Feast of the Church


Dear Brethren,

When the Day of Pentecost was fully come, the disciples of Jesus Christ were all with one accord in one place.  Almost two thousand years later we observe this holy convocation in the same manner.  Because we have been privileged to know of the Plan of God shown in His Holy Days, we understand that Pentecost pictures God’s Holy Spirit being bestowed on the called out saints.  The Feast of Tabernacles is the great ingathering harvest of the world, but the Feast of Weeks – Pentecost – is the Feast of the Church (Exodus 23:16).

As God’s Church has grown in understanding, the details of Pentecost have become clearer to us as Jesus said they would.   He said that the Comforter which is the Holy Spirit would teach us all things, and bring all things to our remembrance (John 14:26).  With God’s help, there is no end to learning the truths contained in the Bible.  The more we put together – the more we are able to see and understand of the Plan of God.  Let’s take into account the knowledge, the timing, and the symbolism that we have come to understand in order to increase our comprehension of the overall picture and meaning of the Feast of Pentecost

We are privileged and blessed to have been called to be the firstfruits of God’s spiritual creation – being made unto His image – even eventually unto His spiritual eternal life.  At this time we are a work in progress – not yet complete – not yet like Him as He is (1 John 3:2).  This process of our spiritual development is shown by Pentecost and the events surrounding Pentecost – up to the final Pentecost before Christ Returns.

Let’s look at some of the Scriptural points that we have come to know so that we might better understand the ramifications of the Feast of Pentecost within the Plan of God.  Here is what we know:
  • The Sabbath Day, at the end of the week, is the beginning of our spiritual creation (Genesis 2:3, Mark 2:27).  Our being created will not be complete until we are spiritual beings in the eternal family of God (John 3:6, Philippians 1:6).
     
  • Great and wonderful events occur on God’s Holy Days.
     
  • Jesus Christ is the first of the firstfruits (1 Corinthians 15:23).
     
  • The saints are also firstfruits to God and to the Lamb (James 1:18, Revelation 14:4).
     
  • The Wave Sheaf and Pentecost are connected by the counting of weeks.  None of the other Feasts of God are connected in this way.
     
  • God gave the Ten Commandments from Mount Sinai on the Feast of Pentecost.  The Scriptures give us the timing of the marriage covenant and the giving of the Law of God on Pentecost after the Children of Israel left Egyptian bondage.
     
  • The Old Testament marriage covenant took place in conjunction with the Feast of Pentecost (Exodus 23:16, 24:7).
     
  • Our resurrection – the resurrection of the saints – is inextricably tied to the resurrection of Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:5-6).
     
  • The number seven pictures spiritual perfection.
     
  • After seven complete weeks (seven weeks of seven days) from the Wave Sheaf day we come to Pentecost, the fiftieth day (Leviticus 23:15, Deuteronomy 19:9).
     
  • The Wave Sheaf of Leviticus 23:10 pictures Jesus Christ.
     
  • The resurrected Jesus was the first of the firstfruits offering during the Days of Unleavened Bread (Leviticus 23:10-11).
     
  • Jesus was raised from death by His Father (Ephesians 1:20) 
     
  • The Wave Sheaf pictures the sacrifice of Jesus being accepted by God the Father as the First of the firstfruits of the harvest (John 20:17).   Jesus’ sacrifice was accepted as the firstborn from the dead (Colossians 1:18).
     
  • The two wave loaves of fine flour represent the firstfruits to God of the harvest (Leviticus 23:17).  These two loaves represent those who will be in the first resurrection from the Old Testament and those who will be in the first resurrection from the New Testament.
     
  • The saints also must be accepted by God.  After our resurrection we too shall be presented, as the Wave Sheaf was, to the Father for His acceptance (Leviticus 23:20, Revelation 12:11)
     
  • The early Pentecost harvest pictures the firstfruits resurrection, while the latter Feast of Tabernacles harvest represents the great resurrection of all those not now called by God (Exodus 34:22).
     
  • There will be a Marriage Supper of the faithful Church brethren as the Bride of Jesus Christ (Revelation 19:7).
     
  • The events surrounding the giving of the Ten Commandments on Pentecost in Exodus 20 mirror the meaning and fulfillment of the final Day of Pentecost before Jesus Christ returns (1 Corinthians 10:11).
     
  • The depiction of the throne of Jesus Christ Exodus 24:10 is a type of the throne of God and the Marriage Supper of the Lamb in Revelation 4:6, 15:2, and 19:9.
They saw the God of Israel: and there was under his feet as it were a paved work of a sapphire stone, and as it were the body of heaven in his clearness. And upon the nobles of the children of Israel he laid not his hand: also they saw God, and did eat and drink.  [Type of marriage supper]
  • These things are given to us by as symbols of the fuller reality to take place – Jesus Christ is going to marry the New Covenant Church and there will be a wedding supper.
     
  • After our resurrection we will always be with the Lord (1 Thessalonians 4:17).  We will return with Jesus Christ on the Feast of Trumpets (Revelation 19:14).
     
  • On that first Pentecost after Jesus’ resurrection, the Holy Spirit came upon the called out ones – giving spiritual life to the Church of God (Acts 2:4).
     
  • Pentecost pictures the future resurrection of the saints

There is so much more to be said concerning the working of God’s Holy Spirit, but when we put the Holy Scriptures together they reveal that Pentecost pictures the first fulfillment of the spiritual creation of God – the ultimate resurrection of the Church of God – the redemption of the saints unto the eternal glory of God (Hebrews 2:10).

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Sermon:  "Feast of the Church" Part 1
Sermon:  "Feast of the Church" Part 2


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