Understanding of Pentecost (Shavuot) - in 2013 it begins May 15

Pentecost and the Feast of Shavuot

The Historical Understanding of Pentecost (Shavuot)

In the third month after the Jews left Egypt (Mitzrayim), they arrived in the Sinai desert and camped opposite Mount Sinai. Moses (Moshe) was then told by G-d to gather the Israelites together to receive the Torah (Exodus [Shemot] 19:1-8 NAS). The Israelites answered, "All that the Lord has spoken we will do!" In Hebrew, it is Na'aseh V'Nishmah, which means, "We agree to do even before we have listened." 

                                   

Moses (Moshe) then gave the Jews two days to cleanse themselves, wash their clothes, and prepare to receive the Torah on the third day. At the same time, Moses (Moshe) told them not to come too near Mount Sinai. From early morning, dense clouds covered the peak of the mountain. Thunder and lightning were frequently seen and heard. The sound of the shofar (ram's horn) came very strong, and the top of the mountain was enveloped in fire and smoke. The Israelites at the foot of Mount Sinai stood in great awe (Exodus [Shemot] 19:9-19). Moses (Moshe) then went up alone on the mountain, and as he neared the top, a mighty voice announced the Ten Commandments (Exodus [Shemot] 19:20-25; 20:1-21).

Later Development of the Holiday

Pentecost (Shavuot) traditionally has been seen in different ways. One is to see it as the concluding piece of the Passover (Pesach) season. The other is to see it as an independent festival. Because Pentecost (Shavuot) celebrates the revelation of G-d at Mount Sinai, Pentecost (Shavout) would seem to be of a clearly independent nature. It is, after all, counted as one of the three pilgrimage festivals (Deuteronomy [Devarim] 16:16). Yet, beginning with the Targum (the Aramaic translation of the Scriptures from the second century of the Christian Era or Common Era (C.E.), known more commonly as A.D.), Pentecost (Shavuot) is referred to in the rabbinic tradition as Atzeret. The word atzeret in Hebrew means "conclusion." The word atzeret is used in the Bible with the festival Shemini Atzeret (Numbers [Bamidbar] 29:35) and seems to mean "remain with Me [G-d] another day." There is a sense, therefore, that atzeret is the final part or completion of a festival. Therefore, Shavuot (Pentecost) is seen as the conclusion to the Passover (Pesach) season. One strong connection between Passover (Pesach) and Shavuot (Pentecost) is the counting of the omer serving as a chain that links the two festivals.

Spiritual Application (Halacha). Because Shavuot (Pentecost) culminates with the counting of the omer for 50 days, Shavuot (Pentecost) is called the Atzeret or conclusion to Passover (Pesach). Spiritually speaking (halacha), the believers in the Messiah Yeshua are on a journey out of Egypt (a type of the world's system and its evil ways) in the wilderness (of life), awaiting our time to meet G-d face to face on Mount Sinai (Exodus [Shemot] 3:12). There at Mount Sinai (spiritually), G-d will forever reveal Himself to us in a new and greater way. For all believers in the Messiah Yeshua, the Torah that was given at Mount Sinai represents the Word of G-d, the entire Bible. The believer inYeshua spiritually experiences Shavuot (Pentecost) when the Holy Spirit of G-d (Ruach HaKodesh) reveals the Word of G-d to him in a deeper and more powerful way, and his understanding and desire for the Bible increases accordingly.

Shavuot as a Marriage: A Betrothal Contract

One of the most beautiful images of Shavuot (Pentecost) is that of the marriage between G-d (the groom) and Israel (the bride).

In the biblical wedding service that G-d gave (Romans 9:4; Hebrews 9:1; 1 Chronicles 28:11-12), marriage consisted of two stages. The first stage is betrothal, called erusin in Hebrew. You enter this first stage of marriage as soon as a betrothal contract (a shitre erusin) is made between the two parties. The written contract is called a ketubah. During betrothal, you are legally married, but do not physically dwell with your mate. Betrothal is so legally binding that you cannot get out of it without a divorce, called a get in Hebrew.

In fact, by understanding the Hebrew language, we can see how betrothal is legally binding. To G-d, Hebrew is the pure language (Zephaniah 3:9), and Hebrew will allow us to understand deeper spiritual truths in the Bible that would be more difficult to understand otherwise. The word for betrothal in Hebrew, erusin, comes from the Hebrew verb aras. Aras is related to the Hebrew wordasar, which means "to bind." By this, we can see that the Hebrew language communicates to us that betrothal is legally binding.

