Sunday 28th of May 2023 is Shavuot, the day of Pentecost which is a high Sabbath and should be observed accordingly. It starts at sunrise Sunday and ends at sunrise Monday.
Two major events happened historically at Shavuot:
- The Almighty Creator manifested on Mount Sinai with flames and smoke and gave the Ten Commandments out loud to the children of Israel and gave the Commandments to Moshe engraved on stone tablets.
- The Set-Apart {Set-Apart {Holy}} Spirit of Yah, the Creator, was poured out on the Believers in the Upper Room in Jerusalem after the resurrection of Yahooshua {Jesus}.
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- The Original Day of Shavuot
The relevant Bible verses are:
Exodus 19: “1 In the third month, on the same day of the month that the Israelites had left the land of Egypt, they came to the Wilderness of Sinai. 2 After they had set out from Rephidim, they entered the Wilderness of Sinai, and Israel camped there in front of the mountain.
3 Then Moses went up to The Almighty {God}, and Yah the Eternally Self-Existing {The LORD} called to him from the mountain, “This is what you are to tell the house of Jacob and explain to the sons of Israel: 4 ‘You have seen for yourselves what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Myself. 5 Now if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, you will be My treasured possession out of all the nations—for the whole earth is Mine. 6 And unto Me you shall be a kingdom of priests and a Set-Apart {Holy} nation.’ These are the words that you are to speak to the Israelites.”
7 So Moses went back and summoned the elders of the people and set before them all these words that Yah the Eternally Self-Existing {The LORD} had commanded him. 8 And all the people answered together, “We will do everything that Yah the Eternally Self-Existing {The LORD} has spoken.”
So Moses brought their words back to Yah the Eternally Self-Existing {The LORD}.
9 Yah the Eternally Self-Existing {The LORD} said to Moses, “Behold, I will come to you in a dense cloud, so that the people will hear when I speak with you, and they will always put their trust in you.”
And Moses relayed to Yah the Eternally Self-Existing {The LORD} what the people had said.
10 Then Yah the Eternally Self-Existing {The LORD} said to Moses, “Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow. They must wash their clothes 11 and be prepared by the third day, for on the third day Yah the Eternally Self-Existing {The LORD} will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people.
12 And you are to set up a boundary for the people around the mountain and tell them, ‘Be careful not to go up on the mountain or touch its base. Whoever touches the mountain shall surely be put to death. 13 No hand shall touch him, but he shall surely be stoned or shot with arrows—whether man or beast, he must not live.’
Only when the ram’s horn sounds a long blast may they approach the mountain.”
14 When Moses came down from the mountain to the people, he consecrated them, and they washed their clothes. 15 “Be prepared for the third day,” he said to the people. “Do not draw near to a woman.”
Yah the Eternally Self-Existing {The LORD} Visits Sinai
16 On the third day, when morning came, there was thunder and lightning. A thick cloud was upon the mountain, and a very loud blast of the ram’s horn went out, so that all the people in the camp trembled. 17 Then Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet with The Almighty {God}, and they stood at the foot of the mountain.
18 Mount Sinai was completely enveloped in smoke, because Yah the Eternally Self-Existing {The LORD} had descended on it in fire. And the smoke rose like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain quaked violently. 19 And as the sound of the ram’s horn grew louder and louder, Moses spoke and The Almighty {God} answered him in the thunder.
20 Yah the Eternally Self-Existing {The LORD} descended to the top of Mount Sinai and called Moses to the summit. So Moses went up, 21 and Yah the Eternally Self-Existing {The LORD} said to him, “Go down and warn the people not to break through to see Yah the Eternally Self-Existing {The LORD}, lest many of them perish. 22 Even the priests who approach Yah the Eternally Self-Existing {The LORD} must consecrate themselves, or Yah the Eternally Self-Existing {The LORD} will break out against them.”
23 But Moses said to Yah the Eternally Self-Existing {The LORD}, “The people cannot come up Mount Sinai, for You solemnly warned us, ‘Put a boundary around the mountain and set it apart as Set-Apart {Holy}.’ ”
24 And Yah the Eternally Self-Existing {The LORD} replied, “Go down and bring Aaron with you. But the priests and the people must not break through to come up to Yah the Eternally Self-Existing {The LORD}, or He will break out against them.”
25 So Moses went down to the people and spoke to them.
Exodus 20:1 And The Almighty {God} spoke all these words:
2“ I am Yah the Eternally Self-Existing {The LORD} your The Almighty {God}, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.
3 You shall have no other Mighty One’s {God’s} before Me.
4 You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in the heavens above, on the earth below, or in the waters beneath. 5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, Yah the Eternally Self-Existing {The LORD} your The Almighty {God}, am a jealous The Almighty {God}, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on their children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, 6 but showing loving devotion to a thousand generations of those who love Me and keep My commandments.
7 You shall not take the name of Yah the Eternally Self-Existing {The LORD} your The Almighty {God} in vain, for Yah the Eternally Self-Existing {The LORD} will not leave anyone unpunished who takes His name in vain.
