Do you know what the Pentecost in the Bible?, if you don't know yet, we invite you to enter this article. And learn with us what is the meaning of this biblical term, as well as its great importance for the Christian believer.
What is the Day of Pentecost in the Bible?
The concept of Pentecost from the etymology of the word comes from the Greek word πεντηκοστή, transliterated as pentēkostḗ. This Greek word is made up of two roots: pentē which denotes five, and kostḗ from the Konta suffix which is used to indicate the tens.
So Pentecost translates to the word fiftieth or fifty. Now, what is the meaning of the fiftieth day or day of Pentecost in the Bible?
In the old testament
In the Old Testament it refers to the fifty days counted from the wave offering of the Passover festival. Upon reaching these fifty days, the Hebrew people celebrated the festival known as Shavuot or The Feast of Weeks, in obedience to God's perpetual mandate
Leviticus 23:15 (NBV): –The Feast of Weeks: Fifty Days Later they will bring to the Lord an offering of new grain from their last harvest.
Deuteronomy 16:9-10 (ESV): 9 –When seven weeks have passed, from the day the wheat harvest began, 10 They shall celebrate the Feast of Weeks in honor of the Lord their God.and they shall present their freewill offerings according to the blessings with which the Lord their God has blessed them.
In the new testament
In the New Testament Pentecost refers to the fifty days counted from the crucifixion of Jesus, which is our true Passover, until the fulfillment of the Promise of the Holy Spirit. As the risen Jesus, he told his disciples on earth before his ascension to heaven:
Acts 1:4b-5:- Wait for the promise that my Father made to you to be fulfilled, which I told you about. 5 It is true that John baptized with water, but within a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.
A promise from God given to his people through his messenger the prophet Joel in the biblical passage Joel 2:8-32. This baptism would take place on Pentecost (fiftieth day), with the coming of the Holy Spirit, as described in:
Acts 2:1-4a (NKJV 2015): When the day of Pentecost arrives They were all gathered in one place. 2 and suddenly there came a noise from heaven, as if a violent wind were blowing, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 then appeared, distributed among them, tongues like fire, and settled on each of them. 4 They were all filled with the Holy Spirit.
While the Feast of Weeks represented in the Old Testament, the celebration of the end of the harvest of the grain crop. For its part in the New Testament, the day of Pentecost marks the beginning of the era of the Christian church.
The church is the new harvest born from the true Easter that is Christ Jesus, which would be in charge of distributing the seed of faith to the ends of the world, until today.
You can learn about this and other differences by reading the article: Differences between the old and new testament. Which come to be the purpose of fulfilling God's perfect plan.
The fire and wind of Pentecost in the Bible
The narration of the arrival of the day of Pentecost in the Bible in the passage of Acts 2:1-4, describes two signs that could be perceived in addition to the gift of tongues. These signs were a strong wind that came with the sound of thunder and fire in the form of tongues.
In the Bible in both testaments there are many references that can be found where the wind manifests the power and control of God. Some examples are the citations: Exodus 10:13, Isaiah 11:15 and from the New Testament, Matthew 14:23-32 can be cited.
However, the wind in the Bible is also related to life and spirit, read Job 12:10 and John 3:8. In this sense God gives man the breath of physical life:
Genesis 2:7 (NIV): then god took some powder, and with that powder shaped man. Then he blew into his nostrils, and with his own breath he brought it to life..
But the breath of spiritual life comes to us through Jesus Christ, generated by the Holy Spirit of God, so without a doubt that is the meaning of the wind on the day of Pentecost.
For its part, fire in the Bible represents or is related to the presence of God or his holiness. An example of this are the biblical quotes: Exodus 3:2, Isaiah 10:17, Psalm 97:3, Hebrews 12:29 and Revelation 3:18, among others.
We invite you to continue with us to learn more about the gift of the Holy Spirit given on the day of Pentecost in the Bible. For this, go to the article entitled, Speak in tongues: What is it? Who can do it?
As well as complement your reading with the article on the Gifts of the Holy Spirit: What are they and how to use them?