Precious Doves,There seems to be some confusion concerning the modern calendar, the Jewish calendar and the timing of Pentecost and therefore ascension day. This letter is an attempt to clear that confusion.
I have been interested in end time prophecy and have studied it for over 35 years. It has been a delight to teach classes on prophecy, especially the jewish wedding, jewish feasts and how they relate to rapture and first and second comings of Jesus Christ. Traveling to Israel and learning rudimentary Hebrew has greatly helped in seeing and understanding the people, places and stories that make up the Bible. However, as Jack Hayford once said, "No one has all the truth" so, test all things with Gods word and let the Holy Spirit be your guide.
For some reason, most if not all jewish calendars are biblically inaccurate on the date of Pentecost. I guess it is because since at least the time of King Solomon they have not nationally observed the feast of Firstfruits...the resurrection of The Messiah. I believe their eyes have been blinded corporately speaking, until the times of the gentiles is complete. The jewish calendar counts the 50 days to pentecost starting the day after feast of unleavened bread because they believe it is the "Sabbath Day" of Lev. 23:11 This is contextually wrong and i'll show you why. Get out your Bible and turn to Leviticus chapter 23, but first a few ground rules need to be understood .
1. The jewish 24 hour day starts at sundown of one weekday and ends at sundown of the next. Thus, night time comes first and then daytime. Example; The Sabbath is the 7th day of the week and is always on Saturday. Its 24 hour period starts at sundown on Friday and ends sundown on Sat. So if Sat. happens to be the 5th day of the month for example, the number 5 is placed in the calendar box for Saturday not Friday when the 24 hour period actually started.
2. The Jewish calendar is a lunar calendar. Therefore on the 1st day of each Jewish month there is no visible moon and the 14th day of each month there is always a full moon.
Moon calendar http://www.tutiempo.net/en/moon/phases_5_2007.htm3. The Jewish calendar is an agricultural timekeeper. (ie Firstfruits, Pentecost, Tabernacles equal spring, summer and fall harvests as well as renewal and rest) Most of the parables in the Bible are tied to the land and therefore to the season.
4. There are two different starting and ending months to the Jewish calendar. A civil year starts in the fall with its new years day being the 1st of the month of Tishrei which is the festival of Rosh Hashanah. The religious calendar was instituted by God thru Moses (Ex. 12:21) and begins with the Spring month of Nisan also call Abib, the 14th day of which is Passover.
There is much more info on the Jewish calendar but this is sufficient for the theme of this letter.Now, lets look at Leviticus chapter 23 and find what calendar day Pentecost and therefore Ascension day should be. I will use the NKJ version. This would be a good time to print out a copy of April and May of the Jewish calendar. Click on the large blue arrow on right and scroll to April and then May. http://www.jewishpeople.com/cgi-bin/jewish-cal.cgi?month=1&year=2007
We know that a loving relationship is not a hit and miss once in awhile thing, but must be consistent to be nurtured and grow. That is why God established the weekly Sabbath as a foundation of his relationship with Israel.
Verse 3 The weekly Sabbath is established
1. It is a feast day ( means festival)
2. Its the seventh day -Saturday
3. A day of rest-no usual work
4. Convocation means to assemble or meet (go to church)
V4,5 Passover 14th day of Nisan (this can occur on any day of the week)
1. When is twilight? The english word twilight does not give the correct understanding to the Hebrew word which actually means between the evenings, in other words, between 12pm and 6pm and refers to 3pm the time the passover lamb is sacrificed. This is the exact time that Jesus was on the cross and said "It is finished" and died.
V 6 Feast of Unleavened bread
1. 15th of Nisan which is the day after Passover
2 A day of rest-no customary work
3. Not called a Sabbath
4. It last for 7 days (from 15 thru 21 of Nisan)
5. A Holy convocation
V10 Firstfruits (resurrection of Christ)
1. Is tied to land
2. Offering of a single sheaf This would have been a bunch of green barley stocks
tied together with cords.
Cords equal LOVE Jesus was the wave offering of firstfruits unto the
Father. (the song "bind us together with cords that can not be broken" is a picture
of this offering of the sheaf of firstfruits)
3. Not told that it is a day of rest
V12 4. A single spotless male lamb (just like Passover) is also offered.
V11 When is Firstfruits?
1. The day after the weekly Sabbath after passover, in other words it is the first
Sunday after the weekly Sabbath after Passover. Firstfruits is always on a
Sunday.
V13 This verse along with V12 is a pre-picture of the Lords communion. It is a remembrance of not only the vicarious sacrifice of Christ but also him as the firstfruits of new life. Praise His name forever.PENTECOST
V 15 When?
1. count from day after weekly Sabbath (that would be First-fruit Sunday as day one)
2. count 7 Sabbaths = 49
V16 1. 50th day is the day after a weekly Sabbath
2. this then makes Pentecost to always be on a Sunday a first day of the week just like Firstfruits is always on a Sunday the day of new beginning, renewal and new life.
3. The first day is also the 8th day, a day of harvest. ie Jesus arose on Sunday the 8th day, a harvest of firstfruits. The first Pentecost Sunday a harvest of over 3000 souls. Will the rapture of the Bride of Christ be on a Sunday? How about the Rapture of the two witnesses and the tribulation saints before The Day Of God and His wrath?Now, look at the April Jewish calendar---Count from Sunday the 8th of April (20th of Nisan)7 Sabbaths (Saturdays) and the next day,
Sunday the 27th of May (10th Sivan) is Pentecost. 10 days earlier then would be ascension day May 17th 2007. If the story of the Virgins in Mat,25 is a picture of the bride and the bridegroom then we can expect the rapture to occur at midnight. If it is Israel time, at 12am Sunday then it would be sometime in the afternoon on Saturday in North America. Remember with 24 time zones in the world it is two different days at all times, maybe thats why no one knows the day or hour?
A FEW CONCLUDING COMMENTS
I know that this letter probably raises more questions than it answers. I'll be happy to answer any that I can.
The main reason I'm writing now and not sooner is to encourage you all because the time of our Lovers return is soooooo close. It was so important to Him that we would know when that would be that he left a multitude of clues and even a promise of reward for looking. Why would He do that if we would be forbidden to know or unable to find the right clues.
II Tim 4:8 , I Thes 5:4,9Now unto Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of HIS glory with EXCEEDING JOY.
YBIC Tom B