8 Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it Set-Apart {Holy}. 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to Yah the Eternally Self-Existing {The LORD} your The Almighty {God}, on which you must not do any work—neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant or livestock, nor the foreigner within your gates. 11 For in six days Yah the Eternally Self-Existing {The LORD} made the heavens and the earth and the sea and all that is in them, but on the seventh day He rested. Therefore Yah the Eternally Self-Existing {The LORD} blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart as Set-Apart {Holy}.
12 Honor your father and mother, so that your days may be long in the land that Yah the Eternally Self-Existing {The LORD} your The Almighty {God} is giving you.
13 You shall not murder.
14 You shall not commit adultery.
15 You shall not steal.
16 You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
17 You shall not coveth your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his manservant or maidservant, or his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”
18 When all the people witnessed the thunder and lightning, the sounding of the ram’s horn, and the mountain enveloped in smoke, they trembled and stood at a distance. 19 “Speak to us yourself and we will listen,” they said to Moses. “But do not let The Almighty {God} speak to us, or we will die.”
20 “Do not be afraid,” Moses replied. “For The Almighty {God} has come to test you, so that the fear of Him may be before you, to keep you from sinning.” 21 And the people stood at a distance as Moses approached the thick darkness where The Almighty {God} was.
22 Then Yah the Eternally Self-Existing {The LORD} said to Moses, “This is what you are to tell the Israelites: ‘You have seen for yourselves that I have spoken to you from heaven. 23 You are not to make any Mighty One’s alongside Me; you are not to make for yourselves the gods of silver or gold.
So we see that Shavuot is an extremely important day in Yah’s calendar. A day to prayerfully consider our compliance with the Ten Commandments, see “2021.06.05 The Essence of my Message regarding the Commandments” at https://www.eti-ministries.org/essence-of-message-regarding-commandments
- Shavuot under the New Covenant
To fully understand Shavuot under the New Covenant, the Covenant given through Yahooshua, see “2020.10.01 The miraculous planning of the death of Yahooshua – where, how and what” at https://www.eti-ministries.org/miracle-of-yahooshua-jesus-death
Also “2022.11.06 The Covenant of Yahooshua {Jesus} – Forgiveness and Much More” at https://www.eti-ministries.org/covenant-of-yahooshua-jesus-forgiveness-and-much-more
The relevant Bible verses are:
1 The first account I made, Theophilus, was [a continuous report] about all the things that Yahooshua {Jesus} began to do and to teach 2 until the day when He ascended to heaven, after He had by the Set-Apart {Holy} Spirit given instruction to the apostles (special messengers) whom He had chosen. 3 To these [men] He also showed Himself alive after His suffering [in Gethsemane and on the cross], by [a series of] many infallible proofs and unquestionable demonstrations, appearing to them over a period of forty days and talking to them about the things concerning the kingdom of The Almighty. 4 While being together and eating with them, He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for what the Father had promised, “Of which,” He said, “you have heard Me speak. 5 For John baptized with water, but you will be baptized and empowered and united with the Set-Apart {Holy} Spirit, not long from now.”
6 So when they had come together, they asked Him repeatedly, “Adonai {Lord}, are You at this time reestablishing the kingdom and restoring it to Israel?” 7 He said to them, “It is not for you to know the times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority. 8 But you will receive power and ability when the Set-Apart {Holy} Spirit comes upon you; and you will be My witnesses [to tell people about Me] both in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and Samaria, and even to the ends of the earth.”
9 And after He said these things, He was caught up as they looked on, and a cloud took Him up out of their sight. 10 While they were looking intently into the sky as He was going, two men in white clothing suddenly stood beside them, 11 who said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This [same] Yahooshua {Jesus}, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will return in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven.”
12 Then the disciples returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet (Olive Grove), which is near Jerusalem, [only] a Sabbath day’s journey (less than one mile) away. 13 When they had entered the city, they went upstairs to the upper room where they were staying [indefinitely]; that is, Peter, and John and [his brother] James, and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew (Nathanael) and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas (Thaddaeus) the son of James. 14 All these with one mind and one purpose were continually devoting themselves to prayer, [waiting together] along with the women, and Mary the mother of Yahooshua {Jesus}, and with His brothers….
Acts 2: 1 When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place, 2 and suddenly a sound came from heaven like a rushing violent wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 There appeared to them tongues resembling fire, which were being distributed [among them], and they rested on each one of them [as each person received the Set-Apart {Holy} Spirit]. 4 And they were all filled [that is, diffused throughout their being] with the Set-Apart {Holy} Spirit and began to speak in other tongues (different languages), as the Spirit was giving them the ability to speak out [clearly and appropriately].
5 Now there were Jews living in Jerusalem, devout and The Almighty-fearing men from every nation under heaven. 6 And when this sound was heard, a crowd gathered, and they were bewildered because each one was hearing those in the upper room speaking in his own language or dialect. 7 They were completely astonished, saying, “Look! Are not all of these who are speaking Galileans? 8 Then how is it that each of us hears in our own language or native dialect? 9 [Among us there are] Parthians, Medes and Elamites, and people of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and [c]Asia [Minor], 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the districts of Libya around Cyrene, and the visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes (Gentile converts to Judaism), 11 Cretans and Arabs--we all hear them speaking in our [native] tongues about the mighty works of The Almighty!” 12 And they were beside themselves with amazement and were greatly perplexed, saying one to another, “What could this mean?” 13 But others were laughing and joking and ridiculing them, saying, “They are full of sweet wine and are drunk!”
