On this coming Sunday, all of Christendom joyously celebrates
PENTECOST. Originally, the FEAST OF PENTECOST was given by God to the
Israelites (through Moses) to be celebrated on the 50th day
after their deliverance from more than four centuries of Egyptian oppression and
slavery. So, the FEAST OF PENTECOST, which means “fifty,” was divinely
appointed to be celebrated exactly 50 days after the FEAST OF PASSOVER.
PENTECOST has a Hebrew name, “SHAVUOT” [pronounced Shaw-VOO-oh],
which is interpreted “WEEKS.” Therefore, PENTECOST is also known as THE FEAST
OF WEEKS. Since SHAVUOT is the anniversary of the day GOD gave THE LAW on
Mount Sinai, the original observation of SHAVUOT (PENTECOST) is considered by some
Jewish scholars to be THE BIRTHDAY OF ANCIENT ISRAEL. The first-century
observation of SHAVUOT (PENTECOST) is considered by most Christian scholars to
be the BIRTHDAY OF THE CHRISTIAN
CHURCH. The former Pentecost occurred at MT. SINAI, but the latter Pentecost
occurred, figuratively, at MT. ZION.
The former Pentecost was THE
REVELATION OF GOD TO HIS PEOPLE, ISRAEL. The latter Pentecost
was THE REVELATION OF GOD TO HIS
CHURCH, approximately 1,477 years later.
THE FEAST OF PENTECOST is a complex feast. Once they were
situated in the Promised Land, God’s people would present the FIRST-FRUITS OF THE HARVEST on
that day, along with one lamb for a burnt offering. The priest would
symbolically wave two loaves of leavened bread, baked from newly harvested
grain. This would be done on behalf of the congregation as an act of gratitude
to God. Unlike the loaves of UNLEAVENED
BREAD (prepared in haste) which the Israelites used to celebrate
PASSOVER and their rapid departure from Egypt, PENTECOST utilized LEAVENED BREAD, a sign that GOD had
been good and gracious in their harvest. This would be followed by the burnt
offerings of seven lambs, two rams and one bullock. This, in turn, would
be followed by the SIN OFFERING of a kid, a young goat. And this would be
followed by a PEACE OFFERING of two lambs, made on behalf of the entire congregation
of Israel.
During PENTECOST, God’s people were also directed to be sensitive
to the needs of the poor, i.e. not to completely harvest their fields, that is
to leave some behind for the poor and the strangers among them. (Leviticus
19:9-10) Thus, PENTECOST should also be a time when we remember and
respond to the needs of the least of our brethren.
A well-known HERMENEUTIC
PRINCIPLE (interpretive principle) goes something like
this: “The Old Testament is the New Testament concealed; and, the New
Testament is the Old Testament revealed.” Thus, everything pertaining
to the spiritual life of those Old-Covenant-observing
and wilderness-trekking Israelites was actually pointing to the New Covenant. For all of Heaven’s
spiritual and prophetic pronouncements ultimately point to JESUS CHRIST and HIS
CROSS. It was (and is) all about
JESUS!
Even THE TABERNACLE, the temporary dwelling place of YAHWEH (JEHOVAH), was all about
JESUS. For everything that GOD ordained in The Tabernacle was a
reflection of GRACE and
a prophetic heralding of THE COMING
REDEEMER, JESUS CHRIST. From the LAVER for cleansing…to the DOOR OF ENTRY…to the TABLE OF
SHEWBREAD…to the GOLDEN LAMPSTAND…to the ALTAR OF INCENSE…to the ARK OF THE
COVENANT…to the MERCY SEAT…all the way from the OUTER COURT…to the INNER
COURT…to THE HOLY PLACE…to the MOST HOLY PLACE. It all signified and
spoke about THE COMING REDEEMER,
JESUS CHRIST. Even THE VEIL that separated THE HOLY PLACE from THE HOLY
OF HOLIES…spoke of THE MINISTRY of CHRIST, who frees us from the curse of law
and delivers us into GRACE AND TRUTH. (Luke 16:16)
Even THE WILDERNESS
CAMP CONFIGURATION of the TWELVE
TRIBES OF ISRAEL was ALL ABOUT JESUS! The design of the Israelite camp, i.e. the way
that the twelve tribes were situated by GOD inside the camp, was laid out in
the SHAPE OF THE CROSS. Even the high priest, who would lead them in
tabernacle worship, was a symbol (or type) of THE HEAVENLY HIGH PRIEST who
would eventually arrive and be the pivotal point of all human history. (Hebrews
4:14-16) Indeed, HISTORY is HIS STORY.
