6 8 03 Pentecost

8:30a

Leviticus 23:15-22

Today is Pentecost (New Testament), also called the Feast of Weeks or the Feast of Harvest* (Old Testament).

*Ex 23:16

One of the things I find interesting is that in Leviticus 23:22, we are instructed to leave the edges of our fields for the poor� that we�re not to harvest every last ounce of our field grain. Translated into modern application, I would think this indicates that we are to support the poor in a way� we are to provide jobs for the poor.

My thought is this: God�s welfare system was different than our current system. In God�s system, the poor worked for their support. Instead of simply giving the poor money, as we do now, there were opportunities for them to gather their own food, by the effort of their own hand. They didn�t have to own the field, but they had to do the work of harvesting for themselves. The story of Ruth talks about this, when Ruth went to glean in Boaz�s field.

In the Old Testament, before Jesus walked the earth as a human male, the Feast of Weeks/Harvest was a celebration of the bounty God gave to us. It was the celebration of the first fruits, the first big harvest of the season. However, it is more impressive in the New Testament, as throughout the forty days following His resurrection, Jesus stayed with his disciples. Jesus talked to them, with them and with others. He did this so there could be no doubt that He was, indeed, raised from the dead.

In Acts 1, Jesus informed His disciples that shortly they would receive the gift promised them by the Father. Vs 5 �For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holly Spirit.�

==As a side note, and something I want to study more intently, Throughout the time Jesus� disciples were performing miracles, casting out demons, and healing people, they were doing so without the Holy Spirit living within them. The disciples did these things in the name of Jesus the Christ. The disciples didn�t receive the Holy Spirit until after Christ�s death, resurrection and ascension to heaven once more; on Pentecost.

The part I want to study is this� I am forming the theory that perhaps we as human beings have authority over satan and his demons; previous to receiving the Holy Spirit indwelling. I think that we were designed to be in power over the spirits of this world strictly because we�re human and not spirit. This is a theory, not a belief; yet. There�s more to it than just this, but for the time being, this is enough to spur my memory for future study. I really want to dive into this. Regardless, back to the Feast of Pentecost.==

Acts 2:1-13 discusses the bestowing of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost.

The disciples were gathered together in one place and as they were there, a mighty sound, like a fierce wind, came from heaven and filled the building they were in. Then, what appeared to be tongues of flame settled upon each disciple. As these tongues of flame settled over each disciple, they were filled with the Holy Spirit and each of them began speaking in other tongues.

Now, as per the whole speaking in tongues thing, Bioux and I have had this thing about tongues and whether or not it was a separate language, or just the ability to speak/hear/understand in one�s own language. Though I believe that the gift of tongues is easily understood here as speaking in �known� languages other than one�s own and/or the ability to understand another language in one�s own, I think that one of the things Bioux may not have taken into consideration is that some of the people who speak in tongues�

Erg, clarify the thought� I agree that speaking in tongues is about language and not some mythical or made-up oddity (some people believe that �speaking in tongues� is speaking the angels� language). I am of the opinion that though God may well have His own language � and some who have been blessed with that particular gift of the Spirit may well speak and/or understand/interpret God�s specific language � speaking in/interpreting �tongues� is, indeed, simply speaking or interpreting a language other than your own. I am not saying that the angels do not have a language of their own, but I have no way to prove whether or not they do.

My thought is this, perhaps some of those people who speak in tongues, speak in a language our modern society no longer uses. There are many �dead� languages. At least on this side of the world this is the case. I haven�t heard too many people speaking Hebrew here in Long Beach. I don�t hear people speaking Aramaic either. I know also that even the English language has gone through quite a few changes.

I�ve heard many different people speak in tongues. Some of those have sounded like complete gibberish, as if they were creating words in a drunken stupor. However, I�ve heard my Mother speak in tongues and when she does so, it sounds almost Slavic; like a mix between old German and Hungarian. I�ve heard a friend of the family speak in tongues and when he does so it sounds like he�s speaking some Middle Eastern language with an aboriginal dialect. (Yes, I know that sounds weird, but it�s true� there are a lot of clicks and glottal stops when he speaks in tongues)

I have a theory that when one speaks in tongues, the tongue they speak is not so much a foreign language, but a native language. I think this because Mom�s maternal ancestry is German/Polish with a little Irish thrown in. My Great Grandmother was from �Germany near the Russian boarder� (we consider this to be Polish, but the boarder line has changed many times since Great Grandma was a little girl).

Erm, anyway�Pentecost was the day that the disciples received the Holy Spirit indwelling. As we go to a church service (attended by the above mentioned friend of the family), I am hoping to see some real and awesome stuff today. I want to see God celebrating this awesome feast. We are part of the first fruits. We are meeting on His commanded High Sabbath, the day He bestowed His comforter upon the first fruits.

I expect grand miracles today.