PENTECOST

THE FEAST OF WEEKS

SHAVUOT

by Rachel Cory-Kuehl, September 2012

 Scripture from the NKJV unless otherwise noted

THE PLAN WAS FORETOLD

 

Romans 9:4 “To Israel belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the service of God, and the promises;”

 

Yes! The LORD chose Israel to be His messengers. He entered in to covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, with Jacob (whose name was change to Israel) and with Israel as a newly created “nation” of “twelve tribes.”

 

But why? They were no more worthy or special than any other people. They were simply a people chosen for a purpose. A wonderful purpose! The LORD had a prophecy to give. He would clearly state the terms of His covenant (His law), and He would reveal the plan whereby any person could be forgiven and restored to covenant relationship, in the event he/she had violated the terms of the covenant. In return for faithfulness to covenant, the LORD would richly bless. But those who abandoned His covenant would be “cut off” from Israel, from blessing, and from His protection.

 

The ancient Tabernacle of the LORD, its services and ceremonies, all revealed the plan for the salvation of the willing. The lamb sacrificed for sin, foreshadowed the Lamb of God. The grain offering, the wine poured out, the anointing oil-all revealed Messiah to come. The High Priest acting his part in the earthly Temple, portrayed the role of Christ our High Priest in Heaven above. Day after day, year after year, priests and citizens acted out the prophecy.

 

In the cycle of appointed feast days, sabbaths, planting years and Jubilees, the plan was foretold.

THE WEEKLY CYCLE

 

Exodus 20:8-11 “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.”

 

I have yet to read any passage in the New Testament that says the LORD has removed His blessing from His holy day. See our study in two parts on The Sabbath.

 

THE YEARLY CYCLE of FEAST DAYS

      In the Spring:

Passover - (Death of the Lamb - Deliverance of Israel)

Feast of Unleavened Bread - (Yeshua, the Bread of Heaven was without sin.)

Firstfruits - (The Resurrected Christ was presented in Heaven before the Father)

      In the Summer:

Pentecost - (The Spirit is poured out. Christ begins to write His Law on the heart.)

            Shavuot means weeks in the Hebrew. Pentecost means fifty in the Greek.

  

      In the Fall:

Feast of Trumpets - (A final warning is sounded.)

The Day of Atonement - (Judgment Day for Israel)

Feast of Tabernacles - (We will tabernacle with Him.)

(Leviticus Chapter 23, Numbers Chapter 24)

            The 8^th Day - immediately following the Feast of Tabernacles               - Israel no longer dwelt in booths.

                  - Prophecy: At the 8^th Day of prophecy, we will no longer dwell in temporary “houses.”

Let’s read through the commands in the Torah.

 

Leviticus 23:1 “And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 2 ‘Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: “The feasts of the LORD, which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, these are My feasts.”’”

 

v.3 “Six days shall work be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, a holy convocation. You shall do no work on it; it is the Sabbath of the LORD in all your dwellings.”

 

NOTE: The Sabbath command was inscribed on the tables of stone by God Himself. It is part of the covenant. The other Feasts were commanded by the LORD through Moses, but they were NOT spoken out loud by God Himself to Israel, and they were NOT inscribed in stone.

 

v.4 “These are the feasts of the LORD, holy convocations which you shall proclaim at their appointed times.”

        v.5 “On the fourteenth day of the first month at twilight is the LORD'S Passover.”

 

v.6 “And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the Feast of Unleavened Bread to the LORD; seven days you must eat unleavened bread. 7 On the first day you shall have a holy convocation; you shall do no customary work on it. 8 But you shall offer an offering made by fire to the LORD for seven days. The seventh day shall be a holy convocation; you shall do no customary work on it.”

 

v.9 “And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 10 ‘Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: “When you come into the land which I give to you, and reap its harvest, then you shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest to the priest. 11 He shall wave the sheaf before the LORD, to be accepted on your behalf; on the day after the Sabbath the priest shall wave it.

