1. 1. PART 4 UNDERSTANDING the FEAST OF PENTECOST
2. 2. FEAST OF GOD
3. 3. What Is a BIBLICAL FEAST? Greek: HEORTE Festival, Special Day Hebrew: MOED An appointed time An occasion fixed by divine appointment to meet together for fellowship with God and worship Hebrew: HAG From the verb to dance An occasion of joy or gladness
4. 4. An Insight into the Heart of GOD God could have made His appointed times, times of sorrow. He could have made them times of severe fasting and repentance. Thats how some view God! (Greek Paganism: Asceticism suffering makes you holy) There are times for FASTING! But MOST of Gods appointed times are times of FEASTING. God wants us to ENJOY Him and experience his GOODNESS.
5. 5. God uses appointed times to create a RHYTHM They align our lives with Gods creative rhythm and cause us to RESONATE with His timing They cause us to be in sync with rhythm of God. They help us be at the right time and right place. They help us to not miss windows of opportunity. Thats why its KEY to Understanding the
6. 6. FEAST OF WEEKS Deut 16:9 Seven weeks shalt thou number unto thee: begin to number the seven weeks from such time as thou beginnest to put the sickle to the corn. 10 And thou shalt keep the feast of weeks unto the Lord thy God with a tribute of a freewill offering of thine hand, which thou shalt give unto the Lord thy God, according as the Lord thy God hath blessed thee: 11 And thou shalt rejoice before the Lord thy God, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy manservant, and thy maidservant, and the Levite that is within thy gates, and the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, that are among you, in the place which the Lord thy God hath chosen to place his name there.
7. 7. FEAST OF WEEKS Exo 19:16 And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that was in the camp trembled. 17 And Moses brought forth the people out of the camp to meet with God; and they stood at the nether part of the mount. 18 And mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the Lord descended upon it in fire: and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly. 19 And when the voice of the trumpet sounded long, and waxed louder and louder, Moses spake, and God answered him by a voice. 20 And the Lord came down upon mount Sinai, on the top of the mount: and the Lord called Moses up to the top of the mount; and Moses went up..
8. 8. FEAST OF WEEKS Acts 2:1 And 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.
9. 9. RECEIVING a NEW WIND of PENTECOST Getting Ready for the Open Heavens
10. 10. FEAST OF WEEKS SCHIZO to rend, tear violently, open or unfold MARK 1:10 . . . the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him
11. 11. WE LIVE IN THE DAYS WHEN PENTECOST IS VERY IMPORTANT PENTECOST is a feast of THE OPEN HEAVENS
12. 12. To Understand What God is Doing . . . What is happening in Gods Calendar? Biblical Fests are GODs APPOINTED TIMES They are times when the Spirit of God wants to move in very specific ways. We may not pay attention to them . . . But GOD does!
13. 13. Gods Appointed Times: TABERNACLES is the appointed time for God to come and tabernacle among His people Jesus was born at Tabernacles! (Word became flesh and tabernacled . . .) PASSOVER is an appointed time for God to deliver His people! Jesus was crucified at Passover to deliver us! (our Passover Lamb)
14. 14. Gods Appointed Times: PENTECOST is the appointed time for the Heavens to Open! If we want to understand and experience OPEN HEAVENS we need to understand Pentecost Pentecost didnt begin in Acts 2 Pentecost was a biblical feast instituted by God in the Old Testament Scriptures.
15. 15. UNDERSTANDING PENTECOST Described in Lev 23:15-16, Numbers 28:26- 31 and Deut 16:9-12 From the feast of Passover count off 7 weeks (49 days) . . . Then on the 50th day, have a festival before the Lord! FEAST OF WEEKS (Hebrew: Shavuot) PENTECOST (Greek for fifty days)
16. 16. UNDERSTANDING PENTECOST THREE LEVELS of PENTECOST Each Level Represents a New Expression of Gods Blessing They picture 3 things God wants to do in our lives when heavens open Each level is a DOORWAY we must pass through to enter into the release of Gods Power
17. 17. UNDERSTANDING PENTECOST IF WE UNDERSTAND THE THREE LEVELS OF PENTECOST, WE WILL CATCH A GLIMPSE OF WHAT GOD WANTS TO DO IN OUR LIVES! THE FIRST LEVEL RECEIVING GODS BLESSING OF ABUNDANT PROVISION
18. 18. UNDERSTANDING PENTECOST PENTECOST CELEBRATES THE RELEASE OF PROVISION FROM GOD The hard working farmers worked week after week to prepare the soil and plant the seeds in hope of a harvest . . . . . . but they had no ability to make the earth produce!
19. 19. UNDERSTANDING PENTECOST IF THE LORD DID NOT OPEN THE HEAVENS, NO CROPS WOULD COME FORTH BUT AS THEY TRUSTED HIM
20. 20. UNDERSTANDING PENTECOST GOD OPENED THE WINDOWS OF HEAVEN AND RAIN POURED FORTH
21. 21. UNDERSTANDING PENTECOST THE EARTH BROUGHT FORTH ITS HARVEST Baruch Ata Adonai, Eloheinu Melech HaOlam, HaMotzei Lechem min ha Aretz umin ha Shamayim. Blessed are You, O Lord our God, King of the universe, who brings forth bread from the earth and
22. 22. UNDERSTANDING PENTECOST Pentecost Celebrates the Release of Gods Provision Celebrated by PRAISE . . . And by GIVING Expressed by: burnt offering, grain offerings, drink offerings, sin offering, fellowship offering, freewill offering Thats what disciples would have done the evening before Pentecost morning! First Level of Pentecost: OPEN YOUR HEARTS TO GOD THROUGH JOYFUL GIVING AND PRAISE.