14 But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them: “Men of Judea and all you who live in Jerusalem, let this be explained to you; listen closely and pay attention to what I have to say. 15 These people are not drunk, as you assume, since it is [only] the third hour of the day (9:00 a.m.); 16 but this is [the beginning of] what was spoken of through the prophet Joel:
17‘AND IT SHALL BE IN THE LAST DAYS,’ says The Almighty,
‘THAT I WILL POUR OUT MY SPIRIT UPON ALL MANKIND;
AND YOUR SONS AND YOUR DAUGHTERS SHALL PROPHESY,
AND YOUR YOUNG MEN SHALL SEE [divinely prompted] VISIONS,
AND YOUR OLD MEN SHALL DREAM [divinely prompted] DREAMS;
18EVEN ON MY BOND-SERVANTS, BOTH MEN AND WOMEN,
I WILL IN THOSE DAYS POUR OUT MY SPIRIT
And they shall prophesy.
19‘AND I WILL BRING ABOUT WONDERS IN THE SKY ABOVE
AND SIGNS (attesting miracles) ON THE EARTH BELOW,
BLOOD AND FIRE AND SMOKING VAPOR.
20‘THE SUN SHALL BE TURNED INTO DARKNESS
AND THE MOON INTO BLOOD,
BEFORE THE GREAT AND GLORIOUS DAY OF YAH THE ETERNALLY SELF-EXISTING COMES.
21‘AND IT SHALL BE THAT EVERYONE WHO CALLS UPON THE NAME OF YAH THE ETERNALLY SELF-EXISTING [invoking, adoring, and worshiping Yah the Eternally Self-Existing Yahooshua {Jesus}] SHALL BE SAVED (rescued spiritually).’
22“Men of Israel, listen to these words: Yahooshua {Jesus} of Nazareth, a Man accredited and pointed out and attested to you by The Almighty with [the power to perform] miracles and wonders and signs which The Almighty worked through Him in your [very] midst, just as you yourselves know—23 this Man, when handed over [to the Roman authorities] according to the predetermined decision and foreknowledge of The Almighty, you nailed to a cross and put to death by the hands of lawless and godless men. 24 But The Almighty raised Him up, releasing Him and bringing an end to the agony of death, since it was impossible for Him to be held in death’s power. 25 For David says of Him,
‘I SAW YAH THE ETERNALLY SELF-EXISTING CONSTANTLY BEFORE ME;
FOR HE IS AT MY RIGHT HAND, SO THAT I WILL NOT BE SHAKEN [from my state of security].
26 ‘THEREFORE MY HEART REJOICED AND MY TONGUE EXULTED EXCEEDINGLY;
MOREOVER MY FLESH ALSO WILL LIVE IN HOPE [that is, will encamp in anticipation of the resurrection];
27 FOR YOU WILL NOT FORSAKE ME and ABANDON MY SOUL TO HADES (the realm of the dead),
NOR LET YOUR HOLY ONE UNDERGO DECAY [after death].
28 ‘YOU HAVE MADE KNOWN TO ME THE WAYS OF LIFE;
YOU WILL FILL ME [infusing my soul] WITH JOY WITH YOUR PRESENCE.’
29 “Brothers, I may confidently and freely say to you regarding the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. 30 And so, being a prophet and knowing fully that THE ALMIGHTY HAD SWORN TO HIM WITH AN OATH THAT HE WOULD SEAT one OF HIS DESCENDANTS ON HIS THRONE, 31 he foresaw and spoke [prophetically] of the resurrection of the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed), that HE WAS NOT ABANDONED [in death] TO HADES (the realm of the dead), NOR DID His body UNDERGO DECAY. 32 The Almighty raised this Yahooshua {Jesus} [bodily from the dead], and of that [fact] we are all witnesses. 33 Therefore having been exalted [d]to the right hand of The Almighty, and having received from the Father the promise of the Set-Apart {Holy} Spirit, He has poured out this [blessing] which you both see and hear. 34 For David did not ascend into the heavens, yet he himself says,
‘YAH THE ETERNALLY SELF-EXISTING [the Father] SAID TO MY [e]LORD [the Son],
“SIT AT MY RIGHT HAND,
35 UNTIL I MAKE YOUR ENEMIES A [f]FOOTSTOOL FOR YOUR FEET.”’ 36 Therefore let all the house of Israel recognize beyond all doubt that The Almighty has made Him both Lord and Christ (Messiah, Anointed)--this Yahooshua {Jesus} whom you crucified.” Amplified Bible
So, another powerful manifestation of the Almighty Creator on the day of Shavuot {Pentecost}. See also “2023.05.06 Praying in the Spirit (Tongues)” at https://www.eti-ministries.org/praying-in-the-spirit-tongues see also “2022.10.07 The Spirit of Yah NOT Jesus Indwells Anointed Believers” at https://www.eti-ministries.org/the-spirit-of-yah-not-jesus-indwells-anointed-believers
- Articles from other ministries regarding Shavuot {Pentecost}
A number of articles regarding Shavuot are presented in the Appendices. Usual caveats apply, see “2023.04.11 Critical Caveats regarding Third Party Content” at https://www.eti-ministries.org/critical-caveats-re-third-party-content
Appendix 1: What Is Shavuot?
from https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/609663/jewish/What-Is-Shavuot-Shavuos.htm
A useful discussion of Shavuot from a Jewish perspective. Note that Shavuot means “weeks” and Pentecost means “Fiftieth” in Greek.
