The annual rhythm of the seasons has spiritual significance. Here's what the spring harvest means
Most Christians are familiar with the term Pentecost. It's considered to be the 'birthday' of the church. Indeed it is a festival that once upon a time had Western national significance, often designated as a national holiday (known as Whitsun). Sadly, secularization has buried this snapshot of the divine plan.
Ancient Origins
The origins of Pentecost, however, long precede the beginning of the church in the first century. It roots are buried deep in an Old Testament ceremony - one of the 'feasts of the LORD' (Leviticus 23).
As with all these divinely-revealed festivals (given through, but not by, Moses!) Pentecost continued to be observed by the apostles and all early Christians - though it is for most Christians today the sole surviving Biblical festival! All others - Sabbath, Unleavened Bread, Trumpets, Atonement, Tabernacles - are ignored, and replaced by humanly-devised celebrations (Sunday, Faster, Christmas etc).
The Biblical festivals revolve around the three harvest seasons - early spring, summer, autumn. They are 'built in' to the fabric of creation (Genesis 1:14)
All the festivals - which God designed in a pattern of sevens - fall on specified dates on the Hebrew calendar. Pentecost is the lone exception - God ordained that it is to be 'counted'. this means it falls on various dates in the calendar.
Feast of Firstfruits
Pentecost was to he observed after Israel entered the 'land of' promise'. The count was to begin annually with the firstfruits of' the spring harvest, when a ripe sheaf of grain was ceremonially 'waved' before God - 'on the day after the (weekly) Sabbath' (v.11). God's instruction was: "You shall count seven weeks for yourself. begin to count the seven weeks from the time you put the sickle to the grain. Then you shall keep the Feast of Weeks to the LORD" (Deuteronomy 16:9f).
This arrangement focus attention on the 'seven weeks' of harvest', which began with the resurrection of Jesus. It is symbolic of the perfect spiritual harvest of the firstfruits of mankind.
From that day seven Sabbaths were counted - the next day (always the first day of the week, Sunday) being the Day of Pentecost. The term Pentecost means fiftieth - it being the fiftieth day from the beginning of the first day of that week - as Sabbath ended. The festival is also termed in Scripture the Feast of Weeks.
| It is noteworthy that the 'holy days' of Unleavened Bread and Pentecost are not, in the text (Leviticus 23:6-8. 21), designated as regular 'Sabbaths' but are simply called 'holy convocations'. (All the other holy days are called 'Sabbaths'). This emphasizes that the count to Pentecost starts at the close of a weekly Sabbath (v.11). |
The 'wavesheaf' was by New Testament times - by tradition - harvested at the close of the weekly Sabbath during the seven Days of Unleavened Bread. The Biblical account in Leviticus 23, however, does not specify this, merely stating it was the firstfruits of the harvest.
The Jewish authorities, after the destruction of the Temple in 70 A.D., probably for convenience, moved the count from the weekly Sabbath to the first holy day - thus forcing Pentecost to fall on a fixed calendar date.
Cosmic Symbol
But Pentecost - and all the Biblical festivals - are not mere relics of an ancient and now obsolete worship system. They were introduced by the Creator and have cosmic significance.
Take Pentecost. That 'wavesheaf' is the firstfruits of God's human harvest - His plan to save all of mankind. After Jesus had risen he appeared in his resurrection spirit body on the morning of the first day of the week. It was the very day of the wavesheaf offering in the Temple! There is ample Bible evidence that during that day Jesus ascended to the Father in heaven - presenting to God as the first of 'the firstfruits' (I Corinthians 15:20, 23).
The following seven weeks are a type of the 'church age' - seven symbolic weeks during which God is calling His firstfruits, His firstborn, human harvest to the Kingdom. They are the 'firstfruits unto God' (Revelation 14:4) and 'a kind of firstfruits' (James 1:18). This spiritual harvest will culminate in the glorious return of Jesus the Messiah, accompanied by an outpouring of the signs and wonders which saw a foretaste at the first Christian Pentecost (Acts 2).
At that moment the 'main crop' of the firstfruits harvest - faithful Christians - will be resurrected to reign with Christ in his millennial Kingdom.
The Harvest Isn't Over
Jesus foresaw that nothing would interfere with this divine plan, which he personally oversees. Through the centuries the church of God would survive - often persecuted, always comparatively few. But always jealously guarded by divine power. Many, he said, would be given the opportunity to be part of this firstfruits harvest. But 'narrow is the gate and difficult is the way and there are few who find it' (Matthew 7:14). Few would remain faithful to the end.
The coming seven weeks - culminating on the Day of Pentecost, - are a recurring reminder that God's plan is on track, that His harvest will be completely gathered in according to His perfect timing. Clearly all is not yet 'safely gathered in' - there remains time (though perhaps not much time!) for men and women everywhere to 'count the cost' and to make the costly commitment to real discipleship (Luke 14:25-35).
To comment on this article or request more information, please contact James McBride by e-mail at the comment form below.
For PDF or mailed copy, see CGOM. Excerpt from New Horizons Issue 33, May/June 2002. Edited by James McBride of the Churches of God, United Kingdom.
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