The Day of Pentecost is one of God’s feasts recorded in the Bible. It was called the Feast of Weeks in the Old Testament times.[1] It is named “Pentecost,” because it is kept on the 50th day after the Day of Firstfruits (Day of Resurrection).[2] After Jesus’ resurrection and ascension, the Holy Spirit was poured out upon the saints of the early Church on the Day of Pentecost 2,000 years ago. The disciples, who received the full blessing of the Holy Spirit on this day, preached boldly and the world evangelism began in earnest.
| Pentecost | |
|---|---|
The saints of the early Church gather in Mark’s upper room to pray.
| |
| Name | Day of Pentecost |
| Date | The 50th day after the Day of Resurrection |
| Ritual | Pray for the Holy Spirit for ten days, beginning on the Ascension Day |
| Blessing | Holy Spirit of the former rain |
Origin of Pentecost
The Day of Pentecost originated from the Feast of Weeks in the Old Testament times. The Feast of Weeks was established to commemorate the day Moses went up to Mount Sinai to receive the tablets with Ten Commandments for the first time. The Israelites, who were freed from Egypt, crossed the Red Sea which was divided by the power of God. On the fortieth day after crossing the Red Sea, Moses was called by God and went up to Mount Sinai.[3] Then God told him that He would give him tablets with the Ten Commandments inscribed on them, so Moses went up to Mount Sinai again ten days later.[4] God appointed this day as the Feast of Weeks.
“ ‘From the day after the Sabbath, the day you brought the sheaf of the wave offering [Day of Firstfruits], count off seven full weeks. Count off fifty days up to the day after the seventh Sabbath, and then present an offering of new grain to the LORD.’ ”
The work of Moses was a prophecy of what Jesus would do in the future.[5][6] Just as Moses went up Mount Sinai on the fortieth day after landing from the Red Sea, Jesus ascended to heaven on the fortieth day after His resurrection.[7] And just as Moses went up to receive the Ten Commandments on the fiftieth day, which was ten days later, Jesus entered the Most Holy Place in heaven[8] to receive the Holy Spirit and poured it upon His disciples on the fiftieth day after His resurrection.[9]
Date of Pentecost
Before Jesus went up to heaven, the disciples devoted themselves to prayer for ten days, starting from the Ascension Day. They did this in accordance with Jesus’ command, “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for what Father promised.”[10] And on the 50th day after Jesus’ resurrection, around 120 saints gathered in Mark’s upper room to keep the Day of Pentecost.[11]
When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place.
Every year, the saints of the early Church continued to keep the Passover (the evening of the 14th day of the first month by the sacred calendar), the Feast of Unleavened Bread (the 15th day of the first month by the sacred calendar), the Day of Resurrection (the first Sunday after the Feast of Unleavened Bread), and the Day of Pentecost on the 50th day after the Day of Resurrection to commemorate the work of Christ.[12]
But we sailed from Philippi after the Feast of Unleavened Bread, and five days later joined the others at Troas, where we stayed seven days. On the first day of the week [Day of Resurrection] we came together to break bread. . . . Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus to avoid spending time in the province of Asia, for he was in a hurry to reach Jerusalem, if possible, by the day of Pentecost.
Blessing of the Holy Spirit Given on the Day of Pentecost
Jesus likened God’s gospel ministry to farming.[13] Rain, which is essential for the seeds sown in the field to grow into wheat, represents the Holy Spirit from God.[14][15] The prophet Joel prophesied that in the future, God would pour out the former rain and the latter rain.[16] The prophecy about the former rain was fulfilled when the Holy Spirit was poured upon the saints who devoted themselves to praying in obedience to Jesus’ words, waiting for the Pentecost.
When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
On the Day of Pentecost, the apostles began to preach about Jesus in various tongues with the power of the Holy Spirit.[17] Despite the persecution and the threat of death, they boldly preached that Jesus is the Christ even to the religious leaders of that time.[18][19] By the grace of the Holy Spirit poured on the Day of Pentecost, the number of disciples increased by thousands and the gospel which had remained in Israel was preached to various countries in a short period of time.[20] As Jesus said, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth,”[7] the Spirit given on Pentecost became the catalyst to spread the news of Christ and the gospel throughout the world.
See also
References
- ↑ "Deuteronomy 16:16".
- ↑ "Leviticus 23:15–16".
- ↑ "Exodus 19:1–7".
- ↑ "Exodus 24:12–18".
- ↑ "Deuteronomy 18:18".
- ↑ "Acts 3:20–24".
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 "Acts 1:3–9".
- ↑ "Hebrews 9:11–24".
- ↑ Chapter 2 The Seven Feasts in Three Times, THE MYSTERY OF GOD AND THE SPRING OF THE WATER OF LIFE, Ahnsahnghong, pg. 53, Melchizedek Pub. Co., Ltd, It took a total of fifty days from the twenty-second day of the first month when the Israelites passed through the Red Sea after the Exodus, up to the eleventh day of the third month when Moses went up Mount Sinai to receive the Ten Commandments (Ex 19:16-25, 24:1-18). God appointed the Feast of Harvest, so that they might remember these days and commemorate them for the generations to come (Ex 14:29-31; 19:1-2; 24:12-16). The prophecy of this feast was fulfilled by Jesus when He was resurrected and entered the Most Holy Place in heaven to pour out the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost, the fiftieth day after the Resurrection. Moses went up Mount Sinai and received the Ten Commandments, which represented that Jesus would enter the Most Holy Place in heaven and receive the Holy Spirit and pour it out on His disciples (Ac 2:1-4; Heb 9:11-12).
- ↑ "Acts 1:3–4".
- ↑ "Acts 1:13–15".
- ↑ "1 Corinthians 16:8".
- ↑ Matthew 13:24–30, 37–39
- ↑ "Hosea 6:3".
- ↑ "Zechariah 10:1".
- ↑ "Joel 2:23".
- ↑ "Acts 2:14–21".
- ↑ "Acts 4:1–4".
- ↑ "Acts 5:27–42".
- ↑ "Acts 2:23–47".