It is useful to note the level of dedication of the Jewish people to observing Pentecost. Note particularly the reading of the Ten Commandments and staying up all night studying Torah (the Commandments of Yah / Bible).
Appendix 2: Shavuot in Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shavuot
A formal presentation of Shavuot from a Jewish perspective, worth reading.
Appendix 3: Pentecost in Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pentecost
A formal presentation of Pentecost which highlights the discrepancy between the Christian calendar and approach and the Jewish calendar and approach. I work according to the definition of the calendar given in the Bible and not the Christian calendar based on Easter (Easter is a Pagan feast).
This year Easter and Passover coincided and so Shavuot and Christian Pentecost coincide on Sunday 28 May 2023.
Appendix 4: Pentecost from www.Christianity.com What Is Pentecost and Where Did It Come From?
https://www.christianity.com/jesus/early-church-history/pentecost/where-did-pentecost-come-from.html
A more conventional Christian presentation.
Conclusion
I hope that this has answered your questions with regard to Shavuot {Pentecost} and will assist you to observe the day going forward.
Please feel free to email me (James) by replying to this email if you have questions or comments.
May Father bless you and keep you and make His face to shine upon you and grant you His Peace
May Yah judge me severely and correct me harshly and show me the level of my present deception and how to correct it with regard to everything that I write and publish
Warm regards and blessings,
Dr James A Robertson
Spokesman and Emissary of Yah
End Time Issue Ministries
27 May 2023
Appendix 1: What Is Shavuot?
https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/609663/jewish/What-Is-Shavuot-Shavuos.htm
What Is Shavuot (Shavuos)?
Shavuot (May 25-27, 2023) is a two-day holiday that commemorates the date when G‑d gave the Torah to the Jewish people at Mount Sinai over 3,000 years ago. Preceded by 49 days of counting in eager anticipation, Shavuot is celebrated through desisting from work, candle-lit dinners, staying up all night to study Torah, listening to the reading of the Ten Commandments in synagogue, enjoying dairy foods and other festivities.
Shavuot is a two-day holiday, beginning at sundown following the 5th of Sivan and lasting until nightfall of the 7th of Sivan (May 25-27, 2023). In Israel it is a one-day holiday, ending at nightfall of the 6th of Sivan.
In this article:
What Shavuot Commemorates
The word Shavuot (or Shavuos) means “weeks.” It celebrates the completion of the seven-week Omer counting period between Passover and Shavuot.
The Torah was given by G‑d to the Jewish people on Mount Sinai on Shavuot more than 3,300 years ago. Every year on the holiday of Shavuot we renew our acceptance of G‑d’s gift, and G‑d “re-gives” the Torah.
The giving of the Torah was a far-reaching spiritual event—one that touched the essence of the Jewish soul for all times. Our sages have compared it to a wedding between G‑d and the Jewish people. Shavuot also means “oaths,” for on this day G‑d swore eternal devotion to us, and we in turn pledged everlasting loyalty to Him. Learn more about the giving of the Torah and what it means to us today.
In ancient times, two wheat loaves would be offered in the Holy Temple on Shavuot. It was also at this time that people would begin to bring bikkurim, their first and choicest fruits, to thank G‑d for Israel’s bounty. Learn about bikkurim here.
Play Video
What Is Shavuot?
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How Is Shavuot Celebrated?
Shavuot FAQ
What is Shavuot?
Shavuot is a Jewish holiday on the anniversary of the giving of the Torah to Moses on Mount Sinai. Coming after the 7-week Omer Count, It is also known as the Festival of Weeks.
Read: 11 Shavuot Facts Every Jew Should Know
What does Shavuot mean?
Shavuot means “weeks” and it is thus named because comes after counting 49 days (7 weeks) from the second day of Passover, each day becoming more refined and more ready for this special celebration.
Read: What Is the Meaning of Shavuot?
When is Shavuot celebrated?
Shavuot is a two-day holiday. Coming after the seven-week Omer count, it is celebrated on the sixth and seventh days of the Hebrew month of Sivan, which usually falls in late May or early June on the Gregorian calendar.
Read: When Is Shavuot This Year?
How long is Shavuot?
In Israel, Shavuot is just one day long, beginning before sunset and concluding after night has fallen the following day. In the diaspora, it is a two-day holiday, extending for another 24 hours.
Read: Why The Extra Day in the Diaspora?
How is Shavuot observed?
Shavuot is observed by lighting candles each night, staying up all night studying Torah, hearing the 10 Commandments during synagogue services, and eating festive meals, some of which may include dairy foods.
Explore: Shavuot Laws & Customs
Is work permitted on Shavuot?
Like other holidays (yom tov), work is not allowed on Shavuot, with the exception of certain forms of food prep (such as cooking on a preexisting flame) and carrying without an eruv.
Read: Laws of Yom Tov
What is the significance of eating dairy foods on Shavuot?
One explanation is that the Torah is compared to milk and honey, and dairy foods symbolize the sweetness and richness of the Torah.
