Fifty days after the wave sheaf had been reaped and presented to the Lord, and accepted by Him, the redeemed people again came together to the place which the Lord had chosen to put His name there.
This was to celebrate the Feast of Pentecost, (or Feast of Weeks). Pentecost is the Greek for fiftieth. It is remarkable that this feast was held on "the morrow after the seventh Sabbath." That is, it was held on the first day of a new week. It tells of a new order of things being introduced, based on resurrection. This feast was to offer one of the strangest offerings of all offerings that Israel offered to the Lord. And what was this strange offering? It was two loaves of fine flour, made from the wheat of the same fields that fifty days before had yielded the sheaf of firstfruits. But these two loaves were baked with leaven. You remember how important it was that all the leaven should be put away at the Feast of Unleavened Bread. How strange that the fourth feast should have leaven in the offering! These two loaves baked with leaven, were waved by the priest before the Lord presented to Him and accepted by Him. They were accompanied by all the sweet savor sacrifices, and also by the sin offering. The sin offering made it possible for God to accept these loaves that were baked with leaven. The sin offering was present to speak of atonement for the sin that was typified by the leaven. There was no leaven in the Wave Sheaf and so no sin offering was required. But notice, the leaven in the Wave Loaves was baked, and so had lost its power.
There is a close connection between this feast and the feast of the firstfruits. They are linked together by being introduced in verse 9 by the words, "And the Lord spake unto Moses saying." And the words do not occur again until verse 23 where the Feast of Trumpets is introduced. Thus we may see, as the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread are linked together, so the Feast of the Firstfruits, the Feast of Pentecost and the Harvest in verse 22 are linked together.
We have seen that Christ died on the same day as the Feast of the Passover. We have seen that Christ rose on the exact day of the Feast of First Fruits. What happened on the day of the Feast of Pentecost? On that day in Acts 2:1,1And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. (Acts 2:1) we see that the Holy Spirit came down from Heaven, and formed the individual Christians into one body, the Church.
Many years ago I was standing on the pier at Kobe, Japan, waiting to board a ship for Shanghai. A beloved Japanese brother had come to see me off. There was another great ship at the other side of the pier about to leave for San Francisco. High up on the very top deck of this liner was a gentleman, evidently a man of importance, who was leaving for America. A large number of persons had come to say farewell to him. They had a nice custom in Japan at that time, that every person saying farewell would bring a roll of colored paper ribbon. The friend on the ship would hold the end of each ribbon, and each person on the pier, saying farewell, would hold a roll of ribbon.
My friend and I watched this scene for some time. There might have been a hundred persons on the pier, each with a roll of ribbon, while the gentleman on the top deck, had the ends of the ribbons all in his hand. Suddenly, my friend turned to me, and remarked, "There is a picture of Christ and His church. He is the Head in Heaven: we are the members down here. The ribbons represent the Holy Spirit: and every member is linked to the Head by the Holy Spirit: and every member, through the Head in Heaven, is linked to every other member on earth." It was a sweet lesson that I have never forgotten. At the Feast of Pentecost the Holy Spirit was given, Who links every believer to the Head, and to each other, making "one body," the Church.
The Church is composed of believing Jews and Gentiles. The Jews and Gentiles, perhaps, being the two loaves to make one offering. Before Pentecost, these two peoples were separated by a "middle wall." (Eph. 2:1414For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; (Ephesians 2:14)). The Jews were chosen people, whereas the Gentiles were aliens and strangers, afar off, and without God. But both had shown themselves against Christ, both had joined together to crucify Him. In Rom. 3:2222Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: (Romans 3:22) and Rom. 10:12,12For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. (Romans 10:12) God told us that there was "no difference." Now at the day of Pentecost these two, so far from each other, are united into one offering.
Then was fulfilled the word "that the Gentiles should be fellow-heirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the Gospel." "By one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit." (1 Cor. 12:1313For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. (1 Corinthians 12:13)).
