When

“When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place.” It is very important to understand when the descent of the Holy Spirit occurred. (1) “Pentecost” is the name of the feast in Greek. It is “Shavuot” in Hebrew. It is a feast that occurs on the 50th day after the Feast of First Fruits. “Shavuot” translates to “Feast of Weeks,” and “Pentecost” means “fifty.” (2) Jesus was resurrected on the day of the Feast of First Fruits. After that, He appeared intermittently to the disciples over a period of 40 days, ending with His ascension. 10 days after the ascension, comes the Feast of Pentecost. Both the Feast of First Fruits and the Feast of Pentecost fall on a Sunday. (3) The Feast of Pentecost is one of the three pilgrimage festivals. Jewish adult males were commanded to worship the Lord at the Temple in Jerusalem during these festivals. The following three are the pilgrimage festivals: (a) The Feast of Passover, which commemorates the exodus from Egypt. It also prophesies the death of the Messiah. (b) The Feast of Pentecost, which commemorates the giving of the Mosaic Law at Mount Sinai. It also prophesies the descent of the Holy Spirit. (c) The Feast of Tabernacles, which commemorates the wandering in the wilderness. It also prophesies the Messianic Kingdom (Millennial Kingdom). Let’s focus on the word “had come.” (1) Comparison of few translations: “When the day of Pentecost had come” (NASB2020); “And when the day of Pentecost was now come” (ASV); “When the day of Pentecost had fully come” (NKJV); “And when the day of Shavuos is fulfilled” (Orthodox Jewish Bible). (2) The Greek verb is “sumplero,” meaning “fulfilled” or “has fully come.” Therefore, the translation “And when the day of Shavous is fulfilled,” is most accurate to the original text. By using this verb, Luke is declaring right at the beginning that the prophetic meaning of this feast was fulfilled that year. (3) In Exodus chapters 19-20, the Sinaitic Covenant was made, and the Law written on stone tablets was given, which is referred to as the Law of Moses (Mosaic Law). In Acts chapter 2, the Holy Spirit descended, and the law written on hearts was given, known as the Law of Christ. There is a contrast between the events at Mount Sinai and those at Mount Moriah (Jerusalem). Thus, the events recorded in Acts chapter 2 can be seen as a continuation of what happened at Mount Sinai, where God descended among the people. After the descent of the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit began to dwell within the hearts of believers. God is with us. Let’s remember this truth each day.