While Peter was still saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word. And the believers from among the circumcised who had come with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out even on the Gentiles. For they were hearing them speaking in tongues and extolling God. Then Peter declared, “Can anyone withhold water for baptizing these people, who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to remain for some days.
The heading over the above verses in the ESV Bible reads, The Holy Spirit Falls on the Gentiles. To the Jewish believer this must have been such a sad moment. But to those of us who are NOT Jews, this is one of the most powerful and uplifting verses in all the Bible. Salvation comes to the Gentiles!! It should be noted that this event is taking place in a Gentile Centurion’s home named, Cornelius. If you remember the story, Cornelius had a dream to send for Peter to explain to him more fully the gospel. Cornelius was a devote believer in Yahweh but didn’t know about Jesus, the Son of God, dying for his sins. At the same time Cornelius had his dream, Peter also had a vision that even though in the past some foods were unclean, God had made them, now, clean. The food vision was just a way to teach Peter an important truth. This was a picture for Peter for what he was about to learn. Here are Peter’s words when he had his own revelation of this important truth:
Acts 10:28, 34-35 (ESV)
V. 28 - And he said to them, “You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a Jew to associate with or to visit anyone of another nation, but God has shown me that I should not call any person common or unclean.
V. 34-35
So Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.
Peter spoke the gospel to Cornelius and he believes. At that moment the Holy Spirit falls upon him and those in his house who also believed. This is the gateway story for all future Gentiles to know that God has indeed come to save all mankind. Jesus is not just the king of the Jews. He is the savior of the world. All Gentiles who read the above passage ought to break out in praise that God came to save Jews and Gentiles. Yes, Israel may be God’s chosen people (and He is not finished with them yet). But God came to build His church and that includes all people, tribe and tongue.
Revelation 7:9-10 (ESV)
After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”
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