Read: Why Eat Dairy on Shavuot?
Why is the Book of Ruth read on Shavuot?
The story of Ruth takes place during the barley harvest, which coincides with the time of Shavuot. Ruth's journey to convert to Judaism and join the Jewish people is seen as an example of devotion and loyalty to the Torah.
Read: Ruth-Shavuot Connections
Why stay up all night studying Torah on Shavuot?
The most common reason is that the Israelites overslept on the morning they were supposed to receive the Torah, so staying up all night “fixes” that missed opportunity.
Read: Learning All Night on Shavuot
When are the 10 Commandments read?
The 10 Commandments are read as part of morning services on the first day of Shavuot. Since so many kids come to that service, it is often followed by an ice cream party for children (and a dairy reception for the adults).
Read: Hear the 10 Commandments
Who should attend the 10 Commandments reading?
The Rebbe encouraged every single Jew—men, women, and even babies—to make every effort to come to synagogue and hear the 10 Commandments from the Torah.
Find: A 10 Commandments Reading Near You
Are there any specific customs associated with Shavuot?
Some Shavuot customs include decorating homes and synagogues with flowers and greenery, learning all night, hearing the 10 Commandments, eating dairy, and reading the Book of Ruth.
Read: 7 Reasons From Greenery and Flowers on Shavuot
Is Yizkor said on Shavuot?
Yes, Yizkor is said as part of morning services on the second day of Shavuot (in Israel, where there is only one day, it is said on that day, following the reading of the 10 Commandments).
Read: Yizkor
Click here for more about Shavuot.
Play Video
The Secret of Shavuot
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Appendix 2: Shavuot in Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shavuot
Shavuot in Wikipedia
Shavuot (
listen (help·info)), or Shvu'es (
listen (help·info)) in some Ashkenazi usage (Hebrew: שָׁבוּעוֹת, Šāvūʿōṯ, lit. "Weeks"), commonly known in English as the Feast of Weeks, is a major Jewish holiday, one of the three pilgrimage festivals, that occurs on the sixth day of the Hebrew month of Sivan (in the 21st century, it may fall between May 15 and June 14 on the Gregorian calendar). In the Bible, Shavuot marked the wheat harvest in the Land of Israel.[2] In addition, rabbinic tradition teaches that the date also marks the revelation of the Ten Commandments to Moses and the Israelites at Mount Sinai, which, according to the tradition of Orthodox Judaism, occurred at this date in 1312 BCE.[3]
The word Shavuot means "weeks", and it marks the conclusion of the Counting of the Omer. Its date is directly linked to that of Passover; the Torah mandates the seven-week Counting of the Omer, beginning on the second day of Passover, to be immediately followed by Shavuot. This counting of days and weeks is understood to express anticipation and desire for the giving of the Torah. On Passover, the people of Israel were freed from their enslavement to Pharaoh; on Shavuot, they were given the Torah and became a nation committed to serving God.[4]
While Shavuot is sometimes referred to as Pentecost (in Koinē Greek: Πεντηκοστή) due to its timing after Passover, "pentecost" meaning "fifty" in Greek and Shavuot occurring fifty days after the first day of Pesach/Passover, it is not the same celebration as the Christian Pentecost, which comes fifty days after Pascha/Easter.[5][Note 1][6]
One of the biblically ordained Three Pilgrimage Festivals, Shavuot is traditionally celebrated in Israel for one day, where it is a public holiday, and for two days in the diaspora.[7][8][9]
Names
Biblical names
In the Bible, Shavuot is called the "Festival of Weeks" (Hebrew: חג השבועות, Chag HaShavuot, Exodus 34:22, Deuteronomy 16:10); "Festival of Reaping" (חג הקציר, Chag HaKatzir, Exodus 23:16),[10] and "Day of the First Fruits" (יום הבכורים, Yom HaBikkurim, Numbers 28:26).[11]
Shavuot, the plural of a word meaning "week" or "seven", alludes to the fact that this festival happens exactly seven weeks (i.e. "a week of weeks") after Passover.[12]
Later names
The Talmud refers to Shavuot as ʻAṣeret (Hebrew: עצרת, "refraining" or "holding back"),[13] referring to the prohibition against work on this holiday[14] and also to the conclusion of the Passover holiday-season.[15] The other reason given for the reference ʻAṣeret is that just as Shemini ʻAṣeret brings the Festival of Succoth to a "close", in the same respect, Shavuot (ʻAṣeret) brings The Festival of Passover to its actual "close".
Since Shavuot occurs fifty days after Passover, Hellenistic Jews gave it the name "Pentecost" (Koinē Greek: Πεντηκοστή, "fiftieth day").[16]
Significance
Giving of the Torah
Shavuot is not explicitly named in the Bible as the day on which the Torah was revealed by God to the Israelite nation at Mount Sinai, although this is commonly considered to be its main significance.[17][18]
Unlike other major holidays, the Torah does not specify the date of Shavuot, but only that it falls 50 days after Passover, placing it at the 6th of Sivan according to the current fixed calendar (in earlier times when months were fixed by lunar observation, the date could vary by a day or two). The Torah states that the Israelites reached Sinai on the first[19] day of the third month following the Exodus, i.e. Sivan.[20] Then several events occurred, taking a total of at least three days, before the Torah was given.[21] Thus, it is plausible that the giving of the Torah occurred on or about Shavuot, but no exact date is mentioned.
