Leviticus
23:15-16 - “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 shall be completed. Count fifty days to the day
after the seventh Sabbath; then you shall offer a new grain offering to
the Lord.”
Acts 2:1-4 – “When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they
were all with one accord in one place. And
suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it
filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then
there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And
they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other
tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
There are seven major feasts that
God established with Israel in the Old Testament. Pentecost comes in the Hebrew month of Sivan,
which corresponds to the months of May/June on the Gregorian calendar. These feasts are God’s appointed times. These are appointed times for meeting with
God.
Pentecost is
translated from a Greek word that means “fiftieth.” The Hebrew word is “Shavuot.” The first Pentecost took place at Sinai in
the wilderness fifty days after the first Passover. It was on the fiftieth day God visited them
on Mount Sinai to establish a new order and inaugurate a new day. Exodus 19:3-6 gives the details of this
visitation,
“And Moses went up to God, and
the Lord called to him from the mountain, saying, “Thus you shall say
to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel: ‘You have seen what I
did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought
you to Myself. Now therefore, if you
will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. And
you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’
These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel.”
It was on the
first Pentecost in the wilderness of Sinai that God visited the children of
Israel and gave the Torah. He
established a new order and inaugurated a new day. He gave them the Law and outlined their
destiny assignment, to be a nation of priests representing the one true God to
the nations of the earth.
Pentecost
is a time when God visits His people.
This visitation releases miraculous provision. In Acts 2 God poured out His Spirit on the
Day of Pentecost on the 120 who were gathered in an Upper Room in
Jerusalem. These disciples were filled with
the Holy Spirit and began to speak in languages foreign to their
understanding.
What happened
when the Holy Spirit fell on the Day of Pentecost? The 120 disciples were filled
and empowered to become powerful witnesses of the Lord Jesus Christ. God gave birth to the New Testament Church
and it grew exponentially. God took 120
believers and empowered them to turn the world upside down.
On this Pentecost
we pray for an open heaven and a release of power to accomplish the task God is
assigning us for this season. Jesus gave
this promise concerning Pentecost in Acts 1:8, “But you shall receive power
when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in
Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
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