James David Malm

                                    The Feast of Pentecost or Firstfruits is very much a part of the Spring Holy Days, reflecting the spring or early harvest. To understand the Feast of Pentecost, it is very important to go back and listen to the first few tapes in the Spring Holy Day series. The programs on Passover, the Feast of Unleavened Bread, and the Wave Sheaf are very important parts of the overall picture. Very important parts of the whole puzzle about the firstfruits and what God is doing with his firstfruits and what He is trying to do for the first 6-7000 years since creation.

                                    I very strongly recommend that the programs on Passover, the Feast of Unleavened Bread and the Wave Sheaf be listened to and studied before continuing with this tape.

                                    Now, we'll start in Leviticus 23:10, speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When you come into the land which I give unto you, you shall reap the harvest thereof, then you shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest: And he shall wave the sheaf before the Lord, to be accepted for you: on the morrow after the Sabbath, the day after the Sabbath. And the Sabbath being the seventh day of the week is Saturday. So, the day after the Sabbath is the day we presently called Sunday. And on the morrow after the Sabbath, which is on Sunday, the priest shall wave it.

                                    Now, let's skip down to verse 15, and you shall count from that day, from the day after the Sabbath, from the Sunday after that Sabbath, from the day that you brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven complete Sabbaths, which is 49 days. Even unto the morrow after the seventh Sabbath shall ye number 50 days, and the day after the seventh Sabbath is also a Sunday and that is the 50th day from the day that the wave sheaf was offered, and you shall offer a new meat offering or grain offering unto the Eternal. You shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals; they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baked with leaven; they are the firstfruits unto the Lord.

                                    Now, going back to verse 11, he shall wave the first sheaf now. We're talking about the first loaf or sheaf and it is to be wave before the Lord, to be accepted for you. This is to be accepted for us. And this pictures or points to Jesus Christ, rising up to be accepted by the Father on our behalf, to be accepted as a sacrifice for our sins and to become the firstfruits of many brethren. This is all explained in the program on the Wave Sheaf.

                                    Now, on verse 16, unto the morrow after the seventh Sabbath, you shall number 50 days; and you shall offer a new offering. And you shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals; they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baked with leaven.

                                    Leaven pictures sin. And this two loaves pictures sinful men and the various sacrifices associated with this two loaves shall Christ atoning for or covering for that sin. And the two loaves picture an increase from the one loaf, from one to two. It wasn't necessary to hundreds or thousands or millions of loaves be added to represent everybody. A simple second loaf was added to give the picture of increase.

                                    In verse 21, and you shall proclaim on the selfsame day, which is the 50th day, a Sunday; that it may be a holy convocation unto you: you shall do no servile work therein. And the word servile means work of any kind. It shall be a statute forever in all your dwellings throughout your generations.

                                    Now, this offering of these two loaves the special lifting up and bringing back down of these two loaves was to take place on the 50th day after the first loaf representing Christ was raised up. And 50 is the first day after 49. 49 being seven times seven is; a complete, absolutely complete; period of time. So, the 50th day then meant a new beginning for mankind. And an increase amongst the people of God. For notice the atoning sacrifice, these various sacrifices were done in conjunction with both of these loaves. At this time the peoples  sin being represented by the leaven are covered by the sin  offering made on behalf of both of the loaves.

                                    So, there was an increase then in the family of God, an increase in the firstfruits for it is written in Leviticus 23:17, the last line, this is or they are the firstfruits unto the Lord.

                                    The two loaves represent the firstfruits, with the leaven within the loaves representing sin. Sin being covered by the sacrifices, these two loaves represent the firstfruits. Having sin, but having that sin atoned for and covered through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Therefore the two loaves represent an increase in the firstfruits, in the people of God.

                                    Paul tells us in Colossians 2:16, let no man therefore judge or condemn you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of a holyday, or of the new moon, or of the Sabbath days: Which are a shadow of things to come.

                                    So, Paul is telling us here that holy days and Sabbaths are shadows of things to come. They are prophetic in nature. There is going to be a fulfillment of these things. Therefore we know that there will be a fulfillment of the wave offering which was, in fact fulfilled by Jesus Christ on the Wave Offering day and on the 50th day, there will be a fulfillment of the Feast of Firstfruits, the Feast of Pentecost.