This is the special place given to the saints of this age, to all the saints of every country, from the Day of Pentecost till the Lord comes to call His people away from the earth to Heaven. It is the special calling and portion of the church, the body of Christ, in contrast to all that had gone before, and to all that will follow. The Church is united with Christ, the Head in Heaven, and He is united to all His saints on earth, by the Holy Spirit.
Truly "this is the Lord's doing and it is marvelous in our eyes." And please remember that this being the work of God, the Church formed in this way can never be destroyed, and is forever and forever one. Man cannot divide it or spoil it, God has made it one. Christ is its Head in Heaven. The Church is His body and who can mar or touch His body? Christ Himself said the gates of Hell should not prevail against it. (Matt. 16:1818And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. (Matthew 16:18)).
This is the Church as God sees it. It began at Pentecost by the descent of the Holy Ghost. It has been formed from that day till now, by those "called out" of the world being added to it, and it will continue to increase until the day when the Lord Himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout, and call His Church whether sleeping or living to Himself. Then He will "present it to Himself a glorious Church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish." (Eph. 5:2727That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. (Ephesians 5:27)). There will not be one missing from that Church. There will not be one member short in that mystic body. It will be perfect and complete, "without spot or wrinkle, or any such thing.”
We have spoken of the Church as God sees it. Perhaps we should also speak of it a little as we see it down in this world. The Greek word is "ekklesia" and means "the called-out ones"; this tells me that the Church is called out of this world. It is no longer part of this world. It is in it but not of it. We read in the New Testament of three classes of people in the world today: "the Jews, the Gentiles and the Church of God." (1 Cor. 10:3232Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God: (1 Corinthians 10:32)). When a Jew or Gentile believes on the Lord Jesus he is then part of the Church. In the epistles of the New Testament, especially those of the Apostle Paul, God's order for the Church down here is clearly given us.
In the New Testament we do not read of many churches as we see about us now, formed and given names, by man. There is but one Church, and every assembly of saints in any place forms part of that one Church. Christ alone is the Head of the Church, and He has the right, by the Holy Spirit, to use whom He wishes, to speak and minister in the Church. He expressly forbids a woman to speak in the assemblies, and He teaches us that every child of God is a priest.
All these things are clearly taught in the New Testament, but generally denied in practice by men today. Happy had the Church been today, if the Lord's people had obeyed the Lord's Word and followed His order, instead of making certain men only to come between God and His saints, or to take a special place, above their brethren.
But let us look again at those two wave loaves. They may have another meaning. Two was the smallest number that the Scriptures accepted as a testimony. It may be that these two loaves have the meaning of a weak testimony. They are called in verse 16, "a new meat offering unto the Lord." This may tells us that this offering speaks of a new kind of testimony, something that no man had seen on earth before. We know that God gave "the firstfruits of the Spirit" (Rom. 8:2323And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. (Romans 8:23)), at Pentecost. The Spirit never dwelt in this world until that time. This tells us that the Church is an entirely new testimony, but a weak testimony, to the Lord, down here on this earth. And we have seen that it began on the first day of a new week. All telling us that the church is an entirely new order of things, and cannot be mixed up with that which has passed away. It is for this reason a Christian keeps the first day of the week, not the Jewish Sabbath.
The firstfruits pointed to the Risen Christ, accepted for His people within the Heavens. The loaves of Pentecost are also called "first fruits unto the Lord." (Lev. 23:1717Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals: they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baken with leaven; they are the firstfruits unto the Lord. (Leviticus 23:17)). This shows they are one with "the Sheaf of Firstfruits." It was "the first of the firstfruits," they are "the firstfruits." The loaves were made of flour from the wheat out of the same fields as the sheaf of firstfruits. But in all things the wave sheaf was pre-eminent. So it is with Christ and His people. He is "the Firstfruits" (1 Cor. 15:2020But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. (1 Corinthians 15:20)) and of His saints it is written, "Of His own will begat He us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures." (James 1:1818Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. (James 1:18)).
