It is almost time for Pentecost!
PENTECOST IS SUNDAY, MAY 29, 2023
Here at The IN SEASON Lifestyle blog community, we are all about living out 2 Timothy 4:2. That would mean we want to tackle the world in the same manner that Jesus and his disciples did when He walked this earth. This mission is something that God has called us to do, and further; He has called us to share this lifestyle with others.
One huge part of this 2 Timothy 4:2 lifestyle we love is keeping God’s Annual Holy Days.
The Holy Day coming up next is called Pentecost.
If you have been counting the Omer with us, you are realizing that the 49th day arrives on a Saturday evening at sunset. Therefore; Pentecost happens in 2023 on Sunday, May 29th; exactly 50 days after Passover. https://theinseasonlifestyle.com/counting-the-days-explained.
Consequently, many different homes and churches will be celebrating Pentecost on this Sunday. So; the day is often called “Pentecost Sunday.”
Please go celebrate in the place that God puts on your heart to go. Remember how the disciples were told to go to Jerusalem and wait? Where is your Jerusalem? I hope that every church out there is filled to the rafters with praise and adoration on this day.
In times of stress and when our numbers seem to be few; we must always remember that God can’t be contained inside a building. He walks around inside the praises of His people.
Pentecost will go on even in times of national downturns, bad economies, political disorder and total chaos. Christians following Jesus will make whatever adjustments necessary to accommodate the blessings of God’s Holy Spirit being poured out to the fullness of God’s people on this day.
It is typical to celebrate Pentecost inside a local common building called a church; but that isn’t a requirement. The important thing is to joyfully celebrate God’s Holy Spirit. We must remember to acknowledge this amazing gift from our Beloved. He has given us this gift to help us abide until He comes again. If God’s Holy Spirit lives within His Church; it is time to be moving in the heavenly realms.
We can do that even if we are still living on this earth. With this new completeness from Heaven, we must be operating from a place of being filled-up with God’s power and goodness and never perceive ourselves living within a place of lack. This is insured to us by God’s Presence living within our spirits.
In years past I have shared how we have celebrated Pentecost in a vineyard, (https://theinseasonlifestyle.com/pentecost-in-a-vineyard/) and in a park, (https://theinseasonlifestyle.com/pentecost-in-the-park/. This year my own family will probably celebrate Pentecost inside our own home.
Where ever you are, and whatever you decide to do; celebrate Pentecost with all of your heart. God will show up and show out.
The place of celebration is only the beginning. It is where you go and what you do after you leave the place that matters.
PENTECOST IS A TIME OF SEASONAL FULLNESS
All of this “fullness” of life happening between Mother’s Day and Father’s Day and right around Memorial Day typically makes for a lot of festivities during the months of May and June.
What a blessing it has become for all of us to be able to celebrate so many special seasons of life all through-out the spring and summer months of our years on this earth.
Don’t you love how God makes every single year special in its own unique way?
God is outside of time. For those of us still stuck inside of time, He keeps the clock ticking. His way of keeping time is always perfect. The Day of Pentecost will come! You will know it in your heart. It will be all that you have anticipated and more.
With each passing year, when we do reach the Day of Pentecost; we have had several months to ponder the wonder of how God sends His Holy Spirit to us through the love of Jesus Christ. Those who have counted the omer from Passover are ready to enter Pentecost and experience many rich new blessings from God. https://theinseasonlifestyle.com/gods-calendar/ .
NO GIFT COULD BE GREATER THAN PENTECOST
What greater gift has ever been given than the blessing of God’s People receiving God’s Holy Spirit?
The only thing comparable or greater would be the gift of Christ who sacrificed His life for us in order to make this very special day called “Pentecost” possible. This very special gift of Pentecost is a continuation of the love He spent on the cross for us.
Hence; this Day of Pentecost arrives as our Groom’s (Christ’s) special wedding gift to His Bride (The Church.)
Jesus sends this gift ahead of His return. He seals it with His love. This package is all wrapped up in a fiery, red ribbon. Some have called it a thread of scarlet.
THERE IS SO MUCH ANCIENT HISTORY HIDING WITHIN PENTECOST
Certainly, God’s faithful have celebrated Pentecost since ancient times.
