Revival of Israel

“The Sign for the age to come is the presence of the Holy Spirit.” - F.F. Bruce

Introduction

Signs are given to us to point us to something else.

Stop signs, Speed limit signs, restaurant signs.

Some signs tell us where we are.

You are now entering Texas

Jena city limits

Some signs tell us where we are going

5 miles to the next exit

Alexandria 30 miles ahead

Acts 2:5–13 ESV

Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians—we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.” And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” But others mocking said, “They are filled with new wine.”

Day of Pentecost was a sign for Israel

The answer to the question asked by the Jews in in verse 12; What does this mean?

A sign that points to the New Covenant empowered by the Spirit.

A sign that tells Israel who they are and what they are for.

Always to bring forth the Messiah.

Always to declare God’s Gospel

A sign that tells them that they are to carry that Gospel to the nations.

Revival of Israel for Spirit empowered mission

The Gospel will go forth, from the Jews, to the Nations

The revival of Israel would come from from a special people by a special sound with a special explanation and a special reaction.

Special People

Go Forth

Acts 2:5 ESV

Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven.

Acts 5:

Context of significance of the unfolding events.

The message is for the Jews (Israel, God’s chosen people).

The gathering of people about to be encountered by the Spirit is exclusively Jewish.

Not just any Jew, devout Jews.

God - fearing Jews is another way of bringing of the emphasis

This adjective is never applied to gentiles in its usages.

Devoted to the Law

Not just good church attenders, they are devoted members.

This group of Jews are representatives.

They are dwelling(staying) in Jerusalem.

The group includes Jews born in Jerusalem.

But this group extends to those from all nations.

Our attention should focus on those who came from other lands and now reside in Jerusalem.

“From every nation under heaven”

Diaspora Jews

This group will also include the pilgrims who have traveled to the Pentecost Feast.

Largest attended pilgrimage feast.

The weather was good fro traveling.

This was Luke’s way of showing the foundation of the Church was from the Jews.

This is exactly what God had always promised in His covenants.

Abraham- “all the earth will be blessed through the seed”

Noah - “

Moses - “ From God’s chosen nation..”

David- “From the linage of David”

This is the reference Paul was making in .

“Gospel is the power of salvation, to the Jew first...”

Transition: Not only were the Jews in Jerusalem, but they were drawn by the Spirit and what they heard left them in bewilderment.

Special Sound

Acts 2:6–7 ESV

And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans?

The sound

The sound they hear is the sound as of a mighty rushing wind.

The Shikanah Glory that filled the upper room has now moved outside.

It was the sound of the Spirit that drew the crowd.

Crowds are drawn, not by persuasive words of men, but by power of the Spirit.

The reaction

They were bewildered.

To cause such astonishment as to dismay; to cause concentration.

They were amazed.

To cause someone to be astonished as to be practically overwhelmed.

They were astonished.

utterly amazed

To be extraordinarily impressed or disturbed by something.

The dismay

Their dismay was because of their ethnic stereotypes.

“ Are not all these speaking Galileans”

Galileans were not known for elegant speech.

This region was known as the back woods, back water, hill billy, country folk of the Jews.

The were not the educated and higher class of the Jews.

That is why Nathaniel said, “can anything good come from Nazareth ( a town in the Galilean region).”

Galileans had a distinct dialect.

alileans had a

Notice that they knew exactly where they were from.

People know we are from the south because of our dialect.

People notice this even more as the travel further south in Louisiana.

This is the dialect noticed by the young girl as Peter tried to deny Christ.

The Reality

God can use everybody, not just the educated upper class.

God can use people who not have elegant speech. - example: Moses

Transition: Not only are these God Fearing Jews confused about the Galileans, but how they hear them in their native language.

Special Explanation

Acts 2:8–12 ESV

And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians—we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.” And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?”

Acts

Mysterious Question

“How is it each one of us hears in our own native language?”

All these Jews could have spoke Aramaic.

The common language for speaking to foreigners was Greek.

Why did they hear in their own native language?

That the Gospel reaches each of them in a language they can most readily embrace and understand.

God is expressing His ultimate plan to “unite people from every tongue and every nation ().”

Is this not always the case? - Share the gosp

The aim of Christianity is to bridge cultures without eroding the diversity they represent.

Christianity is not about forming a perfect race, it is about all races from all nations sharing the common Spirit.

This is achieved at Pentecost as the Spirit becomes the common link in supplying a special message to each nation.

Mighty Works of God

Wonders of God

Referring to the mighty works of God through Jesus Christ.

