[1] SHAVU’OT (PENTECOST)

After His resurrection, Yeshua (Jesus) the Messiah had told His disciples in Luke 24:49: “I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.” Also, at His last Passover Seder (Last Supper), Yeshua had already promised to send them the Holy Spirit after He would leave the earth. Even John the Baptist had prophesied that Yeshua would baptize them with the Holy Spirit and with fire (Matthew 3:11).

Picture the scene later on. Jesus had ascended to His Father, and the disciples were left behind…waiting. What were they waiting for? What did they expect? What did they think the Holy Spirit would be like? As Jews, they knew from Leviticus 23 that fifty days after Passover was the celebration of the feast of Shavu’ot or Pentecost. During the time of Jesus, this was an agricultural festival, but the sages of the time recognized it also as a time of celebration marking the anniversary of the Lord giving the Commandments to Moses at Mt. Sinai. Also, in Jewish tradition, on the first Shavu’ot the Jewish people were seen as betrothed to God through the giving of the Law on Mt. Sinai. It was one of the three feasts where all males were commanded to go to Jerusalem for the festivities.

So, there they were in the Upper Room in Jerusalem, Israel. They probably had been eagerly counting the fifty days since Passover in anticipation of celebrating their betrothal and the giving of the Torah, as many devout Jews do to this day. They were also waiting…expecting the Holy Spirit at some point.

All of a sudden…it happened! Acts 2. What a wonderful surprise! What an incredible, awesome gift for the faithful seekers! The supernatural unfolded before them! There was the sound of a violent wind! Tongues of fire came down and landed on each of them! Disciples of Yeshua cried out in foreign languages that they had never learned! Prophesying! Visions! Signs! Wonders! Wow! The Holy Law that had been written on tablets of stone was now written on the tablets of their human hearts (2 Corinthians 3:3; Hebrews 8:10)! The betrothal period was over. Here on the first Shavu’ot after Yeshua’s death, His people, both Jew and Gentile, now became His Bride!

The 6th of Silvan (Monday, June 9, 2008) marks this year’s celebration of Shavu’ot. This same Fire that fell 2,000 years ago–this same Holy Spirit–is now offered to all those who expect His impartation, believe the words of Yeshua, and wait. He is here! He is being poured out in these last days!

Bless the Name of God (Baruch HaShem)!