Unlike the HUMAN HIGH PRIEST, who would enter the Holy of Holies
annually on Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, to reconcile the people back to
God, our HEAVENLY HIGH PRIEST represents a constant connection between earth
and Heaven. His cross, with its vertical post stretching toward GOD and
its horizontal beam extending toward man, is an absolute revelation of this
truth. It is the GOD-MAN bridging a vast spiritual chasm, providing and
everlasting AT-ONE-MENT with the Father.
Through Christ, time touches
eternity and eternity touches time. (Hebrews 7:25)
Just as the original FEAST OF PENTECOST was ordained by GOD
to be celebrated exactly FIFTY DAYS after the FEAST OF PASSOVER and the
Israelite’s divine deliverance from Egyptian slavery, the first-century Christian celebration of PENTECOST occurred
precisely FIFTY DAYS after the miraculous resurrection of JESUS CHRIST and our
divine deliverance from the power and penalty of sin via the vicarious
atonement of God’s Son! At the ascension of JESUS CHRIST (40 days following
His resurrection), 120 disciples were directed by Jesus Christ to The Upper Room to prayerfully await the
arrival of the HOLY SPIRIT.
He appeared as promised (10 days later) and granted an inward endowment of
spiritual authority so they would be able to do “greater works” than their Lord
– not qualitatively, but QUANTITATIVELY greater – since multiplied millions of
believers would then be empowered, deputized and dispersed for global ministry.
(Acts 1:8 – Acts 2:1-18 – John 14:12)
Thus, THE FIRST CENTURY CHRISTIAN DIASPORA was not merely politically
orchestrated; it was supernaturally ordained!
The indwelling HOLY
SPIRIT or HOLY GHOST (both
titles are appropriate) provides TRUTH,
COMFORT, GUIDANCE, SPIRITUAL FRUIT and SPIRITUAL GIFTS to enable disciples to establish the KINGDOM OF GOD in the earth realm.
(John 16:13 – John 14:26 – Galatians 5:22-15 – I Corinthians 12:4-13)
As the Third Person of the Trinity, the HOLY SPIRIT, moves and
ministers in the earth on behalf of THE
FATHER and in the stead of THE
SON. Therefore, the HOLY SPIRIT is MISSION CRITICAL to the FULFILLMENT OF COVENANT and
the ACHIEVEMENT OF KINGDOM.
His manifold grace and operation include the following:
THE HOLY GHOST is our Convictor. (Acts 8:12-13)
THE HOLY GHOST is our Regenerator. (John 3:6-8)
THE HOLY GHOST is our Sanctifier. (I Thessalonians 5:23)
THE HOLY GHOST is our Power Source. (Acts 1:8 ~ Mark 16:20)
THE HOLY GHOST is our Paraclete, the One who walks alongside. (John
15:26-27)
THE HOLY GHOST is our Communicator. (Ephesians 6:19 ~ II
Thessalonians 3:1)
THE HOLY GHOST is our Spirit of Truth, i.e. our Lie Detector. (John
14:19 ~ I John 5:6 ~ Acts 5:1-5)
THE HOLY GHOST is our Deliverer. (Acts 12:3-11)
THE HOLY GHOST is our Healer. (Acts 3:1-9)
THE HOLY GHOST is our Discerner. (I Corinthians 2:14)
THE HOLY GHOST is our Miracle Worker. (Acts 2:43)
THE HOLY GHOST is our Problem Solver. (Acts 15:1-3)
THE HOLY GHOST is our Assurance, Confidence and Boldness. (I
Thessalonians 1:5 ~ Acts 4:29-31)
THE HOLY GHOST is our Joy. (I Thessalonians 1:6)
THE HOLY GHOST is our Living God. (II Corinthians 3:3)
THE HOLY GHOST is our Resurrection Facilitator. (Romans 8:11)
THE HOLY GHOST is our Kingdom Fulfiller. (I Corinthians 4:20)
QUESTION: “Have you received the Holy Ghost since you
believed?” (Acts 19:2)
Like every other gracious endowment of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ,
every beneficiary (that’s you and me) must simply believe and
receive. “If you then, being evil, know how to give
good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give
the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?” (Luke
11:13)
SO JUST ASK FOR THE BAPTISM IN THE HOLY GHOST! And
thereafter, live, walk and live victoriously under the empowerment and impartation
of the awesome HOLY Spirit of Almighty
God! (Galatians 5:16;25)
Sisters and brothers, be continually blessed, and please
(above all else) MAKE SURE YOU ARE READY TO MEET OUR SOON COMING KING.
Maranatha!
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