Counting to Pentecost: The Firstfruits of God's Plan

Pentecost, unlike other biblical festivals, doesn’t have a fixed date—it must be counted. Scripture instructs, “You shall count fifty days to the day after the seventh Sabbath… you shall have a holy convocation” (Leviticus 23:16, 21). This unique count begins with the day after the Sabbath during Unleavened Bread, leading to a day rich with meaning: the Feast of Weeks, or Pentecost.

Interpretations of the starting point have varied. The Pharisees began counting from the first holy day of Unleavened Bread, fixing Pentecost to Sivan 6. The Sadducees—and those of us following a more literal approach—believe the count begins after the weekly Sabbath, making Pentecost always fall on a Sunday. This view aligns with the Hebrew phrase mimmacharat haShabbat—”from the morrow after the Sabbath” (Leviticus 23:15), where “the Sabbath” typically refers to the seventh-day Sabbath.

This festival marked the early harvest—the firstfruits—and spiritually, it represents those called by God ahead of the larger harvest to come. In Acts 2, on this very day, God gave the Holy Spirit to His Church, beginning the spiritual harvest through Jesus Christ, the “firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep” (1 Corinthians 15:20).

Today, Pentecost reminds us of our calling, the gift of God’s Spirit, and the hope of a future harvest. It is a celebration not just of what was—but what will be.

#Pentecost #BiblicalHolyDays #Firstfruits #GodsPlan #truthsum

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