Two-Competing Schools of Thought Regarding Shavuot and Pentecost

When we talk about Shavuot and or Pentecost there are essentially two-prevailing schools of thought and understanding. Interestingly, these two schools or lines of thought are often at odds with one another. And these competing lines of thought regarding this Holy Day, are not at odds with one another because one line is accurate and true and the other isn’t. The contention or disconnect that exists between the two camps of Shavuot-Pentecost thinking or understanding, in my mind has to do with focus. Believe or not, there is a Shavuot-Pentecost connection that is vital to one’s eternal life and admittance into the Kingdom of Yah.  

What do I mean by the two camps having competing foci, yet both camps line of thinking are accurate and true. 

Let me break it down to you.

 The Torah-Torah-Torah Camp

A majority number of Jewish and Hebrew Roots—Messianic brethren focus their Shavuot—Pentecost thinking on the receiving of Torah at Mount Sinai. This is popularly expressed as “the Sinai Revelation.” Thus, to these brethren, the take-away or main point of focus as it relates to Shavuot is Torah.

 The Holy Spirit and Church Camp

Then we have our cousins in Christianity or Churchianity. Their mindset is focused on the birth of the so-called church. The more charismatic side to Churchianity, of course, focuses their attention on the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the festival attendees on that historic day of Pentecost as recorded in Acts 2. For these, the day is all about the Holy Ghost experience or the primacy of the “Church” in Father’s plan of salvation for mankind.

 Both Camps Lack a Full Understanding of Shavuot

Now, again, although both camps are correct in their understanding of Torah—the giving and receiving of Torah as well as the giving and receiving of the Holy Spirit on this Feast day—they lack the full understanding of the significance of Shavuot—Pentecost. Ironically, this competing focus and mindset has resulted in perpetual animus between the two camps. The Messianic side that focuses so much of her attention on Torah all but rejects anything having to do with the Holy Spirit and the institution of the Kehila or Ekklesia. Conversely, the Christian side that focuses so much of their attention on the so-called “church” as an institution and the workings of the Holy Spirit adamantly rejects the keeping of Torah by any believer in Yeshua Messiah. 

Sadly, only a few studious Berean-style Netzari are aware of the critical connection that exists between Shavuot and what I would separate out as Pentecost. And just so we’re all on the same spiritual page, Shavuot and Pentecost are one and the same Feast Day. It’s simply that Shavuot is the Hebrew name for the day and Pentecost is the Greek name for the day. But I’ve elected, for the sake of this discussion, to capitalize on the two names for the same Festival to make the crucial point that both schools of thought and focus are inextricably linked and cannot be separated one from the other. 

For by the end of this discussion it is my hope that we will come to know the true connection that exists between the event that occurred at Mount Sinai as recorded in the Book of Exodus and the event that occurred in Jerusalem on that historic day that Luke recorded in the Book of Acts.

 Eternal Life and Kingdom Admittance 

Here’s the deal: it’s not just important to understand the connection between the two events. It is in fact vitally important to a Netzari’s eternal life and place in the Kingdom of YHVH that they actually live out the connection that exists between the two events. (One thing that I’ve come to understand in my walk with Mashiyach friends is that each of the 7-annual Feasts of the Almighty builds upon the one before it from a spiritual application standpoint. For the Feasts of YHVH as well as the whole of Torah were at the time they were given and in many cases still are today shadows of good things to come, this according to Hebrews 10:1. And some of the Feasts such as Unleavened Bread and Shavuot were shadows of our spiritual journey to shake off the old nature—our old ways of life—and conform to the nature of our Master Yahoshua HaMashiyach who Himself was the splitting image of His Father (Rom. 8:29; 1 Cor. 11:7; 2 Cor. 4:4; Col. 1:15).)

 It’s Time to Be Weaned

You see friends: at some point we have to move beyond the milk of the Gospel and our basic understanding of the rote keeping of the Feasts. The Apostle Shaul (aka Paul) had to abruptly chide the Corinthian Kehilas (assemblies) that they were disappointingly still at the milk stage in their walk with Mashiyach; their spiritual development, which is beautifully depicted in the spring Feasts of Yah. Shaul wrote: 

“I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now you are not ready for you are still of the flesh…” (1 Cor. 3:2, 3; ESV).