The very first generations of all of the faithful did not even understand or comprehend the full meaning of the day, since the fullness had not yet happened.
Most importantly in those ancient times, they had hope. They had faith while they waited patiently on God to bring His will about and into their daily lives. For them, it was simply a matter of obedience. They were obedient without question. These ancient, God-loving, obedient people were part of the first part of the story; the beginning part.
Today; we can celebrate with the fullness of having received the whole story. Looking back, our generation is part of those who are privileged to know the rest of the story. We gladly celebrate the glorious happy-ending that comes on Pentecost.
This is actually a time of “more completeness” than an “ending.” It finishes the story of Pentecost; but Pentecost then allows the rest of God’s story to move forward.
I’m reminded of T.S. Elliot’s quote: “In my ending is my beginning.” Surely he must have been pondering Pentecost when he exclaimed this quote that is often repeated today.
Though ancient people and present-day people may have celebrated Pentecost from different views and perspectives; one concept runs through The Day of Pentecost that is the same for all generations. It is the obvious concept of God’s provision for our every need. Also it is the fact that we should always be thankful and offer praise to God for the rich abundance of life and blessings He has given to us.
LOOKING BACK AND LOOKING FORWARD
Therefore; in today’s times, when the Day of Pentecost arrives, we will offer up our thanks for the gift of God’s Holy Spirit living within us; making our lives so much richer and fuller.
In ancient times they offered thanks for God’s provision of the bountiful wheat harvest which made their lives so rich and full. It was the BEST harvest of the year; the one they looked forward to the most.
During the Day of Pentecost in ancient times; the people would bring their first-fruits offerings up to God’s altar.
For instance; for seven weeks; starting after Passover and the barley harvest, continuing right up to the season of Pentecost, they were always waiting patiently and counting their days.
On this Day of Pentecost, they were ready to move on from the giving of the earlier barley harvest offerings. In addition, it was time for them to begin bringing the best and the first of the wheat harvest offerings up to God.
THE LATTER FIRSTFRUITS
As a result; this time was known as the times of the latter first-fruits.
It eventually came to be called Pentecost.
The later first-fruits harvest of each season was the time for the most cherished crops of the wheat harvest to be offered up to God in Thanksgiving.
After that offering, the rest of the wheat could be happily consumed by the people in the meals around their tables as they gathered together in their homes during the days that made up their daily lives.
The beauty and simplicity of the ancient view of bountiful life and thankful hearts toward God prepare us and get us ready for the deeper meaning of Pentecost; the meaning that would come after Messiah had ascended to the Heavens and made us atoned before God.
It all starts out with a grateful and prepared heart. We come before God with a heart ready to praise God for His every provision for our needs. Some hearts have studied the scriptures, meditated on God’s character traits, and counted the days until Pentecost.
This is the day we have been waiting for!
A PATTERN SIMILAR TO THE DAYS OF NOAH
The ancient and modern-day patterns for the rituals of Pentecost have been previously set in place over time and they actually go all the way back to the days of Noah.
Noah was very familiar with the first-fruit offerings of Pentecost.
At the end of the flood, God caused a great wind to blow over the earth and the waters receded.
Does that sound familiar?
“It was like the sound of a mighty rushing wind.”
In the meantime, Noah sent out three separate doves to see if the waters were low enough for his family to leave the ark.
THE FIRST DOVE
However, that first dove returned to Noah, without finding a safe place to rest its head. Consequently; Noah took the dove back into the boat. This dove is symbolic of people living without the indwelling of God’s Holy Spirit. For example; all things to them may seem to be unsettled; unsafe, uncomfortable.
A SECOND DOVE
Next; the second dove Noah released returned in the evening with an olive branch held within its beak.
Therefore, this dove is symbolic of today’s Christians who are living with a portion of God’s Holy Spirit residing within their hearts. The olive leaf represented food and nourishment for the spirit. It is for the dove’s mate.
This olive branch speaks of peace. Peace gives us a strong sense of security.
