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BACKGROUND
THE FEASTS
EASTON
FEAST; FESTIVALS - RELIGIOUS; ATONEMENT; ATONEMENT, DAY OF; AZAZEL; PASSOVER; PENTECOST; TABERNACLES, FEAST OF:
NEW BIBLE DICTIONARY
PASSOVER; PENTECOST, FEAST OF; TABERNACLES, FEAST OF:
The
full background to this teaching is available online at this link
THE FEASTS - BIBLE DICTIONARIES
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Online links to scriptures (New International Version [NIV] unless otherwise stated) are shown in blue
| SPRING FEASTS
THE PATTERN OF THINGS PAST |
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The 1st of 2 studies on Pentecost.
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| FEAST OF WEEKS (Pentecost) - 1 |
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 We naturally relate this feast to the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, because of its New Testament name, the Feast of Pentecost.
The Feast of Weeks as it is known in the Old Testament, was celebrated 50 days after Firstfruits. The word ‘pente’ means 50. The events of the New Testament Day of Pentecost represent a key element in the revelation of the New Testament. As a result of the work of the Holy Spirit, the church was formed and the 2 New Covenant commandments (Love both God and neighbour) were written not on stone tablets, but rather, on people’s hearts and minds. Of course, this occurred 50 days after the resurrection of Jesus. What else would you expect! But that is getting ahead of ourselves.
For the Jews of the time, it was a celebration of God’s provision for the wheat harvest. As such, it is closely linked to the Feast of Firstfruits, the celebration of the barley harvest. The two together were considered to be the ‘Corn Harvest’, so providing a very strong link between Passover and Pentecost.
The main cause of celebration however, was the birth of the nation. For 50 days after leaving Egypt God bestowed upon His people, at Mount Sinai, a system of law and of worship (Old Testament church), the very heart of nationhood.
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 We are going to see how the elements of this feast parallel precisely the work of the Holy Spirit in the New Testament.
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| THE FEAST ITSELF |
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 The Feast of Pentecost was to be celebrated fifty days after the Feast of Firstfruits.
Leviticus 23:15-16
Interestingly, the Feasts of Firstfruits and Pentecost were the only two that didn’t fall on a Sabbath. The particular importance of Pentecost was recognised however, as God decreed this day a special Sabbath. For there were fifty days between the peoples’ escape from Egypt and God providing them with the ‘first edition’ of the Ten Commandments on stone.
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 If you are curious like me, you will have figured out that the timing of the application of the fifty days was not from the Feast of Passover, (the time of the people leaving Egypt) as you would expect, but rather, from the Feast of Firstfruits. Looking back in hindsight, which is a wonderful thing to be able to do, we can see that the introduction of the Feasts revealed for the first time, in type form, the Resurrection of Jesus. For we now know that Firstfruits is symbolic of the Resurrection, and that the Holy Spirit came to form the New Testament church, fifty days after the Resurrection of Jesus. A further piece of God’s revelation jigsaw is in place!
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 The Feast was to be celebrated on the 6th day of the 3rd month, the month of Sivan. That places it around May or June in our calendar. A number of very specific offerings were to be made to the Lord in the midst of this great joy and celebration of the harvest.
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| PENTECOST PARTICULARS
<i>THEIR FULFILLMENT IN BOTH JESUS AND THE HOLY SPIRIT - 1 of 2<?i>
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 There is one very important difference between Pentecost and Passover. For Jesus fulfilled the Passover in both the natural and the spiritual. But in Pentecost, Jesus only fulfilled the natural, leaving spiritual fulfilment to the Holy Spirit. In Pentecost, Jesus and the Holy Spirit work in tandem. This has important implications for us as we build up towards the ultimate in the feasts, the Feast of Tabernacles. But more of that in the series on the Autumn Feasts to follow later.
So, let’s look now at some of the ways in which Jesus and the Holy Spirit fulfilled the Feast of Pentecost.
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| 1. Passover to Pentecost: |
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 Fifty days from when the people left Egypt until they were given the law.
Exodus 20:1-17
Jesus was the sacrificial lamb who died and brought the New Covenant law. The Holy Spirit took the Law and imprinted it on the tablet of our heart.
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| 2. Firstfruit to Weeks (Pentecost): |
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The Feast of Pentecost was to be celebrated fifty days after the Feast of Firstfruits.