 The writer of the Cepher of Hebrews, who many believe to have been the Apostle Shaul, wrote a similar thing to his readers. This writing was a bit more jarring in that he wrote: 

“For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child” (Heb. 5:12, 13; ESV). 

I submit to you that many in our Faith Community are hesitant to grow beyond the milk stage in their maturation towards being a wholly and acceptable child of the Most High. And when it comes to keeping the Feasts of Yah each year, the effort on some folks part is to imitate and take on the traditions of the so-called sages and rabbis. These never seek to grow beyond such practices and traditions and they turn their eyes and heads away from the immense spiritual applications that are embedded in each of the Feasts that require them to be more advanced spiritually than they were the year prior. So they practically stay at the place where they’ve been from the time they first entered into Faith. 

And let’s not overlook those who call themselves members of the True Faith once delivered, yet simply ignore the Feasts altogether. These delude themselves into thinking that Yah knows their loving and warm heart. And their loving and warm heart will be counted to them as righteousness by Father despite them willfully disobeying Torah. Well, that thinking is manifested, pure and utter rebellion and disobedience and a rejection of the Name—the authority—of YHVH which is supposed to be THE absolute reality of their lives.

 It’s a Question of Authority

And that absolute reality—the Name—the authority of the Creator of the Universe—reigning supreme over our respective lives is what Shavuot—Pentecost is supposed to be about. 

Indeed, Shavuot depicts the Great Revelation at Sinai where YHVH gifted us His Torah—His eternal Words of Truth (Exodus 19 and 20). Yes, Shavuot or Pentecost also depicts the launch of the Kehila—the assembly of Yah with the power and might of the Holy Spirit being gifted and poured out upon the disciples of Yeshua Mashiyach just as Master had promised them days prior to the Acts 2 event. Both monumental, historic events were miraculous and powerful. But these 2-historic events were designed and enacted to drive home a critical spiritual point to those with eyes to see, ears to hear, hearts to embrace and a mind to keep and obey. 

And although each event, despite being separated by roughly a millennia and a half, were unique experiences for the witnesses and souls involved, the events were actually two separate variations on a central theme. Both were multi-sensory events (that being the witnesses and participants could hear, see and smell without a doubt in their minds) all that what transpiring before them. In both events, the presence of YHVH was experienced by the witnesses and participants. And both events were fulfillments of promises that were made to the Faith’s patriarchs. Both events were about mankind being afforded by the Creator of the Universe the opportunity for a breakthrough and moving forward in their present and future lives. Each event was about freedom: being freed from the individual’s former slave masters and coming under the loving and blessed authority of a new Master and King—YHVH.

 Imagers of YHVH on Earth

Shavuot and Pentecost was about finally becoming “imagers” (a term I’m borrowing from Dr. Michael Heiser) of the Most High Elohim. They’re about realizing the great potential of mankind to be Children of YHVH—the Creator of the Universe. 

And of course, the Shavuot of Exodus 19-20 and the Pentecost of Acts 2 are both so much more in terms of the Truths and spiritual mandates they paint for us.

 However, the understanding that we as potential Children of the Most High must draw from the Shavuot of Exodus 19-20 and Pentecost of Acts 2 is the very thing that connects the two events. 

Let’s quickly take a look at both events.

 Our First Shavuot

When we arrived at Yah’s Mountain—Mount Sinai—roughly 50-days after departing Mitsrayim (ie., Egypt), we were proposed to by the Almighty. Yes, you heard me correctly: YHVH—the Creator of the Universe—put forth to us a marriage proposal: 

“You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself (essentially Father regaled the courtship He had with the nation). Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine; and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation…” (19:4-6). 

This marriage proposal essentially stipulated that if we would obey His voice and keep the terms of the covenant Yah was extending to us in His Torah, He would be our God with all the privileges and protections that come with having Him as our God. And if that weren’t enough, Father added amazing additions to the agreement which included Him making us His absolute most favored people on the planet (above any other people) and His exclusive representatives to the whole of the human race.

 A Ketubah

This proposal was essentially a marriage agreement between the Hebrews (and any of the mixed multitude who elected to be bound to the God of Avraham, Yishak and Ya’achov) and YHVH. A marriage covenant is known as a “ketubah.” 