23. 23. UNDERSTANDING PENTECOST PENTECOST CELEBRATED THE GOODNESS OF GOD AS HE OPENS THE HEAVENS TO RELEASE HIS ABUNDANT PROVISION. To prepare for Pentecost, ask God how to express your thankfulness in a way that will open your heart to Him! THE SECOND LEVEL OF PENTECOST IS SUPERNATURAL REVELATION Pentecost was also the day God opened the heavens to reveal His Word.
24. 24. UNDERSTANDING PENTECOST 50 days after Passover the Heavens Opened When Israel left Egypt God led them to Sinai.
25. 25. UNDERSTANDING PENTECOST GOD GAVE THEM TORAH
26. 26. UNDERSTANDING PENTECOST WHAT IS TORAH? Some think: A big old scroll . . . Some think its LAW: thou shalt nots TORAH = THE TEACHING OF GOD THE REVELATION OF GODS WILL, HIS LOVE, HIS CHARACTER. ALL SCRIPTURE IS TORAH On Pentecost God revealed His Heart to His People
27. 27. UNDERSTANDING PENTECOST Pentecost Celebrates the Release of Gods Revelation. Traditional Celebration of Pentecost . . . Stay up all night studying the BIBLE Receiving His WORD anew When the day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all together in one place They would have brought thank offerings to the temple the night before, then stayed up all night studying the BIBLE
28. 28. UNDERSTANDING PENTECOST Jesus had promised the release of His POWER when the SPIRIT came . . . God appearing in FIRE at Burning Bush . . . Fire of God coming down on Mount Sinai Ezekiels vision: Lord coming in whirlwind with a throne and darting flames of fire. As they filled their minds with His Word, God prepared them for the THIRD LEVEL of PENTECOST When the day of Pentecost had fully come . . .
29. 29. UNDERSTANDING PENTECOST
30. 30. UNDERSTANDING PENTECOST THE APOSTLES UNDERSTOOD PENTECOST They know how to enter into the blessing of an OPEN HEAVEN They Celebrated Gods PROVISION Offered thank offerings with praise! He brings forth bread from the earth. They filled minds with His WORD Spent time studying and pondering TORAH Getting their minds to think the thoughts of God. They gained FAITH to receive promise. Power would be release through His SPIRIT
31. 31. UNDERSTANDING PENTECOST PENTECOST is about Three Things: ABUNDANT PROVISION SUPERNATURAL REVELATION POWER AND AUTHORITY on earth as it is in heaven ALL ARE RESULT OF AN OPEN HEAVEN
32. 32. UNDERSTANDING PENTECOST 3 STEPS to Experience Pentecost FIRST: Learn to celebrate His PROVISION Walk with a heart filled with praise Enter into the blessing of Firstfruits SECOND: Enter into His REVELATION Hunger and thirst for Spiritual bread. Let Him reveal His mind and heart. THIRD: Declare and receive His POWER and AUTHORITY in the the earth.
33. 33. UNDERSTANDING PENTECOST PREPARING for PENTECOST 1. FIRST KEY: PRAISE HIM A time to be filled with praise. Praise Him with your testimony, praise Him in singing Praise Him in Thank Offerings Praise Him by Faith . . . In Advance Praise opens Heaven for Gods blessing to rain down.
34. 34. UNDERSTANDING PENTECOST PRAISE OPENS THE HEAVENS PSALM 67:5-7 May the peoples praise You, O God, May all the peoples praise you . . . Then the land will yield its harvest, and God will bless us. God will bless us, and all the ends of the earth will fear Him. PRAISE PROVISION TESTIMONY
35. 35. UNDERSTANDING PENTECOST PREPARING for PENTECOST 2. SECOND KEY: Hunger Gods WORD Receive His Revelation Afresh Allow the thoughts of God to reprogram your thinking process Let God show you what Hes really like Some seek revival through legalism and condemnation . . . It can never come. God can never take you into the heavenly realms until you know His heart.
36. 36. UNDERSTANDING PENTECOST PREPARING for PENTECOST 3. THIRD KEY: Declare by faith the Power and Authority of God on Earth as it is in HEAVEN Walk in the Expectation that God is Opening the Heavens. Celebrate the release of Gods Power. Receive a fresh infilling of His power in your life. Psalm 103
37. 37. UNDERSTANDING PENTECOST Psalm 103:1-5 LEVEL ONE Praise Him for His Provision Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget none of His benefits: Who pardons all your iniquities, who heals all your diseases; who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with loving kindness and compassion; who satisfies your years with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle. EXHORTATION FOR PENTECOST
38. 38. UNDERSTANDING PENTECOST Psalm 103:6-18 LEVEL TWO Receive His Revelation The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in loving kindness . . . He has not dealt with us according to our sins nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. As high as heavens are above earth, so great is His loving kindness to those who fear Him. As father has compassion on his children, the LORD has compassion on those who fear Him.
39. 39. UNDERSTANDING PENTECOST Psalm 103:19-22 LEVEL THREE Declare His Power and Authority The LORD has established His throne in the heavens, and His sovereignty rules over all. Praise the LORD, you His angels, mighty in strength, who perform His word. Praise the LORD, all His works, in all places of His dominion. DECLARE THE POWER AND AUTHORITY OF HEAVEN IS RELEASED ON THE
40. 40. UNDERSTANDING PENTECOST ALLOW GOD TO OPEN THE HEAVENS ABOVE YOU! PENTECOST