There’s another passage. This time in Acts, chapter 2, and beginning with verse 25, a quotation from David. Peter said, “For David speaketh concerning Him, ‘I foresaw the Lord always before My face, for He is on My right hand, that I should not be moved: 26 Therefore did My heart rejoice, and My tongue was glad; moreover also My flesh shall rest in hope: 27 Because Thou wilt not leave My soul in Hades [or, hell], neither wilt Thou suffer Thine Holy One to see corruption’” [Acts 2:25-27]. These words were written, give or take, a thousand years before Christ. Now, what is the meaning of it? Who is the “Lord” that David foresaw? What does it mean that “He is on My right hand, that I should not be moved”? What does it mean that “My flesh shall rest in hope…that My soul will not be left in Hades” and that the “Holy One” will not be allowed to suffer “corruption”? Now, without the events and the statements of Pentecost, what do these verses say? What is he talking about?

Now, I think the point that we’re developing is quite clear. God knew what the fulfillment of the Words of Joel and David were. Men did not understand that. And yet, as the Day of Pentecost continued, there emerged an understanding…an understanding wherein the fulfillment of these prophecies was presented. And it was presented in such a way that the people could see clearly that, this is what the Scripture says, and this is its fulfillment. God knew; He told it properly—correctly; we did not understand it; now we do. That becomes a most valuable thought for me to hold, and for you to hold: What God has said on a subject is TRUE. I may not understand that. I may not even believe it. I may even refuse to read it. Doesn’t change it. The fact IS what the fact IS!

For example: What does one believe about Genesis 1:1, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth”? Is that true? Or, is that not true? If one believes that passage is true, he will look at this world from an entirely different standpoint to that occupied by people who do not believe it. You see, what is tied up with Genesis 1:1 is an understanding, not just of a passage in the Bible, but an entire understanding of the origin of the world and the nature of the world. And when one looks at the world from the standpoint of Genesis, he sees it from an entirely different vantage point from one who rejects that.

Now, does one believe that? Or, that Jesus was born of the virgin, Mary? That is called into question, if not denied, by many theologians today. [They say,] “No! That could not have happened! It is a biological impossibility. It could not be!? Well, when I come to those statements in Matthew 1 and Luke 3 and other allusions, what do I think about what the Bible says? If I believe it, then I have won understanding of the nature of Christ when He came into this world. When I don’t believe that, that begins to affect not only what I think about Jesus, but it also affects what I think about these Words in the Bible. If they’re not true, why are they in the Bible? And if these Words concerning the virgin birth are not true, what about verses on other matters concerning Jesus and other matters?

Or, take the statement in the Great Commission: “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; he that believeth not shall be damned” [Mark 16:16]. Do I believe that? If I do believe that as written, there are, in this passage, two prerequisites to salvation: belief and baptism. Without submission in faith and baptism to the command of Jesus Christ, there is, in this passage, no promise of salvation. But, if a person says, “No, I just don’t believe that. I don’t believe that at all. I don’t think baptism is necessary for salvation,” well…you’ve got an entirely different understanding, not just of that passage, but of many, many other passages that cannot be made to fit with the rejection of what is IN this one passage.

FIRST LESSON: What God has said is TRUE.

Now, on the day of Pentecost, that was the Truth held in common between Peter and the apostles and other disciples AND the 3,000 on that day.

A SECOND LESSON to think about: Man’s confusion without revelation. It’s interesting, in this early chapter [Acts, chapter 2], when the Holy Spirit came, those who saw and heard were not only impressed, they were absolutely confounded. For example, in verse 6, “Now when this (the coming of the Holy Spirit and subsequent events) was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded (confused; could not make sense of it)…” Further, “They were amazed and marveled,”verse 7. They could not put this into their own frame of reference. They were hearing men speak in the tongues wherein they were born [verse 8]. In verse 12, “What meaneth this?” They were totally confused.

Now, that’s an amazing thing to think about. There are those today who make remarkable claims about the Holy Spirit doing this, or that, or the other. How…do…you…KNOW that what you claim IS the work of the Holy Spirit is IN FACT the Holy Spirit? On the day of Pentecost, the presence and power of the Holy Spirit, apart from the explanation given by Peter and the rest of the apostles, brought about confusion, amazement and doubt and ceaseless questions.

What was the way this matter was made plain? Well, notice the Words that are found down in verse 14: “Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words…” Hearken! Listen! Hear! Learn!

Again, down in verse 22: “Ye men of Israel, hear these words…”

Again, down in verses 36-37: “Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, Whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. 37 Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?”

In verse 38, “Then Peter said unto them…”

Verse 40, “And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying…”

In verse 41, “Then they that gladly received his word were baptized…”