The Feast of Pentecost
 The Significance of The Feast of Pentecost
Summary
Shavuot—the Feast of Weeks or Harvest (Pentecost) is unique in that it has double significance:
- It marked the end of the barley harvest, and beginning of the wheat harvest—or “fullness” of the harvest;
- It marked the day the Torah, or covenant law was given to Moses.
Celebrated 50 days after Passover, this feast has special significance. This time served to link the deliverance from the bondage of Egypt to the giving of the Torah, or God’s covenant law. It, therefore, serves as a reminder that the redemption from bondage was not fully complete until God’s people had received the fullness of God’s covenant word and order, or law.
Since 50 also signifies a time of jubilee according to the covenant (legal cancellation of debts, indentured relationships and restoration of land), this feast represents the shadow of a special time of jubilee.
Following Messiah’s resurrection, the disciples had been spending time with one another in prayers and devotion. While they were celebrating this feast, a sound from the sky like the roar of a violent wind came and filled the whole house where they were. The disciples were “filled with the Spirit,” as recorded in Acts 2.
On Shavuot—Pentecost—their lives were transformed by the Holy Spirit! In their devotions and celebration, God’s Word connected with His Spirit and brought completion—or fullness—to the revelation of God’s covenant. It therefore, brought fulfillment to Isaiah’s prophecy expressing the fullness of God’s covenant.
(Isaiah 59:21)
Life Application Questions
In what ways do you celebrate—and express gratefulness—for the covenant gifts God has given you—His Word and Spirit?
Scripture References
Leviticus 23:15-22; Exodus 23:16; 34:22; Exodus 19; Acts 2
Book References
Faith and Fables: p. 22-24; 52; 58-59; 81; 101-103
Sons and Servants: p. 3; 11; 14; 24-26; 39-40; 44-46
The Practice of The Feast of Pentecost
Summary
Shavuot—the Feast of Weeks or Harvest (Pentecost in the Greek) was originally celebrated to mark the fullness of the harvest. It also has become the celebration of the giving of God’s Word, for Moses was given the law during this time. As he read to the people, they declared, “All that the LORD has said we will do, and be obedient.” (Exodus 24:7 NKJV) They, therefore, rededicated themselves to following God’s Word, and renewed their faith in God.
It was during this feast that the disciples were first filled with the Holy Spirit. As much as Messiah fulfilled the Feast of First-fruits by being the first fruits of those resurrected in the newness of life redeemed by His sacrificial blood, the infilling of the Holy Spirit represented the fullness of God’s new covenant revealed; and also marked the rededication of the believer’s life from a walk under the law of sin and death to a walk of the Spirit—under the law of the Spirit. (Romans 8:2)
For this reason, Paul declared, “But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.” (Galatians 5:18 NKJV) In other words, you are not in subjection to the system that results from perverting God’s law into legalism.
In order to maintain the vitality of the Spirit, Paul further exhorted the disciples to be continually filled with the Spirit. (Ephesians 5:18) This is accomplished by regular reading and meditation of God’s Word, and communing with God, praying in the Holy Spirit. It also involves reaching and releasing outward towards others—giving away what God has given to you, so He can refill His reservoirs within you with more of His substance!
Life Application Questions
In what ways do you continuously renew and rededicate yourself to God? How open are you to new revelations of truth God would offer you?
Scripture References
Joshua 1:8; Philippians 4:8-9; 1Timothy 4:12-16
Book References
Faith and Fables: p. 84; 151-161
Sons and Servants: p. 49-52; 72-76; 90-91; 99-102; 122-123
Messiah's Fulfillment of The Feast of Pentecost
Summary
Shavuot—the Feast of Weeks or Harvest (Pentecost) was originally celebrated to mark the fullness of the harvest. It also has become the celebration of the giving of God’s Word, for Moses was given the law during this time.
On the day the disciples were celebrating this feast, they experienced the glorification of Messiah in a new way—through the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. In His final great prayer, Messiah declared to the Father, “I glorified you on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do. 5 Now, Father, glorify me alongside yourself. Give me the same glory I had with you before the world existed.” (John 17:4-5 JNT)
He knew His resurrection would glorify the Father. Even more, He knew the release of the power of the Holy Spirit would glorify the Father. For, He declared to the disciples, “Yes, indeed! I tell you that whoever trusts in me will also do the works I do! Indeed, he will do greater ones, because I am going to the Father. 13 In fact, whatever you ask for in my name, I will do; so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask me for something in my name, I will do it.”
