “lifted up his voice, and spake” to the people who had come: “…these are not drunken, as ye suppose; seeing it is but the third hour of the day.”

Among the disciples that day there appeared in a wonderful way the kingdom of God, which according to the apostle Paul’s teaching is righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. All this was without doubt experienced in the streets of Jerusalem — already at nine o’clock in the morning! Joy came in the morning, and I cannot help comparing this to what King David once wrote: “For his anger is but for a moment; his favor is for a life-time: weeping may tarry for the night, but joy cometh in the morning.”

Scripture:

Ps 30 Acts 2 Rom 2, 14