Understanding the Roots of Pentecost
First and foremost, it is a feast of the Lord Yahweh. A dedicated time for us to come
before the Lord Yahweh our God (Exodus 23:14) “three times you shall keep a feast
to Me in the year”. The feast of the Lord Yahweh are His set times. 1. Pesakh -
Passover/Unleavened bread; 2. Shavuloh – Weeks – Pentecost; 3. Tisha – Booths –
Tabernacle
The Feast of Weeks was one of three pilgrimage festivals when individuals were to
appear before the Lord Yahweh with gifts and offerings. Deuteronomy 16:10 says
“you shall keep the feast of weeks to the Lord Yahweh your God with a tribute of a
freewill offering of your hand, which you shall give to the Lord Yahweh your God,
according as the Lord Yahweh your God has blessed you”. This feast was observed
on the 50th day after the offering of the barley sheaf at the Feast of Unleavened
Bread (on First fruits) we call it the resurrection.
God has a reason behind His feast days, that’s why we should examine why we are
celebrating any day, because if the roots be holy then the whole thing is holy. The
feasts and festivals of the nation were scheduled at specific times in the annual
calendar. All of the feasts were marked by thanksgiving and joyous feasting. They
were set for a time of remembering what God had done.
On the first feast of weeks, God gave the law by Moses. After many years the
prophet Joel prophesied that “it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out My
Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men
shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions”. The Bible tells us that God
won’t do anything unless He first reveal it to the prophets. Jesus walked on this earth
40 days after His resurrection and then told His disciples “you shall receive power,
after that the Holy Spirit is come upon you, and you shall be witnesses to Me both in
Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and to the uttermost part of the earth”
(Acts 1:8). Then 10 days later on the 50th day, the day when they celebrated the
given of the law, feast of weeks, God poured out His Spirit on the disciples and they
began witnessing (Acts 2:1-4,14-18) and the church grew by 3000 in that day (Acts 2:
41). Since this was a required festival, Jews gathered from great distances to
observe Pentecost in Jerusalem, making it an appropriate time for God’s work.
Even after Israel would sin against God, when they repented and returned to the Lord
and observed His feast, God would give them peace (rest).
As you look through the gospels and the book of Acts, you see that many of the
miracles were performed on or during the feast days (John 4:45, 6:4-15). Jesus did
many miracles on the Sabbath day.
It is important that we know that Jesus observed the feast of the Lord and we are told
to imitate Jesus (Ephesians 5:1-2).
Sermon by: Harriet Bond
Date: June 2, 2006