If you have a portion of God’s Holy Spirit living within you today; the COVID-19 alarms are probably not going off in your brain. The media isn’t shouting their fake news into your ears. You aren’t listening to the lies that the politicians are spreading. The rich and famous aren’t ruling over you or your household with their global ideologies. That is because God brings peace and comfort into every living soul who knows The Messiah. He is the faithful mate who sends The Comforter to bring us through any difficulty we may ever experience. Because of this, the love of God is being constantly reinforced in our hearts.
Those who are indwelt by God’s Holy Spirit are busy walking in the heavenly realms where their true citizenship resides.
THE THIRD DOVE
So; Noah waited seven days after the return of the second dove; and then he sent out the third one.
The third dove never returned. This is symbolic of the day when God will give man immortality.
It is a time when God will breathe the breath of eternal life into all of mankind who have followed Christ. Therefore; they will live forever inside God’s Kingdom, a place of peace and comfort, abundance and plenty. Our time on earth is merely a dress rehearsal.
True eternal life with God is coming. Our Comforter reminds us of this every day.
This will be the last flood that ever covers the earth. It will be a complete pouring out (flooding) of God’s Spirit to mankind; a life-giving flood as opposed to a life-taking flood. God making all things new through the blessing of His Son and His Spirit dwelling within His people.
On that day, those who already contain a portion of God’s Holy Spirit will be completely filled up. They will live forever in a world made completely new by God.
CHRIST’S CAREFUL CONCERN FOR HIS FOLLOWERS
Jesus knew after His Resurrection and Ascension that we would all feel lost without Him.
As a result of Christ’s caring for us; The Holy Spirit of God comes to live within those who have come into the community of The Kingdom of God. This resolves that problem of our loss of the physical presence of Christ on this earth. He is now with us through God’s Holy Spirit.
That first coming of God’s Holy Spirit actually connected heaven and earth. Now we are forever bound together.
It is actually very similar to Jacob’s ladder. In the story of Jacob when he dreamed in a place called Bethel, he saw angels ascending and descending from a ladder that connected the earth to heaven.
Consequently; the Holy Spirit connects the Messiah and His Bride (The Church) even when they are separated by time and space. This connection withstands all that could ever come against it.
LEARNING AND WAITING ON THE DAY OF PENTECOST
For the last fifty days (in the time that has passed between Passover and Pentecost) God has been teaching us much like He taught our ancestors as they were wandering in the wilderness. We’ve experienced the joy of pondering our life before God and the pleasure of waiting on our groom to return for us.
The ancient harvest offerings anticipated the waiting of the crops and the thankfulness of God’s provision. Yet; they were only physical in nature. On the Day of Pentecost those who are faithful will observe the custom by bringing and offering the first and the best from all of their spiritual gifts as well as material and physical offerings.
PASSING THROUGH SEVEN WEEKS
Further; from the day of our early first-fruits offerings and the beginning of this latter-first-fruits offering, we have been counting through seven weeks of seven days each.
The Church has been passing through seven holy Sabbaths together. All the while we have been meditating on the miracle of arriving at Pentecost; trying to open our eyes wider to the will of God within our daily lives.
We’ve spent seven times seven days (7 weeks) of counting while waiting for God’s appointed sacred time called Pentecost.
This is the day our Jewish brothers call “Shavuot.”
Each day during our counting of days from the offering of the barley omer, we studied the attributes of God and attempted to apply what we knew of His loving kindness and goodness to our own lives. We have studied the ways of our Father in order to move closer to Him.
In short; we sought after His holy traits and His holy character and imitated them within our own days as best we could.
It was our own version of a type of the journey that our ancestors took through the wilderness; only for us it was a spiritual journey instead of a physical journey.
OUR OWN PERSONAL JOURNEY THROUGH THE WILDERNESS OF THE WORLD
During the whole time of waiting (for seven sevens – seven weeks of seven days), we were listening for God’s voice and very carefully remembering that HE IS GOD.
We pondered the fact that we originally came from the dust of the ground and humbly realized that we must depend solely on God for our sustenance and that it is He who gives us life.
Nothing comes to us unless He allows it.
Meanwhile; our souls, very similar to the ancients, celebrated the giving of Torah. We wrote more of its words inside our hearts as we waited on the day of God’s fulfillment and the giving of His Holy Spirit.
