This Week’s Memory Verse…
And
now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is
true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think
about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.
Philippians 4:8
On
the day of Pentecost all the believers were meeting together in one place. Suddenly,
there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it
filled the house where they were sitting. Then, what looked like flames or
tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them. And everyone present was
filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy
Spirit gave them this ability. At that time there were devout Jews from every
nation living in Jerusalem. When they heard the loud noise, everyone came
running, and they were bewildered to hear their own languages being spoken by
the believers. They were completely amazed. "How can this be?" they
exclaimed. "These people are all from Galilee, and yet we hear them
speaking in our own native languages! Acts 2:1-8
Pentecost.
Festival of Harvest or Feast of Weeks which was later called the Festival of
Pentecost is celebrated today as Shavuot (or Shabuoth). God ordained this
Festival as He commanded it through Moses to the Israelites.
 |
| Wheat harvest in modern Israel. |
Second, celebrate the Festival of Harvest, when you
bring me the first crops of your harvest. Finally, celebrate the Festival of
the Final Harvest at the end of the harvest season, when you have harvested all
the crops from your fields. Exodus 23:16
You must celebrate the Festival of Harvest with the
first crop of the wheat harvest, and celebrate the Festival of the Final
Harvest at the end of the harvest season. Exodus 34:22
From the day after the Sabbath (of the Festival of
Unleavened Bread)—the day you bring the bundle of grain to be lifted up as a
special offering—count off seven full weeks. Keep counting until the day after
the seventh Sabbath, fifty days later. Then present an offering of new grain to
the LORD. From wherever you live, bring two loaves of bread to be lifted up
before the LORD as a special offering. Make these loaves from four quarts of
choice flour, and bake them with yeast. They will be an offering to the LORD
from the first of your crops. Leviticus 23:15-17
Pentecost or Shavuot has been an important holiday for the
Jewish community as a harvest festival. It was one of the holidays that
required attendance at the Temple in Jerusalem. It is a complicated holiday
that recognizes the giving of the Torah, specifically the receiving of the Ten
Commandments at Mount Sinai. The Book of Ruth is read at the synagogue for it
depicts a harvest and Ruth's conversion to Judaism as a traditional acceptance
of God's covenant at Sinai. Additionally, the Jews symbolically recognize
marriage between God as the groom and Israel as the bride during Shavuot.
It was during
this Pentecost holiday that the passage in Acts 2 occurred. Since Jews were
required to attend worship at the Temple on this holiday there were people from
many different countries living in or visiting Jerusalem. As it so happened
when the disciples were filled with the Spirit on Pentecost they spoke in
different languages—tongues—witnessing to the people in their own languages.
Amazing. God had a plan. That was the beginning—the birth so to speak—of the
Christian church. Each of those people from different countries took the news
of Jesus as the Messiah back to their homes and their countrymen.
How do you
celebrate such a momentous occasion? Begin by rejoicing. God has a promise and
a plan. That promise is a home with Him—eternally. His plan was set in motion
when Jesus came to earth and died on a cross to be a sacrifice for all of human
sin. The plan will be fulfilled when Jesus returns to take His Bride…the
church…home to the place He has created for us. Will you be a part of that
bridal party? The choice is yours.
Prayer
~ Lord Jesus and God, our Father, You have loved us and given us eternal
comfort and good hope by grace, please continue to comfort and strengthen our
hearts in every good work and word. 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17.
PENTECOST
Happy
Birthday to the Church
Happy
Birthday to Me!
Thank You, Lord, for the best present You
could ever give me.
You.
Salvation in and through You.
Everything I need for a godly life—for a
life centered in and around You.
I accept Your gift and eagerly open
it…anticipating hope for today…and tomorrow.
Love for a lifetime. Joy in all
circumstances.
Think about things that are excellent and worthy
of praise.
Daily
Bible Reading: Proverbs 19-21
© 2019 Text and
photo by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.
All
scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless otherwise noted.
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