I could not help but notice a new con article on the Irons-Pentecost page concerning how to count to Pentecost. Actually it is really not an article but a collection of personal opinions, unsubstantiated I might add. The article concludes that people not counting Pentecost like the majority does today and ending up on Sunday are just misguided and teaching and practicing error.

The article actually is typical of one that someone who has not examined all of the issues would write. There seems to be an underlying curiosity on the subject of how to count to Pentecost but no real study into the matter on the part of this author. Oddly, the only references to the subject cover the two problems involved in counting to Pentecost but the author seems to not recognize what those problems are.

I list the article in question below as a reference in this brief study.

Anyway, I've also spent time meditating on the explanation that Mordakhai

Joseph sent me concerning why he observes Shiva 6 as the day of Pentecost.

I've read the instructions in Leviticus 23:15 & 16 several times. Finally

it hit me what the key passages were: 7 complete weeks or Sabbaths and the

day after the 7th Sabbath. He claims that the first day of unleavened bread

is the Sabbath the bible talks about and the wave sheaf is cut the day

following that day. But if he considers that to be the Sabbath, then the

2nd Sabbath would be less than one full week from that Sabbath, especially

if the first day of unleavened bread happens to fall in the middle of the

week, or even if it falls on a Friday. Also, if the first day is a Sabbath

then the last day must also be a Sabbath. In that case, there are four

Sabbaths within a two week period. So God could not possibly have

considered the first and last days as Sabbaths as He considers the weekly

Sabbath, but rather calls them days of rest but allows the preparation of

meals on those days. That is not allowed on the weekly Sabbath or on the

Day of Atonement. Then, finally, the count extends until the day after the

7th weekly Sabbath, or the 1st day of the week, not a day or two or three

later depending on which day Shiva 6 falls on. Well, I hope he'll have read

my e-mail with an open mind. I previously pointed out an error that he had

made to him and he corrected it, so hopefully, he'll do the same now.

By the way, did you know there is a connection between the counting of the

50 days to Pentecost and the 50 years to the Year of Jubilee? Both counts

start the day after the Sabbath, one after the weekly Sabbath, the other

after the 7th annual Sabbath. Both require the count of 7 Sabbaths, weekly

and annual Sabbaths. The day after the 7th weekly Sabbath is the day of

Pentecost. The year following the 7th annual Sabbath or the 49th year, is

the 50th year or the year of Jubilee. Pentecost symbolizes to us the day

when God's Holy Spirit came upon the Apostles and the 120 that were with

them. At that point they were all freed from slavery to sin and to Satan

and free to be obedient to God's laws rather than being enslaved to Satan's

laws. So also with us, when we receive God's Holy Spirit, we are no longer

under slavery to sin but have now become slaves to God's laws. So also in

the year of Jubilee when the Israelite bond servants were set free and they

were restored to their heritage, they were no longer slaves or servants to

someone else, but now have become servants again to their inheritance. Man,

also, lost his inheritance with God when Adam and Eve partook of the tree of

knowledge of good and evil. That inheritance was restored with the receipt

of the Holy Spirit. That's why God admonishes us that we must now walk in

newness of life, being obedient to God and obeying His commandments,

statutes, and precepts.

When that thought came to me, I was convinced that our observance of the day

of Pentecost was correct and anyone that teaches or practices differently,

was teaching and practicing error.

__________________________

The author begins his critical examination of the issues by referencing one Mordakhai Joseph. He does an absolutely marvelous job of dispatching the argument for Sivan 6 as a Pentecost date. The author needs to study some of the great articles on the Irons Pages addressing how to count and where from. He is absolutely correct and has a unique approach to presenting the error by Mr. Joseph. I do assume this Mordakhai Joseph is the one of fame during the change in Pentecost in 1974 when GTA and Raymond McNair pushed the change through. He obviously does not realize, or for that matter has not looked into the issues of Dr. Menahem Naor being misquoted to justify the change. He has never read and checked up on the issue on Page 74 of the infamous Pentecost study papers where Charles M. Dorothy recommends that the church stay away from the Karaite version of where to count Pentecost from on years like 2001 until a lot more study has been done. He is not aware that these recommendations were ignored. The decision to change was a done deal and the committee really had no input.

The author of this article has not read the very fine papers of John Ritenbaugh explaining why this version of counting from "within" that GTA and Raymond McNair pushed was in gross error. He has not read John Ritenbaugh’s very fine article on the wave sheaf. He has not read Richard Nickel’s fine article of this year "What do You Mean You?" Rich’s article explains the problem a lot of us have recognized of unmerited use of scripture to claim authority for scheduling the holy days that is used by the ministry. These references are by no means comprehensive but only a spattering of the very fine articles explaining the problems of how to count the 50 days and whether to count form within or without.

I will close this part of my observations by stating that I believe the author of the article would disagree with GTA and Raymond McNair as well as Mordakhai Joseph. He of course would be absolutely correct in my opinion and I applaud his observations even though they are not substantiated by a much content. The Weekly Sabbath during the Days of Unleavened Bread is indeed the anchor, not Sunday.

I now come to the place in his study where we part ways. Again, no real proof is given, just some general observations. His analysis typifies the approach of not properly reconciling a Hebrew idea and its translation to English (old or modern). There are some very fine articles on the web (Bethel Church of God, Church of God the Eternal, Richard C. Nickels to name a few sites) where the problems are explained.

I will simply say that I did not know there was a connection between counting 50 days to Pentecost and 50 years to the next Jubilee. I think that if the author seriously examined the Hebrew he would find different instructions. I believe he will find that the idea is to count 49 years, then keep the Jubilee. With the Feast of Weeks, you are to count 50 days, then keep the holy day. The issue is from where do you start the count.

