Pentecost - the descent of the Holy Spirit Part one

1 And when the day of Pentecost was 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 all the house where they were sitting.

3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.

4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. (Acts chapter 2).

Pentecost is a christian festival that commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit on the apostles of Jesus Christ, fifty days after Easter. The term “Pentecost” originated from the Greek "pentēkostḗ", which means “fiftieth”, in reference to the 50 days which follow after Easter. In the Bible, the celebration of Pentecost is cited for the first time in the Book "the Acts of the Apostles 2", the episode that narrates the moment in which the apostles of Christ received the gifts of the Holy Spirit, soon after the ascent of Jesus to heaven.

Do you want to receive the Holy Spirit in their walk and to develop Their Gifts? Sure, this event enriches very much of our christian life!!! Your harvest will grow in value exponentially!!

The origin of the feast of the Pentecost is based on an old jewish tradition, called "Shavuoth", and that means “Weeks”. For the jews, pentecost was a celebration of thanks to God for the harvest, in addition to pay tribute to the memory of the day in which Moses received the Tablets with the Sacred Laws, known as the Torah.

Unlike Pentecost christian Pentecost jewish lasted seven days and started from the Pesah - Passover (feast of deliverance from Egypt). With the passing of time, the sense of the celebration of Pentecost among the jews ceased to focus on the thanks for the harvest, and settling exclusively in the parties of the creation of the Torah (that would be the Ten Commandments for christians).

Pentecost is not the proper name of the second party of the ancient biblical calendar, in the Old Testament (Ex 23.14-17; 34.18-23). Originally, this feast is referred to by several names:

The feast of the Harvest - in Hebrew "hag haqasir". Because it is a harvest of grain, wheat and barley, this party won that second name. Probably, "hag haqasir" the Feast of Harvest is the original name (Ex 23.16).

The feast of Weeks - in Hebrew, "hag xabuot". The reason of this name is in the period of duration of this celebration: seven weeks. The start of the feast takes place fifty days after Passover, with the barley harvest; the closure happens with the harvest of wheat (Dt 34.22; Nm 28.26; Dt 16.10).

The day of the Firstfruits of the Fruits - in Hebrew "yom habikurim". This name has its reason to be in the delivery of a voluntary offering to God of the first fruits of the land harvested in that harvest (Nm 28.26). Probably, the offering of the firstfruits was the case in each of the three traditional festivals of the ancient biblical calendar.

In the first, Easter, gave them a sheep born that year; in the second, Harvest, or Weeks, surrendering a portion of the first grain harvested; and, finally, in the third feast, Tabernacles or Booths, the people offered the first fruits of the harvest of fruits, such as grapes, dates and figs, especially.

The feast of Pentecost. The reasons for this new name are several: (a) in the last three hundred years of the period of the Old Testament, the greeks took control of the world, imposing their language, which became very popular among the jews. The Hebrew names - "hag haqasir" and "hag xabuot" - have lost their current issues, and were replaced by the name Pentecost, which means fifty days after Passover. As the Greek Empire took control of the world, in 331 years before the birth of Jesus, it is likely that the name Pentecost has gained popularity from this period.

Note:

In addition to the Feast of Harvest or Weeks of "hag haqasir" or "hag xavuot", the old calendar israelite pointed to a third party that was happening in the period of Autumn, that is, in the months of September and October. In fact, this party was also of the harvest, however, harvest of fruits, especially grape, fig and dates.

Moses received the "Ten Commandments" on Mount Sinai in a tremendous encounter with God, who gave him the order to pass on to His people. However, we can only fulfill them through the life of Christ in us!!!

Know a little about the ceremony of this feast.

While the Passover was a feast of home, Harvest or Weeks or Pentecost was a celebration of farming, originally held in the place where the wheat and barley grew, among other agricultural products. Later, this celebration was taken to the places of worship, particularly the Temple of Jerusalém. The many biblical accounts do not reveal, with clarity, the order of worship, but it is possible to raise some steps of this liturgy:

1- . The ceremony began when the sickle was thrown against the ears (Dt 16.9). It is good to remember that it should be respected the recommendation of the right to glean for the poor and foreigners (Lev 23.22; Deut 16.11).