Messianic Fulfillment. In the New Testament (Brit Hadashah), we can see that Joseph (Yosef) was betrothed to Mary (Miryam) when the angel Gabriel announced to Mary (Miryam) that she would have a son named Yeshua (Jesus), by the Holy Spirit (Ruach HaKodesh) of G-d, who would be the Messiah (Luke 1:26-35). When Joseph (Yosef) discovered that his betrothed (espoused) wife Mary (Miryam) was pregnant, he decided to get a divorce (get) until the angel of the L-rd changed his mind by appearing to him in a dream (Matthew [Mattityahu] 1:18-20). Betrothal is mentioned in the Torah in Exodus (Shemot) 21:8; Leviticus (Vayikra) 19:20; Deuteronomy (Devarim) 20:7; 22:23. The second stage of marriage is the fullness or consummation of the marriage. This stage of marriage is called nesu'in.

The Bible tells us in Jeremiah (Yermiyahu) 2:2 that at Mount Sinai, G-d betrothed Himself to Israel, as it is written:

Go and cry in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, Thus saith the Lord; I remember thee, the kindness of thy youth, the love of thine espousals, when thou wentest after Me in the wilderness, in a land that was not sown. Israel was holiness unto the Lord, and the firstfruits of His increase... (Jeremiah [Yermiyahu] 2:2-3)

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In Exodus 19, when G-d by the leading of Moses (Moshe) brought the children of Israel to Mount Sinai, G-d betrothed Himself to Israel. On Mount Sinai, G-d gave the Torah to Israel (Exodus [Shemot] 20:1-21). At this time, G-d was making a betrothal contract, a ketubah, with Israel. Theketubah (or written betrothal contract, which is understood to be the Torah) represents "The book of the covenant" (marriage is a covenant) that Moses (Moshe) wrote prior to the revelation at Mount Sinai (Exodus [Shemot] 24:4,7). The Book of the Covenant spelled out mutual obligations of G-d and Israel just as the ketubah spelled out the obligations between husband and wife. So, G-d made a marriage contract with Israel in Exodus (Shemot) 19:3-7.

In Exodus (Shemot) 19:8, Israel accepts G-d's marriage proposal. Israel answered in Exodus (Shemot) 19:8, "All that the Lord hath spoken we will do" (Na'aseh V'Nishmah -- we agree to do even before we have listened).

In Exodus (Shemot) 19:2, Israel camped before the L-rd. The word camp in Hebrew is chanah and in this case is singular, while Israel is plural. By this we can see that at that time all Israel had become one. This is also a necessary requirement for marriage (Genesis [Bereishit] 2:24; Ephesians 5:31).

The biblical wedding ceremony that G-d gave requires that the marriage be consummated under a wedding canopy known as a chupah. In Exodus (Shemot) 19:17, Moses (Moshe) brought forth the people out of the camp to meet G-d and they stood at the nether part of the mount. The word netherin Hebrew actually implies that the people stood underneath the mountain. This imagery gives the understanding that the mountain had become a chupah and Israel was standing underneath the mountain or under the chupah, the place where the wedding takes place.

Every wedding will have two witnesses. They are called the friends of the bridegroom. One is assigned to the groom and one is assigned to the bride. In Exodus (Shemot) 19:17, Moses (Moshe) is seen as one of the two witnesses whose job is to escort the bride to meet the groom under the chupah (Mount Sinai). In order for the ketubah, the written contract between the husband and the wife, to be legal in consummating the marriage, it must be signed by the two witnesses, the friends of the bridegroom. Since we can see that Moses (Moshe) was one of the two witnesses, he had to sign the Ketubah (Torah) in order for the full marriage between G-d and Israel to be consummated.

However, when Moses (Moshe) returned from being with G-d on Mount Sinai, he did not sign the Ketubah (Torah). Instead he broke the two tablets (ketubah), which were in his right hand (Exodus [Shemot] 32:19), thus not signing the ketubah which G-d had made with Israel. Therefore, he did not allow Israel to enter into the full marriage. Moses (Moshe) broke the two tablets (ketubah) when he saw that Israel was worshiping the golden calf and thus were being unfaithful in their marriage.

