Outline - Hope of the Glory

mathematical calendar, Shavu'ot is always on the 6th of Sivan (the6th and 7th outside of Israel. See Extra Day of Holidays.)ee. Work is not permitted during Shavu'ot.ff. It is customary to stay up the entire first night of Shavu'ot and studyTorah, then pray as early as possible in the morning.gg. It is customary to eat a dairy meal at least once during Shavu'ot.There are varying opinions as to why this is done. Some say it is areminder of the promise regarding the land of Israel, a land flowingwith "milk and honey." According to another view, it is because theJewish ancestors had just received the Torah (and the dietary lawstherein), and did not have both meat and dairy dishes available.See Separation of Meat and Dairy.hh. The book of Ruth is read at this time. Again, there are varyingreasons given for this custom, and none seems to be definitive.g) It’s boring to keep saying this but this is clearly JEWISH not for the BODY OFCHRIST!h) There were no gentiles in Jerusalem! (Not counting Herod, etal.) at this time!The references in the NT to Pentecost(Act 2:1) When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place.(Act 20:16) Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus to avoid spending time in the province of Asia, for he wasin a hurry to reach Jerusalem, if possible, by the day of Pentecost.(1Co 16:8) But I will stay on at Ephesus until Pentecost,i) Note that in Paul’s early ministry, he preached to both Jews and Gentiles1Co 9:19 Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many aspossible.1Co 9:20 To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one underthe law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law.1Co 9:21 To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God'slaw but am under Christ's law), so as to win those not having the law.j) This all changed after Acts so that Paul denounced all of this in Phil 3k) It is this that we are to emulatel) It is sad that so many converted Jews actually still try to keep the Jewish ceremoniallaw which Paul denounced (even for his ministry) in his later epistles.A common misunderstanding of the day of PentecostQuestion: Can you explain the day of Pentecost? 10Answer: Our good question seems to refer to Acts 2: 1, "And when the day of Pentecost was fully come."There were three annual feasts of the Jews, the Passover, Pentecost, and the Feast of Tabernacles.Pentecost celebrated the beginning of their harvest. Pentecost (term found only in the New Testament, called"Feast of Harvest," etc. Ex. 23: 16) came fifty days after the Passover; hence, pente, five or fifty.The apostles had been waiting for Pentecost. Jesus had told his apostles, "And, behold, I send the promiseof my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high" (Lk.24: 49). We read in Acts 1: 4 that they are in Jerusalem waiting as Jesus had told them to do. Hence, thelanguage "day of Pentecost was fully come" is significant.The day of Pentecost is often called the hub of the Bible. The day of Pentecost in Acts 2 fulfilled manykingdom and salvation prophecies (cp. Joel 2: 28-32; Isa. 2: 2, 3, see Acts 2: 16-47). The apostles werebaptized in the Holy Spirit to enable them to execute their commission, the full gospel was officially preachedand Jesus' last will and testament came into being, the church become a reality, and remission of sin based onJesus' shed blood was first experienced on the day of Pentecost.The day of Pentecost was the birth of Christianity. It was on this memorable day that repentance andbaptism in Jesus' name for the remission of sins was first taught and experienced (Acts 2: 38). The height ofJoel's prophesy had been "whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered" (Joel 2: 32). Whenthose whose hearts had been pricked asked what must they do, were told, and did it, they were calling on the10 http://www.biblequestions.org/Archives/BQAR344.htmActs Page 12 January 23, 2011 18:07