What happened on that first New Testament Pentecost and how did the giving of the Holy Spirit make it a different kind of revival to Pentecost in the Old Testament?
The Feast of Weeks was so named for its counting of seven weeks from the Sunday of Passover week, the Days of Unleavened Bread (Leviticus 23:15). Day of Pentecost was an alternative name (Pentecost meaning count 50), because it was more exactly seven weeks and a day, or 50 days from that Sunday to Pentecost Sunday. Is there symbolism in a day where the firstfruits of the wheat harvest were offered? Symbolic of the Church being the firstfruits of the Spirit (Romans 8:23; Ephesians 1:13-14) Pentecost has deep meaning. Also 50 days is symbolic of 50 years, the Jubilee, when all those in debt slavery had their debts released, and families that had lost their farms to debt or other hardship, received them back. Of good news to the poor and liberty to captives (Luke 4:18-19), Pentecost is deeply symbolic. Freedom from debt and oppression is deeply ingrained in this festival.
Yet, symbolic of the new covenant is the Gospel miraculously proclaimed in foreign languages (Acts 2:4, 11). It produced some mocking (Acts 2:13). Is mocking to be expected? The traditional idea that the old covenant in Ten Commandments was given on Mount Sinai on Pentecost, seems to be born out in an ancient prophecy of a new covenant, “For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people.” (Jeremiah 31:33 ESV; Hebrews 10:16)
Birth from above came as, “Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.” (John 3:6 NIV) Of Pentecost came about a great spiritual fellowship as, “They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity—all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved.” (Acts 2:46-47 NLT) The spirit-filled Church fulfilled another ancient prophecy, “I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.” (Ezekiel 36:27 NKJV) Church growth has never since reached the numbers experienced during those early centuries.
Rejoice, lovers of God, because “It is the Spirit who gives life” (Ephesians 2:6 NASB)