A ketubah is essentially a Hebrew (most would say a Jewish) marriage contract which is an integral part of the traditional Hebrew or Jewish marriage. 

The ketubah outlines the rights and responsibilities of the groom in relation to the bride (wikipedia). 

Torah became the Ketubah between YHVH and His bride Israel. For within the Torah-Ketubah framework the would be child of the Most High Elohim finds Torah outlines the way the marriage would be lived out by us. Its precepts describe how the marriage would function. The picture Torah paints describes what married life would look like to us on a real, boots on the ground way. Torah’s judgments describe how each would be child of Yah and YHVH Himself were to relate to one another. And the agreement stipulated that either party who would violate the terms of the agreement violated the ketubah/contract itself.

 We Refused to Maintain the Agreement–The Ketubah

The plan was that YHVH Himself would give to us His Ketubah—His Torah—the Covenant. We, however, stopped YHVH in the midst of Him delivering the contract (ie., the 10-Commandments). Because of our fear of the unknown and fear of what it was we’re getting ourselves into, we demanded Yah not speak directly to us but instead deliver the covenant–the Law—the Ketubah to Moses. Moshe in turn would deliver the Ketubah to us and we would then, in theory, obey and keep the terms of the contract (Exodus 20:18, 19). 

Now, we can talk all day about what this all meant and the ramifications of our turning our ears and hearts away from the Almighty from both a Truth and Spirit standpoint. Nevertheless, the true basis and intent of Shavuot must be understood by every would be child of the Most High, especially in connection to that which transpired about 1,500-years later on the Day of Pentecost.

 The Mixed Multitude Equation

Interesting thing to see here that I want to point out to you. Recall that the multitude that departed Egypt under the leadership of Moshe was a mixed one. Contrary to conventional thinking, it wasn’t  just Hebrews that departed Egypt. 

Egypt in effect was an ancient metropolis attracting people from all the known nations of the known world at that time. And many of those nation peoples that found homes in Egypt ended up slaves just as the Hebrews did for various and sundry reasons. 

So what came out of Egypt was a multi-cultured, multi-language multitude of people, the whole of which one could safely say represented the 70 original nations of the world as mentioned in Genesis 10. 

Remember that I said that both Shavuot and Pentecost were multi-sensory events whereby each person who witnessed and or participated in events all felt, saw and smelled everything that was going on in that respective event all at the same time. 

So it stands to reason that as Father was speaking His Ketubah-His Torah to us as we stood frightened at the base of Mount Sinai, we being a mixed multitude, heard and understood those eternal Words of the Creator of the Universe in our own tongue and dialect. (Are you starting to see a connection to Pentecost here?) Every member of the mixed multitude heard the 10-Commandments as delivered by YHVH, according to Jewish tradition, in their own tongue and dialect. Thus Shavuot appears to be a fore-shadowing of the Pentecost outpouring of the Ruach HaKodesh that would transpire some 1,500 year later. In the Pentecost experience of Acts 2, everyone who Father intended to truly experience the event, heard the Words of YHVH in their own tongue and dialect. Indeed, Pentecost was essentially a continuation or carry over if you will of the Sinai Shavuot. There are undeniable parallels here, especially given that Jewish sages believed members of the mixed multitude heard Yah’s Words in their own tongue and dialect back at Mount Sinai’s Shavuot in Exodus 19 and 20.

 We Were Supposed to Receive Yah Himself

I believe Father originally intended for us to receive His Ketubah from Him directly at Mount Sinai and then go right into Canaan. We would be YHVH’s tool—His right-arm for administering judgment against the fallen ones and the pagan nations that inhabited Canaan. And then we would serve YHVH as His shining light to the nations of the world. And at His appointed time, assuming we kept YHVH’s contract—His Ketubah—His Torah—His Covenant, we would receive His Ruach HaKodesh—His Holy Spirit and as a nation of set-apart people and as set-apart individuals we would realize our fullest potential as children of the Most High. We would in a sense be the leavened bread that was waved before YHVH by the Levitical Priest—a people who through the work of Yah’s Ruach HaKodesh operating in their lives and the Torah being inscribed in them each Shavuot.

