In 2025, the Hebrew calendar marks Pentecost (Shavuot) on Sunday, June 1—the fiftieth day after Passover and the seventh Sunday, perfectly aligning with God’s command in Leviticus 23. The monumental significance of what happened on that particular day, as described in Acts 2, cannot be overstated. The record begins with the words, “And when the day of Pentecost was fully come…”
Reflect on that phrase from God’s perspective through time. He anguished as His first created man defied His simple commands, ushering sin and self-centeredness into humanity. He sorrowed as the firstborn of mankind took the life of his own brother. He mourned when humanity became so tainted by evil infiltration (Nephilim) that He had to cleanse the earth with a flood, preserving only eight souls to begin anew. Later, He set Israel apart as His chosen people, yet their persistent idolatry brought Him deep sorrow.
In His patience with free-willed humanity, God waited approximately 4,000 years after Adam to bring forth the promised Savior (Genesis 3:15). He then endured the anguish of watching His beloved son suffer torture and execution. Seventy-two hours later, He raised His Son to newness of life and joyfully revealed to him the greatest secret He had ever kept: the Body of Christ, the “one new man” (Ephesians 2:15)—believers filled with holy spirit, permanently saved, and assured of being gathered together when the Lord appears to meet us “in the air” (1 Thessalonians 4:17).
Fifty days after the Resurrection, God appointed His son to pour out His gift upon the first believers, including many of Jesus’ dearest friends. Imagine the joy God must have felt as that long-awaited day finally arrived! It was at that moment, with the dawn of this “administration of the secret,” that His grand plan was set in motion—one that would ultimately lead to a perfected people dwelling on a perfected earth for all eternity.
Acts chapters 1 and 2 illuminate the foundational moments of early Christianity, dispelling common misconceptions about Pentecost. Contrary to the traditional image of 120 disciples crammed into an upper room, Scripture indicates they were gathered in the Temple—a vast public space—during the Feast of Weeks. This public display, reminiscent of Paul’s assertion that the Resurrection “was not done in a corner” (Acts 26:26), underscored the significance of the ekklesia’s birth, ensuring its widespread recognition.
Acts 1:14 offers a poignant glimpse into the gathering, noting the presence of “the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren.” Mary, a witness to her son’s crucifixion, must have experienced profound emotions upon seeing him after the Resurrection. What intimate conversations transpired before his ascension? And how did Jesus feel witnessing his mother and other dear friends speaking in tongues on Pentecost?
But where was Joseph through all this? The absence of Joseph from key events—the wedding at Cana, the attempt to retrieve Jesus by his family, and the crucifixion where Jesus entrusted Mary to a disciple—suggests his passing during Jesus’s ministry. This detail adds a layer of anticipation to the Lord’s return. At the Rapture, Mary will be resurrected, and later, Joseph will join her when Jesus establishes his earthly kingdom. This reunion will surely be a moment of profound joy.
Pentecost also serves as a counterpoint to the events at Babel. Genesis 11 describes humanity’s attempt to build a unified, rebellious world order, resulting in God confusing their languages and scattering them. Conversely, Pentecost saw God reversing this division. Not by restoring a single language, but by empowering believers to speak in diverse tongues, transforming rebellious speech into a chorus of praise. This foreshadows a future unity, perhaps a single language, when the Lord gathers us to heaven and returns with us.
However, the most transformative aspect of Pentecost was the establishment of permanent salvation through the new birth, as detailed in Romans 10:9 and 1 Peter 1:23. God chose speaking in tongues as the definitive sign of this eternal salvation. This biblical truth offers a powerful answer to the question, “How do I know if I’m truly saved?”
While some correctly point to Romans 10:9, others offer incomplete or misleading answers, confusing one’s standing as a child of God with one’s state of fellowship. Being born again and receiving the holy spirit is instantaneous, while sanctification is a lifelong process of transformation. God’s gift of His divine nature guarantees salvation. However, because we cannot physically perceive it, He provides a tangible assurance: speaking in tongues.
The manifestation of speaking in tongues serves as a powerful, multifaceted testament to core Christian beliefs. It validates the veracity of God’s Word, demonstrating the reality of supernatural intervention and strengthening our trust in all scriptural promises. As a direct result of Jesus’s victory over death and ascension, it confirms his Lordship and the triumph over mortality. Further, it acts as a tangible expression of the indwelling power that raised Jesus, providing a foretaste of our future resurrection and the transformation of our mortal bodies. This indwelling power empowers believers to live beyond their natural limitations and operate in the nine manifestations of the spirit, as outlined in 1 Corinthians 12:8-10.
This assurance is further solidified by the concept of arrabon, the Greek word for foretaste, pledge, or guarantee. As detailed in 2 Corinthians 1:18-22, the holy spirit seals our salvation and acts as the arrabon of our inheritance. In 2 Corinthians 5:1-5, the spirit guarantees the future transformation of our bodies, and in Ephesians 1:11-14, the spirit serves as the arrabon of our eternal inheritance in Christ. In essence, speaking in tongues, coupled with the understanding of arrabon, provides believers with an undeniable, tangible assurance of their salvation and the hope of eternal life, acting as a down payment and a constant reminder of God’s unwavering commitment.
Scripture affirms the enduring and unchangeable nature of received salvation, warning against the deception that Christ’s work is incomplete and salvation can be forfeited. This belief is grounded in the sufficiency of Christ’s sacrificial atonement, which Hebrews 10:10-14 describes as a definitive act of perfection for those sanctified. The promise of “eternal life” in John 3:16 further underscores this permanence, suggesting a lasting state that contradicts the notion of conditional salvation. The sealing of the holy spirit, as depicted in Ephesians 1:13-14 and 4:30, reinforces this security, acting as a divine guarantee and a mark of God’s ownership until the day of redemption.
Moreover, God’s unchanging nature, as affirmed in Numbers 23:19 and Romans 8:38-39, ensures the reliability of His promises and the impossibility of separation from His love. Finally, the concept of the new birth, as described in 1 Peter 1:23 and John 3, signifies a fundamental, irreversible transformation wrought by God, not by human effort. The permanence of salvation is convincingly demonstrated through the combined power of Christ’s accomplished redemption, the indwelling of the holy spirit, God’s unwavering reliability, and the life-altering experience of the new birth.
As you speak in tongues today, meditate on these truths and rejoice in the assurance of God’s promises. And as you do, remember this: Pentecost is not just a historical milestone or a doctrinal cornerstone—it’s a deeply personal gift from the Father’s heart to yours. In a world filled with uncertainty, He has given you an unshakable pledge of His love, His power, and His presence. Every time you speak in tongues, it is a divine reminder that you are known, chosen, and sealed for the age to come. You are part of something eternal—God’s masterpiece unfolding through time—and one day soon, you will rise to meet the Lord in the air, forever embraced in the joy that He planned before the foundations of the world.
In His enduring grace,
