It is almost time for Pentecost!
PENTECOST IS ABOUT TO UNFOLD
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. Further; He has called us to share this lifestyle with others.
One huge part of this 2 Timothy 4:2 lifestyle 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 the 49th day will arrive soon. Therefore, Pentecost will arrive right on time, exactly 50 days after Passover. https://theinseasonlifestyle.com/counting-the-days-explained.
Consequently, many different homes and churches will be celebrating Pentecost on a Sunday. So, the day is often called “Pentecost Sunday.”
Please go and celebrate Pentecost with some people of like-mind and like-kind. Go to the place that Yahweh 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 in the world is filled 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 with us. God loves to hide inside the praises of His people.
The wonderful thing is that you can’t stop Pentecost. 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 to God’s people on this day.
It is typical to celebrate Pentecost inside a common, local building called a church. However, that isn’t a requirement. The important thing is to joyfully celebrate and receive the pouring out of God’s Holy Spirit. We must always remember to acknowledge this amazing gift from our Beloved. Many churches have heard the story of Pentecost. They understand the concept, but they do not honor this annual day. That makes me sad for them. Yahweh 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 for those of us who make up the Church to be moving in the heavenly realms.
We can do that even if we are still living on this earth. I say that because Pentecost has made it possible. With this new completeness of the gift of Pentecost pouring out from Heaven, we must be operating from a place of being filled-up. It is a time of filling up with God’s power and goodness. This time is a reminder that we should never perceive ourselves living within a place of lack. Anyone who dwells with God dwells in a rich place. This new spiritual abundance is insured to us by God’s Presence living within our spirits.
In years past I have shared how my family and I have celebrated Pentecost in a vineyard, (https://theinseasonlifestyle.com/pentecost-in-a-vineyard/.) Also I’ve shared how we celebrated Pentecost in a park, (https://theinseasonlifestyle.com/pentecost-in-the-park/. This year my family will probably celebrate Pentecost inside our own home. Whereever two or more abide with The Holy Spirit living within them, there is Pentecost.
Where ever you are, and whatever you decide to do, I hope you will celebrate Pentecost with all of your heart. Be assured that God will show up and show out. Worshiping in the place of celebration is only the beginning. It is where you go and what you do after you leave the place that matters. It is all about how God’s Holy Spirit works inside our hearts. Pentecost will help to usher God’s Kingdom to earth.
PENTECOST IS A TIME OF SEASONAL FULLNESS
All of this “fullness” of life is about to show up. Annually it is an event happening on the calendar somewhere between Mother’s Day and Father’s Day. Pentecost usually comes close to the time of America’s celebration of Memorial Day.
So many events in time typically make for a lot of festivities during the months of May and June. These other holidays of the world are nice. They matter. Yet, the very thought of Pentecost outshines any of them. What a blessing it has become for all of us to be able to celebrate so many special seasons of life 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?
Have you discovered God’s clock yet? 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. Keep counting the days. It will be all that you have anticipated and more.
When we finally do reach the Day of Pentecost, we have completed several weeks of pondering 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 this wonderful season of Pentecost. It is amazing to experience all of the 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 Yeshua who sacrificed His life for us in order to make this very special day called “Pentecost” possible. This heavenly gift of Pentecost is a further continuation of the love He spent on the cross for us. Hence; this Day of Pentecost arrives as our Groom’s special wedding gift to His Bride.
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.
ANCIENT HISTORY HIDING IN 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. For them the fullness had not yet happened.
However, in the ancient times, God’s people had hope. They had faith. As they waited patiently, they understood that eventually God would bring His will about and into their daily lives. For these ancient believers, it was simply a matter of obedience. They were obedient without question. These ancient, God-loving, obedient people were living the first part of the Pentecost story; the beginning part.
Today; having witnessed and received the whole story, we can celebrate knowing the completion of the promise. Our present 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. It sounds like a happy ending, but we have discovered that every ending is only a new beginning.
