TWENTY LITTLE KNOWN FACTS ABOUT PENTECOST

Bob D (5 May 2009)
"Twenty little known facts about Pentecost"


Twenty little known facts about Pentecost

My purpose for writing this summary as I reviewed many different articles and books regarding the subject of Pentecost is to show readers that the rapture of the Church could happen right around this time frame without setting a date. I hope that I can mention facts that have not been dealt with regarding this particular feast day and our possible departure to heaven. Perhaps I can take a principle that has already been discussed and go one step deeper and shed some new light on this subject. Before I start, let me just say this is one of the most incredible truths in Scripture that I have ever researched in my life.

(1) I might as well start with the issue that is a little defensive to people that look into this subject." But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no nor the angels of heaven, but my Father only." Matthew 24:36. It is my personal opinion that nobody knows the day or the hour of the rapture. Let me just say how I feel about this issue. I would not look for an exact date. In fact I think we should be ready at any moment for the rapture because there is so much we don't even know. I do believe Jesus comes across with a clear point in Luke chapter 12 that we should be ready at all times for the rapture. Luke 12:35-40. I am writing this article because there is more to the subject of Pentecost than meets the eye. There is something very biblically distinct about this feast/festival day. Did you know that Shavuot (Pentecost) was viewed upon as a floating date? When God constructed this, it was the only festival where the date could not be fixed. This feast day drifted back and forth( Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday).I heard but I am not sure that after 70 a.d Sivan 6 officially became the fixed date for Pentecost (Shavuot). If the feast day was changed after 70 a.d., can we really say Sivan 6 is the correct date?

(2) Some people refer to Pentecost as the feast day for dispensational change.

(1) Innocence (Creation).
(2) Conscience (The Fall).
(3) Human government (The Flood).
(4) Promise (Tower of Babel).
(5) Law (Exodus).
(6) Church age (When the Holy Spirit was given to the Church in Acts chapter 2).
(7) Kingdom age (The rapture of the Church and the following events).

Biblical history attests to the fact that dispensation number 3 (human government) changed on Shavuot which is found in Genesis chapter 8. It seems as if dispensation number 5 changed on Pentecost (Law) which is found in Exodus chapter 19. Dispensation number 6 (age of grace) changed on Pentecost which is found in Acts chapter 2. Although the dispensation of Promise (Towel of Babel) does not give a date, Genesis 11:7 says, "Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech." We know the age of grace started with Pentecost. "And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance." Acts 2:4. Here we see that the dispensation of Promise had one thing in common with the dispensation of Grace.That would be unknown tongues speaking at the same time.I think it is pretty clear that Promise ( Tower of Babel ) also changed on Pentecost. We see a pattern of dispensational changes taking place on Pentecost.It is possible that the first two dispensations (Innocence and Conscience) changed in a 24 hour time frame on Shavuot (Pentecost) but proving this is another thing. I tend to believe that all 6 dispensations in the past changed on Shavuot (Pentecost).The dispensation that we are living in now ends with the rapture of the Church. This age of grace might change in the Pentecost area. History tends to repeat itself.

(3) If the Holy Spirit was given to the Church on Pentecost (Acts chapter 2) then it is possible that the Holy Spirit will be removed on Pentecost (2nd Thes. 2:7). This verse says," For the mystery of inequity doth already work: only He who now letteth will let, until He be taken out of the way."

(4) There is a tradition that some Jewish people stay up all night and petition God for a miracle on Pentecost. They literally look for the sky to open up for a split second but they never know when this will happen.Their belief is, in that moment the Holy Spirit gives them divine power. This ritual has tones of the rapture in what they do on Pentecost. Notice "When" they are doing what they are doing.

(5) There is not an extra Adar month in 2008. This still places Pentecost probably around the beginning of the June area. I phrased that last statement very loose because I don't exactly know when Pentecost is going to occur. Most weddings take place in June.

(6) On Firstfruits notice that the new wheat of the barley harvest was waved before the Lord but there was no leaven in the bread. This represents Jesus Christ rising from the dead in all of His sinless resurrection power.Two loaves of wheat bread with leaven are waved on Pentecost representing the dead in Christ and the living being raptured (1st Thes.4: 16-18) but understand that the baking process killed the leaven (no sin) in the wheat loaves. When Christians are raptured we will be in a sinless state before Jesus Christ. This is another clue that the rapture may happen on or around Pentecost.

(7) Pentecost means 50. Fifty is associated with the Holy Spirit, Jubilee and liberty. Some Jewish scholars won't even attach a meaning to this number. From Firstfruits to Pentecost there are 50 days. This can be found in Leviticus 23:15-17. This Jubilee and liberty sounds like Christians being released at the rapture. What better number in the Bible to describe this joy.

(8) The barley harvest is from Passover to Pentecost. Most end time biblical prophecy experts that understand this type of harvest see this as a type of our dispensation of grace. This particular harvest (barley) ends with Pentecost. The age of grace will end once the rapture of the Church takes place. If this is the case then there is a connection between Pentecost and the rapture of the Church.

(9) Two Rams horns were given to Abraham when God provided this animal after his obedience with Isaac. There is only one heavenly trumpet mentioned in the Old Testament and that was sounded during the law probably with the left horn of the Ram on Shavuot (Pentecost). When the Apostle Paul spoke of the "Last Trump" in 1st Cor. 15:51-52 he may have been referring to the second Ram's horn (the right horn) to call His children home at the rapture. Remember if this is true, the left horn was blown on Shavuot (Pentecost). Will the right horn be blown on the rapture? This is just a thought. I am certainly not dogmatic on this issue. If this is true notice the two Ram's horns and the two different Pentecost time frames might come together. What I am trying to say is, if the left horn was blown on Pentecost then it would stand to reason that the right horn will also be blown on Pentecost. Will this event be the rapture?

