| Feast Of Pentecost |
|
Tomorrow (Sunday, June 4) is an important day on the Christian calendar. To our Jewish friends it's known from ancient times as SHAVOUT, "The Festival of Weeks". Among our more liturgical brethren, it is sometimes called WHITSUNTIDE or WHITSUNDAY. Biblically, of course, it IS the Feast of Weeks, sometimes called the Feast of Harvest or the Feast of First-Fruits, more commonly known to us as the FEAST OF PENTECOST, the second of the three Great Feasts of God's Israel, the others being Passover and Tabernacles. The word "Pentecost" ("Pfingsten" in German), is from the Greek word Pentekoste, meaning "the fiftieth" day after the Resurrection of Christ, the true Passover Lamb. The "Feast of Weeks" in the Hebrew is Shavout, which means means 7 weeks (or 49 days) between the great Feast of Passover and the observance of the second Great Feast ON the 50th day. Pentecost was and is the fulfillment of that great Feast, the descent of the Holy Ghost and the enduement with power from on high to all who call upon Him, "for He shall baptize YOU with the Holy Ghost". In early church history, large numbers of new believers were traditionally baptized in water on "Pentecost Sunday". They wore white garments, hence the term "White Sunday" or WHITSUNTIDE or WHITSUNDAY, a term still widely employed among more liturgical believers. Some still like to have water baptisms on the Day of Pentecost. The real Baptism on the Day of Pentecost was the mighty Baptism in the Holy Ghost and Fire. In later centuries in Italy, it became customary to scatter rose petals from the ceiling of the churches to recall the miracle of the fiery tongues of Pentecost. They called it PASCHA ROSATUM. Unfortunately, as happens all-too-frequently, the fire must have gone out, and well meaning folks replaced the Baptism of Fire with rose petals gently falling from the ceiling, something like "raindrops falling on my head". Good theatre, but not much Spirit. God send the Holy Ghost Fire and baptize every one!!! I've just been re-reading George Warnock's FEAST OF TABERNACLES. To fail to understand God's thinking on these three Great Feasts - Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles - is to miss the heart of the Bible and God's great heart. When you get a moment or two, take a fresh look at Chapter 5, THE FEAST OF PENTECOST, pages 24-29. You'll be inspired, again. (Published by Sharon Schools, and available upon request.) I hope these few thoughts from the historical perspective will bless your heart today. Happy Shavout. Bless-ed Pentecost. Have a good Whitsuntide. Celebrate with joy and thanksgiving. He is Lord. Br. Terry Miller A Servant of the Church, which is His Body. 
How can we know anything about anything? That’s the real question |
Other Pages in this sectionRecently Viewed |