Pentecost isn’t an ending. It is actually a time of “more completeness” rather than an “ending.” This “completeness” finishes the story of Pentecost for our time. However, Pentecost then allows the rest of God’s story to move forward. In the Hebraic way of thinking through things, we often find the most meat right here in the middle of the equation. All of the rest, the beginning and the ending are hinged to the critical fact that exist in the middle.
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.
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 concept 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. Continuously we should offer praise to God for the rich abundance of life and blessings He has given to us. Yeshua has not yet returned, but now we have a Comforter.
LOOKING BACK AND LOOKING FORWARD
Therefore, on the Day of Pentecost we will offer up our thanks for the gift of God’s Holy Spirit living within us. Through the work of His Holy Spirit God is continuously making our lives richer and fuller.
In ancient times the people offered thanks for God’s provision of the bountiful wheat harvest. This offering and the blessing from it made their lives rich and full. Pentecost was the BEST harvest of the year; the one they looked forward to the most. With Thanksgiving in their hearts, these farmers would bring their first-fruits offerings from their wheat crops up to God’s altar.
For seven weeks; starting after Passover and the barley harvest, and continuing right up to the season of Pentecost, these ancient people of God were always waiting patiently and counting their days. On The Day of Pentecost, they were ready to move on from the giving of the earlier barley harvest offerings. It was time for them to begin bringing the first and the best of the wheat harvest offerings. Each family offered their first portions of that season’s crops up to God.
THE LATTER FIRSTFRUITS
As a result, this time became known as “the times of the latter first-fruits.” This was the very beginning of the harvesting of the wheat. Eventually, the day came to be called Pentecost. After the appropriate offering was made, the rest of the wheat could be happily consumed by the people. They rejoiced in the meals they shared around their tables. Wheat bread from this harvest was the finest bread of the year. As they gathered together in their homes during the days that made up their daily lives, they thanked God for giving them profitable crops and abundant food.
The bountiful lives of beauty and simplicity in community which emmenate from the ancient view of Pentecost prepare us to understand more. This ritual they observed annually helps us to get ready for the deeper meaning of Pentecost in our days. The deeper meaning came after Messiah ascended to the Heavens and atonned our sins before God. He became the manna of Heaven given for us.
So celebrate the season of Pentecost. It all starts with a grateful and prepared heart. Like the ancients, we come before God with a heart ready to praise HIm for His every provision of our needs. As the ancients counted the omer to know when to bring their offerings, some of today’s hearts have counted too. Together they have studied the scriptures. Daily, God’s people have meditated on God’s character traits. They too have counted the days from Passover until Pentecost.
The anticipation always builds. One day upon the next brings hope. Then, finally, Pentecost arrives.
This is the day we have been waiting for!
A PATTERN FROM NOAH
Over time, the ancient and the modern-day patterns for the rituals of Pentecost have been set in place. These rituals and patterns we follow 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. This was to test the waters, to see if the waters were low enough for his family to leave the ark.
THE FIRST DOVE
That first dove returned to Noah. The dove returned 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, and uncomfortable.
A SECOND DOVE
The second dove Noah released returned in the evening with an olive branch held in its beak. 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 a portion the dove brought back for its 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 usual worldly alarms are probably not going off inside 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. This nourishes our soul. 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. This is the place 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 mankind immortality.
It is a time when God will breathe the breath of eternal life into all of mankind who have followed Yeshua. Therefore; they will live forever inside God’s Kingdom. Their “forever” home is 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.
God promised Noah the flood he experienced would be the last such flood to ever covers the whole earth. Instead, in the future there will be a complete pouring out (flooding) of God’s Spirit to mankind; a life-giving flood as opposed to a life-taking flood. This is Our Great God making all things new. He works through the blessing of His Son and His Holy Spirit dwelling within His people.
On that day, those who already contain a portion of God’s Holy Spirit will become completely filled up. They will live forever in a world made completely new by God.
YESHUA’S CONCERN FOR HIS FOLLOWERS
After His Resurrection and Ascension, Yeshua knew we would all feel lost without Him. As a result of Yeshua’s caring for us, The Holy Spirit of God comes to live within those who have prayed to come into the community of The Kingdom of God. This resolves the problem of our feelings of the loss of the physical presence of Yeshua on this earth. The Holy Spirit reconnects Heaven and earth. Yeshua is now always with us through the connecting point of God’s Holy Spirit.
