THE ITEMS THAT CONNECT THE COUNTDOWN TO PENTECOST AND TWO COVENANTS
The Sabbath after the Passover sacrifice of Christ was His resurrection day. Just prior to sunset He arose from the grave. His resurrection was the greatest event in human history. Jesus then became the first of first fruits and the wave-sheath offering to God. These events began the countdown to Pentecost. This was the zero or starting point. The next seven Sabbaths are counted and the next day, the fiftieth day, or Pentecost arrived.
John 20:16-17 NKJV 16 Jesus said to her, "Mary!" She turned and said to Him, "Rabboni!" (which is to say, Teacher). 17 Jesus said to her, "Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, 'I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God.'"
Christ was not to be held until he appeared at the real throne of God as the first of the first fruits offering. Jesus' Resurrection begins the countdown to Pentecost. What did the Israelites receive at the first Pentecost with Moses in the desert? They received the Ten Commandments. They are the guide rail to Godly righteousness. This was the time and place of the first or old covenant. The people of God traveled from Egypt, and on the fiftieth day, at Mt. Sinai they made a covenant with God based on the Ten Commandments and supporting ordinances.
Exodus 24:7-8 NKJV 7 Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read in the hearing of the people. And they said, "All that the LORD has said we will do, and be obedient." 8 And Moses took the blood, sprinkled it on the people, and said, "This is the blood of the covenant which the LORD has made with you according to all these words."
The two sided agreement with God was made on Pentecost and the people were given the law to guide them from evil. God agreed to bless and protect them. The law clearly guides us into a knowledge of what is right and what is wrong. Right living will protect and bless us so good law was part of the blessing of the people.
Romans 7:7 NKJV 7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! On the contrary, I would not have known sin except through the law. For I would not have known covetousness unless the law had said, "You shall not covet."
Israel had wonderful laws much better than anything all the pagan nations in the world possessed. They were given this wonderful blessing at the First Pentecost, yet something additional was needed because of human weaknesses.
GOD'S PEOPLE NEEDED THE POWER TO REALLY GROW SPIRITUALLY
During the first New Covenant Passover the people of God were given this necessary power. Paul says we cannot obey well without this power and helper.
Romans 7:8-10 NKJV 8 But sin, taking opportunity by the commandment, produced in me all manner of evil desire. For apart from the law sin was dead. 9 I was alive once without the law, but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died. 10 And the commandment, which was to bring life, I found to bring death.
Paul found that despite his good intentions he needed the help of Jesus through the gift of the Spirit.
Romans 8:1-4 NKJV 1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, 4 that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
How do people receive the Spirit and when did the power become available? It happened during the beginning of the new covenant era, power was given in a spectacular manner at Pentecost. The old covenant gave legal power at Pentecost at Mt. Sinai and the new covenant gave spiritual power to help us follow the laws given at the Pentecost in Jerusalem seven weeks plus one day after Jesus resurrection.
BOTH COVENANTS AT BOTH PENTECOSTS WERE ACCOMPANIED BY FIRE AND SOUND
Moses prepared the people at the first old covenant Pentecost to be in the presence of God at Mt. Sinai. The people had to clean up and stay clean for this appointment with the Divine. They witnessed a spectacular display of God's power.
Exodus 19:17-19 NKJV 17 And Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. 18 Now Mount Sinai was completely in smoke, because the LORD descended upon it in fire. Its smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain quaked greatly. 19 And when the blast of the trumpet sounded long and became louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God answered him by voice.
Note the Old covenant Pentecost was highlighted by fire and loud sounds. The fire and sounds were part of God's holy presence. Moses adds :
Deuteronomy 4:11-13 NKJV 11 "Then you came near and stood at the foot of the mountain, and the mountain burned with fire to the midst of heaven, with darkness, cloud, and thick darkness. 12 "And the LORD spoke to you out of the midst of the fire. You heard the sound of the words, but saw no form; you only heard a voice. 13 "So He declared to you His covenant which He commanded you to perform, the Ten Commandments; and He wrote them on two tablets of stone.
A similar pattern is seen in the introduction of the new covenant at Jerusalem on the birth of the Church of God. God used great sounds and the appearance of fire to mark the occasion with one big difference.
Acts 2:1-4 NKJV 1 When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
The fire is now not on a mountain top emanating from God, but with the new believers. It is God's Spirit working from inside of them. God's power has been transferred from external to internal. The power of God is now helping large numbers of believers grow spiritually. The power is flowing to believers. The new covenant as Paul says is thereby more glorious than the old.
PENTECOST AND THE DIVINE PURPOSE OF GOD FOR ALL BELIEVERS
Believers have a divine purpose. God is adding to his family. True Christians are given the chance to allow Jesus to develop us into baby Gods. We humans are the work of God's hands. We are being prepared to take on spiritual bodies and become sons of God.
Job 14:14-15 NKJV 14 If a man dies, shall he live again? All the days of my hard service I will wait, Till my change comes. 15 You shall call, and I will answer You; You shall desire the work of Your hands.
The new covenant is all about God infusing his spirit within us to help us grow so we can be sons of God and and have an inheritance that is divine.
Romans 8:16-17 16 Also this spirit bears witness, together with our spirit, that we are children of God. 17 And if children, then heirs; heirs, indeed, of God, and joint heirs with Christ; if, indeed, we suffer with him, that with him also we may be glorified.
Paul says the glory we shall inherit is more than worth any sufferings we must make as the first fruits in the age of Satan. Pentecost is the feast of first fruits and we first fruits will have the harder road to follow.
Romans 8:18-23 18 However, I esteem not the sufferings of the present time, as worthy of comparison with the glory, which is hereafter to be revealed in us. 19 For the earnest expectation of the creature, is waiting for the revelation of the sons of God.... 23 And not only they, but ourselves also, who have the first fruit of the Spirit; even we ourselves, groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption; namely, the redemption of our body.
The apostle John states that we will someday be able to look God in the eye because we will be like him. Wow !
1 John 3:1-2 NKJV 1 Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. 2 Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.
The first Old Testament Pentecost at Mt. Sinai and certainly the first New Testament, Pentecost help lead us into becoming the sons of God.
1 John 2:28 NKJV 28 And now, little children, abide in Him, that when He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming.
