THE TRUE MEANING OF PENTECOST!

This day is extremely significant. However, there are many that call themselves Christians but they have no understanding on the Word of God, not to mention his holy feast days. This special day has been made a mockery of in mainstream Christianity. Most of what you will hear about Pentecost in the average church is that the pouring out of the “Holy Spirit” occurred and everyone was speaking in ” tongues”, without any beneficial explanation on these issues. Some will even say that “the Church began on the day of Pentecost” and will even use Acts 2 to purport that Israel are no longer the priests of the Lord. This is not true. The Bible tells us when the church began and it was not on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2. Rather, Acts 7:37-38 shows us that the church began in the wilderness and Romans 11 proves that Israel has not been cast away.

The most shameful teaching by false prophets regarding the mainstream Pentecost theology, is the use  of the “holy spirit” as an emotional/dramitic experience, to make the blind followers feel and expect that “something big” is about to happen in their lives through the pouring out of the “holy spirit” BUT ONLY AFTER YOU DONATE ALL OF YOUR MONEY (with a generous heart of course). In reality, these false prophets have taught absolutely nothing about the truth behind this day! Moreover, for those that did not know, you cannot get the holy spirit by watching GodTV or going to church every Sunday. This is how you get God’s true Holy Spirit:

Acts 5
King James Version (KJV)
32 And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.

It is high time to awake out of sleep. Israel are still the Lord’s priests and the Law is still good under the new covenant! This is why the Jews in Acts 2 were keeping the feast of Pentecost as we shall see. Furthemore, Paul lets us know in 1 Corinthians 14 that it is not profitable to speak in an unknown tongue (unless there is an interpreter), rather, it is better to prophesy. Read Acts 2 carefully, and you will see that people were not foaming at the mouth, running around, and dancing. They all heard the wonderful works of God being interpreted in their own language, and then they had Peter explain to them the word of God. With understanding we will know that what happened on the day of Pentecost was nothing new and the Holy Spirit has always been teaching men and women that obey God’s commandments. Peter makes this very clear:

2 Peter 1
King James Version (KJV)
19 We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:

20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.

21 For the prophecy came not in OLD TIME by the will of man: but HOLY MEN OF GOD SPAKE as they were moved by the HOLY GHOST.

So let us deal with the word of God, line upon line, and precept upon precept and find out what this day is really about!

All of God’s feast days represent Gods plan of salvation. They are the feast of the Lord and not the feasts of the Jews, because the plan of salvation was not created by the Jews.

What does Pentecost mean?

Pentecost (Ancient Greek: Πεντηκοστή [ἡμέρα], Pentēkostē [hēmera], “the fiftieth [day]”) is the Greek name for the Feast of Weeks, a prominent feast in the calendar of ancient Israel celebrating the giving of theLaw on Sinai.

We will see that the physical commandments pertaining to this feast have a spiritual connotation. Read along and we will explain briefly what this blessed feast day is all about.
Leviticus 23
King James Version (KJV)
1 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,

2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, Concerning the feasts of the Lord, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are my feasts.

4 These are the feasts of the Lord, even holy convocations, which ye shall proclaim in their seasons.

9 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,

10 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come into the land which I give unto you, and shall reap the harvest thereof, then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest:

11 And he shall wave the sheaf before the Lord, to be accepted for you: on the MORROW AFTER THE SABBATH the priest shall wave it.

Notice: No matter when the harvest came out of the ground, it could not be waved until the FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK  (morrow after the sabbath)

12 And ye shall offer that day when ye wave the sheaf an he lamb without blemish of the first year for a burnt offering unto the Lord.

We will see that the “he lamb” and the “first fruit” represent the same thing = Jesus

13 And the meat offering thereof shall be two tenth deals of fine flour mingled with oil, an offering made by fire unto the Lord for a sweet savour: and the drink offering thereof shall be of wine, the fourth part of an hin.

14 And ye shall eat neither bread, nor parched corn, nor green ears, until the selfsame day that ye have brought an offering unto your God: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations in all your dwellings.

Notice: The Lord has to accept our harvest before we can eat what we have reaped.

Now we will see the parallel between the physical act and the spiritual reality of Jesus being the first fruits! Keep in mind what you just read about the harvest being waved by the priest on the first day of the week.

John 20
King James Version (KJV)
1 The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulcher.