(10) Jewish synagogues love the story of Ruth. It is the most popular, especially on Pentecost. Often times there is a strong teaching that the Messiah will arrive on this date. The rapture is pictured in the book of Ruth. When Ruth was on the threshing floor and laid down at the feet of Boaz this represented the rapture. This whole scenario took place on Shavuot (Pentecost).

(11) When Ruth married Boaz one could make a pretty good case that she converted over to Judaism. Once again the dispensation of law started on Shavuot (Pentecost). Grace (Pentecost). Ruth lying at the feet of Boaz (Pentecost). Could it be that law, grace and the rapture/resurrection will come together on Pentecost?

(12) Many Jewish scholars believe that King David was born and died on Pentecost. If this is true God was making a statement. I can not be sure of this but David seemed to be a type of the Church. David was in Ruth's bloodline. If we went from Ruth to David we are in essence starting and ending with Pentecost.

(13) Many Jewish scholars believe that when Israel was the bride of Jehovah, Passover was the courtship of Israel but Shavuot (Pentecost) was the actual marriage. Truths or patterns start from a Jewish origin.This seems to be the way it is with Jesus Christ and His bride from Passover to Pentecost. Passover starts the barley harvest because the first ripe barley is ready on this day but the 50 day count starts with Firstfruits and ends on Pentecost.It is interesting that the Jewish scholars had insight on this subject.

(14) " Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of His glory." Eph. 1:14. Verse 13 says,"The earnest of our salvation" is the Holy Spirit. It seems to me that when we accepted Jesus Christ as our personal Savior the Holy Spirit came into our hearts to reside. It is clear to me that in a manner of speaking the Holy Spirit is our engagement ring. Our wedding is after the rapture of the Church. Weddings seem to take place on Shavuot (Pentecost).

(15) Flavius Josephus once said that a few years before 70 a.d. Priests were following procedure for the temple and they heard a quaking, a noise and a multitude. This unknown said, "Let us remove hense." This happened on Pentecost. "Let us remove hense" sounds like the rapture.

(16) Why is there so much talk about Pentecost this year in 2009? The Pentecost area seems to be the most passionate time for end time prophecy web sites.

(17) There are 7 feast days and Pentecost is the forth. Jesus Christ is always represented by the 4th candlestick. The middle gives light and understanding to the first 3 and the last 3. At the rapture of the Church we will have understanding. It is a time when we will see the Light of the world who is Jesus Christ face to face.

(18) There are 3 Jewish festivals but Pentecost is right in the middle. This speaks of division. People may not want to hear this but the rapture is division. The saved in Jesus Christ will go up and the unsaved will be left behind. In both cases Pentecost is right in the middle (the feasts and the festivals).

(19) Passover is the beginning of the barley harvest but Firstfruits is a type of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Pentecost is the end of the barley harvest ( a type of resurrection and rapture of the New Testament Believers). Can we take this point to a higher level?" But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits: afterward they that are Christ's at His coming." 1st Cor.15 :23. The word "order" intrigues me. Some of the interpretations are interesting. One of the most popular is the Christians that did more for Jesus Christ will be first and the Christians that did less will not be as high when we go up in the rapture. What if the Apostle Paul knew not only the fulfillments of the feast days but also the "Order" in how this barley harvest was going to be fulfilled? What is after Firstfruits? Pentecost! The Apostle Paul knew that the new wheat being waved on Firstfruits represented the resurrection of Jesus Christ. "And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, And came out of the graves after His resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many." Matthew 27:52-53. Do you see what I am trying to observe? The Apostle Paul seemed to know that Firstfruits was already fulfilled in the first part of the barley harvest.Jesus Christ rose from the dead on the third day (Firstfruits) and fulfilled Matthew 27:52-53 by becoming the firstfruits of them that slept. The reason why I say that the Apostle Paul knew this knowledge was because he said he understood what happened."But now is Christ risen from the dead,and became the Firstfruits of them that slept." 1st Cor.15:20.Of course I just quoted the verses in Matthew, but if you have to read this small portion of Scripture again I would strongly advise this because you will see how the resurrection of Jesus Christ on Firstfruits fulfilled the FIRST part of the resurrection in the barley harvest. When Paul used the word "Order" he may have been referring to the feast day after Firstfruits which is Pentecost. Remember the Apostle Paul was born and raised in knowing and living the feast days all the way through to the end. He was required to excel in this area and have a very strong understanding of every little detail regarding Jewish feast and festival days. I think this is a fair question. Was the Apostle Paul speaking of a Pentecost rapture? It is just a question. I am not attempting to answer the question but I think that this is something we should think about.For more understanding on what I am trying to say read point number 6 and compare it to point number 19. Am I just seeing things or is that what the Apostle Paul was trying to portray?

(20) The one overwhelming tone of Pentecost seems to be a symbol of marriage or a joining together of two into one. This describes the rapture in a perfect way.

There are obviously more points than these 20. When is the true Pentecost? The Jewish calendar may not be as accurate as many people feel it is with the present dates that now exist. I think we are on pretty safe ground to say that Pentecost is sometime at the end of May or the beginning of June. I believe the beginning event is the rapture.Is our blessed hope (rapture) going to happen around Pentecost? Only time will tell.



Bob D.