Divided Tongues of Fire

[Patty T]

I was re-reading Acts yesterday and a couple things jumped out -

When the disciples were in the upper room in Acts 1:13, the word says they all continued with one accord in prayer. Verse 15 says there was about 120 people altogether. In verse 16, Peter addressed the group as "men and brethren". First of all, I always thought "brethren" referred to the believers in Jesus. Do you think there were two different groups there? Why would he refer to them as "men and brethren"?.


Now, in chapter 2, verses 1-4, the word says that when the Day of Pentecost had fully come, suddenly there was a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire and one say upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.

Why do you think the sign of "divided tongues of fire" doesn't happen today when the baptism of the Holy Spirit takes place?


I'd really like to hear (read) about your thoughts on these questions!

thanks,

Patty

[Timothy]

The phrase "men and brethren" is used several times in the book of Acts. In each instance, it is referring to the Jews/Israel. For example, the next use is:

Acts 2:29 "Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day."

In early Acts, the audience is still Jews/Israel. The kingdom had not yet been set aside, and God's gospel of grace was not yet revealed to Paul. For example:

Acts 1:6 "When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?"

Acts 2:5 "And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven."

Acts 2:14 "But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words"

Now regarding the pouring out of the holy spirit in early Acts, this was prophecy, and the signs with it were promised to Israel.

Joel 2:28-31 "...And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions...And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of the LORD come.”

Acts 2:14-20 "But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words: For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day. 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: And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke: The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and notable day of the Lord come"

The kingdom was being offered again to Israel. The next event in prophecy was the second coming of Christ. They thought they were the "last days" and would have been, if Israel as a nation would have repented.

Acts 2:34-36 "For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, Until I make thy foes thy footstool. Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made the same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ."

Then we get to Stephen:

Acts 7:55-56 "But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God."

Then what happened? They stoned him, in another rejection of the kingdom. And like Christ, Stephen prayed:

Acts 7:60 "And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep."

God's plan is simply fascinating, as the same man who God chooses to reveal the dispensation and gospel of grace to, is there at the stoning, persecuting those who believe.

Acts 7:58 "And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul.

In regard to the signs, they concerned prophecy and Israel.

I Corinthians 1:22 "For the Jews require a sign..."

You could say that there are no signs of the times, because this is not the times of the signs. Via the Apostle Paul, God ushered the gospel of grace, which Paul says "was kept secret since the world began."

[Patty T]

Timothy,

Thanks - all of a sudden I'm intrigued by the book of Acts. When the Day of Pentecost had fully come and the disciples "spoke with other tongues", they were speaking in another "language" that was recognized by something like 16 different nations. It doesn't appear to me that they had a "heavenly language" that some today call speaking in tongues. Do you know why after the tongues were given, some thought they were drunk? Could it be that they were just extremely happy with what had happened? What would make some believe they had wine at 9:00 in the morning?

Patty

[chrislb]

You'll find several interpretations of "tongues" in Scripture, though I tend to agree whole-heartedly with Timothy's passage...excellent.

As far as the drunkeness comment, read verse 13: "Others mocking said, 'these men are full of new wine."

Being 'happy' would definately be a cause in the mocking, but I also believe a lot of it was simply mocking because Jesus was being preached. It was probably an overwhelming scene...bunch of guys rattling off other languages that Jesus, the carpenter from Nazareth was God and that He ressurrected from the dead.

Sadly, I've put myself in the same shoes as the men of Jerusalem and I often wonder if I wouldn't have said the same thing, "Bunch of idiots rambling, they're probably trashed!" Just a result of a hard heart to what the Scriptures had prophesied for hundreds and hundreds of years. Sorry to ramble.

[Timothy]

They thought they were drunk because they were speaking in a foreign language, one they did not understand. I only speak English, so everything else sounds like jibberish to me. :lol

Think of God's plan this way: It is interesting to note that Babel is in Genesis and in Revelation, beginning to end. Because of man's sin at Babel/Babylon, God introduced languages, so man could not understand each other and they were scattered.

Genesis 11:8-9 "So the LORD scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city. Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the LORD did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the LORD scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth."

In the kingdom, there will be a re-gathering and all nations will flow unto Israel.

Deuteronomy 28:49 "The LORD shall bring a nation against thee from far, from the end of the earth, as swift as the eagle flieth; a nation whose tongue thou shalt not understand"

Zechariah 8:23 "Thus saith the Lord of hosts: In those days it shall come to pass, that ten men shall hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you."

Isaiah 28:10-11 "For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little: For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people."

Isaiah 2:2-3 "And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD'S house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem."

As Israel is to be a kingdom of priests, the gift of tounges is how they will communicate with the nations.

Exodus 19:6 "And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel."

[onelamb]

This first mention of the Baptism in the Spirit in the book of Acts is the only time tongues of fire, the wind, and speaking in languages known to those present , is mentioned. These external manifestations demonstrated that God was present and active in a powerful way. The "fire" may symbolize consecrating and separating believers to God for the work of bringing glory to Christ.. The manifestations of fire and wind preceded the baptism in the Spirit and were not repeated elsewhere in the book of Acts. As far as the dirision this was met with from the others present-it isn't much different today. Even now when we tell people they too can be filled with the Holy Spirit and recieve a new tongue to pray and praise with we are often met with dirision and scorn.

The Lord is teaching me many things also in the bood of Acts right now It is a facinating book and when you think about it-has no end..