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New Testament Observance This festival is mentioned a number of times in the New Testament. Rabbi Saul of Tarsus planned his travels in correlation with Shavuot (I Corinthians 16:8). The most famous record of this holy day appears in the book of Acts: The festival of Shavuot arrived, and the believers all gathered together in one place. Suddenly there came a sound from the sky like the roar of a violent wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then they saw what looked like tongues of fire, which separated and came to rest on each one of them. They were all filled with the Ruach HaKodesh and began to talk in different languages, as the Spirit enabled them to speak. Now there were staying in Yerushalayim religious Jews from every nation under heaven. Amazed and confused, they all went on asking each other, “What can this mean?” (Acts 2:1–5, 12). This account is interesting considering the background of Pentecost. To the traditional Jewish community it has always been a day of thanking God for the early harvest, trusting in a latter harvest. What was understood in the physical realm of the Torah was made manifest in the spiritual realm of New Covenant times. This has become the most famous first fruits. The early fruits have come in; the implicit promise of the latter harvest will also come. The materials here were taken directly from God's Appointed Times with the publisher's permission.
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