It is a biblical fact that Leviticus 23:15–16 is the only text in the Bible that uses mimaharat in tandem, that is, at the beginning of the count and the end of the count. Sunday advocates may say that it is a specious argument to say that those who keep a Sunday Pentecost count only forty-nine days, but this is exactly what the Jews themselves admit they do in their count to Sivan 6.

The tandem use of this mimaharat (a prepositional phrase) is singular with the instructions for the Jubilee and do not contain this phrase in tandem. Seldom do you find that a literal biblical translation is in error in presenting the Hebrew idea. False ministers play upon this idea but professional translators do know what they are doing. Such was the case in 1974 when misguided scholars foisted the Pentecost change upon a sleeping church.

I would also mention to this author that the Jews have lost the Jubilee Year. Yes, the Pharisees, the rabbis, the ones who designed the Hillel calendar have lost the Jubilee Year. They do not keep it. Jesus had a lot to say about the Pharisees and when they tell you to count 49 instead of 50 or keep part of the fall holy days and Feast of Tabernacles in the summer as most groups did this year, one must be careful. To assume that they know the right way is a dangerous assumption. GTA and Raymond McNair spearheaded a move the make the church more Jewish in the early 70s and the results have been catastrophic.

There is a lot of accurate information out there on how to correctly count to the Feast of Weeks and I hope the author of the article in question seeks it. I once believed similar things but had only blindly accepted what someone else told me without proving it. I now know it is most important to examine everything. We are after all, supposed to be growing in knowledge.

Next I would like to point out to this author that he needs to be careful in drawing an analogy to when the Jubilee was supposed to start and Weekly Sabbaths. I believe the Day of Atonement is the Anchor for the Jubilee. When does his years begin and end, in the First Month or the 10^th Day of the Seventh Month, and why?

I do not believe the author is aware of exactly what Greek work is translated Pentecost in Acts 2. Otherwise he would understand that the Greek idea is Five Counts of Ten. I would recommend Richard Nickel’s article on this as well as the study paper presented by the Bethel Church of God.

Pentecost is actually a slang term with an underlying, specific Greek word. It is careless to make certain assumptions about what this word may actually mean. I know that ministers have deceptively withheld this information from the laity, that is why there is so much confusion.

The author also shows a misunderstanding concerning the Holy Spirit and The Feast of Weeks. The Feast of Weeks in the year of Christ’s Ascension marked the time when the work of the New Testament Church began, not when the Holy Spirit came to the church the first time. Note John 20:21-23. Note Acts 1:8 and focus on the concept "you shall receive power." On the Feast of Weeks that year, power indeed did come to the apostles and disciples and substantiated them with mighty miracles. Note that on this holy day, when the spirit rested in flames upon their heads, they were filled to the full with the Holy Spirit. There is a difference between having, possessing the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and being filled to the full with the Holy Spirit. We are not always filled to the full with the Holy Spirit, but probably are close to being filled on most Holy Days. That is why it is important to keep the right days and constantly strive for and grow in knowledge.

I will close urging the author of this article to continue his quest for understanding. Only God can open ones mind to truth. I would also urge him to consider that many things have changed doctrinally in the last 40 years. Most of us who have studied the subject understand that the apostasy did not start in 1989, it really began in 1969. In many ways this is a totally different church than we see in 1967. When Mrs. Armstrong died the church fell into apostasy very quickly. To argue as some do that the system has worked for the last 30 years is a gross error. Actually very little is going right. God continues to scatter the flock. He is scattering them for their own protection. The church (Spiritual Israel) has been wandering in a spiritual wilderness since sometime starting in the 1969-1974 period and undoubtedly will continue to do so until the older ministers and members who permitted the apostasy are gone, just like when the physical nation of Israel had to wander in the spiritual wilderness for 40 years. How to count to the Feast of Weeks or Feast of Firstfruits is only one of the problems.

In many ways an entirely different Jesus and Gospel are being preached than in 1968. I point out that year because it appears to be the last year the church made the total Feast of Unleavened Bread a celebration which was (not mandatory) available. Now where in the world do you find in the Bible where we are not supposed to keep the entire 7 day spring feast? I know this was discarded on church authority, but I would ask, has the church had the gift of healing since that time? Most students of these subjects understand this gift, one the true church is supposed to have, has been missing since that timeframe. Most understand that prior to the period cited above, the church did indeed benefit from healing. Most ministers and others just ignore this and try to explain it away. It is really quite embarrassing to them.

The Christ and Gospel presented today lack a number of significant doctrines. Where does the Bible do away with blowing trumpets on holy days? Where does the Bible sanction a day of preparation (it teaches us to plan and prepare for a holy day)? Where does the Bible sanction the Jewish Calendar? Where does the Bible sanction eliminating the calculation of the Fall Equinox from the method of setting the First Month of the year? Does your organization really support the idea that Christ was resurrected on a Sabbath? Or, does your organization only give lip service to this, the first truth restored to the church and really banish it from comment and telecast presentation

I will close urging the author of the article or small set of opinions I critiqued to look into all these matters. Many of us have benefited from the Irons Pages and how they catalog topics to study from, both Pro and Con. Maybe he will become one of the Repairers of the Breach. Given the massive doctrinal changes since 1969, it is not hard for me to understand that God will not sanction the works of men when they throw away his doctrines he has restored. Why should he. I would go out on a limb and say that the gift of healing will only manifest itself in small groups of scattered brethren not really affiliated with corporate organizations.