Pentecost is the Greek name for the Jewish ‘Festival of Weeks’, which celebrates the provision of God for His people by giving the first-fruits of the harvest back to Him (Exodus 34:22, Deuteronomy 16:9-12). It takes place seven weeks after Passover (so the fiftieth day - pentekostos means fifty). The New Testament marks this as the occasion of the coming of the Holy Spirit to the twelve disciples in Acts 2. On that day, the promised Holy Spirit filled their hearts and they were able to proclaim the good news about Jesus to the crowds in Jerusalem. They spoke in languages (tongues) they did not know, so everyone was able to understand it in their own different language. In response, 3000 people believed and were baptised (Acts 2:41) fulfilling what Jesus promised in Acts 1:5. And Peter declared it to be the fulfilment of God’s promise through the prophet Joel (Joel 2:28-32), to pour out His Spirit in the last days (that is, the time between Jesus’ ascension and His return).