That first coming of God’s Holy Spirit actually connected heaven and earth. Now we are forever bound together. This concept is actually very similar to the story that speaks of Jacob’s ladder. In the story Jacob dreamed in a place called Bethel. He saw angels ascending and descending from a ladder which connected earth to heaven.
Consequently, the Holy Spirit connects the Messiah and His Bride. This happens even though they are separated by time and space. The portal of God’s Holy Spirit connects them. This connection withstands all that could ever come against it.
LEARNING AND WAITING ON PENTECOST
For the last fifty days, during the time that has passed between Passover and Pentecost, God has been teaching. He is 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. We’ve endured the time of waiting on our Groom to return for us.
The ancient harvest offerings evolved around the waiting of the harvesting of the crops. It celebrated God’s provision with thankfulness. Yet; these 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. They will offer these spiritual gifts as well as their material and physical offerings.
PASSING THROUGH SEVEN WEEKS
Further; from the day of our early first-fruits offerings we have been counting through seven weeks of seven days each. Together the Church has passed through seven holy Sabbaths. All through this passing of time we have been meditating on the miracle of arriving at Pentecost. We’ve been trying to open our eyes wider to the will of God within our daily lives.
The faithful have 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 have studied the attributes of God and attempted to apply what we know 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. Our goal is to be like Him.
In short; we sought after His holy traits and His holy character. We’ve tried to imitate them within our own lives. This time has been our own version of the type of journey our ancestors took through the wilderness. Only for us, it was a spiritual journey instead of a physical journey.
OUR OWN PERSONAL JOURNEY
During the whole time of waiting (for seven sevens – seven weeks of seven days), we were listening for God’s voice. We’ve been very carefully remembering that HE IS GOD. It is fresh in our minds that we originally came from the dust of the ground. Our hearts have humbly realized how we must depend solely on God for our sustenance. We know that we know that we know that He is the One who gives us life. Nothing comes to us unless He allows it.
Meanwhile, our souls, very similar to the ancients, have celebrated the giving of Torah. We wrote more of its words inside our hearts. Our spirits and our bodies have been waiting on the day of God’s fulfillment and the giving of His Holy Spirit.
All pondered the facts. We remembered that while living in the wilderness, God’s people received the best ways to live. They received them directly from God the Father. Now 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 to live which were given to Moses on the mountain for the benefit of all of mankind. A strong emphasis is on the word “trying.” God’s Holy Spirit helps us and makes us stronger. The Holy Spirit tempers perfection with love and obedience.
RECEIVING TORAH
In the Holy City of Jerusalem, at Pentecost, after Jesus ascended into the Heavens, God’s people received the way to make the Torah work inside their hearts. Now they had the connection that mattered. It all happened through God’s Holy Spirit coming to live 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. The wedding gifts have been opened by The Bride of Christ. She waits 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. A whole new supply of all she needs for sanctification through God’s Holy Spirit has been given to her.
WITNESSING THE REVERSAL OF BABEL
Now; an amazing thing has happened!
The gift of God’s Holy Spirit at Pentecost 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. The people can share God’s love and understanding at full capacity.
Hence; the language of love has been sent down from the very heart of God. It 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 The Tower of Babel built up.
Because of this new language of love; the knowledge of The LORD will one day again fill the earth.
TRADITIONS
Today some people choose to wear red. This is done to remember the appearance of the flames of fire above the heads of the disciples on the first day that this amazing blessing of Pentecost occurred.
Many also use the symbol of the dove at Pentecost. They use this symbol because God’s people know (just like Noah knew) that doves mate for life. Also; we know a dove always returns for its mate. Then the male dove takes its mate back to their first home together.
Can you see this picture in a different way? It speaks of our life with Yeshua.