2 Then she runneth, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them, They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him.

3 Peter therefore went forth, and that other disciple, and came to the sepulcher.

8 Then went in also that other disciple, which came first to the sepulchre, and he saw, and believed.

9 For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead.

10 Then the disciples went away again unto their own home.

11 But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulcher,

14 And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus.

15 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away.

16 Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master.

17 Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.

Notice: Jesus could not be touched by Mary just like the first fruits of the harvest that could not be eaten until it was accepted by the priest. This is because Jesus is the firstfruits or first man to be raised an immortal and had to be accepted by the Father before he could be touched.

18 Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken these things unto her.

After the Lord was accepted by the Father, he could then be touched. At this time, he was not flesh and blood, and that is why he could walk through closed doors:

19 Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.

20 And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord.

Now we will let Paul explain that Christ was the first fruit (or first man to be raised from the earth). He went from the “Son of Man” to the “Son of God” when he had been resurrected!

Jesus had to come in the form of man to take away the sin of mankind because “man” brought sin into the world. After reading this script below, you will know that the dead, will be dead until Jesus returns, which will be in the year of Pentecost.

1 Corinthians 15
King James Version (KJV)

20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.

21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.

22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

23 But every man in his own order: Christ the FIRSTFRUITS; AFTERWARD THEY THAT ARE CHRIST’S AT HIS COMING.

Now notice how Jesus was the first fruits and Paul explains that there will be more first fruits when the Lord returns. When will this take place? Paul explains here:

1 Thessalonians 4:15-17
King James Version (KJV)
15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.

16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first

This first resurrection is a mystery to some today, but fewer people know that this was explained all the way back in Leviticus in relation to the “feast of weeks” aka Pentecost. Remember the physical acts represent a spiritual reality!

How so?

Well, we know that spiritually speaking, Christ is the firstfruits. We will see that physically, 50 days after the first fruits were accepted, Israel were to count another 50 days and offer a “new” meat offering.

This new offering represents all those that will raise in the first resurrection. The leavened bread represents the sins (1 Cor 5:8) of those that make the resurrection because we have all sinned!

Leviticus 23
King James Version (KJV)
15 And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven sabbaths shall be complete:

16 Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the Lord.

17 Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals; they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baken with leaven; they are the firstfruits unto the Lord.

18 And ye shall offer with the bread seven lambs without blemish of the first year, and one young bullock, and two rams: they shall be for a burnt offering unto the Lord, with their meat offering, and their drink offerings, even an offering made by fire, of sweet savour unto the Lord.

These seven lambs represent all the people come into the first resurrection at the coming of Jesus

20 And the priest shall wave them with the bread of the firstfruits for a wave offering before the Lord, with the two lambs: they shall be holy to the Lord for the priest.

Just as Jesus was accepted by the Father, we will also have to be accepted by way of our obedience when Christ returns, then we can truly say that we are saved. That is why Christ said that he that “endures til the end shall be saved” (Matthew 24:13).

21 And ye shall proclaim on the selfsame day, that it may be an holy convocation unto you: ye shall do no servile work therein: it shall be a statute FOR EVER IN ALL YOUR DWELLINGS THROUGHOUT YOUR GENERATIONS.

Now that we know that Pentecost means fifty and represents the first fruits (i.e. the Christ and those at his coming ), we will look at another reason why this day is so important:

The “fiftieth year” represents the year that the Lord will return to this earth. When the Lord returns, the whole creation will know, and the Lord will judge the earth in his wrath in order to establish his kingdom of peace and liberty! Lets take a look.

Acts 2:12-20
King James Version (KJV)
1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.

5 And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.

It should  be known that the Jews were gathered in Jerusalem on the feast of Pentecost (feast of weeks) because God commanded them to in Deuteronomy 16:16-17.

6 Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language.

12 And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What meaneth this?

What did all of the Jews hear on the day of Pentecost?

14 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words:

16 But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;

17 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:

19 And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke:

20 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and notable day of the Lord come:

We see that the words that were spoken were a fulfillment of what Joel the prophet spoke of in the old testament. Peter quoted the following:

29 And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.

30 And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.

31 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of the Lordcome.

32 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the Lord hath said, and in the remnant whom the Lord shall call.

