Pentecost Sunday is traditionally regarded as the birth date of the Christian Church, the day when the apostles saw yet another Promise fulfilled of Help that would be granted to them so that the Gospel of the Lord would continue to be proclaimed throughout the world not only to the Jews but also to the Gentiles. To be sure, the momentum begun by Christ Himself is given new life and it is an important day in the life and the history of the Church, but there is little attention given to the fact that Pentecost itself is not a “new” holy day established only within the context of the New Covenant. There is more I think we need to consider so that we may more fully appreciate what is taking place in Jerusalem with the apostles and with those who were there to bear witness to what is described in somewhat remarkable terms, to say the least.
Shavu’ot, also known as the Festival of Weeks (due to the count-down of weeks from Passover), is the second of the three major festivals with historical and – I think – theological significance in that it commemorates the giving of the Law at Sinai. The emphasis on the “giving” of Torah is significant in that it is the revelation of YHWH; the Lord has chosen to make Himself known to the nation of Israel. The gift itself was the revelation that began the process of forming a nation, and the nation was given its “marching orders”.
Why this revelation as commemorated in the Festival of Weeks should be important to us is because another revelation has taken place, and a movement has been given its “marching orders”. When Jesus was on this earth, He promised His disciples help from above. The “Advocate” would come to them so that they would “remember” all that the Lord needed them to remember as they would go about their ministry. Although it has been suggested that there is no particular similarity to the Christian day of Pentecost, I beg to differ. For the Lord’s purpose, I think it is highly significant and similar. Why we must be aware of the historical implications is perhaps for commonality.
Israel as a nation was being bonded as a single entity with common law and common purpose. There was – and is – only one standard of conduct and behavior, and the Law seems unambiguous as we know it. There are standards of worship, standards of holy days, standards of sacrifice, and standards of community and personal conduct. This law would serve them not only once they arrived at their ultimate destination but also on the journey.
Like the Israelites who wandered the wilderness for generations on their way to the Promised Land, “the land of milk and honey”, we are also on a journey that must never end until we are safely home. Throughout this journey, we need guidance, protection, and strength but we must also have a starting point. But more than a point of origin but rather, a relay in Pentecost, we are promised that we are not alone. The historical Pentecost for us, then, must be a beginning only in our renewed commitment while remembering that the journey of faith began long ago and must necessarily continue.
Like the Israelites, we will navigate through uncharted territory and face temptations that may threaten to overwhelm us. In many ways, it may well feel like aimless wandering with no real sense of purpose, but this is when we try to go it alone. Sometimes we will fall flat on our faces, and sometimes we will incur the wrath of the Lord who “chastens those whom He loves”. We will take some bumps and bruises along the way, and we will not always have a clear idea of where we are headed or when we will arrive (“It is not for you to know of the time or place”). The only sure thing we can count on is the guidance and wisdom of the Holy Spirit who will be our “pillar of fire” by night and “cover of cloud” by day.
It would appear that in the course of events from Eden till now, the revelation offered to us from the Lord, rather than “new”, is “RE-newed”. It might be suggested that the process of restoration had somehow lost its momentum and needed a boost sort of like a car’s battery that loses its charge. The battery is still good but regular maintenance along the way had been neglected, so what perhaps should have been achieved by the Law of Moses lost some traction because the spiritual nature of the Law was overlooked in favor of the legalism of the Law.
For historical consideration, it must also be remembered that the entire purpose of Israel’s existence was to glorify and make known “to the nations” the name of the Lord God. It would be unfair to make a general statement that Israel failed, but we must be mindful of what Israel and Judah endured as a result of their misdeeds and disobedience. We must also be mindful of the sort of treatment Jesus endured at the hands of the religionists and “legal specialists”. In Israel, however, it is to be remembered that any who were willing to be circumcised would be allowed into the Covenant of Abraham. In fact, it was required. To move from one direction to another was to become a part of something new, something different. It was – and still is – a Covenant that comes from only one God, one Creator who is now and forever.
So to be renewed with the power and presence of the Holy Spirit is to be renewed with a restored sense of confidence and purpose, to be given the marching orders to PROCLAIM THE NAME and make known to the nations by Word and Deed the glory of the Lord and His divine call to all of mankind to enter into His Covenant of Restoration, to find peace and hope, to be restored to the Divine Image into which we were created.
Amen.
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