The Jubilee, based on the number fifty, is about returning land and people to its original owner and their home. The Jubilee is about redemption. Pentecost, fifty days after the Resurrection of the Lord Jesus, is about the same principle. The Day of Pentecost is generally considered to be the “birthday” of the Church. On this day the Disciples and thousands of Jews received the promised gift of the Holy Spirit.
There is a wonderful pattern in the Word of God that shows us the significance of Pentecost. It is found in the Gospel of John. This book is perhaps the most metaphysical book of the Bible. The first three verses of the Gospel of John display this.
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.” – John 1:1-3Jesus, the Word, was with God and was God. We know that Jesus was also a man. This is metaphysical.
The pattern in the Gospel of John involves the three Feast Days, or appointed times, that the Lord required all Israelite men to come to the Temple in Jerusalem (Exodus 23:14). The three feasts where attendance was mandatory are outlined in the early chapters of the Gospel of John and they provide us with an overview of the wonderful Age of Grace in which we now live.
The first of these required feasts was the Feast of Unleavened Bread (Exodus 23:15), more frequently known as Passover Week. Jesus fulfilled that commandment.
“And the Jews' Passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.” – John 2:13When He left Jerusalem to return to Galilee, Jesus went through Samaria where He had an interesting conversation with the “woman at the well” in Sychar, or Shechem. The news of Salvation that Jesus presented to them caused the Samaritans to ask Jesus to stay for a few days.
“So when the Samaritans were come unto him, they besought him that he would tarry with them: and he abode there two days. And many more believed because of his own word.” – John 4:40-41 (obviously my emphasis)Here, we have Jesus staying with Gentiles for two days, a picture of two “millennial” days or two-thousand years. Recall, both Moses and Peter declared that a day with the Lord was like one-thousand years (Psalm 90:4, II Peter 3:8). Although Israel is the Lord’s chosen people, the Lord Jesus has dwelt with the Gentile church for two-thousand years.
After staying with Gentiles for “two days,” Jesus returned home. … Think about that picture. …
Then we are told that He went back to Jerusalem for an unnamed feast. The next feast of required attendance was Pentecost (Exodus 23:16). In obedience to the Law Jesus went to Jerusalem to celebrate Pentecost.
“After this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.” – John 5:1To complete this pattern, the third and last feast where attendance was required, the Feast of Tabernacles (Exodus 23:16), is found in the Gospel of John, chapter seven. Seven is the number of completion. Eight is the number of New Beginnings. The celebratory Feast of Tabernacles, which lasts for eight days, is a foreshadow of the New Beginning of the Millennial Kingdom.
“Now the Jews' feast of tabernacles was at hand.” – John 7:2How blest we are, and how I look forward to the Lord’s Millennial Kingdom. Praise His name!