(John 14:12-14 JNT)
Over the course of time, believers have collectively done more. The LORD still desires for His servants to do greater works in His name by the power of His Spirit.
Life Application Questions
How do you glorify God and reflect Messiah’s character? How do you reflect the gift of God’s word and Holy Spirit in your life?
Scripture References
John 15-17; Acts 2-4; Romans 8; 1 Peter 4
Book References
Faith and Fables: p. 22-24
Sons and Servants: p. 24-26; 45-47; 99-173
The Believer's Heartfelt Response to The Feast of Pentecost
Summary
Shavuot—the Feast of Harvest or Weeks (Pentecost) is a celebration of the fullness of the harvest. It also represents the fullness of God’s covenant—His Word and Spirit.
As the disciples were celebrating this feast 50 days after Messiah’s ascension, they were filled with the Holy Spirit. John the Immerser, or Baptist, said that Messiah would baptize “with the Holy Spirit and fire.”
Upon receiving Messiah in your heart, you receive the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Paul admonishes believers to understand what the will of the Lord is and, therefore, “keep on being filled with the Spirit.” (Ephesians 5:17 JNT)
How is this accomplished? Paul adds in Colossians 3:16-17, “let the Word of the Messiah, in all its richness, live in you, as you teach and counsel each other in all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude to God in your hearts.” (Colossians 3:16-17 JNT)
You are, therefore, continuously filled with the Spirit by filling yourself with God’s Word, communing with God, and allowing the Holy Spirit to work in you by yielding to Him in faith and obedience. It’s like driving your car. Upon filling your tank, you move forward, go places, and eventually need to replenish your tank! Such a repeated infilling should result in character growth that reflects the qualities of the fruit of the Spirit. (Galatians 5:22)
It should also open up your heart and mind to God’s continuous enlightenment, a passion for the revelation of His truth, and the manifestation of various gifts of the Spirit. (1 Corinthians 12)
Life Application Questions
In what ways do you seek God’s continuous infilling of the Holy Spirit? How has your life been a reflection of this infilling?
Scripture References
Romans 12; Ephesians 5:17; Colossians 3:16-17; Hebrews 2:1-4
Book References
Faith and Fables: p.22-24; 151-172
Sons and Servants: p. 127-138; 161-162
The Spiritual Reality Behind The Feast of Pentecost
Summary
Shavuot—the Feast of Harvest or Weeks was originally established to be a celebration of the fullness of the harvest. On this day, Moses received the Law—God’s covenant. So it has become a celebration of Torah—or giving of God’s covenant word. It would be God’s word that would guide God’s people through a life of faith—dependent on God; and distinguished from the pagan nations of the world. Moses therefore reminded the people that God provided manna in the wilderness to prove an important point: “He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the LORD.”
(Deuteronomy 8:3-4) Messiah quoted this very scripture when tempted by Satan in the wilderness right before embarking on His ministry. (Matthew 4:4 and Luke 4:4)
As the disciples were celebrating Shavuot, the Holy Spirit fell upon them as recorded in Acts 2. God’s covenant Word connected with His Spirit and brought completion—or fullness—to the revelation of God’s covenant. It therefore, brought fulfillment to Isaiah’s prophecy expressing the fullness of God’s covenant: "this is My covenant with them: My Spirit who is upon you, and My words which I have put in your mouth..” (Isaiah 59:21 NKJV)
So, full independence in God would be expressed by depending on God’s Word breathed by His Spirit—the Holy Spirit. This is what Messiah communicated towards the end of His ministry in the upper room.
12 “I still have many things to tell you, but you can’t bear them now. 13 However, when the Spirit of Truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own initiative but will say only what he hears. He will also announce to you the events of the future. 14 He will glorify me, because he will receive from what is mine and announce it to you. (John 16:12-14 JNT)
It is also what Paul had in mind in expressing what liberty in Messiah is about. “What the Messiah has freed us for is freedom! Therefore, stand firm, and don’t let yourselves be tied up again to a yoke of slavery.” (Galatians 5:1 JNT)
As Messiah has discharged us from the debt to the law of sin and fully acquitted us from the guilt of the effects of sin, we are truly fully empowered to walk in the Spirit of liberty! However, it’s one thing to know that you are free from the power of sin. It’s another thing to be able to walk free from the dominion of sin.
