Baptism of the Holy Ghost    

All four gospels refer to the baptism of the Holy Ghost. Since very few things are spoken of in all four gospels, we understand that the baptism of the Holy Ghost is very significant. We quote from the book of Matthew: Matt. 3:11 “I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire: 12 Whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” Please note that this passage along with the passage in Luke speak of both baptizing with the Holy Ghost and with fire.

To get a better understanding of the baptism of the Holy Ghost it is helpful to understand the use of the “cloud” in the Old Testament. The cloud is used as a symbol or type of the Holy Ghost. When the children of Israel began to depart from Egypt, there was a cloud that went before them by day and a pillar of fire by night:

1. Ex. 13:21 “And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night:”

2. Ex. 13:22 “He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people.”

3. Ex. 14:19 “And the angel of God, which went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them; and the pillar of the cloud went from before their face, and stood behind them:”

4. Ex. 14:24 “And it came to pass, that in the morning watch the LORD looked unto the host of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and of the cloud, and troubled the host of the Egyptians,”

5. Num. 12:5 “And the LORD came down in the pillar of the cloud, and stood in the door of the tabernacle, and called Aaron and Miriam: and they both came forth.”

6. Num. 14:14 “And they will tell it to the inhabitants of this land: for they have heard that thou LORD art among this people, that thou LORD art seen face to face, and that thy cloud standeth over them, and that thou goest before them, by day time in a pillar of a cloud, and in a pillar of fire by night.”

7. Deu. 31:15 “And the LORD appeared in the tabernacle in a pillar of a cloud: and the pillar of the cloud stood over the door of the tabernacle.”

8. Neh. 9:19 “Yet thou in thy manifold mercies forsookest them not in the wilderness: the pillar of the cloud departed not from them by day, to lead them in the way; neither the pillar of fire by night, to show them light, and the way wherein they should go.”

While none of these verses speak specifically about an immersion by either the cloud or the fire, yet we see a very strong correlation between the cloud and the fire.

The scriptures also tell us that the LORD and the glory of the LORD appeared in the cloud:

1. Ex. 13:21 “And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night:”

2. Ex. 16:10 “And it came to pass, as Aaron spake unto the whole congregation of the children of Israel, that they looked toward the wilderness, and, behold, the glory of the LORD appeared in the cloud.”

Now the cloud was not the LORD nor the glory of the LORD, yet they were in the cloud. Likewise it is through the Holy Spirit that we see the Lord Jesus Christ and we see the glory of the Lord today.

When the children of Israel completed the building of the tabernacle and it and all the furniture were complete and in place we see the Lord dedicating the tabernacle: Ex. 40:33 “And he reared up the court round about the tabernacle and the altar, and set up the hanging of the court gate. So Moses finished the work. 34 Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. 35 And Moses was not able to enter into the tent of the congregation, because the cloud abode thereon, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.” Notice that the cloud covered the tent and filled the tabernacle. The tabernacle was immersed in and by the cloud. Furthermore, we learn in Numbers chapter 9 that the fire was also upon the tabernacle when it was dedicated: Num. 9:15 “And on the day that the tabernacle was reared up the cloud covered the tabernacle, namely, the tent of the testimony: and at even there was upon the tabernacle as it were the appearance of fire, until the morning.”

Next, we go to the dedication of the temple. The temple was not dedicated until it was completed. 2 Chron. 7:1 “Now when Solomon had made an end of praying, the fire came down from heaven, and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the LORD filled the house. 2 And the priests could not enter into the house of the LORD, because the glory of the LORD had filled the LORD'S house. 3 And when all the children of Israel saw how the fire came down, and the glory of the LORD upon the house, they bowed themselves with their faces to the ground upon the pavement, and worshipped, and praised the LORD, saying, For he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever.” Once again, we note that the glory of the LORD by means of the cloud had immersed and filled the temple and fire had come down and consumed the sacrifice.

One thing both the tabernacle and the temple had in common was that they were both called the “house of God.” In this gospel day the church is referred to as the “house of God:” 1 Tim. 3:15 “But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.” Now both the tabernacle and the temple were immersed by the cloud and fire when they were dedicated and they were called the house of God, it stands to reason that the church would also be dedicated and immersed when it was finished. The church did not begin on the day of Pentecost, but the church was first completed beforehand and then dedicated on the day of Pentecost.

Before we continue to study the particulars in Acts chapter 2 of the baptism of the Holy Ghost, I point out that “fire” in the scriptures is most frequently associated with the judgment of God.

Now let us go back to our passage in Matthew chapter 3:11 “I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire: 12 Whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” Please note that chaff is a waste product of the wheat. At the threshing of wheat the wheat grain is separated from the chaff. The wheat grain is gathered into the garner and the chaff is burned up. In the above illustration, the wheat grain is typical of God’s covenant children. The chaff is typical of their sins. When Christ died on the cross the sins of God’s elect was consumed with unquenchable fire. This was essential for us to have a righteous standing before God and to have a home in eternal glory.

Now let us go to Acts chapter 2 which we are plainly told depicts the baptism of the Holy Ghost. Acts 2:1 “And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. 3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. 5 And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven. 6 Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language. 7 And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans? 8 And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?” The church at Jerusalem was gathered together in a house on the day of Pentecost. I point this out so as to note that the house was not the church but that the church was in the house. It was the members of the church that were immersed and filled with the Holy Ghost on the day of Pentecost. The Lord had already finished the church before the day of Pentecost. The last thing that took place in the finishing of the church was that Christ had to atone for our sins, which he did on the cross of Calvary.

Now it is clear that the Holy Ghost had immersed the members and filled the members of the church on the day of Pentecost, but where was the fire? The fire was in this statement: “And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” Now the cloven tongues does not mean that their literal tongues in the mouth was separated into parts, but the usage of the word, “tongue,” in the scriptures for the most part has reference to languages. This explains what happened on this day. The disciples spoke in their own language and people of seventeen different languages each heard what was said in their native language. Thus the language of the disciples was separated (cloven) into the seventeen different languages of those gathered on the day of Pentecost. This was the miraculous working of the Holy Spirit. There were no unknown languages spoken on the day of Pentecost. You may ask, “But where was the fire?” The fire was in the message spoken. If you follow what Peter preached on that day, you find that he spoke of the judgment of sin by the Lord Jesus Christ on behalf of his people. Since, fire is associated with judgment, the gospel is a fiery message. It declares that God has burned up the chaff (our sins) with unquenchable fire (Christ’s suffering on the cross of Calvary).

The church wasn’t just dedicated among the Jews, but it was also dedicated among the Gentiles at the house of Cornelius: when a similar occurrence happened at the house of Cornelius who was a Gentile as well as those with him, Peter described those things to us in Acts chapter 11: 15 “And as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at the beginning. 16 Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how that he said, John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost. 17 Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as he did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand God? 18 When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.”

The tabernacle was dedicated one time and the temple was dedicated one time. The church among the Jews was dedicated one time and the church among the Gentiles was dedicated one time. There is no need to rededicate the church over and over again. Since it was God who did the dedicating and God is perfect and what he does is perfect, it stands to reason that one dedication is enough for ever.