Leviticus 23:15-16
Jesus rose on the day of Firstfruits, followed fifty days later by the arrival of the Holy Spirit.
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| 3. The Number Fifty: |
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 In the Old Testament, fifty was the number of Jubilee. In a Jubilee year, slaves were freed, debts cancelled and land returned to its original owner. It was a time of celebration, proclaimed by the blowing of trumpets.
Leviticus 25:8-17
Jesus’ resurrection, freeing mankind from the burden of Old Testament law, enabled the Holy Spirit, 50 days later, to imprint Jesus’ New Testament law upon our hearts.
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| 4. The Day After the Sabbath: |
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Both the Feasts of Firstfruit and Pentecost were celebrated on the day after the Sabbath.
Leviticus 23:9-16
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 As mentioned, Jesus rose on the first day of the week. The Holy Spirit came on the first day also. That is why we as Christians, celebrate the Lord’s Day on a Sunday. The Old Testament, Jewish Sabbath, was commemorated on a Saturday. In the Old Testament, the Sabbath was a ‘day of rest’, while in the New, we are to have a ‘Spirit of rest’ in Jesus at all times. Sabbath or Holy days are to ‘celebrated’ inside us continually, not merely related to specific days. We are to live them all, every day of the year! This is a concept much of the church has lost sight of. The traditions of Easter and Christmas and other holy days are indeed just those – traditions. Not the reality of living a godly life.
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| 5. The Manifestation of God: |
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 On Mount Sinai God’s presence was majestically manifested in cloud, thunder, lightening, earthquakes, fire and smoke.
The Law Given on Mt. Sinai, by C.F. Vos.
Exodus 19:16-22
Jesus made possible the coming of the Holy Spirit in tongues of fire, rushing, mighty wind, shaking and conviction.
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| 6. The Giving of the Law: |
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At Mount Sinai on tablets of stone, written with God’s finger.
Exodus 34:1, 28
Jesus is the New Testament law, written on our hearts by the Spirit of the finger of God.
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| 7. The Books of the Covenant: |
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 The Old Testament law was written down by Moses and Aaron on Mount Sinai and kept in a book in the side of the Ark of the Covenant.
Priest reading the Law
2 Kings 22:8-13
The New Testament of our Bible is the New Covenant equivalent. Inspired by the life of Jesus and written under the anointing of the Holy Spirit.
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| <i>NEXT WEEK</i>
THE PROPHETIC FEASTS OF THE LORD - Series 1 -
THE SPRING FEASTS - Part 7 of 7
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 This is the study for those who like food! Maybe most of us!
Pentecost, celebration and food go together. As they seem to still do in our churches today!
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| A NOTE FROM DAVID |
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 Now we can start to see the progressive nature of the fulfilment of the Feasts as the Holy Spirit is starting to be revealed, along with Jesus. Quite remarkable really!
I travel to many different places to many different church situations. Yet what I have observed, whether Traditional or Pentecostal, is the same great need everywhere for a greater understanding and experience of the Holy Spirit. may these studies help our understanding. But in the end, we need more than understanding. We need to give Him greater access to change our lives. Are we prepared to do that today?
Mountaineering is another pastime popular in New Zealand. For along with the beaches, we also have some high and challenging mountains.
Of course, the most famous New Zealander of all time is probably Sir Edmund Hillary (right), the first man to successfully climb Mount Everest, along with the Nepalese, Sherpa Tensing Norgay (left) in 1953. (Photo taken on Mt Everest)
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 The Southern Alps form the 'backbone' of our South Island. Many locals and overseas visitors try their hands at climbing the various peaks, the highest of which is Mount Cook at 3,750 meters (12,303 feet).
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So until next week.......
MAY GOD BLESS YOU AND YOU BLESS GOD!
His servant and yours
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www.wwj.org.nz/about.php
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A DAVID'S DOODLING
313. Resting in God seems too easy to be religious. It is! And it isn't!
David Tait
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Check
out the WWJ website for….
More David's Doodlings: www.wwj.org.nz/dd.php
God Facts (A mine of information): http://www.wwj.org.nz/gfacts.php
Facts for Fun: http://www.wwj.org.nz/facts.php
Marriage and Family Facts: http://www.wwj.org.nz/maffacts.php
Just jokes: http://www.wwj.org.nz/jokes.php
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