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The Day of
Pentecost |
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A
stunned crowd of thousands stood motionless, silently listening to the words of
a man known to many as Peter. He was a disciple of a man from Galilee called
Jesus of Nazareth, the same Jesus who had been crucified approximately 50 days
earlier and whose tomb now stood empty. These worshippers knew that something was different about this day. They had already seen and heard a miraculous manifestation of Jehovah's presence, and now they were hearing the prophetic revelation of Peter and eleven other disciples of Jesus, who were claiming that Jesus has been resurrected from the dead. Some of these worshippers immediately recognized the significance of this event. It meant that Jesus was the Messiah that Israel had been waiting for. However, others would require more evidence. Therefore, Peter continued to offer the irrefutable evidence that Jesus was not only resurrected from the dead, but that he was resurrected to sit and reign from the throne of David. The evidence Peter offered came from Israel's beloved king and psalmist – none other than David himself. Peter continued: "David said about him..." This statement would surprise many, for they could not imagine any prophet of Jehovah speaking of the Messiah as one who would be murdered at the hands of his own people only to be resurrected again. They had been looking for a Deliverer who would come to victoriously lead Israel to the greatness it once had during the days of David and Solomon. What could David have possibly said about Jesus of Nazareth? The words spoken by Peter were unmistakably clear. They were the words of one of David's best known Psalms. He said, "I saw the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will live in hope, because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay. You have made known to me the paths of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence." (Psalm 16:8-11). No doubt, many were thinking that David must surely speaking of himself. But Peter immediately corrected that misunderstanding, for he said, "Brothers, I can tell you confidently that the patriarch David died and was buried, and his tomb is here to this day." That was a fact which no one could deny. The tomb of David had become a national monument, and was located in the southwest part of the city – across from the entrance to the palace of Caiaphas, the High Priest. And everyone knew that if the tomb was opened, the remains David's body would still be there. And yet, he said that his body will live in hope because his body would not be abandoned to the grave, and his body would not see decay. But if he was not speaking of himself, who was David speaking about? If he would not remain in the grave, and if his body was not to see corruption, then could he have possibly been speaking of another, perhaps even Jesus of Nazareth? Then Peter said David, "… was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that he would place one of his descendants on his throne." The prophecy quoted by Peter was a familiar one. In Psalms 89:35-37 God promised that David's "line will continue forever and his throne endure before me like the sun; it will be established forever like the moon, the faithful witness in the sky." Therefore, if Jesus had been resurrected from the dead by God to sit upon David's throne, and if David's throne was established in heaven, then Jesus has been resurrected to sit on David's throne in heaven. But Peter continued: "Seeing what was ahead, he spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to the grave, nor did his body see decay." The pieces of the puzzle began to quickly fall into place. The Messiah was not to be the kind they had been expecting after all. He would not be coming to reign and rule from a throne in Jerusalem. Rather, he would reign from heaven on the throne of David, and his reign would be forever. Not only that, but the kingdom of Jesus the Christ would not be a physical, earthly kingdom. It would be the kind of spiritual kingdom God had always intended – a kingdom where God reigns within the hearts of the people as their one and only King. It had never been Jehovah's plan to give the people an earthly king. When the ancient prophet Samuel became angry at the people of Israel for demanding a king, Jehovah reminded him that it was not the old prophet they were rejecting, rather they were rejecting the rule of God as their King. Therefore, he allowed the people to have their kings – men that constantly led the people away from Jehovah to serve their own selfish interests. Now, it was time for a change. Now, Jehovah would be establishing the kingdom where the promised Messiah would reign and rule as the only sovereign King of heaven and earth. That Messiah was the man Jesus of Nazareth! However, there was one additional piece of irrefutable evidence that Peter offered to those who still remained skeptical. He said, "God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the fact." Who could deny the testimony of these twelve men. The audience had already seen something sit upon them which resembled cloven tongues of fire. They had also heard these men miraculously and flawlessly speak in the languages and dialects of the thousands gathered in the Temple to worship Jehovah on this Feast of Pentecost. And they heard these men proclaim the wonderful works of God. No one could reasonably believe that these men were now lying about the resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth. The testimony could not be denied. It could be rejected, but no one could deny its truth. These men did see Jesus after he had been resurrected from the dead. And if he has been resurrected from the dead, he must now be in heaven reigning and ruling over God's kingdom as the Messiah, the redeemer of Israel. Peter began to conclude his remarks by saying, Jesus has been exalted to sit at the right hand of God, and he has received the promise of the Holy Spirit from the Father. This promise carried with it all the promises made concerning the death, burial, resurrection and ascension of Jesus into heaven. Because of this, Jesus was able to send forth all that they were now seeing and hearing. Peter added, "… David did not ascend to heaven, and yet he said, 'The Lord said to my Lord: Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.'" (Psalms 110:1) Peter once again quoted a familiar Psalm, one which was clearly recognized as being Messianic in nature. Jehovah promised that the Messiah would sit at his own right hand until the day in which all the enemies had been brought into captivity. The evidence was irrefutable. The people had seen a miraculous demonstration of Jehovah's power. They had heard prophetic revelation which proclaimed beyond any reasonable doubt that Jesus of Nazareth, whom they had crucified, was the Messiah – resurrected from the grave to ascend into heaven and now sitting at the right hand of God. The people heard the testimony which proved that Jesus was a man approved of by God. He performed signs, miracles and wonders in their very midst. David, the beloved King of Israel, prophesied concerning him on a number of occasions. And finally, these twelve followers of the man from Nazareth were eyewitnesses of his resurrection. No one would deny their testimony, since they too were recognized as men of God. Jesus of Nazareth! The Messiah! The King of kings and Lord of lords! Jesus the Christ, the anointed of Jehovah! And they had murdered him! "Therefore," said Peter, "let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ." When they heard this, they were cut to the very depths of their heart. |
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