                                    On that Feast of Pentecost, there will be a substantial increase within the family of God. And we can now see how this is coming about by turning to the book of Acts 2, where it is written, and when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord or one mind, in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, other languages, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

                                    And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven. Now, when this was noised about, the multitude came together, and were confounded. They were astonished because every person heard them speaking in his own language. These people were not speaking some gobbledygook or babbling away in some spastic emotional ecstasy. They were speaking and it was being heard in the languages of all the earth. People were hearing God's word preached to them in their own language.

                                    And they were all amazed and marveled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galileans? And how hear we every man in our own tongue, our own language wherein we were born? Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites and the dwellers of Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia, and many others including Cretes and Arabians and Romans.

                                    Verse 11, we do hear them speak in our language, our tongues the wonderful works and deeds of God. And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another: What does this mean? Well, some mocking said, these men are full of new wine. But Peter, standing up with the 11, the apostles. The total of 12 including Peter, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, You men of Judaea, and all you that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words: For these are not drunken, as you suppose, being it is about the third hour of the day, which by the reckoning of the time would be about 9am. But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel. And Peter now quoting Joel 2:23, spoke, and it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh.

                                    Now, notice at this Feast of Pentecost, in the first century AD: was God's spirit poured out on all flesh? No it wasn't. Does all flesh have God's spirit today? No they don't. What is Peter talking about here?

                                    He is quoting Joel 2:28 and what this is in Acts, is a down payment, an earnest, a first little bit to demonstrate to everyone that this was still going to happen in future. A little bit then, a lot more in the future.

                                    This prophecy regarding Joel 2:28, that God will put out his spirit on all flesh has still to be fulfilled. It was fulfilled only in part on the day of Pentecost in the first century where Peter was speaking. And Peter goes on to quote Joel and I will show wonders in heaven above and signs in the earth beneath, blood, and fire, and vapor and smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and notable day of the Lord come. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call upon the name of the eternal shall be saved.

                                    Did this happen in those days? In the days of Peter, did the moon turn to blood? Was the earth dark? And where all of these signs and wonders done in Peter's day? No, they weren't.

                                    This is taking about the last days, the end of the age. And at the day of the Lord when the day of the Lord is over and the Kingdom of God is established, He will pour out his spirit upon all flesh. Which is why the lion will lie down with the lamb and the child shall play on the hole of the serpent because all flesh, that's not even just human beings but all flesh will be given a spirit of peace and calmness. And the very nature of all creatures including man and also the vicious beast will be changed into a nature, a peaceable nature.

                                    This is a huge, awesome, magnificent puzzle. And to really understand what's going on, one needs to read our article on the Spring and Fall Holy Days and to listen to the programs on the Wedding Feast, Passover, Unleavened Bread and the Wave Sheaf.

                                    If we turn now to Daniel 12, we will find that the angel is telling Daniel from the time that the abomination, the false prophet is set up. From the time he takes his office and he is empowered to do great miracles shall be 1290 days. Then; people who continue and reach 1335 days shall be blessed and Daniel shall stand in his lot; receive his responsibility and inheritance at the end of the 1335 days, when all people shall be blessed.

                                    How are they blessed? Evil is put down. Satan is removed and God's spirit is poured out on all flesh, according to Joel 2:28. God will pour out his spirit on all flesh and establis his kingdom on the earth, ushering in a period of 1000 years of peace and prosperity unknown to mankind before that time. A wonderful period; a Sabbath of rest for the people of God. In which all people shall have God's spirit and there shall be rest from Satan, rest from sin, rest from wickedness. And people shall enjoy and rejoice with their God.

                                    It should be noted that when Israel left Egypt after they crossed through the Red Sea. They travelled in the wilderness for a period of time until they reach Sinai and it is on the Feast of Firstfruits or Pentecost that the covenant was entered into between Israel and God; that they would be his people and they would do what He said and that they would  keep his commandments and obey him. And He will be their God and protect them and care for them and bless them.

                                    This covenant, the Mosaic covenant, as it is usually called, was entered into between God and Israel on the Feast of Firstfruits, the Feast of Pentecost. And during the first century, the official beginning of the new covenant took place on this very day, this very Feast of Firstfruits.

                                    Now, we know that people had God's spirit long before this. That people like Abel and Enoch and Elijah and Moses, all had God's spirit. And they were given that spirit by God in faith, that Jesus Christ would complete his mission and offer himself as a sacrifice.

                                    The Lamb of God sacrificed from the foundations of the world, called in faith that Christ would in fact complete the job of atoning for the sins of men. For it is only through repentance and turning away from sin that God's spirit will be given to men, for God's spirit is given only to those who obey God.

