Jonathan Cahn reveals as only he can, what is behind the holiday of Shavuot, also called Pentecost, is an ancient, cosmic, and beautiful mystery, as large as the universal and as personal and specific as each of our hearts – a powerful, beautiful, and life-changing revelation – Shared on the Feast of Shavuot/Pentecost.
The importance of Israel in understanding God and His ways. All of Israel’s Feast Days were set up by God and are relevant to us today. Jonathan reveals how Pentecost at which time God gave us the gift of the Holy Spirit is linked (a type) to the marriage ceremony of Jewish couples.
God is a genius. He wisely gave Israel a set of seven holy days to make tangible his goodness in providing for individuals, families and the entire nation. Passover commemorated the night God’s judgement passed over the homes of the Hebrews in Egypt, sparing them and setting their liberation in motion (Leviticus 23:5). Firstfruits and Pentecost celebrated the barley and wheat harvests, which provided the nation with their “daily bread” (Leviticus 23:9–22; Matthew 6:11).
Even more amazingly, God built his redemptive plan into the calendar. Passover pointed to the Passover lamb on the cross (1 Corinthians 5:7). Firstfruits pointed to the resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:20). Pentecost pointed to the Holy Spirit. God was never improvising — he was always on time.
Luke was a careful theologian and wordsmith. He recorded Jesus commanding the disciples “not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for the Father’s promise” (Acts 1:4). Then, in Acts 2:1 we read, “When the day of Pentecost had arrived…”. This is no incidental detail.
First fruits and Pentecost are inseparably tied. Jesus himself made clear he needed to be resurrected before the Spirit could be given (John 7:39) and that it was better that he was leaving earth, “because if I don’t go away the Counsellor will not come to you” (John 16:7). Peter thundered this truth home when he preached, “God has raised this Jesus; we are all witnesses of this. Therefore… he has poured out what you both see and hear” (Acts 2:32–33). They are a sequential, glorious package deal.
The thought of celebrating First fruits but not Pentecost makes about as much sense as celebrating the cross without the empty tomb. You need the whole story.
Imagine if the Church celebrated Pentecost with the same fervour as Christmas and Easter — gathering, praying, expectant for a fresh outpouring of the Spirit. Christmas and Easter have been incorporated into the wider cultural calendar — even those with little Christian faith know these days matter. But Pentecost? It barely registers, even in many churches.
Without the Spirit poured out at Pentecost, the Church has no power for the mission Jesus left us.
Taken from a Devotional written by Samuel Hartwich, 17 May 2026 in The Daily Declaration
At the first Pentecost, the disciples were in a time of united prayer when the Holy Spirit came in a mighty demonstration of power. They were all baptised with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit did not just come upon a few of them or only upon the twelve disciples. They all (120) began to speak in languages that they had never learned. Cloven tongues of fire sat upon each one of them.
What the church experienced during Pentecost in the book of Acts may have been the second-most defining event for the body of Christ in church history. If you’ve read Acts 2, you’ll remember that the Holy Spirit came upon the disciples in a powerful way, sparking revival that quickly spread across the known world.
The Body of Christ today must experience this unity of the Spirit. We must be baptised, once again, into one body, one mind, and one accord. We have failed to realise the tremendous power that emanates from being in unity. When we do, the world will see the greatest release of the miracle-working power of God that it has ever seen. We will be living, walking manifestations of God’s miracle-working power.
Why not get together with like minded believers on Pentecost eve to pray that God would release a fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit as we celebrate the first Pentecost, this Sunday.
In the USA, Rabbi Jonathan Bernis of Jewish Voice Ministries International believes God wants to do something similar during Pentecost this year. And he’s not the only one. Bernis and several other Christian leaders are calling the entire body of Christ to come together for A Night of Promise, a broadcast event taking place at 8 p.m. EST on Friday, May 29.
On Pentecost Eve, I am joining a group of members of the International Christian Chamber of Commerce (ICCC) on Zoom. Whilst it was initiated by our Asia Group, we will have members from all over the world joining us including the founder Gunner Olson and the current President of ICCC International, Jan Sturesson. God with Covid19 is stirring up an awakening. Are you heeding the call.
“After all of this I will pour out my Spirit on all kinds of people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your elderly will have revelatory dreams; your young men will see prophetic visions. Even on male and female servants I will pour out my Spirit in those days.” Joel 2:28-29
CHURCH COMPLETED AT THE DAY OF THE LORD
“I will produce portents both in the sky and on the earth– blood, fire, and columns of smoke. The sunlight will be turned to darkness and the moon to the colour of blood, beforethe day of the LORD comes—that great and terrible day!“Joel 2:30–31
Peter’s understanding of Joel’s prophecy construes it as “bookends” of the church age. The first part with the pouring out the Spirit on all people at Pentecost is a sign that God is doing a new redemptive work as the church age is conceived.
When the second part of the prophecy happens, it is a sign that the church age is completed. The consistent message in Scripture concerning the celestial disturbance event is their function to signal the future two-fold event of the deliverance of the saints and the impending day of the Lord’s wrath (see Luke 21:25–28; Matt 24:22–31; Mark 13:20–27; Rev 6:12—8:5; Joel 2:31). Luke and Matthew are shown below but makes sure you check out Revelation 6:12 to 8:5.
“And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; men’s hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.” Luke 21:25-28
“Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.” Matthew 24:29-31
Only when Christians have unity in the Holy Spirit will we begin to function as the true Body of Christ.
We must remember the night before Jesus was crucified He prayed for the unity of all believers. John 17:11,21-23
At the first Pentecost, the disciples were in a time of united prayer when the Holy Spirit came in a mighty demonstration of power. They were all baptised with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit did not just come upon a few of them or only upon the twelve disciples. All 120 of them experienced the same Baptism.
Let’s pray now that Pentecost 2020 being celebrated Sunday, May 31st will be a time when we ask God for a fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit to equip us to truly function as the Body of Christ in the unity that only the Holy Spirit can endow.
The Holy Spirit came to live within each of them
They all began to speak in languages that they had never learned. Cloven tongues of fire sat upon each one of them. The Body of Christ today must experience this unity of the Spirit. We must be baptised, once again, into one body, one mind, and one accord. We have failed to realise the tremendous power that emanates from being in unity. When we do, the world will see the greatest release of the miracle-working power of God that it has ever seen. We will be living, walking manifestations of God’s miracle-working power.
ISRAEL: At Shauvot – going out into the harvest – first fruits of the summer harvest offered to God.
CHURCH: At Pentecost – the 120 disciples are the first fruits to go out into the harvest.
Jonathan Cahn will unlock for you the appointed feast (one of seven) – Shauvot and its prophetic meaning at Pentecost. The sending out of the church with the Holy Spirit.
LIVING ETERNAL NOW 