This happens as your heart and mind become regenerated by the Holy Spirit. It happens as your desire to rule over sin overpowers your desire to walk under the sway of sin: the lust of the eyes, lust of the flesh, and pride of life. Such desires abate, though we will continue to battle our fleshly nature.
This is what Messiah meant in declaring, “He who loves his life loses it, but he who hates his life in this world will keep it safe right on into eternal life!” (John 12:25 JNT) He was referring to the life absorbed in serving the desires of the flesh. He was referring to a life where the nature and orientation of your heart undergoes a vital change. It changes from being more absorbed with satisfying its self-interests to satisfying and serving God’s interests.
This transformation occurs by the power of the Holy Spirit. For, the Spirit enlightens your mind to truth, sanctifies your heart and nature, and regenerates and transforms your life. It is truly liberating! It liberates you in Messiah. You become free and independent in Messiah; yet dependent on the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit to resist the carnal nature of the flesh and be freed from its pulls.
Will you encounter temptations to satisfy selfish and fleshly interests and desires? Most certainly! Will you stumble? At times—probably yes. The key is setting your heart against the types of things you know you must resist; setting your mind against the weaknesses you know cause you to stumble; and praying daily for God’s grace to “lead you not into temptation.” And always, be humble and grateful for His mercy.
Life Application Questions
How conscious are you of the pulls of your carnal nature? How do you receive the conviction of sin from the Holy Spirit? Do you feel guilty and condemned when convicted; or set free by the power of repentance and gift of Messiah’s forgiveness and peace of the Spirit? Have you resolved to loathe the self-absorbed nature? Are you aware of God’s interests and desires as they relate to your life? Do you find joy in serving God’s interests?
Scripture References
John 12-17; Romans 8; 1 Corinthians 2; Galatians 5-6
Book References
Faith and Fables: p. 23-27; 121-132; 140-141; 164-173
Sons and Servants: p. 9-11; 82-86
The Covenant Values of The Feast of Pentecost
Summary
The Feast of Weeks or Harvest—Shavuot (Pentecost) is a feast of jubilee—a celebration of the glory of God. It marks the time God’s law was given to Moses. As the disciples were celebrating this feast, the Holy Spirit fell upon them, as Messiah had promised. It truly marked the glorification of Messiah, and glory of the power of God.
Messiah called the Holy Spirit the Comforter. The same Greek word is used for comforter and consolation. The disciples learned quickly that it was by the power and comfort of the Holy Spirit that the community of believers grew and maintained its vitality.
In appreciating the value of the presence and ministry of the Holy Spirit, Paul endeavored to help believers understand the nature of the Holy Spirit, and how He communicates with us. He, therefore, shed light on Isaiah’s comment in 64:4—“Men have not heard nor perceived by the ear, Nor has the eye seen any God besides You”—by explaining…
“It is to us, however, that God has revealed these things. How? Through the Spirit. For the Spirit probes all things, even the profoundest depths of God. 11 For who knows the inner workings of a person except the person’s own spirit inside him? So too no one knows the inner workings of God except God’s Spirit. 12 Now we have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit of God, so that we might understand the things God has so freely given us. 13 These are the things we are talking about when we avoid the manner of speaking that human wisdom would dictate and instead use a manner of speaking taught by the Spirit, by which we explain things of the Spirit to people who have the Spirit. 14 Now the natural man does not receive the things from the Spirit of God — to him they are nonsense! Moreover, he is unable to grasp them, because they are evaluated through the Spirit. 15 But the person who has the Spirit can evaluate everything, while no one is in a position to evaluate him. 16 For who has known the mind of Adonai? Who will counsel him?? But we have the mind of the Messiah!” (1 Corinthians 2:10-14 JNT)
Messiah said the Holy Spirit “will guide you into all truth.” The Holy Spirit, therefore, is our greatly valued covenant partner, expressing Himself through “various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit” to confirm God’s truths. “For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward, how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him, God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will?” (Hebrews 2:1-4 NKJV)
Scripture reveals how the gifts of the Holy Spirit flow within the context of a humble, reverent and orderly group of believers gathered together in faith to edify one another, and confirm His word of truth.