When Noah released his dove from the ark, he knew it would be searching for their original home. The dove would be looking for the place where it lived together with its mate. They were happy and in peace before the flood. The instincts of this dove were the only way Noah had of ever finding such a place again. The Holy Spirit sent by Yeshua is our only way of ever connecting to God forever.
MANKIND ALWAYS DESIRES TO BE HOME WITH GOD
When God gave His Holy Spirit to mankind on the Day of Pentecost, God knew mankind’s heart would always be searching again to return to his first home. Men have long been searching for a way to go back to that time in the garden when we lived with God in peace and abundance. This life with God was perfect. It happened long before evil and sin came and covered the earth.
Like Noah’s dove searching for home, 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 NEW LIFE AFTER BAPTISM
When God’s Holy Spirit takes up residence inside our hearts we are cleansed. We are refreshed and renewed. It makes us just as the earth was after the flood during the days of Noah. We step out after our Baptism and enter a whole new way of life.
After the flood; the earth had to start producing the green growing things anew. For the first time ever, the earth did not have an immediate first fruits offering to offer up to God for that year at the appointed time of the early first-fruits.
When we receive salvation and are baptized, we are like that new earth. There is a time of waiting while starting the whole new process of becoming fruitful. Good fruit takes time to grow. This “growing” time is the time of sanctification one goes through in the wilderness of this life. Those 50 days between Passover and Pentecost symbolize this time for us. There should always be days of growth for God’s people.
FAITHFUL, PATIENT AND GROWING
The fifty days we count every year from Passover till Pentecost remind us to stay faithful. They tell us to be patient and keep growing. These days of the counting 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.
YESHUA 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. He will be returning to us. Will this be on a Day of Pentecost? Only The Father knows.
Still; one day Yeshua will be returning to tell us 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 to be with our Groom before we return to earth with Him again. Then we will return together in order to rule and reign with Him for 1,000 years in our new home on the earth. This will be a great time where we will get to participate in the restoration of all things.
There will be 1000 years of peace. This is followed by a short time of war with Satan and His demons. They will be defeated and destroyed forever.
We will see The New Jerusalem coming down from the Heavens. Through this Holy City the heavens and the earth will always be connected. God will 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, so much focus and learning is helping us to see and grow.
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. We finally 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. Her attendants are watching and ready to go. They could depart at any moment; night or day. By the end of the seventh week of the waiting; it is exactly time for the Bride 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; Yeshua 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 Yeshua. The Holy Spirit 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.”
SPECIAL DELIVERY FOR THE BRIDE
In these modern times we have taken to ordering packages to be shipped directly to our doorstep. We are always waiting on them to be delivered. There is an anticipation involved with this process which 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 waiting for 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. Nor does it compare to the waiting for the Gift of Messiah to return. Are we anticipating the return of Yeshua more than those UPS packages that constantly arrive on our door step? I surely hope we can distinquish the value of Messiah over all of these earthly things. Once He returns to us, nothing else will matter.
So; at the end of all the counting of the days; Pentecost arrives like a specially-delivered 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. That is where we will find safety, healing and rest with God forever.
One day the earth will be made new again. We will reign with Christ forever. However, we don’t have to wait until then to begin to walk in the heavenly realms. God has granted us permission to walk with Him in His ways now. He 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. He will be standing like Noah at the bow of the great ship look for the dove to return. Yeshua will be looking for a Bride who is filled with God’s Holy Spirit.
KEEPING OURSELVES UNTIL THE WEDDING
When God’s Holy Spirit comes to live within us, our bodies become temporary shelters. They work like little temples or tabernacles. Our bodies were designed to house The Holy Spirit of God.
A small portion of God comes to live within us. 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 God has purposed for us.
NEW BEGINNING FOR GOD’S CHURCH
With the gift of Pentecost we have recieved a whole new world. We have been washed clean and filled with the gift of a new beginning. With Pentecost accomplished we are like that brand new world which Noah’s family stepped into. Everything seems fresh, whole and clean again. We have the gift of a new-beginning because Yeshua gave it to us.
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. This special day draws us ever closer to our Father in Heaven.
Just keep on counting.
We are getting so close!