 We Continually Violated the Ketubah

But we failed to keep the terms of the Ketubah and we never came even close to being the nation of priests Father desired for us to be under His Kingdom rule. But Yah had a follow-up—we can even say a back-up plan—that would pick up where we failed and left off at Sinai.

The Re-Launch That Was Acts 2 Pentecost 

Pentecost would be a re-launch of the Ketubah and the set-apart nation that Father originally intended at Sinai. And that re-launch as recorded in Acts 2 was a dramatic event highlighted by the proclamation of Yah’s Word to the nations of the world, similar to what happened back at Sinai 1,500 years or so prior.  

John 1:1, 4, 11, 12 summarizes our failed situation back at Sinai’s Shavuot: 

“In the beginning was the word (Father’s instructions—Father’s Ketubah—Father’s plan for the salvation and restoration of mankind unto Himself) and that Word was with YHVH and that Word was YHVH.” 

Folks I’m sorry to tell you: the mention of the Word here is NOT talking exclusively about Yeshua. Yes, Yeshua is the walking, talking Torah—He is the Word of Yah. But here in context, John is talking about Yah and His Word of Life—His Plans for His human creation in the earth. And this plan existed from the very beginning of creation. John states that “All things were made by Him and without Him was not anything made that was made” (not speaking about Yeshua here, but in context John is speaking about YHVH creating all things)—verse 3. 

John continues: “In Him (YHVH) was life and the life was the light of men (verse 4). 

Later on in verse 10 John records that “He (YHVH) was in the world and the world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not. He came unto His own and His own received Him not” The He here that made the world but was rejected by those who He adopted to be His chosen ones, is not referring to Yeshua. Contextually, Yeshua doesn’t come in till verse 14.

 The Children of God

Here, the He is referring to YHVH. Yah’s chosen people failed to receive Him. They not only refused to receive Yah’s Word directly from YHVH, but they also rejected Yah’s Word through their disobedience and the hardness of their hearts. However, those who would believe in His Name–His name referring specifically to Yah’s authority over all–He (YHVH) gave childhood status (John 1:12). 

Thus, with the exception of only a very small handful of people, from the time of Adam and Eve till the advent of Yahoshua HaMashiyach, all of human creation had rejected YHVH. Yet John 1:13 tells us that those who were chosen of YHVH and who were determined to live their lives according to Yah’s Ways, to these were granted the authority to be Children of the Most High.  

(Friends—I pray that you’re seeing where this is going.)

 Childhood Authority

This childhood authority was not based on biology nor on the selected individual’s or other people’s determination or ambition (John 1:13). In fact this childhood authority was based solely upon YHVH’s perfect and righteous Will (John 1:13). 

But praise YHVH for the Pentecost of Acts 2. For here in this historic replay of the Revelation of Sinai we find Father picking up and resuming where the Hebrews of old miserably failed and left off. But this resumption of the first Shavuot would prove to be full-proof and be the piece de-resistance that the enemy can’t stand to recognize. For the thing that connects both historic events—the Sinai Shavuot and the Acts Pentecost is the basis for our eternal life. For Shavuot and Pentecost are about the establishing of a relationship with the Creator of the Universe. And that relationship is based upon the giving, receiving and keeping of Yah’s Word. In the original covenant—Ketubah, the Word was passed down to the Hebrews by Yah through Moses. We rejected Father’s attempt to deal directly with us in delivering His Word. Thus the Word was written on tablets of stone and delivered to us through Moshe. But we failed to heed or keep Yah’s Word because our hearts were just like the stone tablets the 10-Words were inscribed upon. Our hearts were in fact hostile towards Yah’s Ketubah—His Torah.

 The Heart Problem

Of the heart of man, which can also be understood to be the mind from a spiritual standpoint, Paul wrote: 

“For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the Law of God (His Torah—His Ketubah), neither can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God” (Rom. 8:6-8; KJV). 

The Relationship

You see, Father from the very beginning has sought to have a true and substantive relationship with His human creation. But our unconverted minds—our unregenerated hearts remain in a state of war with YHVH. Thus a relationship with the YHVH is impossible. And the only way for man to have a true and substantive relationship with the Most High is for them (1) have a true and honest desire to be in a relationship with YHVH; (2) to submit ourselves to His authority over our lives; (3) be obedient to His Ways; and (4) abandon our former masters and their ways. 

