The Sabbath of Weeks
The historical Passover (comprising Passover, the Feast of Unleavened Bread, and First Fruits) climaxes on First Fruits, which eventually unravels into Resurrection Day. That is not a coincidence; that is God being intentional with the details. He satisfied the letter of the law for those looking back and the spirit of the law for those looking forward. Jesus’ resurrection is the ultimate First Fruits. But the beauty of a first fruit is that there is always a second — often larger and more encompassing.
First Fruits foretells the quality of the rest of the harvest. It is a token that whets our appetite for the main course — one that is thoroughly vetted and confers a pass on the remainder. Jesus’ resurrection is a signal that our own resurrection is sure and an assurance that it is near. It tells us with great certainty, “We will rise too.” That is why we believe. In fact, Paul puts it this way: the resurrection is the singular basis for the validity of our faith; without it, we hope in vain and our faith is futile.
1 Corinthians 15:20–23: “But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. But each in turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him.”
But this is not just an empty promise. In God’s sovereign fashion, He established another special Sabbath to codify this promise into the yearly schedule and transgenerational culture of the people. Remember, the entire purpose of the Sabbath — whether regular, weekly, or special — is to preserve the original design and prepare us for the ultimate “Sabbath.” This main harvest, according to the law, was called the Feast of Weeks, or Pentecost. Pentecost means “fiftieth days” because it was celebrated fifty days after First Fruits (read: the Resurrection) or 7 weeks if we use Sabbath terminology of counting sevens (the day after 7x7 days).
Acts 2:1–2: “When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.”
As God would have it, the New Testament fulfillment of Pentecost, just like the resurrection, did not happen on a random day; it was also exactly fifty days after the resurrection! Once again, God is particular about the details so that there is a “two-factor authentication” for our faith. God ensured that both the law and its fulfillment — the seed and the harvest — align perfectly on the divinely instituted calendar. God is mindful of those who seek truth first through the test of history, as well as those who arrive by a leap of faith.
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The outpouring of the Holy Spirit is not strictly the definition of Pentecost; rather, Pentecost was the specific time of the year it occurred. Joel’s prophecy also situates the outpouring of the Spirit around the time of a mighty harvest (Joel 2:20–32). He mentions that “the threshing floors will be filled with grain; the vats will overflow with new wine and oil.” In the natural world, this marked the beginning of the harvest season brought by the rains. Likewise, in its spiritual fulfillment, it is also a harvest season — only this time, the Holy Spirit brings a harvest of souls.
Acts 2:41, 47: “Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day… And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.”
But that first Pentecost, where the Apostle Peter preached with such power, is not the entirety of the fulfillment. In a manner of speaking, that event is also just a first fruit of the “Pentecost” — a harvest of souls that will be continuously gathered every generation until Jesus returns. That revival is a sign that another revival is certain and near. And Jesus’ resurrection is the guarantee that the full harvest will come with unmatched quality. Yes, there will be signs; yes, there will be tongues of fire. But the ultimate marker of Pentecost is the harvest. When the first fruit is offered, God blesses the rest of the crop and makes it an overflowing surplus.
John 12:32: “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.”
More in the Rest Series
- What Does It Mean to Find Rest?
- Rest From Labour
- Result-Related Rest
- Rest in Hope
- Rest: The Flip Side
- The Rest of Sacrifice
- Sabbath: A Remembrance
- The Seven Sabbaths
- The First Sabbath
- The Weekly Sabbath
- The Missing Sabbath
- The Sabbath of Weeks [You are Here]
- The Sabbath Month
- The Sabbath Year
- The Impossible Sabbath
