One thing that often escapes us in Acts’ account of the outpouring of the Holy Ghost is that a Sunday happened; Pentecost was a Sabbath day celebrated in a holy convocation on the first day of the week. ??????), often translated as Saturday, means rest In Leviticus 23. 15-22, we find the institution of the feast of weeks or Pentecost (see Deuteronomy 16:9-12). The Jews would have to count seven Saturdays (seventh day) after Easter, totaling 49 days, and count the next day, necessarily on a Sunday, to celebrate the Sabbath (rest) of Pentecost. In Acts 2, we find the church gathered on the day of Pentecost, 49 days after the Passover of Jesus Christ, then seven times seven times, plus one day, so seven weeks after Christ’s Resurrection!This does not seem to be random, but it indicates the perfection of Christ’s work. Redemption.
The church met on Sunday, seven weeks after the Resurrection, maintaining the tradition of the apparitions of the same risen Christ (Jn 20:1; 19; 26) and this Sunday, Jesus appears again to spread the Holy Spirit by fulfilling the prophecy of Joel 2:28-32. This prophecy heralds the great day of the Lord (hemeran kyru ?????????????), which is announced by the outpouring of the Holy Ghost on the Lord’s Day. (Kyriako heméra ?????????????), on Sunday Therefore, in this account we have Sunday, the day of the Lord, as the end of Christ’s work of redemption and power, and also the proclamation of the coming of Christ on the great day of the Lord, when he will come to judge the world and seek his wife for the eternal Sabbath (rest) he has prepared for the church.
- Thus we can worship the Lord on this holy day from which he has so wonderfully separated and rest.
- While he rests.
- To wait for that great day when we will rest in an eternal Shabbat.
- Prepared by him.
Maranatha!