He is "the Firstborn," they His "brethren," (Rom. 8:2929For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. (Romans 8:29)), "all of one," (Heb. 2:1111For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren, (Hebrews 2:11)), "the Church of the firstborn.” (Heb. 12:2323To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, (Hebrews 12:23)). What a glorious truth this is! "As He is, so are we in this world." (1 John 4:1717Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. (1 John 4:17)). Let us receive it into our hearts with all its warm sunshine and blessing. It sounds too good to be true, and the heart of man is always seeking to find some way to turn aside its beauty and power. But let us believe it. Let us receive it. It is the truth of God. We are truly "one with Christ," we stand before God in Christ accepted in Him, "complete in Him." We are no more in fallen Adam of the earth, but we are in the Second Man, the last Adam Christ risen, and ascended to Heaven. This is the place of every believer.
God has given this blessing to all His people. How few believe it! And how little do most of us enjoy it! Yet it is the truth of God, given us by God to be believed and enjoyed every day. How are we to enjoy it? By the Holy Spirit Who dwells in us, given to every believer. When do believers receive the Holy Spirit? God answers, "In Whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise." (Eph. 1:1313In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, (Ephesians 1:13)). And "If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His." (Rom. 8:99But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. (Romans 8:9)). Alas, many Christians do not believe these plain words of God, and pray and do many unscriptural things hoping to receive the Holy Spirit. They open their minds to spiritual things and often evil spirits enter in and make them behave in a shameful manner. Do not be deceived, dear brethren, by these things. When you believe in Christ, He gives you His Holy Spirit. You may grieve Him, but He will not leave you. David could pray, "Take not Thy Holy Spirit from me," but this is not a prayer for us to pray, for since David's day, the Holy Spirit has been sent into this world, and we are sealed by Him "until the redemption of the purchased possession." He has truly redeemed us now purchased us now the price has been paid, but our bodies as well as our souls have been bought, and they are still down here. We are sealed until that day that the Lord takes to Himself all that He has bought. But the Scripture also speaks of being "filled with the Spirit." To be filled with the Spirit is not the same as to be sealed with the Spirit. "The Scripture says, "Be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess: but be filled with the Spirit." (Eph. 5:1818And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; (Ephesians 5:18)). When a man is drunk with wine he comes under the power of wine, and his own will is subject to the wine. This is bad; we believers must never let this happen, but on the contrary we are to let the Holy Spirit fill us, so that He has His way with us, and our wills are subject to Him. But whether we let Him fill us or not, remember He ever dwells in the believers.
Many believers are puzzled to know whether they have the Holy Spirit dwelling in them, or not. Can we look up to God, and from our hearts say, "Father! Abba, Father!" If we can speak like this to God, then we have the Holy Spirit dwelling in us, for it is only by the Holy Spirit we can say to God, "Father!" See Rom. 8:1515For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. (Romans 8:15).
“The firstfruits of the Spirit," (Rom. 8:2323And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. (Romans 8:23)), given to all believers is the seal of their oneness with Christ, the earnest and pledge of their resurrection and association with Christ in glory and the power for enjoying this great truth now. If Christ had not been glorified at God's right hand, the Spirit would not have come down to dwell in believers. (John 7:3939(But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.) (John 7:39)). The presence of the Holy Spirit on earth is the witness that Christ is glorified at God's right hand. (John 15:2626But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me: (John 15:26)). The presence of the Holy Spirit on earth, and the union of the believers with the risen Christ at God's right hand by the Spirit, are the two great marks of the present age.
The two wave-loaves were baked "with leaven." We have already pointed out that leaven is everywhere and always a picture of evil. There was no leaven in the meat offering, (Lev. 2:1111No meat offering, which ye shall bring unto the Lord, shall be made with leaven: for ye shall burn no leaven, nor any honey, in any offering of the Lord made by fire. (Leviticus 2:11)), because that offering is a type of Christ as the perfect man. He was Himself entirely pure and holy in all His character and ways.
