Hi friends! In a distracted world, we often fly past significant days without stopping to truly consider their significance. So, before Pentecost disappears in our rearview mirror, let’s stop once more to consider how important that day is to our Christian faith.

Bible lovers know there are 7 major feasts prescribed for the Jewish people. Passover is a week-long commemoration of the Hebrews’ flight from bondage out of Egypt. However, Passover is actually three commemorations wrapped into one. During that Passover week occurs both the Feast of Unleavened Bread (symbolic of Jesus’ death) and the Feast of First Fruits (symbolic of Jesus’ resurrection).

Leviticus 23 tells us the next feast, Pentecost (Shavuot, in Jewish tradition) occurs 50 days following the Feast of First Fruits, and while the Jews celebrate Shavuot as the giving of the Torah (law), Christians celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit, just as Jesus promised. (John 14:26, 15:26, 16:7) Then, Acts 2:1-4 records that event:

2 When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. ² And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. ³ Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. ⁴ And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

As is often the case, there are parallels between the Jewish understanding of feasts and the actual fulfillment of the feasts. Colossians 2:16-17 draws a distinction between the shadow (Jewish understanding based on law) and the substance (Jesus’ fulfillment of the feasts through grace), so let’s consider a few of those parallels.

Jewish eyes focus on Mt Sinai where the law was given. Christians focus on Mt Zion where the New Testament fulfillment of the Old Testament feasts occurred.

The first parallel is that God made His presence known at Mt Sinai 1,300 years prior to the New Testament fulfillment upon Mt Zion. It was at Sinai that Moses encountered God in a burning bush and eventually came down the mountain with the 10 Commandments (the law). But upon Mt Zion, God demonstrated His presence and power by sending the Holy Spirit.

In an interesting second parallel, a passage in Exodus 19:16-20 describes thunderings and lightnings, a thick cloud, smoke and a very loud trumpet sound happening on Mt Sinai as God prepared Moses for the giving of the law. Likewise, at the Holy Spirit’s coming in Acts 2, we read of “…a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind…tongues of fire…” Indeed, it seems God was paralleling experiences for both the Hebrew people in Moses’ day and Christians on the day of Pentecost!

The third parallel is that God wrote His commands with His finger on tablets of stone on Mt Sinai. At Mt Zion, He wrote His commandments on our hearts. The law was given, though no human could live up to it. Grace was given through Jesus Christ and empowered by the Holy Spirit, so that what the law could not do (save us), Jesus did on our behalf (died for our sins).

A fourth parallel has to do with God’s redemptive power. At Mt Sinai, 3,000 people were judged for their idolatry. (Exodus 32:25-28) Yet, when the Holy Spirit came on Pentecost, 3,000 were saved on that day! (Acts 2:40-41)

It is only as we move our focus from the shadow to the substance that we realize just how significant the work of God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit is. Sure, we can learn good things, such as the importance of a Godly life, from the Jewish understanding of the feasts. However, the true substance comes only when we embrace the fulfillment of those feasts!

Before Pentecost fades from memory, why not take a moment to invite the Holy Spirit to make a fresh anointing! Just as manna for the Hebrew people would not last day-after-day, so we depend upon the Holy Spirit for enough power and grace for the day at hand. Ours is a daily dependence upon Him, so let’s not be limited only to Pentecost in asking the Holy Spirit to come with a mighty rushing wind and fire upon our lives! Be filled afresh today…and every day!