“What is our conclusion, brothers? Whenever you come together, let everyone be ready with a psalm or a teaching or a revelation, or ready to use his gift of tongues or give an interpretation; but let everything be for edification. 27 If the gift of tongues is exercised, let it be by two or at most three, and each in turn; and let someone interpret. 28 And if there is no one present who can interpret, let the people who speak in tongues keep silent when the congregation meets — they can speak to themselves and to God. 29 Let two or three prophets speak, while the others weigh what is said. 30 And if something is revealed to a prophet who is sitting down, let the first one be silent. 31 For you can all prophesy one by one, with the result that all will learn something and all will be encouraged. 32 Also, the prophets’ spirits are under the prophets’ control; 33 for God is not a God of unruliness but of shalom.” (1 Corinthians 14:26 JNT)
Disciples are afforded the opportunity to grow into the measure of the stature of the fullness of Messiah, or Lord’s “standard of maturity.” (Ephesians 4:13 JNT) Such a measure, or standard, carries real value; “a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.” (2 Corinthians 4:17 NKJV) If we truly value such a measure, we will respond to the conviction of the Holy Spirit, transforming our minds, and conforming our attitudes and character to that of Messiah’s.
Such a transformation happens over time. It truly requires disciplined submission to the Holy Spirit. “Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.” (2 Corinthians 3:17-18 NKJV)
The result of the process yields good fruits. The more we submit to the Spirit, the more we reflect the fruits of the Spirit. We must, therefore, allow the Holy Spirit to discipline our flesh through patient submission, humility and love. “Moreover, those who belong to the Messiah Yeshua have put their old nature to death on the stake, along with its passions and desires. 25 Since it is through the Spirit that we have Life, let it also be through the Spirit that we order our lives day by day.”
(Galatians 5:24-25 JNT)
Life Application Questions
In what ways have you valued the ministry of the Holy Spirit in your life? How do you recognize the comfort of the Holy Spirit? How does He speak to you? How do you confirm what the Holy Spirit reveals to you? How are you being transformed, and conformed into the fullness of Messiah?
Scripture References
John 14-16; 1 Corinthians 2:6-16; 12-14; 2 Corinthians 3:4-18; Galatians 5; Romans 14
Book References
Faith and Fables: p. 22-27; 58-59; 81; 115-122; 139-140; 164-165
Sons and Servants: p. 29-30; 44-46; 79-81; 90-91; 108-115; 119-123
Real Life in Messiah: I AM the Good Shepherd
Messiah came to bear revelation of God’s covenant and truth—His Word and Spirit. He came fulfilling all Shavuot represents.
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning… 14 The Word became a human being and lived with us, and we saw his Sh’khinah (glory), the Sh’khinah of the Father’s only Son, full of grace and truth… 32 Then Yochanan (John) gave this testimony: “I saw the Spirit coming down from heaven like a dove, and remaining on him. 33 I myself did not know who he was, but the one who sent me to immerse in water said to me, ‘The one on whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining, this is the one who immerses in the Ruach HaKodesh.’ (Holy Spirit) 34 And I have seen and borne witness that this is the Son of God.” (John 1:1-34 JNT)
The prophet, Ezekiel, expressed God’s displeasure with the leaders who were self-indulgent, neglecting God’s people.
The weak you have not strengthened, nor have you healed those who were sick, nor bound up the broken, nor brought back what was driven away, nor sought what was lost…So they were scattered because there was no shepherd… (Ezekiel 34:4-6 NKJV)
God, therefore, proclaimed that a day was coming when He would Himself search for His sheep.
For thus says the Lord GOD: "Indeed I Myself will search for My sheep and seek them out. As a shepherd seeks out his flock on the day he is among his scattered sheep, so will I seek out My sheep and deliver them from all the places where they were scattered…I will feed them in good pasture…I will seek what was lost and bring back what was driven away, bind up the broken and strengthen what was sick… (Ezekiel 34:11-16 NKJV)
Messiah is not only the way to heaven; He is the Good Shepherd of God’s flock. He came fulfilling Ezekiel’s prophecy.
“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep….14 I am the good shepherd; I know my own, and my own know me — 15 just as the Father knows me, and I know the Father — and I lay down my life on behalf of the sheep. 16 Also I have other sheep which are not from this pen; I need to bring them, and they will hear my voice; and there will be one flock, one shepherd.” (John 10:11-18 JNT)
Messiah truly manifested El Rachum—The God of Compassion (Deuteronomy 4:31), in the fullness of measure.
He came with a heart to seek and save the lost. He healed all types of sicknesses and diseases, bound the broken-hearted, opened the eyes of those of faith, and freed people captive to all sorts of bondages. He truly manifested Adonai Rohi—The LORD Our Shepherd, who leads us to His peaceful places, and fills us with the substance of His life!
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