This is a very basic Bible question that every Christian should be able to answer straightway…but unfortunately, most professing Christians do not know the answer, because vital and fundamental things like this are not taught in the churches today; and most people get their beliefs from going to church rather than seeking God in his word.
It is written in the book of the prophet Jeremiah:
“Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:
Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD:
But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.”
Jeremiah 31:31-33
Paul, the apostle of Christ, quoted from this passage in the letter to the Corinthians:
“And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.”
2 Corinthians 6:16
When did this come to pass?
It came to pass when the day of Pentecost had fully come:
“And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.”
And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.”
Acts 2:1-4
Jesus straitly told his disciples after his resurrection:
“And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.”
Luke 24:49
What exactly is the promise of the Father?
We find it in the book of the prophet Isaiah:
“Yet now hear, O Jacob my servant; and Israel, whom I have chosen:
Thus saith the Lord that made thee, and formed thee from the womb, which will help thee; Fear not, O Jacob, my servant; and thou, Jesurun, whom I have chosen.
For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring:
And they shall spring up as among the grass, as willows by the water courses.”
Thus saith the Lord that made thee, and formed thee from the womb, which will help thee; Fear not, O Jacob, my servant; and thou, Jesurun, whom I have chosen.
For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring:
And they shall spring up as among the grass, as willows by the water courses.”
Isaiah 44:1-4
We can also see it in some other places in the old testament scripture:
“And Moses said unto him, Enviest thou for my sake? would God that all the LORD’s people were prophets, and that the LORD would put his spirit upon them!”
Numbers 11:29
“For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people.
To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear.”
To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear.”
Isaiah 28:11,12
“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
And so, as it was written in the law:
“And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven sabbaths shall be complete:
Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the LORD.
Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals; they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baken with leaven; they are the firstfruits unto the LORD.”
Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the LORD.
Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals; they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baken with leaven; they are the firstfruits unto the LORD.”
Leviticus 23:15-17
It was also fulfilled that our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the firstfruits:
“But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.
For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.
For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.”
For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.
For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.”
1 Corinthians 15:20-23
…was risen from the dead on the morrow after the sabbath:
“In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre.
And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it.
His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow:
And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men.
And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified.
He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.”
And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it.
His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow:
And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men.
And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified.
He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.”
Matthew 28:1-6
…and then, counting seven sabbaths (7 weeks = 49 days) + 1 day after that day, “Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days”, was the fiftieth day, called the day of Pentecost; and it was on that day that the NEW MEAT OFFERING of TWO WAVE LOAVES was offered unto the LORD:
“Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals; they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baken with leaven; they are the firstfruits unto the LORD.”
Leviticus 23:17
This NEW MEAT OFFERING was of TWO WAVE LOAVES (instead of one), signifying the breaking down of the middle wall of partition between Jew and Gentile (Ephesians 2:14) so that both may be reconciled to God in one body by the cross; and they were to be baken with leaven (a type or shadow of sin); to signify the fact that there are many tares among the wheat, until the time of harvest (Matthew 13:24-30).
Leviticus 23:15-17 is concerning the feast of weeks; and it is a holy convocation (which means a prophetic showing forth of something that is yet to come) concerning the establishment by God of the new testament church; which was originally for the house of Israel and the house of Judah (Jeremiah 31:31-33), but also includes the gentiles, until the times of the gentiles be fulfilled (Romans 9-11).
And this came to pass on the day of Pentecost, 50 days after the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.
On that day, Jesus was glorified (John 7:38,39, Acts 3:13) and the Holy Ghost was poured out; and thus was fulfilled the word of God by Jeremiah the prophet:
“After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.“
Jeremiah 31:33
So, we can see from the word of God that the new testament did not begin when our Lord Jesus Christ was born, nor when he was crucified for the sins of the world, nor on the day that he rose from the dead. All those things were done so that the new testament could begin on the day that God Almighty had ordained and proclaimed from the beginning – on the day of Pentecost.
Thus it is written in the law and the prophets, and thus it is recorded for us by Luke in the book of the Acts of the Apostles, chapter 2.
And, from that day forward, the new testament gospel was preached by all the apostles:
“Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made the same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.
Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?
Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.
And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation.”
Acts 2:36-40
Amen.
