Pentecost, The Feast of Weeks, The Feast of Counting
Following the three spring feasts came the Feast of Weeks. Or, also known as the Feast of Counting, Shavu’ot. It is linked to the spring feasts in several ways. One of these is its timing. The “counting” reference is from the requirement to count from the Feast of First Fruits fifty days to the day of this feast. Or, the day after seven sabbaths ((7 x 7) + 1 = 50). This is also the source for the title “Pentecost”, derived from the Greek word pentēkostē (fiftieth day).
For the Jew, this is a celebration of the giving of the Torah, or Law. After escaping from bondage in Egypt, the Jewish people traveled in the wilderness to Mount Sinai. They arrived there and prepared for and received the Law from God fifty days after their departure from Egypt. This giving of the Law was another freedom. While the Passover, Feast of Unleavened Bread, and Feast of First Fruits are all celebrations of deliverance from physical slavery, the giving of the Torah (Law) freed them from bondage to idolatry and immorality.
The “counting” echoes the pattern of the Jubilee observance. As there were seven Sabbath years (49 total) and then the Jubilee year, here there are seven Sabbath days (49 total) and then the Feast of Weeks. Celebrating the giving of the Law every Jubilee by returning land, freeing slaves marked the Jubilee celebration. Those observing these Feasts today mark the freedom from sin and idolatry the knowledge of God’s Law brings.
For the Christian, we note it was on the Feast of Pentecost the Holy Spirit was given to the Church.
And when the day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a noise like a violent rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them tongues like fire distributing themselves, and they rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance.
Acts 2:1-4, LSB
The Law does teach us how to live in obedience. But, it also teaches us our disobedience – that we are disobedient children. The external law (the Ten commandments and all of the law given in the Old Testament) teaches about God while it also shows us we fall short of God’s design of Holy living. No one is able to keep the law. No one has except for Jesus Christ, the Messiah. And, until the law changes from external to internal, it would only act to teach.
God promised, though, that He would make the Law internal. The law would change from showing us our need for a Savior to evidence of the indwelling God. God promised that He would write the law on our hearts.
But this is the covenant which I will cut with the house of Israel after those days,” declares Yahweh: “I will put My law within them, and on their heart I will write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.
Jeremiah31:33, LSB
The Law of God would become internal. And, that internal law would be used to truly free us from living in rebellion and idolatry. The indwelling Holy Spirit teaches us to live Holy lives. We aren’t perfect. We still sin. But, the Christian with the indwelling Holy Spirit is now taught to live daily by being reminded, exhorted, admonished from this internal law.
And as for you, the anointing whom you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you. But as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as He has taught you, abide in Him.
1 John 2:27, LSB
- It is neither accidental nor coincidental that these New Testament events coincide with the Old Testament Feasts.
- It is not accidental or coincidental there are seven Appearance Feasts.
- It is not accidental or coincidental there are seven days of creation.
That last three Feasts are grouped together in the Fall of the year as the Spring feasts were grouped together. They are also different from the previous feasts in that God did not require any animal sacrifice as part of the Fall Feasts. Only the first four Feasts, Passover, Unleavened Bread, First Fruits, and Pentecost all had the requirement for a blood sacrifice.
God’s lamb, Jesus Christ, provided that sacrifice Himself during His first advent. Since God carefully and purposefully foreshadowed and then fulfilled each of these four Feasts in the life of Jesus Christ, shouldn’t we expect the final three Feasts will be similarly matched in yet-to-occur events? Shouldn’t our eschatology, or study of the final things (end times), incorporate an expectation of correlation with these remaining Feasts?
coming… The Fall Feasts: Rosh Hashanah
Why Six Days? 