Acts 19:1-20
19: And it happened that while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the inland country and came to Ephesus. There he found some disciples. 2 And he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” And they said, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” 3 And he said, “Into what then were you baptized?” They said, “Into John's baptism.” 4 And Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus.” 5 On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 And when Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking in tongues and prophesying. 7 There were about twelve men in all.
8 And he entered the synagogue and for three months spoke boldly, reasoning and persuading them about the kingdom of God. 9 But when some became stubborn and continued in unbelief, speaking evil of the Way before the congregation, he withdrew from them and took the disciples with him, reasoning daily in the hall of Tyrannus. 10 This continued for two years, so that all the residents of Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks.
11 And God was doing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, 12 so that even handkerchiefs or aprons that had touched his skin were carried away to the sick, and their diseases left them and the evil spirits came out of them. 13 Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists undertook to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, “I adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul proclaims.” 14 Seven sons of a Jewish high priest named Sceva were doing this. 15 But the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I recognize, but who are you?” 16 And the man in whom was the evil spirit leaped on them, mastered all of them and overpowered them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. 17 And this became known to all the residents of Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks. And fear fell upon them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was extolled. 18 Also many of those who were now believers came, confessing and divulging their practices. 19 And a number of those who had practiced magic arts brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted the value of them and found it came to fifty thousand pieces of silver. 20 So the word of the Lord continued to increase and prevail mightily.
Reflection
Apollos and some Ephesians had become followers of John the Baptist and had received his baptism. They knew that John pointed beyond himself to Jesus. They apparently knew of Jesus’ life and ministry, and his death and resurrection, but not about the coming of the Spirit at Pentecost and its significance for Christian living (Acts 19:2).
In Acts 2, Jewish believers are filled with the Holy Spirit. In Acts 8, Samaritans are filled with the Spirit after they believe the gospel preached by Philip. In Acts 10 and 11, Peter preaches to Gentiles, who believe and are filled with the Spirit. Here in Acts 19, Paul meets some followers of John the Baptist who didn’t know all that Jesus did and taught, so they believe and are filled with Spirit. This progression shows the ever-expanding scope of the gospel. The Spirit’s ministry is extensive, just as Jesus’ ministry was—including those who previously were excluded or uninformed. Beginning with the disciples, the Holy Spirit brings the good news about Jesus to Jews, to Samaritans, to Gentiles, and to the entire world (cf. Acts 1:8).
Revelation 11:15-19
15 Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.” 16 And the twenty-four elders who sit on their thrones before God fell on their faces and worshiped God, 17 saying,“We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, who is and who was, for you have taken your great power and begun to reign. 18 The nations raged, but your wrath came, and the time for the dead to be judged, and for rewarding your servants, the prophets and saints, and those who fear your name, both small and great, and for destroying the destroyers of the earth.”
19 Then God's temple in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant was seen within his temple. There were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake, and heavy hail.
Reflection
With the blowing of the seventh trumpet, the history of this age comes to an end and the “kingdom of the world” becomes “the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ” (Rev. 11:15). Verse 18 says the nations raged (cf. Ps. 2:1–3)— and the church was persecuted as a result —but God’s wrath finally came, his servants were rewarded, and the wicked were destroyed.
The chapter ends with a fearsome scene of “lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake, and heavy hail” (Rev. 11:19), indicating the broiling anger of God. The darkness and earthquake that occurred with Christ’s death on the cross (Matt. 27:32–54) were also indications that God’s wrath was poured out upon his Son for the sake of sinners. The gospel declares to us that Christ has faced the final judgment on behalf of sinners who turn to him in faith, so that they will not have to face the fury that follows the seventh trumpet.
Psalm 21:8-9
8 Your hand will find out all your enemies; your right hand will find out those who hate you. 9 You will make them as a blazing oven when you appear. The Lord will swallow them up in his wrath, and fire will consume them.
Never downplay the reality and the seriousness of God’s wrath against sin. Pray that your awareness of God’s wrath would grow so that you will appreciate the sacrifice of Christ more fully and share the good news of God’s grace more eagerly.