The Feast of Pentecost: The Firstfruits of God's Harvest
In the process of revealing His plan of salvation for mankind, God
established His annual Holy Days around the harvest seasons in the Middle
East (Leviticus 23:9-16; Exodus 23:14-16). Just as His people harvested
their crops around these three festival seasons, God's Holy Days show
us how He is harvesting people for eternal life in His Kingdom.
The Holy Days have meanings that build upon each other. Together they
progressively reveal how God works with humanity.
Earlier we saw Passover symbolizing Christ's giving of Himself for
us so our sins could be forgiven. We also learned how the Days of Unleavened
Bread teach us that we must remove and avoid sin, whether in actions
or attitudes. The next Holy Day, Pentecost, builds on this important
foundation.
This festival is known by several names, which derive from its meaning
and timing. Also known as the Feast of Harvest (Exodus 23:16), it represents
the firstfruits (Numbers 28:26) gathered as the result of the labor
of those who completed the spring grain harvests in ancient Israel (Exodus 23:16).
It is also called the Feast of Weeks (Exodus 34:22), with this name
coming from the seven weeks plus one day (50 days in all) that are counted
to determine when to celebrate this festival (Leviticus 23:16). Similarly,
in the New Testament, which was written in Greek, this festival is known
as Pentecost (Pentekostos in the original), which means "fiftieth" (Vine's
Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words, "Pentecost").