                                    We find this in Acts 5:32, and we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Spirit, whom God hath given to those that obey him. The Holy Spirit is given to those who obey God.

                                    And spiritual things are spiritually discerned as it says in 1 Corinthians 2:14, the natural, normal, carnal man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for the things of God are foolishness unto t hem: neither can they know them or understand them, because such things are spiritually discerned.

                                    You must have God's spirit in order to discern the things of God. And since we know that Moses and Elijah and Abel and Enoch and Noah, understood and discerned many of the things of God. We know that they had God's spirit. And God's spirit was given to them in faith, that Christ will fulfill this mission of being a sacrifice and of making atonement for the sins of men. By first living the perfect sinless life himself and then allowing himself to be killed for the sins of others.

                                    Afterwards He was raised up by the Father and then ascended to the Father to be accepted for us. After which He came down to demonstrate, and reveal to people that He had indeed been resurrected. And spent a few days with people after which ascended back to the Father, where He ministers as our high priest, our intercessor, our mediator; between us and the Father, between us and God. Thus sllowing us to have access to God.

                                    Jesus Christ is our high priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek. That means He has established a new order of the priesthood. He has become high priest. As our high priest bringing before the Father his own self, his own perfect sacrifice as atonement for our sins and interceding between us and the Father, interceding with the Father on our behalf so that we might be forgiven and made acceptable to God.

                                    No the ministry today are not some kind of new covenant Levite, or some advanced, new age kind of Levite or anything that's a part of the Mosaic covenant, which was a covenant of death because it offered no salvation only physical blessings.

                                    We are now under the priesthood of Melchizedek, the priesthood of Jesus Christ. He is our high priest. Not Moses and Aaron. And He is our sacrifice for sin. Not some physical lambs and goats. Jesus Christ was the perfect sacrifice. And having accomplished that perfect sacrifice was deemed worthy to become our high priest, interceding and mediating with the Father on our behalf.

                                    And the ministry today every person who is converted and has God's spirit, is in training to become priests under the high priest. We are all training to become priests forever after the order of Melchizedek, under our high priest Jesus Christ.

                                    That is your calling, that is why the Scripture says, you shall become kings and priests for our God. You are going to become kings and priests that is your reward. And you are to become priests forever after the order of Melchizedek under our high priest, Jesus Christ.

                                    This is the message of Apostle Paul throughout the entire book of Hebrews. It is an explanation of a change or the change in the priesthood. From the priesthood of Aaron, to the priesthood of Melchizedek. That's what the book of Hebrews is all about.

                                    And we need to study that and do it with an open mind and ask God for understanding and inspiration. And we really need to get back to the basics and get back to trying to understand these things. Some have strayed so very far away from this basic truth, that they begin to think that they are some and kind of Levitical priesthood, some kind of Mosaic priesthood. And they want to go back to the covenant of Moses.

                                    No, there is a new covenant. It is a covenant as Paul writes in Hebrews, where God will place his law in our hearts and in our minds. It is a covenant where there is an atonement , a sacrifice for sin. Which actually does fulfill the need for a complete and total redemption and deliverance from sin. Allowing us then to turn away from our wickedness, to turn toward God, to start keeping his commandments. And in so doing, we can be filled with the Holy Spirit of God.

                                    Now, what is this Holy Spirit? For the first point, we can go to 2 Timothy 1:7, for where it is written for God did not give us the spirit of fear but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

                                    The Holy Spirit is the spirit of a sound mind. A rational, balanced, harmonious mind. A mind that is not plagued with fears and frustrations and hatreds. A mind that is full of love. If we have hate in us, if we hate anyone, we do not have God's spirit.

                                    Read through the books of first, second, third John and the book of James. The spirit of God will not coexist with hatred. If we hate someone we are a murderer because we would like to kill that person or we would like evil to come to that person. We are not to hate anyone.

                                    The spirit of God is not the spirit of fear or hatred. It is a spirit of love and power and a sound mind. What does it mean; power? It means self-control. It means power over one's self. It means control over one's action. So, that we can keep God's commandments. So that we can refrain from sin. So, that we can stop doing evil. So, that we can stop hating others, stop hurting others, stop stealing from others, stop lying to others, stop polluting God's holy days and Sabbath. We will have a love for God. A sound powerful mind, which empowers us to do good, to do what is right and holy and just and good.

                                    The spirit of God does that. It removes fears and hates and it fills us with God's love; for God is love. And it gives us a sound, balanced mind and a sound, balanced outlook on life.