But, alas, His people are not like this. Even after conversion, and with the Spirit dwelling in them, believers are not free from evil, either individually or as the Church. The flesh still dwells in them. The presence of the Holy Spirit does not drive it out, kill it, or change it, although by the grace of God, its power need no longer rule in our lives. The loaves and the leaven were baked. It is restrained but not "eradicated." Therefore the believer is not sinless. He is not as the Lord was, fit to be placed on the altar for acceptance by God. With the two wave-loaves, it was needful to offer a sin offering, and also the sweet savor offerings were offered.
Let us give an illustration. I have a house that is rented to a very bad tenant. Alas, I have no way to turn him out of my house, but I call a new tenant to live in my house. I clearly warn him of the old tenant and of his bad character. I exhort him to keep the old tenant always locked in a room in the house. All goes well for a time. The new tenant believes me, and the old tenant is kept in subjection. But after a time the old tenant seeks to make friends with the new one. The new one feels perhaps the old one is not so bad as I told him, and after a time gives the old one a bit of liberty. Soon, to his sorrow, he finds the old tenant is taking command of the house, and unless he turns to someone outside for help, he is in a bad way indeed.
The two loaves were thus presented to Jehovah, with leaven in them, but loaves and leaven baked, and under the shelter, and covered with the preciousness, of these offerings. So it is that believers individually, and the Church, stand before God, as a new meat offering, accepted in all the value of Christ's person and His atoning work.
As soon as any Christian, or company of Christians, think that personal devotion, or service, or obedience to the Word, or watching for Christ's coming, or any other work of their own, gives any title before God, they will find out sooner or later that they have been deceived by Satan. This is true whether it be a title to Heaven, or a title to be caught up when the Lord comes, or a title to some part in the Kingdom. All our title is through the peerless person and atoning work of Christ.
And again let me beseech you to notice that this Scripture clearly teaches that evil remains in the individual, and in the church, and is met not by my work, but by Christ's work. Although the early church was so fresh and beautiful, it soon became evident that there was leaven in it, even at Jerusalem (Acts 5:11But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession, (Acts 5:1)), leaven in doctrine (Gal. 5:99A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump. (Galatians 5:9)), or morals (1 Cor. 5:9, 139I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators: (1 Corinthians 5:9)
13But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person. (1 Corinthians 5:13)). How much more in these days on every hand do we see the leaven appearing, when doctrines of demons may be heard, and when evil men and seducers wax worse and worse.
This appearance of leaven need not surprise us, though it surely should humble us, and it should cause us to turn again to seek our rest and strength on the only foundation on which either an individual Christian, or the Church of God, can rest -Christ Himself. He is the Rock on which His church is built, and in spite of all hatred of men and devils, let us remember that nothing can ever prevail against it.
There is one more remarkable expression in connection with the Feast of Weeks. We read in Deut. 16:10,10And thou shalt keep the feast of weeks unto the Lord thy God with a tribute of a freewill offering of thine hand, which thou shalt give unto the Lord thy God, according as the Lord thy God hath blessed thee: (Deuteronomy 16:10) (New Translation), "Thou shalt hold the feast of weeks to Jehovah thy God with a tribute of a voluntary-offering of thy hand, which thou shalt give, according as Jehovah thy God hath blessed thee.”
Long ago in Israel on the first day of the week, at that Feast which pointed most plainly to the Church, we have this wonderful sight, an Israelite comes before the Lord with those sacrifices, their blood shed, with those two loaves of bread and with a voluntary offering, according as Jehovah his God had blessed him. Could we get a more perfect picture of ourselves in this dispensation as we come together in the Lord's presence to remember His death? We have the bread and wine on the table, and the privilege of giving to the Lord our "voluntary offering" as "God hath prospered" us.
