Pentecost the “Day of Firstfruits “ of Christ’s Church

Pentecost was one of the three major Jewish festivals; the other two are the Passover and the Feast of Tabernacles. From the Greek word for "fifty," Pentecost was so named because it fell on the fiftieth day after the Sabbath of the Passover. Pentecost was also known as "the Feast of Weeks," "the Firstfruits of the Wheat Harvest," and "the Day of Firstfruits." During this harvest celebration, the Jews brought to God the first fruits of their harvest in thanksgiving, expecting that God would give the rest of the harvest as His blessing. This particular Day of Pentecost was the day of firstfruits of Christ's church, the beginning of the great harvest of souls who would come to know Christ and be joined together through the work of the Holy Spirit. It is difficult to imagine how the large crowd mentioned could have observed the activities in the upper room or congregated in the narrow streets outside the house where the disciples were meeting.

There appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire. After the great crowd-gathering sound came the visual manifestation of God.
Fire often indicated the presence of God. God initially appeared to Moses in a burning bush that was not consumed. God guided the children of Israel with a pillar of fire by night and He descended before them in fire on Mt. Sinai. God sent fire to consume Elijah's offering on Mt. Carmel, and He used a vision of fire to warn Ezekiel of His coming judgment.

The word translated tongues here is the normal Greek word for known languages. Speaking in "tongues" or diverse languages underscored the universal outreach of the church. These witnesses were speaking foreign dialects to the people who had gathered for Pentecost from other nations. The Day of Pentecost, as one of the three major Jewish celebrations, was a pilgrimage event. People who lived outside Israel traveled to Jerusalem to celebrate the festival. They came from Arabia, Crete, Asia, and even as far away as Rome. Many of these people stayed in Jerusalem for the entire 50-day celebration. Note that the text does not say that the Spirit spoke through the apostles, but that the Spirit gave them the ability to speak in languages that they had not previously known.

The visitors to Jerusalem probably expected the apostles to use Aramaic or Greek, but instead they heard their own dialect. The visitors were astonished because they knew this was most unlikely unless the speakers had come from their land. This was a sign from heaven, a supernatural event. It appears that the "speaking in tongues" did not consist of proclaiming the gospel. Rather, the apostles were praising God's mighty works.

1^st Corinthians 15:20 But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits
of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. 23 But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ's at His coming. 24 Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power. 25 For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet. 26 The last enemy that will be destroyed is death. 27 For "He has put all things under His feet." But when He says "all things are put under Him," it is evident that He who put all things under Him is excepted. 28 Now when all things are made subject to Him, then the Son Himself will also be subject to Him who put all things under Him, that God may be all in all.