The Feast of Pentecost (Shavuot) is a one-day feast of thanksgiving to God for providing bread to eat, the Torah on Mount Sanai, and the Holy Spirit.
Echoes in Scripture of Pentecost
Leviticus 23:15-21 outlines the feast in which Israelites were to present a wave offering of two loaves of wheat. This expressed thanksgiving to God for His provision. It showed they were dependent on Him for bread to eat.
After the Israelites were scattered out of the land, and they could no longer celebrate the holiday as a harvest festival in the same way, Shavuot (Pentecost) became a memorial to God giving the Torah on Mount Sanai (Exodus 19:16-20). Jewish scholars believe God’s people actually saw God’s voice coming from the mountain in tongues of fire (Booker, 94).
It was this same day that (Acts 2:1-8) Jesus’s followers experienced tongues of fire when the Holy Spirit came to indwell them and they experienced tongues of fire of their own. They were able to proclaim the good news about Jesus (Yeshua in Hebrew) to the multitudes of Jewish people who had come from great distances all around to celebrate the feast.
A Short Summary of the Spring Feasts
The Spring feasts were all holidays God called His followers to celebrate since the time of Moses. These were all fulfilled in Jesus, and are a great reminder every year of many echoes from the past that help us know God from all He has done throughout history, and especially in the face of His son Jesus.
Passover
- 14th of Nisan
- Reminds us of God passing over His people in the death of the firstborn in Egypt as He miraculously delivered them from slavery.
- Jesus was crucified at the time when the Passover lamb was sacrificed.
- We remember our death with Him to the old way of living and our birth into new life. Romans 6:4
Unleavened Bread
- 15-21 of Nisan
- Reminds us of how the Israelites fled Egypt and were not able to add leaven to their bread as God miraculously delivered them from slavery.
- Jesus was buried in the tomb during the feast of Unleavened Bread.
- We focus on getting the “leaven” or sin out of our own lives. It is a putting off of the old way of life. Ephesians 4:22-24
Firstfruits
- 17-18 of Nisan. It is celebrated the day after a Sabbath- so on a Sunday
- Reminds us of the day the Hebrews brought the first sheaves (or “omer,” which is about two quarts) of the barley harvest as a wave offering before the Lord. It consecrated their whole harvest to God, recognizing it all comes from Him.
- Jesus was raised from the dead early on the day of Firstfruits (Remember, Hebrew days begin in the evening at sunset).
- We focus on putting on the new. Ephesians 4:22-24
We count the omer 50 days from Firstfruits to Shavuot.
Shavuot (Pentacost)
- 6th of Sivan. It is 50 days from the resurrection (Firstfruits) to Pentecost (Shavuot)
- Reminds us of the Hebrew people bringing the first sheaves (or omer) of the wheat harvest as a wave offering before the Lord. It also reminds us of God providing His living Word- the Torah on Mount Sanai. This event is reminiscent of a Hebrew wedding.
- Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to indwell His people and give them power to make Him known to the world on this day. Acts 2:1-8
- We celebrate the New Covenant of God’s Living Word written on our hearts and the dwelling of Holy Spirit in us to help us know God and make Him known.
Acts 2:1-8
“When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3 And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested[a] on each one of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.
5 Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. 6 And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. 7 And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language?”
Betrothal and Wedding
The betrothal in ancient times looked back to Adonai’s betrothal to Israel on Mt. Sinai and forward to the New Marriage Covenant that Bridegroom Yeshua would make with His blood. Want to know more about this? Read the next article coming out later this week.
So, What is Shavuot/Pentecost all About?
Ultimately, Shavuot reminds us of God’s loving commitment to us to free us from our own slavery to sin and brokenness and to invite us into a loving relationship with Him for all eternity. He seals that promise with His very self as the Holy Spirit comes to dwell in us until we go to dwell with Him for all eternity.
It echoes of God’s provision for our greatest needs from the very beginning- for bread for our bodies and bread for our souls. He provided His Word on Mount Sanai, and His Word written on our hearts in the form of Holy Spirit.
For More Information:
Check out Dr. Richard Booker’s book Celebrating Jesus in the Biblical Feasts
I plan to write more about Biblical Feasts in the future. Subscribe so you don’t miss these!
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Primary Source: Dr. Richard Booker’s book Celebrating Jesus in the Biblical Feasts
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