In Genesis I, we discover God’s power in creation. In the book of Exodus, we can find God’s power at Mount Sinai. God spoke to 3 million Jews. He calls Moses up the mountain to meet Him, where Moses was given the Ten Commandments. Can you think of any other example in the Old Testament where God displays his power?
Yeshua’s four-runner, John the Baptist, used God’s power to call the Israelites to repentance. He used God’s power by baptizing people in the River Jordan. After his resurrection, Jesus appears to the disciples in the upper room. Do you recall what his first words were to those who assembled? His first words were “peace be with you”. Last month, Pope Leo also reiterated those words: “peace be with you”.
Jesus also met and walked along with the disciples on the road to Emmaus. They did not recognize him until the breaking of the bread. At that point, they went back to Jerusalem to inform the disciples that they had met the risen Lord.
On June 1st, the church celebrates Pentecost. In Hebrew, it is known as Shavuot, meaning weeks. This feast is celebrated 50 days after Passover (7 weeks + 1 day). It starts at sunset on June 1st and goes until nightfall on June 3rd.
What were 120 people thinking as they gathered in the upper room? They were thinking of the 1,500th anniversary of the giving of the Ten Commandments at Mt. Sinai. They were thanking God the Father for his thankfulness. As faithful Hebrews, they prayed three times a day. They also examined the Torah for prophecies that Yeshua fulfilled, such as Isaiah 52. Can you think of any Psalm that relates to Jesus’ prophecy?
We tend to think of our lives as chapters, but God views them as a continuum. The peace that Yeshua gave to his disciples after his resurrection now revealed his power at Pentecost. God’s power begins with peace. The world’s definition of peace would be the absence of conflict. God the Father’s peace, or Shalom, means wholeness; wholeness in our minds, creations, body, and spirit. Ask God the Father to send the Holy Spirit to give you his peace at Pentecost.
Mary Bludnicki