The message given on the day of Pentecost concerned the return of the Lord. On this day, the sun will turn black, the moon will be turned into blood, the stars will fall out of the sky. The day that the Lord will return is also a day of great wrath because mankind (as a whole) does not want to serve the true and living God. The book of Habakkuk and Zephaniah will show you that in detail. Here is a glimpse of what that day will be like:

To escape the Lord’s wrath you must obey his laws, because “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). Now, while this may appear to be a bleak and miserable day, full of the vengeance and wrath of God, you must understand that it is the only way God can establish his kingdom because mankind has chosen to serve Satan rather than God. Thus, God has to intervene and show mankind who is the boss. After he does that, he will setup his kingdom of peace and deliver/gather his people Israel from captivity as seen in Joel 2:32, and settle the age old controversy over the land of Zion. He will  also deliver/gather righteous individuals from other nations and all people will go to their home land. The world will finally be free from evil governments, inequality, tyrants and dictators and Jesus will be King over the whole earth. That is what the year of Pentecost also points to – A time of peace, liberty, and joy in the world through the rulership of Jesus Christ! Therefore, let us look briefly at the world wide deliverance and peace that will take place after the wrath of God:

Obadiah 1:15-21
King James Version (KJV)
15 For the day of the Lord is near upon all the heathen: as thou hast done, it shall be done unto thee: thy reward shall return upon thine own head.

16 For as ye have drunk upon my holy mountain, so shall all the heathen drink continually, yea, they shall drink, and they shall swallow down, and they shall be as though they had not been.

17 But upon mount Zion shall be deliverance, and there shall be holiness; and the house of Jacob shall possess their possessions.

Isaiah 14
King James Version (KJV)
1 For the Lord will have mercy on Jacob, and will yet choose Israel, and set them in their own land: and the strangers shall be joined with them, and they shall cleave to the house of Jacob.

2 And the people shall take them, and bring them to their place: and the house of Israel shall possess them in the land of the Lord for servants and handmaids: and they shall take them captives, whose captives they were; and they shall rule over their oppressors.

7 The whole earth is at rest, and is quiet: they break forth into singing.

Micah 4
King James Version (KJV)
1 But in the last days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall flow unto it.

Now, keeping in mind that the old testament physical acts pointed towards  spiritual occurrences, lets go back to Leviticus and let Moses explain the very same time when the Lord will return, gather the nations, rule the earth, inherit their rightful land,  and live in peace. By doing so we will see  totality of why we celebrate the day of Pentecost.

Leviticus 25
King James Version (KJV)

1 And the Lord spake unto Moses in mount Sinai, saying,

2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye come into the land which I give you, then shall the land keep a sabbath unto the Lord

3 Six years thou shalt sow thy field, and six years thou shalt prune thy vineyard, and gather in the fruit thereof;

4 But in the seventh year shall be a sabbath of rest unto the land, a sabbath for the Lord: thou shalt neither sow thy field, nor prune thy vineyard.

8 And thou shalt number seven sabbaths of years unto thee, seven times seven years; and the space of the seven sabbaths of years shall be unto thee forty and nine years.

9 Then shalt thou cause the trumpet of the jubile to sound on the tenth day of the seventh month, in the day of atonement shall ye make the trumpet sound throughout all your land.

This is the same trumpet that will be blown which will usher in the first resurrection, i.e. the firstfruits at Christ coming.Jubilee means to rejoice! That is why in the scriptures above we saw that the whole world will break forth into singing. 

10 And ye shall hallow the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof: it shall be a jubile unto you; and ye shall return every man unto his possession, and ye shall return every man unto his family.

We see that this liberty points to the true peace and justice that will be established in the earth when the Lord returns.  

11 A jubile shall that fiftieth year be unto you: ye shall not sow, neither reap that which groweth of itself in it, nor gather the grapes in it of thy vine undressed.

12 For it is the jubile; it shall be holy unto you: ye shall eat the increase thereof out of the field.

13 In the year of this jubile ye shall return every man unto his possession.

It is hoped that you gained some understanding on what this day is truly about! Once you do understand it, you will see how joyous it is and hopefully you will be encouraged to keep this day holy as commanded by God. This is a special day for all the people of God. There is only one thing left to do after understanding this significance and that is to CELEBRATE in Spirit and in Truth!

Joshua Lette

Lines & Precepts

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linesandprecepts7@gmail.com

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