Greg Wilson  12 June 2016

Does Anybody Know the Real Pentecost ?
 

God knows the accurate date for Pentecost in 2016.   I surely do not.  In fact, no one can be certain.  The calendaring systems are unreliable.   The Jews further confused the matter in the First Century A.D.   They were unsure of God's instructions concerning how to properly commence the Omer count or perhaps it was embarrassing that the "Nazarene" (the "branch" Isaiah 11:1)  was resurrected on First Fruits as the priest waved the sheaf of Grain as an offering to God. 

For those who believe that the Rapture of the true Church will occur on a future Pentecost, the fourth festival of the Lord, the question is important because we desire to know God's truth and be ready.  (1 Corinthians 15:23, "afterward, Christ's own: Pentecost redemption/rapture of the body)

Leviticus 23:11 states: "  And he shall wave the sheaf before the Lord, to be accepted for you: on the morrow after the sabbath the priest shall wave it."  This is the "wave sheaf" offering of First Fruits, the third festival of the Lord.   (1 Corinthians 15:23, Christ the First Fruits)

The Pharisees and Sadducees could not agree on the meaning of the word "sabbath".   The problem began in Leviticus 23:6-7 because the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the second festival of the Lord,  was to be "an holy convocation" or as they termed it a "high sabbath".

So, does Verse 11 refer to the regular "sabbath" or the "high sabbath".   Verse 15 continues with the command to count: " And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven sabbaths shall be complete:"   A literal reading of the verse suggests that we count from the regular Sabbath which would always place Pentecost on a Sunday, the eighth day of the week, as it were, a new beginning.

The commencement of the counting must begin on the proper day or at the end of the seven sabbath count you will arrive at the wrong date for Pentecost.

In 2016, I notice that there are at least three dates for Pentecost:  May 14, June 12 and June 19.   Which one is correct ?  To complicate matters, 2016 is considered a "leap year" subjecting the calendar to adjustment.  Does God recognize reconciling the lunar and solar years ? 

Counting from the regular sabbath:

·         Without a leap year,  it would appear that Sunday,  May 14, 2016 was Pentecost.

·         With a leap year, it would appear that Sunday June 19 will be Pentecost.

·         The Jews always reckon Shauvot (Pentecost) as Sivan 6 (June 12, 2016).

 

We watch and wait.