2- The ceremony continued with the pilgrimage to the place of worship (Ex 23.17).

3- The third moment of the party was the reunion of all the working people with their families, friends and the strangers (Deut 16.11). This ceremony was called "Holy Convocation," (Lev 23.21). No one could work during those days, because they were considered to be a period of solemn joy and thanksgiving for the protection and care of God (Lev 23.21).

4- In the place of the ceremony, the bundle of wheat or barley was presented as an offering to God, the Giver of the earth and the Source of all goodness (Lev 23.11).

5- The celebrants were feeding part of the offerings brought by the farmers;

6- The seven-week festival included other objectives, in addition to thanksgiving for the gifts of the earth: strengthening the memory of the liberation from slavery in Egypt and the care with obedience to the divine statutes (Dt 16.12).

Note: It was illegal to take advantage of the new production of the farms, before the ceremonial of the Feast of the Harvest (Lev 23.14).

Learn about the features of the celebration:

1. The Feast of the Harvest was a joyful and solemn (Deut 16.11); 2. The celebration was dedicated to Yahweh (Dt 16.10);

3. It was a feast ecumenical, open to all producers and their family, the poor, the levites and the aliens (Deut 16.11). Anyway, all the people presented before God. Acknowledged and affirmed the commitment of the fraternity and the responsibility to promote community ties, in addition to the Hebrew people; 4. He thanked God for the gift of the earth and by the divine statutes (Deut 15.12);

5. It was a "Holy Convocation,". No one worked (Lv 23.21); 6. It was concluded the cycle of life, recognizing that the Word of God was at the origin of life " seed " tree " fruit " food " of life...

Note:

The Harvest Festival celebrates not a myth, but the action of God which creates and sustains the life of the created world.

That the seed of Christ, the seed of life, already planted in every heart. Each care, this seed will grow and become a large tree when, then, can accommodate the many and give many fruits!!!

The main reasons for the Feast of the Harvest:

The Feast of the Harvest (Huts or Pentecost) was not a ceremony neutral, that is, the celebrants didn't gather for a simple leisure or fun. The whole ceremony was seeking to reaffirm and to deepen the meaning of faith in Yahweh, God the Creator and Liberator.

1-Learn the fraternity: To read all the reports about the Feast of Harvest (Weeks or Pentecost) it is possible to capture parts of the ceremony and, consequently, their legislation. One of the striking details of this "Holy Convocation," is the strengthening of the brotherhood between the workers of the field, including the population of israel, the servants and foreigners.

2-Learn to have commitment with God and with the community. To celebrate the feast, the entire community learned to be responsible to the will of God and with others - not only with the brothers of blood and faith. The ritual of the feast he taught, pedagogically, that God is the Creator and Sustainer of the laws that govern the world. He made a distribution community of the earth and send rain to the hebrews and gentiles, good and bad, men and women, youth and children. The ritual of the feast came to understand that the great problem of humanity is lack of love for each other.

3-Learn to share the gifts. Primitively, the people of the bible lived with the divine laws so happy, without causing suffering. For example, the feast of the Harvest taught the community of workers in the field should hand over the surplus of their agricultural production to Yahweh, in order that the offer to be shared with the less fortunate (Lev 25.6-7, 21-22). The pedagogy of this law has a deep wisdom, for she has as a target to educate the people within the principles of solidarity and social equality.

4-Learn how to thank While thanking God for the gift of the earth - to live, to plant and feed from the fruits produced by it - the people discovered the mysteries of divine grace. Be grateful for the "a land which floweth with milk and honey", by the barley, wheat and other grains that sustain life represent a joy of huge proportions. In addition to the land, the celebrants were taught to thank God for the statement that discipline and orders the life of the community.

Conclusion: The Feast of Harvest or Weeks took the name of the Feast of Pentecost, from the Greek Period (end of the fourth century before Christ onwards).

Celebrate "Pentecost" in your life. Celebrate the descent of the Holy Spirit and receive His Gifts. Your harvest shall be great, for the honor and glory of the Lord Jesus!!