All pondered the fact that while living in the wilderness, God’s people received the best ways to live directly from God the Father. It was considered that our daily lives in this world are all about learning to be obedient to him. Being faithful is about trying to follow those best ways given to Moses on the mountain for the benefit of all of mankind. The emphasis is on the word “trying.” God’s Holy Spirit helps us and makes us stronger.
RECEIVING THE WAY TO MAKE TORAH WORK
In the Holy City of Jerusalem, on the day of Pentecost, in the time after Jesus had ascended back into the Heavens; God’s people received the way to make the Torah work inside their hearts. It happens through God’s Holy Spirit living within them.
These two precious wedding gifts of The Bride of Christ (salvation and the sending and giving of God’s Holy Spirit) have been received and opened by The Bride of Christ with great thanksgiving!
With the progression of God’s appointed Holy Days from Passover to Pentecost; The Bride (God’s Church filled with God’s Holy Spirit) has now received salvation and a whole new supply of all she needs for sanctification through God’s Holy Spirit.
WITNESSING THE REVERSAL OF BABEL
Now; an amazing thing has happened!
The gift of God’s Holy Spirit at Pentecost has reversed the damage that was done at the pagan Tower of Babel.
With the gift of tongues, people who have always spoken different languages, who never understood each other at all; are now able to fully communicate and to share a full capacity for love and understanding.
Hence; the language of love sent down from the very heart of God is allowing God’s people to communicate like they have never communicated before.
This beautiful gift of God’s Holy Spirit will break down the divisions of the cold, hard hearts which Babel put up.
Because of this new language of love; the knowledge of The LORD will one day again fill the earth.
TRADITIONS
Today, within our modern times; some people choose to wear red to remember the appearance of the flames of fire above the heads of the disciples of Jesus on the first day that this amazing blessing occurred among The People of God.
Many also use the symbol of the dove for Pentecost because God’s people know (just like Noah knew) that doves mate for life. Also; a dove always returns for its mate, and takes its mate back to their first home together.
When Noah released his dove from the ark; he knew it would be searching for their original home; the place and the state of where they lived together in peace before the flood. The instincts of this dove were the only way that Noah had of ever finding such a place again.
THE HEART OF MANKIND ALWAYS DESIRES THEIR FIRST HOME WITH GOD
When God gave His Holy Spirit to mankind on the Day of Pentecost; God knew mankind would always be searching in his heart again to return to his first home; the time in the garden when man lived with God in peace and abundance. This life with God, before evil and sin covered the earth.
Like Noah’s dove searching for home and a place to land; God’s Holy Spirit is always searching for a place to land within our hearts.
He will search and search until we find Him.
ENTERING INTO NEW LIFE AFTER BAPTISM
When God’s Holy Spirit takes up residence inside our hearts; we are cleansed and refreshed and renewed just as the earth after the flood in the days of Noah.
We step out after our Baptism and we enter into a whole new way of life.
After the flood; the earth had to start anew with the producing of the green growing things.
For the first time ever, the earth did not have an immediate offering to offer up to God for that year at the appointed time of the early first-fruits.
We are like that new earth after we receive salvation and are baptized.
There is a time of starting the whole new process of becoming fruitful.
Good fruit takes time to grow.
This “growing” time is the time of sanctification that one goes through in the wilderness of this life. Those 50 days between Passover and Pentecost should always be days of growth for God’s people.
STAYING FAITHFUL, BEING PATIENT AND GROWING
The fifty days that we count every year from Passover till Pentecost remind us to stay faithful and be patient and keep growing.
They remind us to prepare and to keep pursuing the One we love with all our heart.
We should never give up!
The end of the time of counting will come. There will be gifts from God in abundance.
CHRIST WILL COME AGAIN
One day, just like the dove’s mate waiting patiently in the ark of Noah; we will look up and see our Beloved coming in the clouds of glory.
Will this be on a Day of Pentecost? Only The Father knows.
Still; one day Christ will be returning to tell us that our new home has been prepared and is now ready.
Our Beloved will take us away with him to The Marriage Supper of The Lamb.