The Spiritual Understanding of Shavuot (Pentecost)

Spiritual Application (Halacha). The giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai involved the Aaronic priesthood, the sacrificial system, the tabernacle, the sabbath days, the festivals, the civil and ceremonial laws, and the Ten Commandments (Exodus [Shemot] 19:17,20; 20:1,21-22; 21:1-2,12; 22:1,16; 23:10-11,14; 24:1-8,12,18; 25:1,8-9,40; 28:1; 31:12-18; 32:1; 34:27-28; Hebrews 8:1-6; 9:1-12,15,18-24; 10:1,10; 13:20). These things were given by G-d as a shadow of things to come (Hebrews 10:1) to teach us (Galatians 3:24) about the Messiah Yeshua and the redemptive work of G-d (Colossians 2:16-17). Shavuot (Pentecost) was the birth of the congregation (kehilat) in the wilderness (Acts 7:38). The things given at Mount Sinai were divine and from G-d, but shown in a physical way (Hebrews 9:1) to enable us to understand the spiritual truths that G-d wanted to communicate to us (1 Peter 2:5-9). So G-d gave Israel the covenant, the Torah, the services, the oracles of G-d, and the promises (Romans 9:4-5; 3:2), which were divine (Hebrews 9:1), at Mount Sinai to teach us about the Messiah (Psalm [Tehillim] 40:7). With this in mind, let's look at the spiritual understandings that G-d was communicating to us at Shavuot.

The Two Leavened Wave Loaves (Leviticus [Vayikra] 23:15-17)

This was to be a new meal offering to the L-rd (Leviticus [Vayikra] 23:16; Numbers [Bamidbar] 28:26). There were to be two wave loaves baked with leaven (Leviticus [Vayikra] 23:17). At Passover (Pesach), leaven was absolutely forbidden (Exodus [Shemot] 12:15,19-20) and in the regular meal offering, no leaven was permitted (Leviticus [Vayikra] 2:1,4-5, 11). We saw earlier that leaven represents sin (1 Corinthians 5:6-8; Galatians 5:9). Passover (Pesach) and Unleavened Bread (Hag HaMatzah) spoke of the death and burial of Yeshua who was without sin. Yet onShavuot (Pentecost), G-d commanded just the opposite. Why?

Shavuot (Pentecost) speaks of the birth of Israel as a nation, as well as the birth of the congregation (kehilat) of believers in Yeshua through the Holy Spirit (Ruach HaKodesh). The two loaves speak of Israel and the congregation of believers in the Messiah. Even though both Israel and the congregation (kehilat) of believers in the Messiah Yeshua are chosen by G-d and are holy to Him, sin is still found in Israel and sin still exists in the congregation of believers. Passover (Pesach) and Unleavened Bread (Hag HaMatzah) speak primarily of Yeshua who is without sin, butShavuot (Pentecost) speaks of Israel and the congregation (kehilat) of believers where sin still exists.

We have just stated that the two wave loaves speak of Israel and the congregation (kehilat) of believers in the Messiah. The number two in the Bible is the number of witness and testimony. For example, two witnesses in the Bible establishes a truth (Matthew [Mattityahu] 18:19-20; Deuteronomy (Devarim] 19:15; John 5:30-33,36-37; Luke 24:44; 1 John 5:8; Revelation 12:11; 11:3). The Ten Commandments were written on two stones (Exodus [Shemot] 31:18). Also, the Ten Commandments are fulfilled by obeying two commandments (Matthew [Mattityahu] 22:34-40). Messiah and His congregation (kehilat) of believers testify of the love, grace, and plan of G-d for the whole world.

The meal offering was to be an offering burned by fire upon the altar. A work of the Holy Spirit (Ruach HaKodesh) is an immersion (baptism) of fire (Luke 3:16). Fire is what G-d uses to burn sin out of the lives of a believer in the Messiah (1 Corinthians 3:13-15; 1 Peter 1:7). The followers ofYeshua are supposed to live a righteous (tzaddik) life before G-d (Ephesians 4:17-32; 5:1-13; Colossians 3:1-13; Romans 8:1-4).

Two-tenths Ephod of Fine Flour (Leviticus [Vayikra] 23:17)

The grinding and crushing of wheat produces fine flour. The fine flour speaks of the refining process that our faith goes through as we are conformed to the image of Messiah Yeshua and enter into His trials, testings, temptations, and sufferings (Zechariah 13:9; Romans 5:3-5; 8:29,35-39; 2 Corinthians 1:3-11; 1 Peter 1:7; 4:12-19; Revelation 3:18).

