Pentecost: The Changing of the Guard?

 

 I was up praying on the hill behind my house, just chatting with the Lord, and my thoughts drifted to Pentecost. I really wasn't thinking about Pentecost or any of the Jewish Feast Days at all, so I thought that was strange. As I pondered the Holiday, thoughts began to fill my mind. (I assume from the Lord). Pentecost is actually a very important feast date for a number of reasons, but let me share the thoughts I was having. 

 I believe God deals with mankind differently in different time periods.  Actually, the Scripture is proof of that.  

 

Before Moses and the Law, God dealt with various people one-on-one. He appeared to them as the pre-incarnate Son of God, to Job, to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, etc. He chose a certain race of people through which He would deal with the world. Though there was no law yet, those people who had faith in God and lived according to the moral rules He placed on their hearts, were counted righteous. 

 

Moses and the Law:  When Moses led God's people out of Egypt, took them to Sinai and received the 10 Commandments, a new "Era" began. Now the people had a list of rules to live by, Feast days or appointments to keep with God, and sacrifices to be made for their sins. This was entirely different from the time before the Law .

 

After Jesus's death and Resurrection:  There's no denying that once again the way God deals with mankind changed drastically after Jesus's resurrection. Now, we are in the age of Grace, which is a time when anyone can approach God through faith in Jesus. Whosoever comes to Jesus and repents can receive forgiveness of sins and be born again into the Kingdom of God for all eternity. No animal sacrifices necessary, no rituals, no feast days to observe. We can't work our way to heaven, though we must now walk according to the Spirit within us.  

After the Rapture: After the Church is removed from the Earth, the Bible describes a completely different Era in which God deals with mankind differently. No longer can someone just be saved by "faith in the Lord Jesus Christ" but they must be overcomers. How?

And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death. Revelation 12:11

In other words, they must keep their Testimony of Faith in Jesus and be willing to die. 

What is fascinating to me is that the switching from one Era or "dispensation" to another thus far has happened on Pentecost. 

Moses received the Law and the 10 Commandments on Pentecost

The Church was born by the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost

So, Could the next changing of the guard (which is the rapture) happen on Pentecost?  Well, I don't know!  But it's something that popped into my wee brain when I wasn't even thinking about it. Food for thought! 

Another thing that's very interesting is that most scholars believe that Enoch was translated or raptured on Pentecost. Perhaps that set the stage and made the way for Noah and the Flood, yet another changing of the guard in the way God dealt with mankind. 

If you're interested in seeing a ton of more reasons to hope for the Rapture on Pentecost, please go to an article I wrote back in 2020

Rapture on Pentecost?

This year, Pentecost occurs on Thursday, May 25 - Sat, May 27

I am not setting a date, just pondering a possibility. I hope it encourages you. Regardless, we know we are leaving soon, so keep about your Father's business and keep Looking up!