Unfortunately, the first Shavuot, which should have been the one and only launching pad for mankind establishing this true and substantive relationship with the Creator of the Universe proved that we were incapable of fulfilling these 4-requirements without the Father’s direct intervention and assistance.

 The New Covenant Revealed

Enter Acts 2 Pentecost. Under the New Covenant mankind would finally have the wherewithal to desire and maintain a relationship with the Almighty; to submit to Yah’s authority; to be obedient to His Father’s Ways; and to abandon—without looking back—our old way of life and the slave masters we were formerly subject to. 

This would be accomplished through the very element that we witnessed in the Acts 2 Pentecost event whereby we would be able to establish and maintain a true and substantive relationship with YHVH because (1) Father’s Holy Spirit would forever reside within us; and (2) Father’s Ways—His Torah–will be written on the fleshly tables of their heart and inscribed in our minds (Jeremiah 31; Ezekiel 36 Hebrews 8 and 12). Thus we can finally establish and maintain a true and substantive relationship with the Almighty which will also result in eternal life for each of us; receiving the rights and privileges germane to being a true Child of YHVH; and a royal citizen of YHVH’s eternal Kingdom. 

 The Shavuot-Pentecost Connection Revealed

Folks, this is the Shauvuot—Pentecost Connection that we all must understand and strive to receive and maintain. 

Dear friends, let us understand and live out the connection that exists between the Sinai Shavuot and the Acts 2 Pentecost. It’s the only means by which we may receive eternal life and enter the Kingdom of YHVH. 

Indeed, many who refuse and fail to understand and live out this connection will be horribly disappointed on judgment day. Consider our Master’s pronouncement for what it really will mean in the World Tomorrow:

 

“Not every one that saith unto Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven (and that will is to abide by the terms of the covenant that He has established through the sacrifice of His Son and the workings of the Ruach HaKodesh). Many will say to Me on that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy Name have cast out devils? And in thy Name done many wonderful works (ie., done all kinds of things citing His authority to do so, which He really had not authorized them to do)? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from Me, ye that work iniquity” (Mat. 7:21-23). 

The individuals that Yeshua are referring to here in this prophecy are not just those who deny the Master as their Messiah, but also those who fail to heed and practice the Shavuot-Pentecost connection. Essentially, Master is referring to those who fail to establish a true and substantive relationship with His Father. 

Thus, it behooves us as Abba’s elect to establish and maintain a substantive and true relationship with the Creator through Yeshua Messiah—our redeemer and intercessor. This whole thing—both camps of thought—Torah and Holy Spirit/the launching of the Body of Messiah—is really about establishing and maintaining a true and substantive relationship with the Creator of the Universe. This is THE CRUCIAL CONNECTION that exists between Shavuot and Pentecost.

 Shavuot is so Much More Than…

You see, it’s so much more than simply knowing and keeping the letter of Torah. It’s so much more than seeking after and experiencing the manifested gifts of the Holy Spirit. In fact, it’s so much more than the organizational Body of the Kehila/Ekklesia of Messiah. Yes, Shavuout and Pentecost are about these amazing elements and yes, these amazing elements are indeed important for us to understand and to incorporate in our day-to-day lives. But more so, the important thing to garner from these elements of walking out Torah, being a relevant member of the Body of Messiah and embracing the workings of the Holy Spirit in our respective lives is the intimate relationship that we must have with YHVH. If we are not imaging our Father here on this earthly plain; if we are not conforming the very image of our Master Yahoshua Messiah who is the expressed image of YHVH our Elohim; if we lack Faith in the Name—in the authority of YHVH our Elohim; if we don’t see things the way our Father sees things; if we don’t feel about things the way our Father feels about things; if we don’t act the way our Father would act—if we don’t have an intimate relationship with YHVH–then we have entirely missed the connection that exists between Shavuot and Pentecost. 

My dear brothers and sisters, the connection that exists between Shavuot and Pentecost is the relationship we must possess and maintain with our Heavenly Father.