Messianic Fulfillment. Yeshua was the wheat that was planted into the ground (John [Yochanan] 12:24; 1 Corinthians 15:35-38,42-44). As wheat is beaten and refined to become fine flour, so the Messiah was beaten and bruised as He became that fine flour (Isaiah [Yeshayahu] 28:28; 52:14; 53:1-6; Psalm [Tehillim] 81:16; 147:14).

Holy to the L-rd for the Priest (Leviticus [Vayikra] 23:20)

Even though the two wave loaves were leavened, the L-rd counted them holy unto Himself for the priest. As mentioned earlier, the two wave loaves that the priest waved represented both Israel and the congregation (kehilat) of believers in Yeshua. Both the Jewish believers in Yeshua, represented by Israel, and the non-Jewish believers, represented by the congregation (kehilat), consist of individuals who are leaven. We still sin before G-d despite being believers in the Messiah. In spite of this sin, because we are believers in Yeshua and seek to serve and love Him with all our hearts, we are considered holy before G-d (Deuteronomy [Devarim] 7:6-8; 14:2; Luke 1:68,72-75; Ephesians 1:4; 5:27; Colossians 1:22-24; 1 Thessalonians 4:7; Titus 2:12; 1 Peter 1:15-16).

A Statute Forever (Leviticus 23:21)

The Holy Spirit came to dwell with the believer in Yeshua forever (John [Yochanan] 14:16-17). Therefore, the followers of Yeshua should have a continual Shavuot (Pentecost) experience; one on a daily basis.

The Feast of Harvest of First Fruits (Exodus [Shemot] 23:16; 34:22; Numbers [Bamidbar] 28:26)

Shavuot (Pentecost) is called the Feast of Weeks, the Feast of Harvest, or the Feast of the First Fruits. Passover (Pesach) was the barley harvest and Shavuot (Pentecost) was the wheat harvest (Exodus [Shemot] 34:22; Ruth 1:22; 2:23; Joel 1:11).

Israel was called a land of barley and wheat (Deuteronomy [Devarim] 8:7-8; 2 Chronicles 2:15; Jeremiah [Yermiyahu] 41:8). The spring wheat and barley harvest preceded the major harvest in the fall, the Feast of Ingathering (Exodus [Shemot] 23:16; 34:22). Both the spring and the fall harvests were dependent upon the rains coming at the right time. The fall rains are called the early rain. The spring rains are called the latter rain. The early rain is spoken of in Deuteronomy (Devarim) 11:10-15; 28:12; Leviticus (Vayikra) 26:4; Joel 2:23,28-29; and Zechariah 10:1. The rain is prophetic of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit (Ruach HaKodesh) upon people's lives individually as they accept Yeshua into their lives and allow the Holy Spirit to teach and instruct them concerning the ways of G-d. The early rain and the latter rain also teach us about the pouring out of G-d's Holy Spirit in a corporate way upon all flesh. The early rain refers to the outpouring of the Holy Spirit (Ruach HaKodesh) during Yeshua's first coming and the latter rain refers to the outpouring of the Holy Spirit (Ruach HaKodesh) during Yeshua's second coming.

As we are seeing, the harvest speaks of the salvation of people. The spring harvest was the beginning of the harvest of people who would come to receive Yeshua as Messiah with the greatest harvest being at the end of this age (Matthew [Mattityahu] 13:39; 9:37-38; Mark 4:29). The fall harvest or the harvest at the end of this present age (Olam Hazeh) is in the seventh month on the biblical religious calendar. Shavuot (Pentecost) is in the third month. From Shavuot(Pentecost), there are four months until the final harvest in the fall (John [Yochanan] 4:34-35). The fall harvest is the fruit harvest.

Messianic Fulfillment. G-d said that the coming of Yeshua would be like the former and latter rain on the earth (Hosea 6:1-3; Joel 2:23). James (Ya'akov) ties the coming of the L-rd to the early and latter rain (James [Ya'akov] 5:7). Yeshua's death, burial, and resurrection was in the spring of the year; the outpouring of the Holy Spirit after the resurrection of Yeshua was in the spring of the year; and all those who believed were first fruits of the entire harvest and were a part of the spring harvest. Yeshua's second coming will be in the fall of the year and the greatest number of believers will believe at this time. Yeshua spoke about this great harvest at the end of this present age (Olam Hazeh) in Matthew (Mattityahu) 13:39; 24:13-14; and Revelation 14:6,15-16.

