Sabbath Thought – Pentecost Count

As we approach the beginning of the annual observances of God’s festivals and Holy Days, it is worth remembering the plan of salvation that they reveal. We see in scripture that God is setting the stage for mankind to have opportunity to be in His family. God has implemented His plan of salvation for mankind even though most of mankind has no understanding of what God is working out.

What we also see in the Holy Days is how they connect as a whole – that is, one Holy Day builds on the previous and they all reflect aspects of the other Holy Days. We see this in how the Days of Unleavened Bread connect with, and to, Pentecost. Pentecost is the only Holy Day not established on a specific day of a month. When we read Leviticus 23:10-15, it is clear that the date for the observance of Pentecost is determined by counting from the Wave Sheaf offering that was given on the Sunday during the Days of Unleavened Bread. But how do we count for Pentecost if the Sunday during Unleavened Bread is the High Sabbath? This year (2025) is such a year.

The question comes down to whether the Wave Sheaf was allowed to be offered on a Holy Day. A secondary question comes down to after which Sabbath the counting begins. For this year, if Pentecost counting were to commence on Sunday, April 20^th, it would result in a Pentecost on Sunday, June 8^th. However, this would require the Wave Sheaf, and the start of counting, to begin outside of the Days of Unleavened Bread. Again, the counting for Pentecost is in conjunction with the Days of Unleavened Bread. So, beginning to count this year on April 20^th would cause the counting to begin outside of the Days of Unleavened Bread and against Leviticus 23. We see no example of the Wave Sheaf offering occurring outside of the Days of Unleavened Bread.

On the other hand, if for this year Pentecost counting were to commence on Sunday, April 13^th, it would result in a Pentecost on Sunday, June 1^st. This would require the Wave Sheaf, and the start of counting, to begin inside of the Days of Unleavened Bread and on the first Holy Day. But could the Wave Sheaf have been offered on a Holy Day? According to Scripture, yes. Beginning the season of counting toward Pentecost after Passover best harmonizes the scriptures. This approach assures that the Wave Sheaf is always offered on Sunday and that it is always offered within the Days of Unleavened Bread. This understanding requires that if the first Holy Day of Unleavened bread is a Sunday, it will also be the day of the Wave Sheaf offering. Nothing in scripture prohibits this from occurring. We have a doctrinal study paper on this topic which is very thorough (Pentecost and Its Observance).

We have Biblical evidence to support this practice of counting for Pentecost. Leviticus 23:14 prohibits eating any of the spring harvest until the offering of the Wave Sheaf. In Joshua 5:11-12 we find that the Israelites did eat of the spring harvest on the day after the Passover. The scenario in Joshua 5:11- 12 can best be understood as taking place in a year when the 14^th of Abib was a weekly Sabbath. Thus, the First Day of Unleavened Bread fell on Sunday, and the omer of grain was waved on that day, allowing the Israelites to eat of the new produce of the land later that same day.

God’s Holy Days are rich with meaning and purpose. The details of when and how to observe these Holy Days are very important, but equally important is for us to incorporate the meaning of each of those days into our lives. Through these Holy Days we learn how to become sons and daughters in God’s family.

I wish you a profitable and value filled Sabbath,

Dan Dowd

29 March, 2025