                                    Anyone who goes around cursing other people, wishing harm and evil on other people, does not have a sound mind. He is filled with hates and frustrations and insecurities and weaknesses. He is weak minded, because he does not have the power and the love of God.

                                    Now, how do we know that some person does or does not have God's spirit and how do we know whether we have God's spirit or not? Turn to Matthew 7 and see what Jesus has to say about the subject. Verse 15, beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. You shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather  grapes of thorns, or figs or thistles? Even so every good tree brings forth good fruit. But a corrupt tree brings forth evil fruit.

                                    A corrupt person brings forth evil. A good tree, a good person cannot bring forth evil fruits. Neither can corrupt or evil trees, or persons bring forth good fruit. Every tree or person that brings not forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits, you shall know them.

                                    So, what then are the fruits of the Holy Spirit? Turn with me please to Galatians 5:22, the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance; against such there is no law. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with their affections and lusts. If we live in the spirit, let us also walk in the spirit. Let us not be desirous of vain glories and provoke one another, envying one another.

What is the condition in the Church of God today? Why are there so many different splits and groups and yes even splinters? Is it not because of pride of place? Everyone wants to be in charge. Everyone wants to do their own thing, their own way.

                                   
Let us not be desirous, as it says in verse 26 here of vain glory or of advancing ourselves over others or dominating others. Let us not be provoking one another, envying one another and striving with one another. Rather the fruit of the spirit, verse 22 is love, joy, peaceableness, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance.

                                   
How many people today show forth those fruits? Is not the church full of envying and strife and self-glorifying, egocentric individuals; seeking titles and positions for themselves? This is really pathetic that we have gotten so far away from God and we have quenched his spirit to the point that there is so little left; that God is ready to eject us out of his body, to forcibly vomit us out of his mouth because we have become disgusting to him.

                                   
It's time to wake up. It's time to repent. It's time to seek his spirit. It's time to ask him for the gift of his spirit, to ask him for the fruits of his spirit, to ask for deliverance from all of this wickedness, which seems to be drowning us.

                                   
The godly man, the true godly man, we will know by their fruits. They will be full of love. They will be peaceable. They will not be defensive. They will not be offensive in order to defend their positions. They will not be jealous of their position or their authority or their title or their wealth or their good home and their car. They will not be jealous of any such thing.

                                   
They will be gentle. They will be full of goodness and faith. They will trust God to reveal to them the truth. They don't have to be defensive. They will be seeking the truth. And if someone comes along and asks them a question they can't answer, they will say, I can't answer that right now. Let me study it out. And they will prove all things by the word of God. They will put God first.

                                   
But they will not strive by attacking and cursing and bullying and dominating other people and trying to force other people to agree with them. They will say this is the way it is, this is the way I understand it. Take it or leave it. They are going to understand that not everybody in this world, at this time; is going to agree with them.

                                   
And they are going to be willing and able and mentally able to accept that, and to deal with it. Instead of constantly being in attack mode or defensive mode. They will be comfortable with themselves because they are full of faith and they have a comfortable and positive and good relationship with God. And God has filled them with his spirit, the spirit of peace and power. The power of self-control and he has filled them with the spirit of a sound, balanced mind.

                                   
Now, even the spirits, as it's says in 1 Corinthians 14, even the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. The spirit of God is not something that takes over you and controls you and throws you about in fits of emotional ecstasy. It is not an emotional thing. It is not hyping things up and getting yourself so excited that you no longer control yourself. The spirit of God is subject to the person who has that spirit.

                                   
The spirit will motivate you in one direction or another. It will give you understanding and inspiration. But it is not going to bully you. It is going to lead you and it is up to you to follow. And you are always in control, in charge. Are you going to do it or not? Are you going to follow or not? Are you going to believe or not? The spirit does not take you. It does not control you. It does not overpower or overwhelm you. It leads you. And it is up to you to follow.

                                   
For it is written again, 1 Corinthians 14:32 and the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints.

                                   
This is why some people; many people have gotten so far from God. Because they have not been willing to follow where the spirit leads. They have not been willing to listen as the spirit tries to motivate them. They have become consumed with self-importance and with the things, the pleasures of this world, they want to control, to dominate, to exalt themselves. And they have gotten far from God because they have not responded to his spirit. And in so doing, they are slowly quenching that spirit.

                                   
For it is written in another place, my spirit will not always strive with man. God's spirit in you is not going to fight with you and fight with your worldly tendencies on a continual basis. If you're not willing to submit, if you're not willing to follow, it will give up and leave you. Because it is a spirit of peace and it does not want strife. Even striving within you, between your evil nature and it’s nature is offensive to it.