 

v.12 And you shall offer on that day, when you wave the sheaf, a male lamb of the first year, without blemish, as a burnt offering to the LORD. 13 Its grain offering shall be two-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil, an offering made by fire to the LORD, for a sweet aroma; and its drink offering shall be of wine, one-fourth of a hin. 14 You shall eat neither bread nor parched grain nor fresh grain until the same day that you have brought an offering to your God; it shall be a statute forever throughout your generations in all your dwellings.”

THE FEAST OF WEEKS

The Summer Feast

Continuing in Leviticus Chapter 23

 

v.15 “‘And you shall count for yourselves from the day after the sabbath, from the day that you brought the sheaf of the wave offering: seven Sabbaths [or weeks] shall be completed. 16 `Count fifty days to the day after the seventh Sabbath; then you shall offer a new grain offering to the LORD. 17 You shall bring from your dwellings two wave loaves of two-tenths of an ephah. They shall be of fine flour; they shall be baked with leaven. They are the firstfruits to the LORD. 18 And you shall offer with the bread seven lambs of the first year, without blemish, one young bull, and two rams. They shall be as a burnt offering to the LORD, with their grain offering and their drink offerings, an offering made by fire for a sweet aroma to the LORD. 19 Then you shall sacrifice one kid of the goats as a sin offering, and two male lambs of the first year as a sacrifice of a peace offering. 20 The priest shall wave them with the bread of the firstfruits as a wave offering before the LORD, with the two lambs. They shall be holy to the LORD for the priest. 21 And you shall proclaim on the same day that it is a holy convocation to you. You shall do no customary work on it. It shall be a statute forever in all your dwellings throughout your generations.’”

NOTE: Doesn’t sound as if it will end with the death of Christ.

 

 

Exodus 34:22 “And you shall observe the Feast of Weeks [Pentecost], of the firstfruits of wheat harvest, and the Feast of Ingathering at the year's end [Tabernacles].

 

v.23 Three times in the year all your men shall appear before the Lord, the LORD God of Israel.”

 

Pentecost was the second, of the three pilgrimage feasts [Passover, Pentecost and Tabernacles].

                  Numbers Chapter 28 outlines the required offerings and sacrifices for each of the feasts.

 

Deuteronomy 16:9-10 “You shall count seven weeks for yourself; begin to count the seven weeks from the time you begin to put the sickle to the grain [Spring barley harvest]. 10 Then you shall keep the Feast of Weeks to the LORD your God with the tribute of a freewill offering from your hand, which you shall give as the LORD your God blesses you.”

 

Fifty days, from Firstfruits to Pentecost. At Firstfruits, just as soon of the High Priest had waved the sheaf of newly cut barley before the LORD at the Temple, the farmers would have harvested their own fields, stopping to offer their firstfruits at the Temple. Then they plowed and sowed the wheat. It would be ready for harvest at Pentecost. From the first fruits of their fields, they would bring two loaves (made with leaven) to the Temple, along with their thank offerings, their tithes and of course their sin offerings and their peace offerings. The two loaves were for the priests, who had no fields of their own. Other crops besides the Summer wheat were ripening at this time. See page 71 from the book, “The Feasts of ADONAI.”

 

One could not simply write out a check to his favorite charity and put it in the mail, or better yet - go on the Tabernacle website and make a donation. One must travel to Shiloh (during the first 300 years in “the land”) or later to the Temple at Jerusalem, to present the tithes and offerings in person.

TWO LOAVES - WITH LEAVEN

 

The two loaves were waived before the LORD. They were not burned on the alter, because the LORD had commanded:

 

Leviticus 2:11 “Every grain offering you bring to the LORD must be made without yeast, for you are not to burn any yeast or honey in a food offering presented to the LORD.” (NIV)

 

Leaven represented sin. Yeshua was the bread “without leaven.” He was sinless. We - the harvest which followed His Passover death, are NOT sinless.

