Counting to Pentecost

In 2025, some critics argue that the United Church of God will observe Pentecost a week too early. This controversy arises because Pentecost is the only Feast day without a fixed date, and its timing must be determined by counting.

The biblical instructions

The Feast of Unleavened Bread is mentioned as one of the “feasts to the Lord” in Leviticus 23. During this Feast, the Israelites were instructed to offer a Wave Sheaf, the firstfruits of their harvest (Leviticus 23:10-11). This offering is a key moment from which the count to Pentecost begins.

The count to Pentecost should always begin the day after the weekly Sabbath, as instructed in Leviticus 23:15-16: “And you shall count for yourselves from the day after the Sabbath, from the day that you brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven Sabbaths shall be completed.” This count lasts for seven Sabbaths, and the 50th day marks Pentecost (the Feast of Weeks).

The correct way to count

The correct method to count Pentecost is straightforward. The counting always begins with the day after the weekly Sabbath from the Sunday within the Days of Unleavened Bread, rather than starting with the weekly Sabbath within the festival, as some argue. This approach ensures that the count always begins during the festival and never after it. If the count started after the weekly Sabbath within the festival, the count would usually begin during the festival but occasionally it would not, which would create inconsistency. This method confirms that the count follows the proper biblical sequence.

A proof of counting

When we consider Joshua 5:10-12, we gain further insight into the correct method of counting to Pentecost. The Israelites were camped at Gilgal, just after crossing the Jordan River, and on the 14th day of the first month, they observed the Passover. In that year, Unleavened Bread began on the first day of the week, just as it does in 2025.

The following day, the 15th, was the first day of Unleavened Bread. On that Holy Day, the Israelites ate the produce of the land, which also marked the beginning of the new harvest. The only way this could take place is if the wave sheaf had been offered on the first Holy Day of Unleavened Bread, allowing the Israelites to begin eating the spring crop immediately. This action fulfilled the command in Leviticus 23:14 and meant that Pentecost would fall seven weeks from that day.

The text highlights the importance of this day as the key starting point for counting. It reinforces the correct understanding that the count to Pentecost should begin from the day after the Sabbath, even if that day is the First Day of Unleavened Bread. This example shows how to calculate Pentecost in a year when the Feast of Unleavened Bread begins on the first day of the week and ends on the weekly Sabbath, as it does in 2025. This is why we know that this year Pentecost falls on Sunday, June 1, 2025.

It’s important to note that this is not a new teaching, but rather a continuation of the teachings upheld by the Church of God for the past 50 years. It was reconfirmed by the Council of Elders in the doctrinal study paper “Pentecost and Its Observance.” 

More detailed information can be found in the article “Counting Pentecost When the First Day of Unleavened Bread Falls on Sunday.”

The biblical foundation

The correct method for counting to Pentecost in 2025 is firmly rooted in God-given instructions that have been upheld by the Church of God for decades. Leviticus 23 provides clear biblical evidence that the count to Pentecost must always begin on the day after the weekly Sabbath during the Feast of Unleavened Bread, ensuring that Pentecost is celebrated on the 50th day, which is always on a Sunday.

Joshua 5 further confirms the pattern, demonstrating that even in years when Passover falls on the Sabbath, the count must begin the next day—Sunday, the First day of Unleavened Bread —just as it will in 2025. By adhering to biblical guidance, we can confidently celebrate Pentecost on the correct day, ensuring alignment with the proper timing prescribed by God.