THE THREE PENTECOSTS
Scriptures are cited from the King James (Authorized) Version, unless stated otherwise.
“And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons
and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see
visions: And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.”
Joel 2: 28, 29
THE BIBLE teaches that there are three Pentecosts – consisting of three classes, and covering
three different Ages – and that the first one typifies the other two.
First Pentecost – Jews in the Jewish Age
Pentecost was the second of the three annual festivals that the Jews were commanded to
celebrate, the first being the Passover, and the third the Feast of Tabernacles. The people would
travel to Jerusalem to celebrate each one of the three festivals. Pentecost, which signifies fiftieth,
is also referred to as the Feast of Weeks, the Feast of Harvest, the Feast of the Firstfruits and
Whitsuntide, and is described in Leviticus 23: 15-21.
The Day of Pentecost was a jubilee day, following a cycle of seven times seven days from the
time of gathering the sheaf of firstfruits on Nisan 16. It was celebrated by the Jews as a sabbath
rest from their labors, and a feast of joy and thanksgiving upon the completion of the harvest
season. The Lord was recognized as the source of the rain and fertility of the soil that made the
harvest possible, and the people would bring their firstfruits as offerings to the Lord. Two large
loaves, made of fine flour from the new wheat and baked with leaven, were waved before the
Lord by the anointed priests. But there were also meat and drink offerings, and a kid of the goats
for a sin-offering and two lambs for a peace-offering, which were waved (Leviticus 23: 18-20).
The feast was concluded by eating a communal meal, in which the poor, the stranger and the
Levites were all invited to partake.
Second Pentecost – Church in the Gospel Age
Let us now consider the first antitypical Pentecost. The Day of Pentecost in 33 A.D., following
our Lord’s death, resurrection and ascension, is the most notable day in the history of the
Church, for it marks the beginning of the Church.
During the three and a half years of our Lord’s earthly ministry the Apostles and the Seventy
were given power to perform miracles, but it was only a delegated power. They were still under
Adamic condemnation, and were not recognized by God as His sons. But after our Lord
ascended into heaven and appeared in the presence of God, He offered to Divine Justice the sin
offering of His perfect human nature, pictured by a bullock (Leviticus 16: 11-14), on behalf of
the Church (Hebrews 9: 24). Upon the Heavenly Father’s acceptance of His perfect sacrifice, He
proceeded to give His spirit of adoption to the Church on the Day of Pentecost, which
manifested His recognition of the members of the Church as His sons (John 14: 16, 17)
(Luke 24: 49).
Acts 2: 1-4 provides the account of the disciples receiving the holy spirit, and is the fulfillment
of Joel 2: 29. Note in v. 2 that there was not a mighty wind, but a sound resembling a mighty
wind. In v. 3 the Greek renders “cloven tongues like as of fire” as tongues of fire or blaze of
light. Apparently, a large flame split into smaller flames, and each one of the smaller flames
rested upon the head of one of the eleven Apostles. V. 4 indicates that every believer was
electrified as they were filled with the holy spirit, and the Apostles began speaking in foreign
tongues, so that everyone could receive their message in their own language. The joy and
excitement spread and attracted the curiosity of the people who gathered to hear the Gospel,
which resulted in three thousand being added to the Church that day (Acts 2: 41).
Second Pentecost Antitypes
We mentioned that Nisan 16 was the day that the first ripe sheaf of the firstfruits was offered to
the Lord. Our Lord’s resurrection occurred on Nisan 16, so how appropriate that He types the
first ripe Sheaf of the Firstfruits offered unto the Lord.
The two firstfruit loaves that were waved before the Lord type the two spirit begotten classes
that were developed during the Gospel Age – the Little Flock and the Great Company. Leaven
symbolizes sin, so the fact that the two loaves were made with leaven indicates that the flesh of
the members of these two classes was sinful. These are the same two classes spoken of in
Joel 2: 29 – the “servants” being the Little Flock and the “handmaids” the Great Company. The
joy and thanksgiving on the Day of Pentecost type the blessed privileges and experiences of
these two classes in the spirit begotten condition, and in the spirit born condition – the Little
Flock in the throne (Revelation 3: 21), and the Great Company before the throne
(Revelation 7: 15).
Third Pentecost – World in the Millennial Age
Let us now consider the second antitypical Pentecost (Joel 2: 28). At the end of the Time of
Trouble, our Lord will appear in the presence of God again, and offer to Divine Justice the sin
offering of His Church, pictured by the Lord’s goat (Leviticus 16: 15), on behalf of the world.
The Heavenly Father will accept the sacrifice, and proceed to pour out His spirit for all men,
which will manifest His acceptance of the sacrifice.
The world will be in the hands of the Christ class for their reformation and restoration to the
image and likeness of God that was lost by Father Adam’s transgression. Satan’s influence,
including deception, error, ignorance and superstition will be removed, and the world will
comeunder the influence of the spirit of truth, righteousness and love. Instead of outside
influences putting pressure upon men’s hearts, to fill them with anger, malice, hatred, strife and
selfishness, the spirit of righteousness, goodness, mercy and love will abound. The world will be
given: (1) enlightenment as to the Truth; (2) help, assistance and strength to overcome their
fallen flesh; and (3) instruction and guidance designed to lead them back to the image and
likeness of their Creator. Even though God’s spirit will be poured out for all flesh, each
individual will need to consecrate their lives to God and appropriate the Truth that will be
offered to them in order to gain eternal life. The Scriptures indicate that some will go into the
Second Death (Acts 3: 23).
The world will not receive the begetting of the spirit to the spirit nature. Instead, the holy spirit
will enable them to come into harmony with Christ eventuating in restitution to human
perfection; and the favor, blessings and progress up the Highway of Holiness will be in
proportion to the degree of their obedience. Furthermore, whereas the Church suffered
persecution and opposition, during Christ’s Kingdom no persecution will be permitted.
Ezekiel 11: 19 describes that day: “And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit
within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of
flesh.”
“Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy.” The “sons” refer to the quasi-elect Jews and
Gentiles and the “daughters” to the non-elect. Under the leadership of the Ancient and Youthful
Worthies these “sons” and “daughters” will preach the Truth and convert the world.
The “Old Men” and “Young Men”
“Your old men shall dream dreams.” These are the Ancient Worthies, God’s consecrated
representatives, servants and witnesses before Christ’s First Advent. God used some of them to
write the books of the Old Testament, and many of them acted as types of various persons and
classes. They will experience the “better resurrection,” by being raised from the dead as perfect
human beings, though they will still need to perfect their characters. These will form the
executive branch of God’s Kingdom, and act as the princes, judges and teachers of the world.
The “dreams” refer to the deeper features of the new Divine revelations that the Lord will give
them, which they in turn will reveal to the world. At the end of the Little Season following the
Millennial Age Kingdom, the Ancient Worthies will be rewarded with a spiritual nature below
the Divine nature.
“Your young men shall see visions.” These are the Youthful Worthies, God’s consecrated
servants, who have been developing since the High Calling of the Church ended in 1914. They
will also experience the “better resurrection,” and will act as the special assistants to the Ancient
Worthies during Christ’s Mediatorial Reign. The “visions” that the Lord will give them refer to
the simpler features of the new Divine revelations. The Youthful Worthies will also be rewarded
with a spiritual nature following the Little Season.
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