Besides the timing, scholars have pointed to thematic connections between Shavuot and the giving of the Torah, which are indicated by the Bible itself:
- Several aspects of the Shavuot Temple sacrifice (shtei halechem) suggest a connection to the Exodus and the giving of the Torah. The shtei halechem is the only holiday sacrifice which includes a communal shelamim ("peace") offering, recalling the communal shelamim offering which was offered after the acceptance of the Torah (Exodus 24:5–11). Also, the shtei halechem is one of the few sacrifices to include chametz, suggesting that Shavuot is a counterpoint to Passover and its historical events.[22]
- From an early period, Shavuot was regarded as an appropriate time to make covenants between God and humanity. Asa chose to make his covenant (2 Chronicles 15:8–15) on or about Shavuot.[23] (Similarly, according to Book of Jubilees, Noah made his covenant with God on Shavuot.[24]) The association between Shavuot and covenants suggests a connection to the giving of the Torah, which itself was a covenant between God and Israel.[25][26] In addition, the description of Asa's covenant repeatedly alludes both to the giving of the Torah[27] and to the Shavuot holiday,[28] suggesting a link between the two.[26]
Most of the Talmudic sages agreed that the Torah was given on the 6 Sivan (the date of Shavuot), but Rabbi Jose holds that it was given on 7 Sivan.[29] According to the classical timeline, the Israelites arrived at the wilderness of Sinai on the new moon (Exodus 19:1) and the Ten Commandments were given on the following Shabbat (i.e., Saturday). The question of whether the new moon fell on Sunday or Monday is undecided.[29] In practice, Shavuot is observed on 6 Sivan in Israel[30] and a second day is added in the Jewish diaspora (in keeping with a separate rabbinical ruling that applies to all biblical holidays, called Yom tov sheni shel galuyot, Second-Day Yom Tov in the diaspora).[31] Thus, according to Rabbi Jose, only outside Israel does Shavuot fall out on the day the Torah was given.
Agricultural
What is textually connected in the Bible to the Feast of Shavuot is the season of the grain harvest, specifically of the wheat, in the Land of Israel. In ancient times, the grain harvest lasted seven weeks and was a season of gladness (Jer. 5:24, Deut. 16:9–11, Isa. 9:2). It began with the harvesting of the barley during Passover and ended with the harvesting of the wheat at Shavuot. Shavuot was thus the concluding festival of the grain harvest, just as the eighth day of Sukkot (Tabernacles) was the concluding festival of the fruit harvest. During the existence of the Temple in Jerusalem, an offering of two loaves of bread from the wheat harvest was made on Shavuot according to the commandment in Lev. 23:17.[6]
The last but one Qumran Scroll to be published has been discovered to contain two festival dates observed by the Qumran sect as part of their formally perfect 364-day calendar, and dedicated to "New Wine" and "New Oil", neither of which is mentioned in the Hebrew Bible, but were known from another Qumran manuscript, the Temple Scroll. These festivals "constituted an extension of the festival of Shavuot ... which celebrates the New Wheat." All three festivals are calculated starting from the first Sabbath following Passover, by repeatedly adding exactly fifty days each time: first came New Wheat (Shavuot), then New Wine, and then New Oil.[32][33] (See also below, at "The Book of Jubilees and the Essenes".)
Appendix 3: Pentecost in Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pentecost
Pentecost (also called Whit Sunday, Whitsunday or Whitsun) is a Christian holiday which takes place on the 50th day[a] (the seventh Sunday) after Easter Sunday.[2] It commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles and other followers of Jesus Christ while they were in Jerusalem celebrating the Feast of Weeks, as described in the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 2:1–31).[3]
Pentecost is one of the Great feasts in the Eastern Orthodox Church, a Solemnity in the Roman Rite of the Catholic Church, a Festival in the Lutheran Churches, and a Principal Feast in the Anglican Communion. Many Christian denominations provide a special liturgy for this holy celebration. Since its date depends on the date of Easter, Pentecost is a "moveable feast". The Monday after Pentecost is a legal holiday in many European, African and Caribbean countries.
