Acts 2:1-4

The Holy Spirit does not have photo ID.  However, on the day of Pentecost he clearly identified himself to everyone.  He wanted there to be no question; the spirit of God was in their midst.  He used three signs that were very familiar to the Jewish people.

First, He came with the sound of a rushing mighty wind.  Everyone who heard it knew wind was associated with the presence of God. Both the Hebrew word “ruah” and the Greek word “pneuma” mean either “wind” or “spirit,” depending on the context. Ezekiel had prophesied about wind, as the breath of God, blowing over the dry bones in the valley of his vision, and filling them with new life (Eze 37:9-14) Judaism believed that the final Messianic age would be ushered in by the wind of God’s spirit.  On the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit with wind proclaimed,” Here I am.”

Second, He came as flames of fire.  Fire revealed the presence of God’s spirit in the burning bush, the pillar of fire that guided Israel by night, the consuming fire on Mount Sinai and the fire that hovered over the wilderness tabernacle.  Throughout history, fire had marked the presence of the Holy Spirit upon Israel as a whole, or upon its leaders.  On Pentecost, the Holy Spirit set upon every single believer individually.  Believers no longer experience God’s spirit through the congregation; God’s spirit is present in the congregation through the believers.

Third, the Jews believed Old Testament prophets preached under the influence of the spirit of God.  On this day of Pentecost the Jews believed the day of prophecy was over, and now God only spoke through the Torah.  The Holy Spirit made it clear that he still speaks.  He spoke to the believers, and then he spoke through them as they proclaimed the gospel.

Today the Holy Spirit does not need a photo ID.  He introduces himself when he leads us to Christ.  When we accept Christ as savior, the Holy Spirit remains as our counselor.