PENTECOST - WHAT IS IT?

 Pentecost is the day Christian churches celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit on believers. You can read about this even in Acts 2.

However, the original Pentecost was a day celebrate by the Israelites. It was the first Sabbath of the Feast of Weeks. (Leviticus 23; Numbers 29; Deuteronomy 16:10)

It was called Pentecost because it occurred 50 days after the Passover celebration. In Greek, the word "pentekoste" means fiftieth. 

The followers of Jesus met together that day in a house. A sound came from heaven that was like a might rushing wind filling the whole house. Tongues of fire appeared and rested on each of them. They were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different languages.

Lots of Jewish people from different countries were in Jerusalem at the time to celebrate Pentecost. When they heard the noise of the wind, they went to the house. They heard the believers speaking in different languages, extolling the might works of God.  Those who had come from different countries could understand them in their own language. 

Some people thought this was drunken babbling. But Peter stood up and told them this was a fulfillment of the words of the Old Testament Prophet Joel about God pouring out his sprit on men and women. (Joel 2:18-22)

Peter went on to preach the gospel to the crowd. Many believed (3,000) and were baptized.