What Christians Forget About Pentecost
Fifty days after Passover, something extraordinary happened that forever changed how we experience God. Listen as Rabbi Schneider uncovers the Jewish roots of Pentecost (Shavuot) and why the gift of the Holy Spirit is central to our faith.
Rabbi K.A. Schneider: Did you know that the name Pentecost is the Greek word for 50? The reason that we call it Pentecost is because it took place 50 days after Passover. In Hebrew we call it Shavuot because it was seven weeks and a day, so Shavuot is the Feast of Weeks. That is what we call this in Judaism, but it is the same day.
Consider this for a second: in Acts chapter 2, it says the disciples were all gathered together in the upper room for Pentecost. When they were in the upper room to celebrate Pentecost in Acts 2, the Spirit had not yet been given. They were not in that upper room to celebrate the giving of the Spirit as we do as Christians; they were in that upper room because they were celebrating the Feast of Weeks. It was connected to an agricultural harvest, and eventually it became associated with the day that the Lord gave Israel the Ten Commandments at Mount Sinai.
The Jewish people in the upper room were not expecting the Spirit to fall. They were just doing what they had been doing for 1,500 years. The Jewish people had been celebrating what we call Pentecost for 1,500 years before the gift of the Spirit fell on them in the upper room. Oftentimes as Christians, we talk about Christmas and we talk about Easter, but many Christians do not really think about Pentecost. It is not on their radar screen or something they are even aware of.
Pentecost is a huge, marked, important day because if we did not have the gift of God’s Spirit, which was given to us on Shavuot, we would not be able to know the Lord. We only know the Lord through the Spirit. As we celebrate the gift of the Spirit that took place originally at Pentecost, this is the foundation of our walk with God. The blood was shed for our sin, and the Spirit of Elohim, the Spirit of God, was then given to us so we could know Him and be empowered. Jesus said that the Spirit would take of Him and reveal it unto us. In other words, Jesus reveals Himself to us by the Spirit.
Consider this because we do not oftentimes gain as much as we could from the Spirit because we are not conscious of this fact: the Father is in heaven right now, and Jesus is in heaven right now, but the Holy Spirit is on earth. Before He was crucified and ascended to heaven, Jesus said to His disciples, "I will not leave you as orphans." Even though He was going to ascend to heaven, they were not going to be alone because Jesus was going to send the gift of His Spirit.
The presence of Jesus is with us right now through the Spirit. This is why we are baptized into the Father, the Son, and the Spirit. They are all God, but they are different dimensions of the Godhead. This is an important season, the season of Shavuot. It is a season to become self-aware and to say, "Holy Spirit, help me to realize that you are here right now."
I want you to put your hand over your heart with me for a second. If you trust me, I am just going to lead you in something. Put your hand over your heart and confess this out loud: "God is here." Let's say it together: "God is here." When I do that, I feel it. I feel the power of the reality that the presence, the weight of God, is here right now through the Ruach HaKodesh, through the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit is the gift that we receive when we become disciples of Jesus. I want to encourage you today to take some time to pray. Take some time to say, "Holy Spirit, forgive me for not being more aware of you. I want to be more aware of you. Cleanse me by the blood of Jesus and by the living Word of God. Awaken me to become more aware of your presence in my life right here, right now." God is not far away from us, but if we only worship Him as the God that is in heaven, we are not going to feel the power, the comfort, and the impact of His presence with us now.
He is here through the Holy Spirit. I speak a special blessing over your life right now. May Yahweh bless you and keep you. May Yahweh make His face shine on you and be gracious to you. May Yahweh lift you up with His countenance and may Yahweh give you His peace. If God has touched you through this ministry, would you present a special offering to Him through Discovering The Jewish Jesus on this day? Everything we do costs money, and I cannot do what we are doing without the financial support of God’s people. God bless you and shalom.
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Discover What Christian's Have Never Been Taught! The Bible’s seven appointed feasts points directly to Jesus Christ, His first coming, and His promised return, offering powerful insight into God’s redemptive plan. Download this free guide from Rabbi Schneider and discover prophetic connections throughout Scripture that can deepen your faith and transform the way you see the Bible as one unified story.
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Featured Offer
Discover What Christian's Have Never Been Taught! The Bible’s seven appointed feasts points directly to Jesus Christ, His first coming, and His promised return, offering powerful insight into God’s redemptive plan. Download this free guide from Rabbi Schneider and discover prophetic connections throughout Scripture that can deepen your faith and transform the way you see the Bible as one unified story.
About Discovering The Jewish Jesus
Discovering The Jewish Jesus with Rabbi Schneider imparts revelation of Jesus' Jewish heritage and His fulfillment of messianic prophecy. Questions of how the Old and New Testaments tie together, and how Yeshua completes the unfolding plan of God, are answered with exceptional clarity. Through understanding the Old Testament and its prophetic nature (with Yeshua as its fulfillment) your faith is strengthened, increased relationship and intimacy with the LORD is discovered, and an end-times vision of life is crystallized. This is an end-times ministry, strengthening the church and calling her to be a readied bride for the return of the Bridegroom, Yeshua Ha-Mashiach (Jesus The Messiah).
About Rabbi K.A. Schneider
Messianic Rabbi K.A. Schneider, a Jewish believer in Jesus and end-times messenger of the LORD, delivers the Word of the LORD with true passion of the Holy Spirit. At the age of 20 years old, the LORD appeared to him, supernaturally, as Jesus, the Messiah. He has since pastored, traveled as an evangelist, and more recently, served as rabbi of a messianic synagogue.
Rabbi K.A. Schneider imparts revelation of Jesus’ Jewish heritage and His fulfillment of messianic prophecy. Questions of how the Old and New Testaments tie together, and how Yeshua completes the unfolding plan of The Almighty Yahweh, are answered with exceptional clarity.
Central to the LORD’s plan is Israel and the Jewish people. Romans 11:11 explains that the Gentile believer has been chosen by God to bring the witness of the LORD to the Jewish people. As this message of Yeshua is brought back to, and received by, the Jewish people, they will say, “Baruch Haba B’Shem Adonai” – “Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the LORD!” and in so doing, usher in Yeshua’s return (Matthew 23:39).
Through understanding the Old Testament and its prophetic nature, with Yeshua as its fulfillment, the viewer’s faith is strengthened, increased relationship and intimacy with the LORD is discovered, and an end-times vision of life is crystallized. “Discovering The Jewish Jesus” is an end-times ministry, strengthening the church and calling her to be a readied bride for the return of the Bridegroom, Yeshua Ha Mashiach (Jesus The Messiah).
Contact Discovering The Jewish Jesus with Rabbi K.A. Schneider
Discovering The Jewish Jesus
P.O. Box 777
Blissfield, MI 49228
1-800-777-7835