 

Some say the two loaves symbolized believing Jews and believing Gentiles.

ACTS Chapters 1 and 2

    The great outpouring of the Holy Spirit.

 

Acts 2:1 “When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.”

 

NOTE: The disciples were gathered at Jerusalem for the Feast of Pentecost. They were Torah observant Israelites. They were following the Torah command to appear before the LORD at Pentecost.

 

v.2 “And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.”

 

v.5 “And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven. 6 And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were confused, because everyone heard them speak in his own language. 7 Then they were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, ‘Look, are not all these who speak Galileans? 8 And how is it that we hear, each in our own language in which we were born?’”

 

v.9 “‘Parthians and Medes and Elamites, those dwelling in Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya adjoining Cyrene, visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, 11 Cretans and Arabs-- we hear them speaking in our own tongues the wonderful works of God.’"

 

v.32 “This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses. 33 Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He [Christ] poured out this which you now see and hear.”

 

38 “Then Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.’” (NKJ)

 

NOTE: Speaking in tongues, was really hearing in tongues - at least in the account of Peter. It was as if the LORD had instantly installed a translation app into the brains of those who heard Peter and the disciples on that day. It reminds one of what happened at the Tower of Babel. Just in reverse. I believe that miraculous “tongues” were a sign to the believing Jews,” that Gentile believers had indeed been “grafted in” to the Commonwealth of Israel (Acts 10:46-47). They were also “a sign” for unbelievers. “Therefore tongues are for a sign, not to those who believe but to unbelievers” (1Co 14:22).

 

NOTE: Christ Himself “poured out” His Spirit on the Feast of Pentecost. John the Baptist had prophesied, “He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire” (Matt 3:11, Mk 1:8, Lk 3:16, Jn 1:33). “By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit” (1Jo 4:13). Before this day, Christ could not pour out His Spirit. James wrote, “the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified” (John 7:39). Connecting the dots, this tells us that Yeshua Messiah was “glorified” as High Priest over the House of God, on this day. The miraculous outpouring of His Spirit was the sign to His disciples, that His installation as High Priest was complete. He had become the “One Mediator between man and God” (1Tim 2:5). For more on the nature of the Holy Spirit, see our study.

 

NOTE: In verse 38, Peter commanded, “let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.” Why would Peter give such an instruction, if Christ Himself had commanded they be baptized “in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost?” Did Peter get the instructions wrong? Or are we missing something? For more on this, see our study “Difficult Passages” page 8.

THE TIMING

            Jesus (Yeshua) remained on earth with His disciples for 40 days following His resurrection.

He then ascended from the Mt of Olives. He returned to His place at the Father’s right hand, the place where He had been from “the beginning” (John 6:62). I’m sure there was quite a welcome celebration in the heavenly realm. THEN He must complete the prophesied 7 day consecration ceremony (Leviticus Chapter 8), to become High Priest over the House of God. Exactly as prophesied, when the day of Pentecost arrived, Yeshua poured out His Spirit upon His waiting disciples. They received this as a great sign that Yeshua had completed His consecration and had become High Priest before the Father’s throne, to represent us before God.

ABOUT THE TIMING OF THE RESURRECTION

 

I realize there is and will be, much disagreement with me on this, but I must teach what I believe is right, based on my study thus far.

 

There is a large study at the website titled “Three Days and Three Nights” which goes into this in great detail.

 

Leviticus 23:15 “You shall count for yourselves from the day after the Sabbath(s), from the day that you brought the sheaf of the wave offering: seven Sabbaths shall be completed.”

      The Septuagint says “the next day of the Sabbaths” (plural).

      (First Sabbath ) - The Feast of Unleavened Bread.

      (Second Sabbath) - The 7th day.