These wonders of God are found in Christ.

All the prophecies are fulfilled in the death, burial, resurrection, and the ascension of Christ.

Motive behind Pentecost.

The motive is to restore Israel for its purpose.

The Spirit’s focus here is outward, not inward.

The Spirit is focused on empowering for God’s mission.

It is not what can the Spirit do for me, but what will the Spirit empower me to do for the mission of God?

The empowering of the Spirit as a means for verbal proclamation.

That is the purpose of Israel.

Through is Israel God was declared to the nations.

Through Israel the Messiah (the anointed of God) came.

Through Israel the messiah would be declared to the nations.

Return of Israel

the Jews are coming from the four corners of the earth to converge on Jerusalem.

Why? to restore Israel for it’s purpose.

Luke is showing the importance of a complete Israel with the replacement of Judas.

The prophet Ezekiel explains what happened and the return here at Pentecost:

Ezekiel 36:17–20 ESV

“Son of man, when the house of Israel lived in their own land, they defiled it by their ways and their deeds. Their ways before me were like the uncleanness of a woman in her menstrual impurity. So I poured out my wrath upon them for the blood that they had shed in the land, for the idols with which they had defiled it. I scattered them among the nations, and they were dispersed through the countries. In accordance with their ways and their deeds I judged them. But when they came to the nations, wherever they came, they profaned my holy name, in that people said of them, ‘These are the people of the Lord, and yet they had to go out of his land.’

Ezekiel 36:17-20

Israel was scattered by God for her disobedience.

But God would gather them together for His mission.

Ezekiel 37:1–14 ESV

The hand of the Lord was upon me, and he brought me out in the Spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middle of the valley; it was full of bones. And he led me around among them, and behold, there were very many on the surface of the valley, and behold, they were very dry. And he said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” And I answered, “O Lord God, you know.” Then he said to me, “Prophesy over these bones, and say to them, O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. Thus says the Lord God to these bones: Behold, I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. And I will lay sinews upon you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live, and you shall know that I am the Lord.” So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I prophesied, there was a sound, and behold, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to its bone. And I looked, and behold, there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin had covered them. But there was no breath in them. Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, Thus says the Lord God: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.” So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army. Then he said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. Behold, they say, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are indeed cut off.’ Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I will open your graves and raise you from your graves, O my people. And I will bring you into the land of Israel. And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves, and raise you from your graves, O my people. And I will put my Spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I am the Lord; I have spoken, and I will do it, declares the Lord.”

The bones represent Israel. (Nation and Church)

Ezekiel 37:1-14

It is God that draws them together and makes a body.

Sound is similar to the day of Pentecost.

The breath (Spirit) gave the body life. A church is dead without the breath (Spirit)of God to give her life.

Here now stands the army of God ready for mission.

It is the Spirit that is in the House of Israel that will give her life a be the sign that they are God’s people.

Same Spirit and same purpose at Pentecost.

Here is the Mission:

Ezekiel 37:26–28 ESV

I will make a covenant of peace with them. It shall be an everlasting covenant with them. And I will set them in their land and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in their midst forevermore. My dwelling place shall be with them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Then the nations will know that I am the Lord who sanctifies Israel, when my sanctuary is in their midst forevermore.”

Ezekiel 37

That covenant of peace was made by Jesus Christ.

It is an eternal covenant.

Sanctuary is the temple and is now in the midst of the individual.

God would dwell in His people.

This would be a sign to the nations

What was Pentecost for? - A sign to the nations that God’s Spirit is now in the believer as part of the New Covenant inaugurated by Christ.

Transition- while this sign is for all nations not all in those nations react the same.

Special Reaction

Some were amazed and perplexed.

Some stood in amazement and considered what was taking place.

Others made fun of them.

“They are filled with new wine”

New wine indicates that it is not fermented wine. - They were drunk off grape juice.

They were using this expression as a ridicule.

This is the same old reaction.

As the Spirit indwells the believer...

Some will look upon in amazement

And some will make fun of.

Conclusion

We are the New Israel.

Made of people from every nation, race, and tongue.

While we are diverse, we share the same Spirit empowered mission.

The Gospel must go forth.

The Gospel has come from the Jew and been given to us.

We must continue the mission and share it with others.

Some may ridicule, but some will be amazed.

We need a revival like Israel.

We need God to bring us together.

We need God to breath life into us.

We need God to use us as a sign to the nations that Jesus is the Christ!

Acts 1:8 ESV

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

Acts 1

So....

Mark 16:15 ESV

And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.

Mark