The Feast of Pentecost:
The Feast of Pentecost was the second of ancient Israel's three annual Feast. Modern Judaism has, of rejecting Jesus lost he true meaning of the Old Testament Feast. The Scriptures reveal that the Feast of Pentecost is also called the Feast of Harves, of Firstfruits, or of Weeks. Pentecost is the New Testament name, and is so called because Pentecost means "fiftieth". An examination of Lev. 23:15,16 will reveal why the Feast is called Fiftieth. It was because the Feast began on thefiftieth day after the Passover sabbath, or "the morrow after the seventh sabbath,". This, of course, parallels exactly with the fulfillment of the substance in the New Testament(the Old Testament Feast was just a shodow of the real. Those who attempt to celebrate the shaddow testify loud and clear that they do not possess the substance.)
When Jesus arose from the dead, He continued with the disciples for the space of forty days, "speaking of tghe things pertaining to the Kingdom of God."(Acts 1:3) Then He depared ino Heaven, and after ten days(at the time of ancient Israel's Feast of Pentecost), He sent forh the Holy Ghost upon the waiting disciples. This was the beginning of the Holy Body of Christ, the Christian Church.
Jesus first fulfilled the Passover by giving Himself up as the Lamb of God sacrificed for the sins of mankind and then raised by God for our justification. This Feast is celebrated in Christianity as the Feast of Pascha or simply Easter in English speaking countries. In Greek and Latin it is Pascha, in French- Pƒques, in Spanish-pascua , in Italian - pasqua. It is clear that Christians have always celebrated Easter in the last 2000 years as the fulfillment of Passover--the Lamb of God Crucified for our sins and raised from the dead for our justification. At its fulfillment the TRUE Passover became a Christian Holy Day. Because of God destroying the Temple, Levitical Priesthood, the AARonic Priesthood, the Jewish religon of the Old Testament, etc., modern Talmudic Judaism has invented a new form of celebration dreamed up by the religious leaders and Rabbi's who rejected the True Passover Lamb of God. Modern Judaism's celebration has been reduced to a meaningless ritual. "Without the shedding of blood their is no remission of sins." This is the horrow of this religion of darkness and death--no Lamb to sacrifice for the sins of the people.
Then He fulfilled the Feast of Harvests or Weeks--Pentescost. Again, the Christian Church not only commemorates this Holy Day, but more importantly the Church continusously fulfills this Feast by preaching Jesus Crucified for the sins of mankind and then praying and leading the new Christians into the fulness of the Feast of Pentecost--the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. This is how God identifies His true Christian Church. In the true Christian Church, men are saved and filled with the Holy Spirit. This is God's confirmation that the Church is the Holy Body of Chirst.
This is all elementary Christianity or mere Chritianity for those who have been Born Again and filled with the Holy Spirit for a few years.
May the LOrd Jesus put a hunger to read and study the Scriptures in the hearts of all true Christians and all honest men seeking the truth.
Emile |