The term Pentecost comes from the Greek Πεντηκοστή (Pentēkostē), meaning "fiftieth". It refers to the Jewish festival of Shavuot celebrated on the fiftieth day after Passover. It is also known as the "Feast of Weeks"[i] and the "Feast of 50 days" in rabbinic tradition.[7]
The Septuagint uses the term Pentēkostē to refer to the "Feast of Pentecost" twice; in the Book of Tobit and 2 Maccabees, which for Catholics are part of the Bible but for Protestants are deuterocanonical/apocryphal books in the Bible.[8][9][10] The term Pentecost appears in the Septuagint as one of the names for the Festival of Weeks.[11]
The Septuagint translators also used the word in two other senses: to signify the year of Jubilee (Leviticus 25:10)[12][8] an event which occurs every 50th year, and in several passages of chronology as an ordinal number.[ii] The term has also been used in the literature of Hellenistic Judaism by Philo of Alexandria and Josephus.[7]
The native English word Whitsunday, "White Sunday" (Old English: Hwita Sunnandæg), probably derives from the white robes worn by the newly baptized on Pentecost. The weekend or week including Pentecost are also called Whitsun or Whitsuntide, which arose from redividing Whitsunday as Whitsun day. The other days of the week are sometimes called Whit Monday, Whit Tuesday, and so on.[19]
Main article: Shavuot
In Judaism the Festival of Weeks (Hebrew: שבועות, romanized: Shavuot) is a harvest festival that is celebrated seven weeks and one day after the first day of Passover (the Feast of Unleavened Bread) in Deuteronomy 16:9 or seven weeks and one day after the Sabbath referred to in Leviticus 23:16.[20] The Festival of Weeks is also called the feast of Harvest in Exodus 23:16 and the day of first fruits in Numbers 28:26.[21] In Exodus 34:22 it is called the "firstfruits of the wheat harvest."[22] The date for the "Feast of Weeks" originally came the day after seven full weeks following the first harvest of grain.[23][24] In Jewish tradition the fiftieth day was known as the Festival of Weeks.[21][22] The actual mention of fifty days comes from Leviticus 23:16.[6][25]
During the Hellenistic period, the ancient harvest festival also became a day of renewing the Noahic covenant, described in Genesis 9:8-17, which is established between God and "all flesh that is upon the earth".[11] By this time, some Jews were already living in Diaspora. According to Acts 2:5-11 there were Jews from "every nation under heaven" in Jerusalem, possibly visiting the city as pilgrims during Pentecost. In particular hoi epidemountes (οἱ ἐπιδημοῦντες) are identified as "visitors" to Jerusalem from Rome. This group of visitors includes both Jews and "proselytes" (προσήλυτος, prosēlytos); sometimes translated as "converts to Judaism", proselyte referred to non-Jews who adhered fully to the Mosaic laws, including circumcision.[26]
The list of places represented in the biblical text includes Parthia, Media, Elam, Mesopotamia, "Judaea",[iii] Cappadocia, Pontus, "Asia", Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, Cyrene, and Rome.[27] Scholars have speculated about a possible earlier literary source for the list of nations including an astrological list by Paul of Alexandria and various references to the Jewish diaspora by writers of the Second Temple era (particularly Philo of Alexandria).[28]
After the destruction of the Temple in 70 AD offerings could no longer be brought to the Temple and the focus of the festival shifted from agriculture to the Israelites receiving the Torah (the Five Books of Moses or the Law at Sinai). It became customary to gather at synagogue, stay up all night learning Torah, and reading from the Torah the Ten Commandments and the Israelites acceptance of and promise to live by the Torah.][29]
Appendix 4: Pentecost from www.Christianity.com
https://www.christianity.com/jesus/early-church-history/pentecost/where-did-pentecost-come-from.html
What Is Pentecost and Where Did It Come From?
Jesus’ followers were gathered together for Pentecost, and the Holy Spirit “filled the whole house where they were sitting” (Acts 2:2). “All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them” (Acts 2:4).
DR. RAY PRITCHARD | APR 17, 2023
If you go back and read the Old Testament, you will discover that Pentecost was one of the Jewish feast days. Only they didn't call it Pentecost. That's the Greek name. The Jews called it the Feast of Harvest or the Feast of Weeks. It is mentioned in five places in the first five books — in Exodus 23, Exodus 24, Leviticus 16, Numbers 28, and Deuteronomy 16.
Pentecost in the Bible
The Coming of the Holy Spirit
When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. And they were amazed and astonished, saying, "Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians--we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God." And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, "What does this mean?" But others mocking said, "They are filled with new wine." (Acts 2:1-13)
What is the Origin of Pentecost?
Pentecost was the celebration of the beginning of the early weeks of harvest. In Palestine, there were two harvests each year. The early harvest came during the months of May and June; the final harvest came in the Fall. Pentecost was the celebration of the beginning of the early wheat harvest, which meant that Pentecost always fell sometime during the middle of the month of May or sometimes in early June.
There were several festivals, celebrations, or observances that took place before Pentecost. There was Passover, there was Unleavened Bread, and there was the Feast of Firstfruits. The Feast of Firstfruits was the celebration of the beginning of the barley harvest. Here's the way you figured out the date of Pentecost.
According to the Old Testament, you would go to the day of the celebration of Firstfruits, and beginning with that day, you would count off 50 days. The fiftieth day would be the Day of Pentecost. So Firstfruits is the beginning of the barley harvest and Pentecost is the celebration of the beginning of the wheat harvest.
Since it was always 50 days after Firstfruits, and since 50 days equals seven weeks, it always came a "week of weeks" later. Therefore, they either called it the Feast of Harvest or the Feast of Weeks.
When Is Pentecost Sunday in 2023?
This year, Pentecost will be on Sunday, May 28th, 2023, observed on the seventh Sunday after Easter (April 9th).
Why Is Pentecost Important to Christianity?
Modern Christians observe Pentecost as a holiday, not to celebrate a wheat harvest, but to remember when the Holy Spirit invaded the Church in Acts 2.
1. On Pentecost Sunday, the Holy Spirit filled the Church with power and added 3,000 new believers. The account in Act 2 reports that, after Jesus ascended into heaven, Jesus’ followers were gathered together for the Feast of Harvest (aka Pentecost), and the Holy Spirit “filled the whole house where they were sitting” (Acts 2:2). “All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them” (Acts 2:4).
