Pentecost was one of the three great annual festivals of the Jews which lasted only one day (Leviticus 23:15; Deuteronomy 16:9). Pentecost is a Greek work which means “fifty” and points to the fifty days that have elapsed since the the Passover Sabbath. The Savior, crucified on Friday, was in the tomb on the Passover Sabbath (the day from when the the count began) and rose on Sunday (First Fruits). The Sunday following would be the eighth day, and the fiftieth day would fall on Sunday, the first day of the eighth week. Hence, the ancient church observed Pentecost on the first day of the week which is Sunday.
On the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit fell upon the Christians in Jerusalem (Acts 2). During that time of the year, the Jews who came from every nation gathered together to worship and heard the gospel preached by the believers in Jesus. Every person understood the sermon in their own language as a result of God’s intervention.
The people praised God saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language?” (Acts 2:7-8). The crowds were “cut to the heart” (Acts 2:37). And “they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls” (Acts 2:41).
The day of Pentecost was the fulfillment of the words Jesus spoke to His disciples regarding the Holy Spirit of God: “The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit” (John 3:8). It was a day of great mercy, when both Jew and Gentile were given the light. For God “desires all people to be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4).
For more on the Sabbath, please check (Lessons 91-102) of our Bible Lessons.
In His service,
BibleAsk Team
