BibleTech

What is Pentecost?

Pentecost means to count 50. Leviticus 23:15-16 tells us to count 50 days from the day after the Sabbath during Unleavened Bread when the wave sheaf offering was made. This requires some biblical understanding about the Sabbath, Feast of Unleavened Bread, and the wave sheaf offering which will be discussed in future articles. The Sabbath is a day of rest and is always on the seventh day of the week (Lev. 23:3). The seventh day of the week by today’s calendar system is Saturday. Therefore the day after the Sabbath (Saturday) will be Sunday, and when you count 50 days from Sunday you will always land on a Sunday. This particular day is also a day of rest where no work is to be done on it (Lev. 23:21).

Pentecost is also called the Feast of First Fruits and Feast of Weeks. It is called the former because we are told to offer the first fruits of our harvest before God, which is part of the wave sheaf offering. It is known as the latter because we are to count 7 weeks from the wave sheaf offering.

Why 50 days? Did God pick the number at random?

Only God knows exactly why this number was chosen, but we can gain a pretty good understanding of why we count 50 days from looking at the scriptures. We know that in Genesis God created the seven day week, and thereby seven being the number of completion or perfection which is repeated every week. Fifty days is a product of 7 days multiplied by 7 weeks plus 1 day. Based on this understanding we can see that something has been completed in the 49 days and then something new has started on the 50th day.

What are Land Sabbaths?

Let’s look at the example God gave us regarding the land Sabbaths (Lev. 25:8-55). The Israelites were told to farm their land for 6 years and then let the land rest on the seventh year. This cycle was to be completed seven times which would be 49 years. The 50th year, or the year of Jubilee, is also a year of rest for the land and no farming is to be done. It’s called the year of Jubilee because all debts are forgiven and people return to their property they sold during the past 49 years. This makes the people very happy! The same principal has been applied where it has been a complete cycle of 49 and then the 50th instance is a time for rejoicing (Deut. 16:9-12).

Joshua and the Israelites fulfilled Leviticus 23:10.

The Israelites were told in Leviticus 23:10 to offer the wave sheaf offering when they entered the promised land. We see that in Joshua 5:10-12 the Israelites did not have to work for the produce of the land and were able to eat the first fruits of the land on the same day the wave sheaf was to be offered. This was possible because the land was a gift from God.

Did Jesus observe Pentecost?

Not only did Jesus observe Pentecost while He was flesh and blood, but He also commanded His disciples to observe it even after His resurrection! The disciples were told to stay in Jerusalem until Pentecost to receive the “Promise of the Father” (Acts 1:4) which is to be “baptized with the Holy Spirit…” (Acts 1:5).

We read in Acts 2:1-4 that a rushing wind swept through the building, tongues of fire sat on each of their heads, they were filled with the Holy Spirit, and were able to speak in tongues. Some people have misunderstood speaking in tongues to just spouting out a bunch of gibberish, but we can clearly see that the disciples were speaking coherently in other languages (Acts 2:5-11).

This baptism on Pentecost pictured something new that had never been done before. It is the beginning of the time where the Holy Spirit will be given to those who believe Jesus died for our sins and was resurrected. These disciples in Acts are the “first fruits” of this new era of going out and preaching the Gospel of the coming Kingdom of God to the whole world!

Peter immediately preached a sermon to those around the disciples to repent of their sins and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ (Acts 2:38). The Holy Spirit gave Peter and the other disciples a boldness for preaching the Gospel because only 50 days earlier Peter denied knowing Christ three times (Matt. 26:75).

How do we observe Pentecost today?

We do not offer sacrifices to God anymore since Christ is our living sacrifice. However we are to observe the day as a holy convocation, a day of rest, and to give an offering to God. The disciples gathered together in one accord, in one place as we read in Acts 2. Our observance should be the same by gathering together with fellow brethren to observe this very special day.

Are you currently in a church that observes Pentecost? Pentecost is very important to Jesus Christ as well as the founding of the early Church. This day should be important to all Christians as it is one of the seven Holy Days that God commands us to keep each and every year (Lev. 23:21, Ex. 34:22, Ex. 23:16).

Quick summary of Pentecost:
- It is always observed on a Sunday
- It is a day of rest from our regular work
- Observed 50 days from the wave sheaf offering
- An offering is made to God
- It is a Feast
- Time of rejoicing
- A release from all debts
- Holy Spirt given to the Church
- Pictures repentance and baptism