Dear Doves,

 

      In the Temple era at Jerusalem before 70 AD, during Shavuot (Pentecost), blood sacrifices of animals and grain offerings could be made at the Temple from Sivan 6 to 12. This extended the observance of the Feast of the Lord a week later, like the other week to 8 day celebrations of First Passover/ Unleavened Bread and the Feast of Sukkot (Tabernacles). This made each of the Pilgrimage Festivals about 7-8 days. I had always wondered why the pilgrims would travel to Jerusalem for Shavuot (Pentecost) for only a day or two. The last day to bring and offer sacrifices or offerings for the Feast would be day 7, Sivan 12. In a sense Pentecost is "fully come" at day 1 or day 7. The Pentecost Season extends to  the Feast of Trumpets.

      The year The Spirit was sent to indwell the 120 in the upper room, with the miraculous signs and wonders like the flames of fire above their heads, was part of the 7 day observance of Shavuot (Pentecost), since it was before the Temple was destroyed!  What did the 7 days mean for the 120 witnesses and the 3000 converted on Shavuot? They had 7 precious days from Sivan 6 to 12 to be tutored personally by the 120 mentors at the Temple at the common teaching area called Solomon's Porch! That year, Sivan 13 was VERY MOMENTOUS because on that day many of the 3000 left Jerusalem to GO HOME and EXTEND THE GOOD NEWS about THEIR MESSIAH HAVING COME! Some remained to form the FIRST COMMUNITY of THE FOLLOWERS OF THE WAY in Jerusalem. Read ACTS 2: 42-48. This was before persecution at the hands of Saul of Tarsus, the death of Stephen, and the conversion of Rabbi Saul to Rabbi Paul on the Damascus Road. It was Week One of the Household of Faith of THE AGE OF GRACE, DAYS 1-7, of those filled with the presence and powers of THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH!

      What about the times of Moses and Aaron and Shavuot? We read in Exodus 24 about a period of about 7-8 days. The day after day 1,  "And the glory of the Lord settled on Mt. Sinai, and the cloud covered it for six days." What happened on day 8? That is when the glory of the Lord "appeared like a consuming fire" on the top or summit of Mt. Sinai. Remember there was fire earlier when the marriage vows were given, in the form of lightening. There was fire evident at the beginning and the ending of the 7-8 days. So in each story in Exodus and in Acts, we see a continuation beyond day 1 to days 7 and 8 as an extension of Pentecostal days and events!

      This year Sivan 13 begins on sunset for Israel on 6-2-2012, leaving the Shabbat, the Day of Rest. Long ago, was Sivan 13 when the days of Shavuot (Pentecost) were complete, were fully arrived, were "fully come" and concluded according to The Book of Acts , Chapter 2. The days of Shavuot gave way to the rest of days of the Season of Pentecost until the Autumnal Feasts of the Lord. We may be in additional symbolic days of Pentecost for 7-8 days, rather than only 1 or 2. Are we finished with the days and observance of this Feast of the Lord?  According to The Book of Acts, Sivan 13, Day 8, was the GREAT GOING HOME DAY for new converts to THE MESSIAH and THE WAY. Might it be THE DAY of THE BLESSED HOPE? Might it be our GOING HOME DAY? We shall see.

 

With Love and Shalom,

Jean