The Feast of Weeks (Acts 2)

The Feast of Weeks, otherwise known as Pentacost, was required under Exodus 34:22 and Leviticus 23:15-22.  Pentacost occurs 50 days after the Sabbath during the Feast of Unleavened Bread and Passover.

Thus, Pentacost of Acts 2 occurred exactly seven weeks after Resurrection Sunday and probably a little over a week since Jesus ascended to heaven.

The entire congregation of about 120 members is gathered together "in one place".  So, wherever they normally gathered, this is probably where it happened.  This was probably not the temple in Jerusalem.

Suddenly, a sound of a mighty came rushing and what looked like fire appeared among the believers.  They began to speak in foreign languages which were understood by foreign visitors.

The speaking of foreign languages is a unifying aspect of the power of God and the Holy Spirit.  In fact, it reverses the confusion and disunity that occurred at the Tower of Babel.

This also parallels we the text in Leviticus 23 where Pentacost observance was detailed.  In between discussing Pentacost (the Spring harvest) and the Feast of Trumpets (the Fall harvest), God gives general details about how to harvest.   In 23:22, God says that they are not to harvest their fields to the edges, but leave the edges for the poor and foreigners.  

At leas with this textual proximity in the Leviticus, God associates his heart for foreigners with the  Day of Pentacost.  This is redeemed and fulfilled in the New Testament as God bridges he linguistic gap among people through the Holy Spirit.   

This equips the church to take to the Gospel to the ends of the earth, to all foreigners, everywhere.

Back to the story, Simon Peter stands up among the crowd what has happened.  He cites a prophecy of Joel 2:28-32 discussing the "last days" and interprets it to mean a time when the Spirit of God is given to all people, young and old, male and female, that they may see visions and dream dreams.  They will experience wondrous things, perhaps even disturbing and unexplainable, like the sun turning to darkness, fire, and blood.  But the Spirit of God must be released on people before the day of the Lord.

Peter then ties this to the ministry of Christ and salvation of all mankind.  He gives a long speech explaining that Christ was the Messiah.

After this testimony alongside the manifestations of the Holy Spirit, about 3,000 people become believers.  So, the church grew from about 120 to about 3,120 in a single day.

Based on this, what can we say about the Holy Sprit?  

Its presence can be analogized to fire or the sound of wind.  It can supernaturally give people the ability to speak other languages.  Based on Peter's interpretation of Joel 2 within the chapter, the Holy Spirit can produce dreams and visions.

Also, the "Last Days" perhaps started at Pentacost.  Other possibilities based on this text could be the Resurrection or Ascension of Christ.

The chapter ends with a discussion about the early church.  They met every day for prayer and Scripture and pooled their financial resources together to meet the needs of the group.