This strange occurrence drew a large crowd, and Peter stood up to speak to them about repentance and the gospel of Christ (Acts 2:14). By the end of the day that the Holy Spirit came, the Church grew by 3,000 people (Acts 2:41). This is why Christians still celebrate Pentecost.
John Gill expresses the significance in his commentary:
“Through this baptism of the Holy Ghost and fire, the apostles became more knowing, and had a greater understanding of the mysteries of the Gospel, and were more qualified to preach it to people of all nations and languages.”
2. The Holy Spirit was prophesied in the Old Testament and promised by Jesus. Jesus promised the Holy Spirit in John 14:26, who would be the Helper for his people.
“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.”
This New Testament event is also significant because it fulfills an Old Testament prophecy in Joel 2:28-29:
“And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days.”
The Significance of Pentecost Today
In a video for Christianity.com, Phillip Nation explains why Pentecost is significant for Christians today. Read the transcript of that interview below:
The significance of Pentecost to the church is something that we need to walk through carefully, and we shouldn't ignore, because Pentecost was a Jewish celebration. And so in our modern day of the New Testament church, we don't celebrate Pentecost in the way that the Old Testament Hebrews did.
But Pentecost was the moment in history after Christ had ascended. And he had promised during the gospel narratives, during his earthly ministry, that he would leave, but that he would send the comforter, he would send the holy spirit. And it was at that moment in Pentecost where the spirit came, and he empowered the early believers, specifically the apostles that were left, and Peter, who is almost a comedic personality in the gospel narratives.
He is the one who constantly puts his foot in his mouth, constantly is having to be corrected by Jesus, but is in the inner circle. And because of grace and mercy, he is chosen to be the one who stands up in front of this throng, probably thousands, maybe tens of thousands of people to proclaim the gospel, there in the midst of a Hebrew celebration that was intended to remind the Hebrews of how God had always protected them.
And here Peter stands up and says, "And let me tell you about the Messiah, who is the eternal protection for all of humanity. Let me tell you who he is." And so Pentecost becomes this marker in history to really what many people would say, "And that's the moment that church is born."
That is when thousands come into the faith. And it goes from this little sect of believers who followed a Jewish rabbi from Nazareth who died and rose again, and suddenly the church breaks forth into the culture. Suddenly it is that unstoppable force that no one can really deny any longer. Pentecost has taken on a new significance for us. It, at one point, is just a historical memory. Now it is the living reality of the moment that the spirit of God seemingly burst forth.
Use our Prayer for Pentecost Sunday to call on the Holy Spirit for guidance and faith.
3 Historical Insights into Pentecost
There are three things you need to know about Pentecost that will help you understand Acts 2.
1. Pentecost was a pilgrim festival. That meant that according to Jewish Law, all the adult Jewish men would come from wherever they were living to Jerusalem and personally be in attendance during this celebration.
2. Pentecost was a holiday. No servile work was to be done. Schools were out. The shops were closed. It was a day to celebrate.
3. There were certain celebrations and sacrifices and offerings which were prescribed in the Law for the day of Pentecost. On Pentecost, the High Priest was to take two loaves of freshly baked wheat bread and offer them before the Lord. The wheat bread was made from newly harvested wheat.
In short, Pentecost in the time of the Apostles was a great and grand harvest celebration. The streets of Jerusalem were clogged with thousands of pilgrims who had come from every point of the compass to celebrate the goodness of God and the bringing in of the wheat harvest.
Read more Bible Verses about Pentecost from BibleStudyTools.com
Excerpted from "The P.U.I.H." from Keep Believing Ministries (used by permission).
End Time Issue Ministry End Notes
The Almighty Creator Desires a DEEP Personal Relationship with YOU
If you die as an Unbeliever your spirit will live for a very long time as a disembodied Ancestor Spirit or Demon -- the Creator has said regarding Unbelievers "why would I want someone to spend Eternity with me when they do NOT Believe I exist?”
If you die as a Believer without any form of relationship with the Creator you will end up in the Outer Darkness – a cold, black, terrible place with weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth (your teeth) – the trash heap of Heaven – Father has said concerning such Believers “why would I want someone to be close to me in Heaven, which inherently means I will give them great prestige and authority, if they do NOT have a deep personal relationship with me and have NOT proven to me that they can be trusted in this life?”
In stark contrast -- IF you make a real effort to seek relationship with the Almighty the rewards in the Life to Come are HUGE – a glorious resurrected body, great prestige, great authority and a permanent close relationship with the Creator AND with Yahooshua {who you may mistakenly know as Jesus}
To put this all in context the Almighty has said "I created Human beings, this planet and this universe for men and women to be my Friends, my companions, to explore and learn and develop together, my greatest grief is that almost NO person understands this let alone seeks such a relationship with me!“
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* Words in curly brackets {xxx} are words which are commonly used but technically incorrect. Some of these words are simply incorrect, others like “God”, “the LORD”, “Jesus” are abominations in the sight of the Almighty Creator which He has, in His mercy tolerated up to now but for which grace has now been withdrawn – see https://www.ETI-Ministries.org/essence-of-message-re-names
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