A Harvest of Freewill Offerings and Rejoicing (Deuteronomy [Devarim] 16:9-11,16-17)

As believers in Yeshua, when we come before G-d we are to give of ourselves, including our time, talents, and money, and present them before Him with a joyful heart (Acts 4:32-37; 1 Corinthians 16:1-2; 2 Corinthians 8-9).

The Conclusion of the Spring Festivals

This concludes the study of the spring festivals. We have seen how the spring festivals are applicable in three dimensions. They are historic to the nation of Israel; they are fulfilled in the Messiah Yeshua; and they describe how the individual believer is to walk (halacha) and live his life before G-d. In other words, we can see that G-d has a plan for every individual to willingly come to Him. So the spring festivals were not only historic, but they were also our type and example (1 Corinthians 10:1-2,6,11).

To natural Israel, Passover (Pesach) was their freedom from the bondage of Egypt (Mitzrayim) (Exodus [Shemot] 12). Unleavened Bread (Hag HaMatzah) was the separation from the land of Egypt into the immersion (baptism) into the Red Sea and the Cloud in the wilderness (1 Corinthians 10:1-2). Finally, G-d led the people to Mount Sinai (Exodus [Shemot] 19:1) where they experienced Shavuot (Pentecost and G-d revealed Himself to the people in a deeper and greater way than He ever did previously.

Messianic Fulfillment. The spring festivals were fulfilled by Yeshua. Messiah, who was our Passover Lamb, died on the day of Passover (Pesach). He was without sin and is the Bread of Life.Yeshua was in the sepulcher on the day of Unleavened Bread (Hag HaMatzah) and He was the kernel of wheat that was buried in the earth. Yeshua arose as First Fruits of the barley harvest, He Himself being the first of those to rise from the dead and receive a resurrected body. Finally, the Holy Spirit (Ruach HaKodesh) was poured out upon all flesh during the feast of Shavuot(Pentecost) to gather all believers in the Messiah to be G-d's spring harvest in the earth. As these four feasts describe in detail the significant events during the first coming of Messiah when He came as the suffering Messiah, Messiah ben Joseph, to redeem both man and the earth back to G-d following the fall of man in the Garden of Eden, we will find that the fall festivals give us tremendous insight and understanding concerning the events of Yeshua's second coining. Then He will return as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords and come back to earth as the kingly Messiah,Messiah ben David, to rule and reign on earth during the Messianic age or the Millennium.

Spiritual Application (Halacha). Every time a person receives Yeshua the Messiah as his own Savior, he spiritually experiences Passover (Pesach). He is to flee Egypt (the world's evil system and ways) and trust (emunah) in the Messiah, the Lamb of God, and allow Yeshua to be the doorpost of his heart. As believers, we are then to seek to live holy lives before G-d and experience Unleavened Bread (Hag HaMatzah). Just as Yeshua arose from the dead, we are to consider our former ways dead to us and experience the newness of life in the Messiah. Once we do this, we can be immersed (baptized) in the Holy Spirit (Ruach HaKodesh) and have the power of G-d (the anointing) in our lives. At that time, G-d will begin to take us on a spiritual journey through the wilderness of life.

In the process of experiencing life's bitter disappointments and struggles, if we keep our eyes upon G-d, He will take us from Passover (Pesach) to Shavuot (Pentecost) where He will reveal His ways and His Word, the Bible, in a deeper and progressive way. By keeping our eyes on the Messiah through life's struggles, G-d will not only reveal His Word, the Bible, to us in a greater way, but He also will refine our faith like fine flour just as was done to the wheat. Meanwhile, if we put our entire trust (emunah) in Yeshua through our spiritual journey in the wilderness of life as G-d refines our faith and reveals Himself to us in a greater way, our spiritual journey will not end in the wilderness of life. Instead G-d will take us forward to spiritually experience the fall festivals and our spiritual promised land. It is when we spiritually experience the fall festivals, especially the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot), and enter into our spiritual promised land that G-d will anoint our lives for Him in an awesome way as we live and serve Him. We will then experience the greatest joy in our entire lives. Joy unspeakable! This is what the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot) is all about. It is called "the season of our joy" and this joy is what we have to look forward to as we read about the fall festivals in the following chapters.

Come Ruach HaKodesh! 

Come Holy Spirit!

(For a further complete reading of Pentecost/Shavuot and all the Feasts: Feasts of the Lord)