Greetings,
The annual Holy Day of Pentecost is quickly approaching – 35 and counting! God’s Holy Days are points of orientation – spiritual reference points — for us as we travel the road toward the establishment of God’s Kingdom on earth. These points of orientation become very important for us as we journey through the spiritual wilderness we know as this world.
We are introduced to this Holy Day by the name “Feast of Harvest” (Exodus 23:16). At this time of the year in the northern hemisphere crops are harvested. In this context Pentecost is connected to harvesting the firstfruits of the land. This day is also known by the name “Feast of Weeks” – a reference to the fact that this day was not fixed on God’s calendar, but a day that had to be counted. Fifty days from the benchmark of the day following the weekly Sabbath during the days of Unleavened Bread (Leviticus 23:15-16). During the days of Unleavened Bread on the “day after the Sabbath” a wave sheaf taken from the grain which was now ready for harvesting was offered unto the Lord (Numbers 28:26). After the wave sheaf was offered the harvest could begin and as well the counting of fifty days until the Feast of Weeks begins. From the day that the sickle was put the grain until the Holy Day itself was to be fifty days. Can we glean any spiritual points of orientation from this information?
Perhaps the most important aspect of counting fifty is the reinforcement of the special position of the firstfruit harvest in spiritual terms. The summary of the annual Holy Days is found in the book of Leviticus – with other details found within the books of the Law. The book of Leviticus demonstrates clearly the theme of God’s people being holy. Specifically it provides details of how that holiness is achieved. “Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am the Lord your God. And you shall keep My statutes, and perform them: I am the Lord who sanctifies you” (Leviticus 20:7-8). Also in the book of Leviticus is a second “counting of fifty” which contains important instruction for God’s people.
The Year of Jubilee was determined by the counting of seven sabbatical years. “And you shall count seven Sabbaths of years for yourself, seven times seven years … And you shall consecrate the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout all the land to its inhabitants …” (Leviticus 25: 8-9). As with Pentecost, seven Sabbaths must be completed and the fiftieth (day/year) is consecrated to God. The Jubilee year underscores redemption (Leviticus 25:23-24). The land is God’s and He has decreed that it return to the people to whom it was given. Similarly Pentecost is about the redemption of people owned by God.
The apostle Peter tells us: “… but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, ‘Be holy, for I am holy’”. Peter references the holiness of God’s people as per the book of Leviticus. “And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each person’s work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear; knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.” We all needed to be redeemed from the “aimless conduct” of our fathers. That redemption was by the precious blood of Christ with the end result being a people redeemed, who are to be God’s holy people. “He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you who believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God” (1 Peter 1:15-21).
The counting of fifty for Pentecost begins with the wave sheaf offering where Christ is portrayed as the first of the firstfruits. This was done shortly after Passover picturing His sacrificial death where the debts which we incurred by sin were paid. The conclusion of counting fifty brings us to a consecrated day picturing our redemption as firstfruits unto God.
As firstfruits we have both incredible blessings and responsibilities. “… how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? And for this reason He is the mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of eternal inheritance” (Hebrews 9:14-15).
What an incredible position we are in — we who have been redeemed. We have the promise of an eternal inheritance. This is a major point of spiritual orientation that should strengthen us on our journey.
There is much to pray and meditate about as we continue to count fifty days to Pentecost.
Warm Regards,
Brian Orchard
