THE IMPORTANCE OF PENTECOST

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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

WAITING FOR THE LATTER RAINS SPOKEN BY THE PROPHET JOEL

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We are told prophetically in Joel that the latter rains will be greater than the former rains. The “latter rain” or the spring rain is interpreted as an outpouring of the Holy Spirit on God’s children. Biblical writers used the terms “latter rain” and “former rain” to describe the visitation of the Holy Spirit upon the church in a dispensational sense. The “early rain” came at Pentecost to give power to the witness of the gospel. And another outpouring of rain will be coming at earth’s final soul harvest before the second coming of Christ.

The “latter rain” and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit will be to qualify the Saints for witnessing. This power for witnessing gives power within, power to proclaim the truth and power to lead sinners to God. At Pentecost, the Holy Spirit fell on the disciples and transformed them from fearful men to brave warriors for Christ. They spoke the truth with boldness despite threats, persecution, and even death.

“And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions. Even on the male and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit.” Joel 2:28-29

This latter-day outpouring of the Holy Spirit occurs before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes. It is the time when Jesus comes to raise the dead in Christ and rapture the Saints that are alive but also to pour out His wrath upon the unrepentant with the Trumpet and Bowl judgements. There are spectacular celestial signs signalling the event.

“And I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and columns of smoke. The sun shall be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes.” Joel 2:30-31

“And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be those who escape, as the Lord has said, and among the survivors shall be those whom the Lord calls.” Joel 2:32

At the sixth seal in Revelation 6, we read about the celestial signs in the heavens that Joel talks about and the awesome day of the Lord that has come.

“Then the kings of the earth and the great ones and the generals and the rich and the powerful, and everyone, slave and free, hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains, calling to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?” Revelation 6:15-17

It is at the trumpet blast at the opening of the seventh seal that the resurrection and rapture of the Saints occur as well as the beginning of the trumpet and bowl judgements being poured out on the unrepentant.

“When the Lamb (Jesus) opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour (Jesus has gone to resurrect and rapture the Saints). Then I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets (Trumpet Judgements) were given to them.” Revelation 8:1-2