Pentecost: 2000 Years Ago or 2023?
The Day of Pentecost – we remember the supernatural flames appearing in the room where Yeshua’s followers were gathered. Inside the room, there was the sound of a “mighty rushing wind” and the speaking of other languages they’d never learned. It’s the pouring out of God’s very spirit into mere humans (Acts 2). That’s plenty to celebrate and remember right there. But what’s the purpose in our noting it every year?
Pentecost (Shavuot in Hebrew) was commanded to the Israelites in Exodus 23, while they were still in the wilderness (and further explained in Leviticus 23). What were the Israelites remembering for 1400 years before the Holy Spirit was poured out? And why are we to continue remembering it annually 2000 years after the events of Acts 2?
Pentecost is the fourth in God’s seven holy Feasts – all of which have historic, current and future significance. Most of us understand the current reality of Pentecost – Yeshua’s righteous sacrifice allowed Him to be accepted at the right hand of God in heaven, releasing God’s Spirit to dwell in man on earth. But what comes before and after Pentecost makes it even more exciting today.
Before Pentecost
Just before Pentecost is The Feast of Firstfruits. Historically on that day an offering was given to God from the very first of the new crop, before any could be consumed. Currently, living after Yeshua’s time, we can see that His resurrection was in accordance with the Feast of Firstfruits when He offered Himself to God as the “first fruits of those who are asleep” (I Cor. 15:20-23) — the first to be resurrected.
The Day of Pentecost occurs 50 days later (thus the name Pentecost) which is originally called the Feast of the Harvest in the Bible. Historically on this Feast, food would be prepared from the crops and offered to God as thanksgiving for the harvest.
After Yeshua’s death and resurrection, we now understand that the harvest the Feast of the Harvest celebrates refers to those who come after Yeshua, from the same crop. Just as the Firstfruit represented Yeshua, the full harvest represents US! This Feast celebrates our salvation. We are the followers of Yeshua, resurrected with Him to new life, even receiving the same Spirit of God that Yeshua had while He was on earth.
After Pentecost
The next holy Feast after Pentecost is the Feast of Trumpets, celebrated in the fall. This is a Sabbath day of rest in which trumpets are blown. Historically Israelite trumpets were used to announce both gladness and war. The next major event in God’s timetable is Yeshua’s return, when a trumpet will sound announcing both gladness to His followers and war upon His enemies (I Thessalonians 4:16).
Our Celebration Today
In the timeline of God’s seven holy Feasts, we are still in the period of Pentecost (or the Feast of Harvest) gathering in the harvest of believers before Yeshua’s return on the Feast of Trumpets. So during Pentecost today, not only can we remember the visible pouring out of the Holy Spirit 2000 years ago, but with every passing year, the Spirit is strengthened in us, the harvest of believers grows and God’s next Feast draws closer, when he shall return with a Feast of Trumpets.
This is why we are to remember it every year. This is why it matters now, more than ever before in history and grows in importance as the days and years pass.
Mark your calendar with dates of the this year’s Feasts.
Messianic Sabbath 
Thank you for all of the information on this site. I came across it a few years ago and have been encouraged to learn more about the Jewish heritage we have as Christians, and to seek the blessings God has prepared for us in His feasts. Every year I learn more and share more with others! Thank you!
August 30, 2021 at 6:13 am
That’s wonderful, Heidi! YHVH’s revelation and blessing just never ends. So glad you are tapped in and able to be a blessing to others! Thank you for your comment.
August 30, 2021 at 6:46 am
Is this calendar correct for Pentecost and the Sabbaths? Didn’t God create a luni-solar calendar? The Julian & Gregorian are pagan calendars. Then it makes the Sabbath wrong too.
June 3, 2016 at 1:29 pm
Janice, You will find other dates for the feasts based on how various groups reckon the new moon. There are about 3 different calendars observed by different groups. Our congregation agreed on one to follow for the sake of unity. I recommend following whichever one the leader you are submitted to instructs.
The calendar our congregation uses is a Gregorian calendar overlaid by the Jewish Diaspora calendar and modified to incorporate God’s appointed times as given by Moses and synchronized to start each Hebrew month on the new moon as it would be seen from the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. This new moon is calculated using lunar phase software that can pinpoint the moon’s position and phase at any time from any latitude/longitude on earth. There are other correct ways to reckon it as well.
Monte Judah of Lion & Lamb Ministries has done a very helpful Q & A video on the issue. Here’s the link:
http://livestream.com/LionLambMinistries/events/4518318/videos/104875531
The calendar portion starts at 26:50 min into the video and goes about 14 min.
I hope this helps.
June 3, 2016 at 8:44 pm
Thank you. I will review. I don’t think the weekly Sabbath rests are contingent on New Moon luni-solar. Moon was not created till 4th day and God rested on the 7th day, after 6 days of work.
June 12, 2016 at 7:45 am
I enjoyed your post, but you may want to take another look at the Festivals. There are only six. There is no “feast of Firstfruits”. Firstfruits is an offering made during the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Shalom !
May 18, 2014 at 6:47 am
Yes, Seasick613, you are correct that it is an offering and not a holy convocation or Sabbath. Since it is listed as an “appointed time” in Leviticus 23 along with all the others, I have included it in the seven. Thanks for the distinction.
June 30, 2014 at 8:36 pm