                                   
It wants to change your nature but you have to be willing to respond to that. You have to be willing to turn from your evil nature, to turn toward God, to follow where he guides you through his spirit.

                                   
Now again: What is the spirit? Paul tells us in Galatians 2:20. He says; I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live. He is giving up his old ways, his old way of doing things, his carnal nature. He's crucified with Christ. Nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

                                   
The Holy Spirit is the nature and the attitude of Jesus Christ, dwelling in you. It gives you his nature, his attitude. It makes you like him, so you will be doing the things that he did. And what he did was to do the Father's will.

                                   
Now, John tells us in 1 John 4:1, beloved, believe not every spirit, but try, test the spirits whether they are of God or no: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know you the spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesses not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist.

                                   
He is saying here, Jesus Christ will dwell in you. He is coming in your flesh. He is living in you; and in you He will be doing the things that He did while He was physically on the earth. He will be keeping the Father's commandments and doing the Father's will, in you, in your flesh and through you.

                                   
If you have Jesus Christ dwelling in you, through the power of the Holy Spirit, you will be doing what Christ did. You will be keeping the Father's commandments and doing the Father's will. If you are not doing the Father's commandments and doing his will, you do not have his spirit. You do not have Jesus Christ dwelling in you.

                                   
How do we know that we have the spirit of Jesus Christ dwelling in us? Go forward to verse 8, He that loveth not, knows not God; for God is love. Now, continue to charter 5 and verse 1, whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loves him that begat, loves him also that is begotten. If you love the Son, you will love the Father.  If you love the Father, you will love the Son. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, we keep his commandments. For this is the love of God.

                                   
Notice now, he's not talking about Christ, he's talking about God the Father. This is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous. Jesus Christ kept his Father's commandments and if the spirit of Christ is literally dwelling in your flesh, in you, you will be doing exactly the same thing. You will be doing what He did. You will be keeping the Father's commandments. The Holy Spirit gives you the power to keep God's commandments, exactly like Jesus Christ kept God's commandments.

                                   
Now, we know what the fruits of the spirit are. The spirit can also give us gifts. It can empower us with certain abilities and blessings. And that is presented to us in 1 Corinthians 12. Where it is written, now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant. Ye know that you were Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols, even as you were led.

Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God can call Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, except by the Holy Ghost.

                                   
Now, there are diversities of gifts. There are different gifts, but from the same spirit. And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. And there are diversities or differences of operations, but it is the same God which works all in all. And the manifestations of the spirit are given to every man to profit with all.

                                   
For to one is given by the spirit, the word of wisdom or understanding wisely the word of God ; to another the word of knowledge is given by the same spirit; To another faith by the same spirit; to another the gift of healing by the same spirit; To another the working of miracles; to another prophesying; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues or languages; to another the interpretation of tongues or languages: But all these works through that one and the selfsame spirit, dividing to every man severally as he, God wills.

                                   
Not everyone has all of these gifts. Not everyone has  even several of these gifts. But most people will have one or another. Now, there are some people who go around saying, you must babble away in some unknown gibberish as proof that you have the spirit of God.

                                   
Here we are told in Holy Scripture, that the gift of tongues is way down the list. And it is only one of many gifts and that not everyone has all the same gifts. Therefore someone may have the gift of healing and have nothing to do with tongues. The gift of tongues is not the one and only sign of God's spirit. And everyone who has God's spirit does not speak in tongues.

                                   
Furthermore as we read in Acts 2, tongues has nothing to do with uncontrollable utterances. It means speaking in a language which is strange to you, but which is understood by other people. It means an English speaking Canadian speaking Arabic or Chinese or Hindi or Swahili. It means that a language which is not your natural language has been given to you so that you can communicate with a particular people.

                                   
That's all it means. It does not mean, giving up control of yourself. It does not mean some sort of ecstatic emotional upheaval. God's spirit is the spirit of a sound mind, of balance and order and control. It is not about losing control of yourself. It is not about emotional extremism.

                                   
It is about balance. Balance, power and control over yourself and over your mind. And it is about power over your actions so that you can control your sinful nature and start keeping God's commandments and start changing from a sinful and wicked nature toward a godly and righteous nature.

                                   
Speaking in tongues has nothing to do with babbling and everything to do with communicating with people the things of God.

                                    I would like to recommend our article on Death and Resurrection, which goes a long way toward explaining the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit is not a person. It is the essence of God, the power of God. It is like an upgrade to our capacity to understand the things of God. An animal cannot understand the things that a man can understand. Man has a much greater capacity to understand various things over a dog or a cat or a worm.

