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8. The Descent of the Heavenly Light on Men
After the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, and shortly before His ascension to heaven, He instructed His disciples to await together the promise of the Father, so that they would obtain power when the Holy Spirit descends on them.
Christ died and arose from the dead to give us peace with God. He has purified us from all our sins so that the Holy Spirit can live in us. Indeed, the death of Christ was the reason for our illumination.
After Christ’s ascension to heaven, His followers met in prayer in obedience to Christ’s command. On the tenth day they heard the sound of a strong wind around them. However, the leaves of the trees did not move and neither did anyone feel the wind blowing. There was no lightning. But suddenly they saw flames of fire. They looked around them but did not notice anything burning. The flames then split into tongues and hovered over each of those present. Everyone was filled with the Holy Spirit and this was that momentous hour of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit descended on the followers of Christ.
The risen Christ did not hold on to His life or His glory for Himself only, but also desired to give His Spirit to all who asked for it. In this way He fulfilled His sure promise:
Obtaining the Holy Spirit is the right of everyone, who opens himself to the gospel of Christ. His atoning death purchased the right of grace to all who believe in Him. You too are chosen to receive God’s Holy Spirit, if you repent of your sins and believe in the blood of the Lamb of God, who redeemed you eternally.
The outpouring of the Holy Spirit was one of God's promises in the Old Testament, known to all of the believers of that time. And God fulfilled His promises after the ascension of Christ. All believers have looked forward to the moment concerning which He inspired the prophet Ezekiel to say:
Jesus did not want to leave His loved ones as orphans, but came to them in the Person of His Spirit. Since that time, the peals of thankfulness and praise ring round the earth. The Holy Spirit does not demand intelligence, or wealth or high degrees in order to indwell a man. All he needs is a repentant heart, prepared to receive Him and believe in Jesus Christ.