Pentecost (Feast of Weeks)

Pentecost, also known as the Feast of Weeks, was observed fifty days after Passover to celebrate the wheat harvest and offer thanks for God's provision in ancient Israel. It traditionally commemorates the giving of the Law at Mount Sinai, where God established His covenant with the Israelites through Moses. As part of the ritual, two loaves of leavened bread were waved before the Lord along with animal sacrifices. In Scripture this festival holds added significance as the day the Holy Spirit descended on the apostles in Acts 2, marking the birth of the church and fulfilling Old Testament promises.

0:00

Auto Play

Videos from BibleProject

Acts Overview (Part 1: Ch. 1-12)

The Holy Spirit descends at Pentecost, empowering the early church.

Holy Spirit

God's Spirit is personally present in all creation, revealed through Jesus.

BibleProject is the author and owner of this content. To find more BibleProject resources, visit bibleproject.com. Bible Navigator is not affiliated with BibleProject.

Details

Category: Spring Feasts
Hebrew Name: Shavuot
Timing: 50 days after Firstfruits (May/June)
Calendar: Sivan (3rd month), 6th (50 days after Firstfruits)
Season: Late Spring
Observance: Holy assembly, wave offering of two leavened loaves, freewill offerings, rejoicing.

Significance

Marked the completion of the grain harvest. The two leavened loaves may represent Jew and Gentile united in one body.

New Testament Fulfillment

The Holy Spirit was poured out on the disciples on this exact day, birthing the Church. 3,000 were saved - matching the 3,000 who died at Sinai for the golden calf.

Key Passages

The Command

Leviticus 23:15-22

A¹⁵nd 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:

¹⁶ Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the LORD. ¹⁷ Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals: they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baken with leaven; they are the firstfruits unto the LORD. ¹⁸ And ye shall offer with the bread seven lambs without blemish of the first year, and one young bullock, and two rams: they shall be for a burnt offering unto the LORD, with their meat offering, and their drink offerings, even an offering made by fire, of sweet savour unto the LORD. ¹⁹ Then ye shall sacrifice one kid of the goats for a sin offering, and two lambs of the first year for a sacrifice of peace offerings. ²⁰ And the priest shall wave them with the bread of the firstfruits for a wave offering before the LORD, with the two lambs: they shall be holy to the LORD for the priest. ²¹ And ye shall proclaim on the selfsame day, that it may be an holy convocation unto you: ye shall do no servile work therein: it shall be a statute for ever in all your dwellings throughout your generations. ²² And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not make clean riddance of the corners of thy field when thou reapest, neither shalt thou gather any gleaning of thy harvest: thou shalt leave them unto the poor, and to the stranger: I am the LORD your God.

The Spirit Falls

Acts 2:1-4

A¹nd when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.

² And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. ³ And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. ⁴ And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

3,000 Saved

Acts 2:41

T⁴¹hen they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.

Did You Know?

Pentecost means 'fiftieth'. It occurs exactly 50 days after Firstfruits.

The Holy Spirit came on the same day Moses received the Law on Sinai. God writing on hearts, not stone.

About 3,000 were saved at Pentecost. The same number that died at the golden calf incident (Exodus 32:28).

Jewish tradition says God spoke the Law in 70 languages at Sinai. At Pentecost, the Spirit spoke in many tongues.