The Feast of Pentecost
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. (Acts 1:8)
While he was influenced by the Spirit, King Solomon said “to everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven” (Songs of Solomon 8:3). In Yahweh’s Holy Calendar, a topic that was covered earlier in the year, there is a fest that is specifically set apart for the Holy Spirit: that feast is now called Pentecost. There are many secrets and revelations within this feast. How did it start? What does it mean? How does one apply its concepts into their everyday life?
Common theology dictates that Pentecost is a celebration that started in the book of Acts 2, however, that isn’t the case. The Old Testament speaks about this holiday. But through a very different name: Shavuot (Exodus 34:22; Deuteronomy 16:10) . It’s an ancient Hebrew word for ‘Weeks’. It was celebrated seven weeks after the first Sabbath that follows Passover (Leviticus 23:11). On this day, the Holy Spirit was over Mount Sinaï as Moses gave the people of Israël the ten commandments and the beginning of the Law (Exodus 19, Exodus 20:1 - 21). The people of Israël continued celebrating this feast through exile; hence, why Yeshua told the disciples to stay in Jerusalem and wait for His arrival (Acts 1:4 - 5).
While the feast takes a different name - Pentecost - when it was written in ancient greek, the symbolism doesn’t change. Even the greek name is a reference to the number of days after Passover: pente kost, means “fifty days”, exactly seven weeks (49 days) with an extra day.
The modern follower of Yahweh has to understand that to celebrate this feast is imperative in ones life with Christ. The Law was written by Moses, but that it must be transcribed in their hearts (Hebrews 10:16). However, the only way that this can be done is through the Holy Spirit. He gives us the fruit of the spirit: love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22 - 23). With the fruit of the Spirit, we are able to live happily, while abiding the law that Yahweh created for our betterment. To give perspective, someone who knows the law won’t kill, but someone who has it written in their heart filled with love, peace and self-control, will never even think about sinning, as even that can be a sin (Matthew 5:27).
The Feast of Pentecost, like all feasts, should be celebrated as a moment of joy: it’s another opportunity to connect to Yahweh. The Feast of Pentecost allows you to get closer to the person of the Holy Spirit, as well as have the law of Yahweh written in your heart. In that, life will be changed, as the law is no longer seen as a burden (1 John 5:3), but a way of living your covenant with the Lord everyday.