There will be a great wedding in Heaven at The Father’s House.
THE RESTORATION OF ALL THINGS
We will have a set aside time with our Groom before we return to earth with Him again in order to rule and reign with Him in our new home on the earth.
This will be a great time where we all will get to participate in the restoration of all things.
There will be 1000 years of peace with a short time of war afterwards when Satan and His demons will be defeated and destroyed forever.
We will see The New Jerusalem coming down from the Heavens and God will then dwell in the midst of us forever and ever.
LIKE A BRIDE WAITING ON A GROOM
The fourth, fifth and sixth weeks of the counting of the omer are huge growing times as we are approaching the end of the waiting on the Day of Pentecost.
Our focus becomes even clearer in each day of the waiting.
We begin to feel a sense of urgency.
The reality of all of our meditations during our waiting begins to sink in and we finally will begin to act and think like a bride who is seeing the calendar days tick off just before her wedding begins to unfold.
Our thoughts will no longer be earthly; but heavenly. They will be based on what God has already done instead of waiting to see what He will do next. We will walk and live like redeemed souls.
During this time of waiting; The Bride gets to begin to put more and more of the things she has learned and planned for her Groom into practice.
The Bride knows in her heart that the time for thinking and planning are drawing to a close; she is much closer to reaching the time for DOING.
Her clothing is now a pure white gown. She has oil in her lamp and her attendants are watching and ready at any moment; night or day.
By the end of the seventh week of the waiting; it is exactly time to be responding to the One she loves. It is time to start living as He lived!
COMING OUT OF THE ARK
And so it happened in the second month and the twenty-seventh day that God spoke to Noah and said “Go out of the ark, you and your wife and your sons and your son’s wives with you.”
God was giving them the gift of a clean, new world and it happened on The Day of Pentecost.
In our present age; Jesus has given us a portion of such a gift called The Holy Spirit.
During the age to come there will be a New Jerusalem coming down from Heaven.
The Holy Spirit is an engagement present from Christ that says to the Church; “Keep this until I come for you. It is to remind you that I am close; and I am coming again! It is to help you to know that you have my heart at all times.”
A SPECIAL DELIVERY PACKAGE FOR THE BRIDE
In these current days of staying at home so much more than usual, we have taken to ordering packages and waiting on them to be delivered to our doorstep. There is an anticipation involved that grows with each passing day.
Where is the package? Did it arrive yet? When is it supposed to be here? Will it be on time? What will we do when it arrives?
Like the Day of Pentecost; we have experienced a very small portion of joy in having these every-day things to anticipate. Of course, the joy does not compare to the giving of the gift of God of His Holy Spirit at Pentecost; or the waiting for the Gift of Messiah to return.
So; at the end of all the counting of the days; Pentecost arrives like a special-delivery wedding gift from our Groom in Heaven.
This day from God, one that He appointed and planned so long ago; is like an official invitation for mankind to leave the world and come inside the ark of Heaven where we will find safety, healing and rest with God forever.
One day the earth will be made new again; and we will reign with Christ forever; but we don’t have to wait until then to begin to walk in the heavenly realms. God has granted us permission and sent us a Helper so that we can do this.
As we continue to grow in grace and wisdom from above; The Messiah will be waiting (like Noah at the bow of the great ship); looking for and seeking His Bride (The Church.)
KEEPING OUR TEMPORARY SHELTERS UNTIL THE WEDDING
When God’s Holy Spirit comes to live within us; our bodies become temporary shelters; little temples or tabernacles designed to house The Holy Spirit of God.
A small portion of God comes to live within us; and we can now take a portion of Him with us wherever we go. Our part is to recognize, cherish and nourish that portion so that it grows into the fullness that God has purposed for us.
NEW BEGINNING FOR GOD’S CHURCH
With Pentecost accomplished, just like that brand new world that Noah’s family stepped into; a whole new and clean world with the gift of a new-beginning comes to God’s Church.
My favorite quote from the lips of Jesus can be applied here:
“I MAKE ALL THINGS NEW.”
Praise to Almighty God for The Sacred Appointed Day of Pentecost that draws us ever closer to our Father in Heaven.
We are getting so close!