 

      In the year that Christ was crucified, the Feast of Unleavened Bread [the day following the Passover - the 14th] was a 7^th Day Sabbath. This meant that the day following that High Sabbath [combined 7^th Day Sabbath with Feast of Unleavened Bread] - the 16^th, would have been a “first day of the week” - a Sunday (in our Western vernacular).

 

      NOTE: A “holy convocation” - was a day upon which “no ordinary work” was to be done. Such a day was defined as “a sabbath” (meaning a rest). The 1st and 7th days of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, Pentecost, the Feast of Trumpets, the Day of Atonement, and the 1st and 8th days of the Feast of Tabernacles were commanded to be such special rest days (sabbaths).

See Leviticus Chapter 23.

 

The day after the 7th day Sabbath is the 8th day -

            which was the 1st day of the next week -

            which was a Sunday.

 

 

 

So - The Feast of Firstfruits always fell on a Sunday (the 8th Day).

So - The resurrection of Christ took place on a Sunday at dawn.

 He WAS “the firstfruits.” (1 Cor. 15:23, 1 Cor. 15:20).

 He also presented the firstfruits (those raised on that morning) before His Father in Heaven (Matt. 27:52).       

 

From the Spring Feast of Firstfruits to Pentecost - count 50 days (The Omer).

7x7 = 49 + 1 = the 50th day - from the Firstfruits.

 

If you start with the “day after the Sabbaths” (a Sunday)

      - then Pentecost always falls on a Sunday (the 50th day).

          

I agree with the Sadducees for once - that the Feast of Firstfruits

      always fell on a Sunday - making it an 8th day.

            In the beginning the LORD finished His work in 6 days and rested the 7th day.

      Yeshua “finished” His work on the 6th day (Friday) - rested the 7th day (Sabbath)

      - and was raised the 8th day (Sunday). (Genesis 2:1-2, Exodus 20:11, John 17:4, John 19:30)

 

NOTE: The Pharisees counted The Omer differently. They believed the count was always to begin on the 16^th - the day that followed the first day of Unleavened Bread. Today’s Orthodox Jews are descended from the Pharisees. They still count the Omer from the 16^th, rather than from the first Sunday that follows the 15^th. All Hebrew calendars today use the Pharisee dates.

      

CHRIST GLORIFIED

 

The outpouring of the Spirit was the sign, that Yeshua Messiah had been glorified with “the glory He had with the Father before the world was.” This was His prayer in John 17:5, His last public prayer.

            What glory did He have with the Father before the world was?

 

John 1:1-3 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.”

 

Philippians 2:6 “He was in the form of God.”

 

Hebrews 1:1-3 “He was the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person.”

WHO IS THE HOLY SPIRIT?

      1. Jesus said, “God is spirit” (John 4:24).

            “One God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in you all” (Eph 4:6).

      2. Jesus Christ is “the last Adam” (Rom 5:14).

            “The last Adam was made a life giving spirit.” (1Cor 15:45).

            “God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son, into your hearts.” (Gal 4:6).

            Conclusion: God the Father “is spirit,” and Jesus Christ was “made a life giving spirit.”

So, BOTH are spirit. And Jesus promised that BOTH He and His Father would “come to” dwell with, and in, the believer (John 14:23). Which is why we “abide in the Son and in the Father” (1John 2:24).

SHOULD WE KEEP THE FEASTS TODAY?

 

            The early Christians celebrated or commemorated the Feasts until Constantine outlawed them. Sunday has replaced the Sabbath. Easter (the ancient goddess of fertility) replaced Passover. (You wondered what colored eggs and bunny rabbits had to do with the resurrection

of our LORD). Halloween was an ancient day to worship ancestors. Many believe that our Thanksgiving holiday, was an effort to commemorate the Feast of Tabernacles. Too bad it has been completely removed from its original context. Our Savior was born at Sakkot, NOT on December 25^th.