                                   
And God has a much greater capacity for wisdom and understanding and knowledge and so forth than man has. Man cannot discern the things of God anymore than a worm can discern the things of man. What God does in giving us his spirit is He increases our capacity to understand him, to understand his ways, to understand his word. And therefore with that understanding and a willingness to follow and obey; goes an increase in our ability to become his children, to become like him, as children are like their parents. Through the spirit of adoption, through the Holy Spirit of God, we can become God's children. He brings us into his family, through the gift of his Holy Spirit.

                                   
Now, Israel in the wilderness was a type or typified spiritual Israel. When they went through their baptism through the Red Sea, going through on the sixth day of unleavened bread and rising up out of that watery grave and rejoicing on the seventh day. They then spent a period of time in the wilderness of Sinai. Before arriving at Mount Sinai and entering into a covenant with God on the Feast of Firstfruits, the day of Pentecost.

                                   
So, we at the time of the resurrection on the sixth day of unleavened bread; go through a period of time, the wedding feast with God. During which the seven last plagues are poured out, and then we come down to the earth with Christ, as it is written in Jude, He comes with ten thousands of his saints.

                                   
He destroys the false prophet. He destroys the beast. He destroys the abominations. He puts away Satan. Destroys all wickedness during this period of 45 days and then on the Feast of Firstfruits, his spirit is poured out upon all flesh and the Kingdom of God is established. A millennium of peace for all mankind, including even giving a peaceable nature to the wild creatures.

                                   
So, if we look at Daniel 12, we see that from the time that the false prophet is set up, that abomination; there will be 1290 days. This takes us to the resurrection on the sixth day of unleavened bread. Then there will be another 45 days, completing 1335 days total. And during that last 45 days, the seven last plagues will be poured out. The marriage feast of the Lamb will take place in heaven with the Father; and Christ will return with his saints to stamp out the enemy, to stamp out rebellion, to put away Satan, to usher in an era of peace. And at the end of 1335 days when they are completed: after those days a new beginning will take place, with God's spirit being poured out on "all flesh" Joel 2:28.

                                    
This new beginning is pictured by the Feast of Pentecost, the 50th day, being the first day after seven days times seven weeks. It is a new beginning and on this day, the Feast of Firstfruits, the Feast of Pentecost, there will be a new beginning on this earth for mankind; with God's spirit poured out on all the flesh, Joel 2:28.

                                   
Yes, there will be a millennium of peace. And that government, that new covenant will be extended and expanded to include all mankind on the Feast of Firstfruits. Even as a certain amount of God's spirit was poured out on a few men on the day of Pentecost, in the first century  it will be poured out in fullness to all men, on the same day, the same day of Pentecost in the future, after all evil is stamped out and removed.

                                   
The Feast of Pentecost is much more than a picture of the start of the so-called New Testament church. It is in fact the Official start of the New Covenant church and Pentecost is also the memorial of the start of the Mosaic covenant. And it is also prophetic looking forward to the establishment of the New Covenant with all flesh, after the coming of Jesus Christ with his saints and the establishment of the Kingdom of God over all the earth.

                                   
Yes friends, on the Feast of Firstfruits, in the wilderness of Sinai, Moses and Israel entered into the Mosaic covenant with Jesus Christ. The theocratic government of Israel was established at Sinai on the Feast of Firstfruits called Pentecost. Over a thousand years later in Jerusalem, on the Feast of Firstfruits or Pentecost, the new covenant was officially confirmed and started with the pouring out of God's spirit upon the called out, a few called out to be firstfruits of God's new covenant, his future kingdom. And later on at the end of the Great Tribulation

                                    the spirit will be poured out on all flesh, ushering in, establishing and starting the new covenant in its fullness, establishing the Kingdom of God over all the earth and bringing in a 1000 years Sabbath or millennium of peace.

And this will complete the period of the Spring Harvest or the harvest of firstfruits. Later on in the fall, the fall festivals picture the resurrection and the bringing in of the main harvest, the great harvest of all who have lived and died, never having known or understood anything regarding God, they will be resurrected and have their minds open. They will repent and ne given God's spirit and will be reaped or brought in to the Kingdom of God, into the family of God. That is what the fall festivals are about. They are about the fall harvest. And the spring festivals are about the spring harvest, the early harvest, the firstfruits harvest.

For more on the Holy Spirit see our Resurrection page.