 

Humans want special times to celebrate, commemorate and congregate. If we don’t commemorate God’s appointed festivals - we will probably make up some of our own. Today we live under the New Covenant of betrothal to Yeshua. We do not offer animal sacrifices. There is no Temple and no Aaronic priesthood to receive such. Most of us live outside “the land” of Israel. I personally believe that the “perfect offering” - the “Lamb without blemish,” has been offered “once for all.” The “certificate of indebtedness” to the law, was nailed to His cross. We may come boldly before the throne of His grace to ask forgiveness, or pray for blessing. The blood of bulls and goats could not make anyone right in heart. (I personally believe that the symbol has been replaced (and made obsolete) by the reality.

BEGGARLY ELEMENTS

 

Galatians 4:8-11 “But then, indeed, when you did not know God, you served those which by nature are not gods. 9 But now after you have known God, or rather are known by God, how is it that you turn again to the weak and beggarly elements, to which you desire again to be in bondage? 10 You observe days and months and seasons and years. 11 I am afraid for you, lest I have labored for you in vain.” (NKJ)

 

Paul is writing to new Gentile converts. They’ve been taken in by the Pharisees who followed Paul to every city, telling the new converts that they must become “proselytes,” who would be circumcised after 2 years of careful Torah study. Paul definitely did NOT agree with that! These Pharisees believed that to be “saved,” the Gentile converts to Christ must also convert to Judaism. The key to this verse is the word translated “observe,” which means to do something VERY rigorously or strictly or carefully.

 

Colossians 2:16 “So let no one judge you in food [meat or grain offerings] or in drink [offerings], or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, 17 which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ.” (NKJ)

 

NOTE: Eating ostrich or pork or shellfish was NOT a “shadow of things to come.” Dietary laws were not prophetic. Meat and drink offerings WERE prophetic - of Messiah.

 

Do I celebrate the Feasts of the LORD? Yes! I commemorate them. I remember them. They tell the story of the plan. They are special days, at my home. I would rather celebrate the Torah Feasts of the LORD, than celebrate “baptized” pagan holidays like Christmas, Easter, or Halloween. I do NOT “observe” the Feasts, as originally commanded, with animal sacrifices or trips to Jerusalem. There is presently no Temple there. But one day, in the Kingdom to come, we WILL “go up to Jerusalem” for the Feasts. Prophecy says so!

THE FEASTS IN THE COMING KINGDOM OF MESSIAH

 

Isaiah 66:22-23 “‘For as the new heavens and the new earth which I will make shall remain before Me,’ says the LORD, ‘So shall your descendants and your name remain. 23 And it shall come to pass That from one New Moon to another, And from one Sabbath to another, All flesh shall come to worship before Me,’ says the LORD.”

      REMEMBER: Every “rest” day was a “sabbath,” therefore the Feasts were “sabbaths.”

FEAST SABBATHS

      1&2. First Day and Last Day of Feast of Unleavened Bread,

    3. Feast of Firstfruits,

    4. Pentecost,

    5. The Feast of Trumpets

    6. The Day of Atonement

    7&8. First Day and 8^th Day of The Feast of Tabernacles

 

And all of these were “besides the Sabbaths of the LORD,” - the weekly 7^th Day Sabbath of the 4^th Commandment, written in stone (Leviticus 23:38).

 

Zechariah 14: 16 “And it shall come to pass that everyone who is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Tabernacles.” (NKJ)

We pray this study will prove a blessing.

Shavuot Shalom

Prophecy Viewpoint

FOR FURTHER STUDY:

1. “God’s Festivals in Scripture and History,” by Samuele Bacchiocchi (Two Volumes)

 

2. “The Feasts of the Lord,” by Kevin Howard and Marvin Rosenthal

3. “The Feasts of Adonai, Why Christains should look at the Biblical Feasts,” by Valerie Moody

 

4. “The Feasts of the Lord,” DVD set by Mark Biltz, El Shaddai Ministries, www.elshaddaiministries.us

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