And, note further, the giving of that voluntary offering is immediately followed by this word, "And thou shalt rejoice." Read the whole verse yourself, Deut. 16:10-1110And thou shalt keep the feast of weeks unto the Lord thy God with a tribute of a freewill offering of thine hand, which thou shalt give unto the Lord thy God, according as the Lord thy God hath blessed thee: 11And thou shalt rejoice before the Lord thy God, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy manservant, and thy maidservant, and the Levite that is within thy gates, and the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, that are among you, in the place which the Lord thy God hath chosen to place his name there. (Deuteronomy 16:10‑11). Joy was the mark of that feast and how suited, that joy and praise should mark our feast when we remember our Lord Jesus, God's "unspeakable gift," even though it is true that, "With joy and sorrow mingling we thus remember Thee.”
It is very striking the way the Spirit of God links our giving with our joy. Compare 2 Cor. 8:1-4,1Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia; 2How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality. 3For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves; 4Praying us with much entreaty that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints. (2 Corinthians 8:1‑4) where we read of the bounty of the dear Macedonian brethren, who had sent so often to the Apostle: "once and again," to him in Thessalonica (Phil. 4:1616For even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my necessity. (Philippians 4:16)); to him in Corinth (2 Cor. 11:99And when I was present with you, and wanted, I was chargeable to no man: for that which was lacking to me the brethren which came from Macedonia supplied: and in all things I have kept myself from being burdensome unto you, and so will I keep myself. (2 Corinthians 11:9)); and again to him in Rome (Phil. 4:1010But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at the last your care of me hath flourished again; wherein ye were also careful, but ye lacked opportunity. (Philippians 4:10)). The Apostle writes to the wealthy saints in Corinth, (from whom he would accept nothing: 2 Cor. 11), "Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia, how that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality. For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves praying us with much entreaty that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints.”
But one word more about the "voluntary offering." Do we not, dear brethren, often fail just here? As we give to the Lord, on the Lord's Day at that "feast," is our gift always the overflow in gratitude of a thankful heart? Does our gift really represent the measure in which God has prospered us?
Do we give "according as Jehovah thy God hath blessed thee?" We have to confess with shame that very often we do not. Sometimes we give as little as we can and still be respectable. Sometimes it is merely a matter of habit. We always give a certain definite amount without a thought of how God has prospered us, or the Lord has blessed us. Does this not explain the lack of "prosperity" (true prosperity) in many of our lives? We pray for the Lord's blessing but when He blesses us, we quite forget to offer to Him in recognition, and in the measure, of that blessing.
Far be the thought that it is a matter of law now with us. Never in the New Testament as far as we are aware of, is there any suggestion that we must give one tenth of our income. No, it is essentially a "voluntary offering," given entirely of our own free will, given at the time when we are remembering how the Lord gave Himself, gave all, for us, and my gift is the mark of my appreciation of His gift, and is the overflow of my heart in thanksgiving to Him. Mr. J. G. Bellett remarks, "The world will give what it can spare, the Lord gives what cost Him everything. (John 14:2727Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. (John 14:27))." Our giving is in reality just as true worship as our hymns of praise or thanksgiving. Indeed we get them connected in Heb. 13:15-16,15By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. 16But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased. (Hebrews 13:15‑16) "By Him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise.... But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.”
Then the Scriptures connect our joy with our giving. Remember the words of our Lord Jesus, how He said, "It is more blessed to give than to receive." Our God is a giving God, and now He gives us the privilege and the joy of giving to Him. Though truly every one of us must say with David of old, "Of Thine Own have we given Thee." (1 Chron. 29:1414But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort? for all things come of thee, and of thine own have we given thee. (1 Chronicles 29:14)). "Ye are not your own.... ye are bought with a price." (1 Cor. 6:19-2019What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? 20For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's. (1 Corinthians 6:19‑20)). All, all that we have to offer is really His already. His by creation, and His by redemption, but He delights to give us the joy of giving of it back to Himself. Is it possible that such matchless grace shall merely provide an excuse for these wretched hearts of ours to give less to the Lord than the law demanded, and to spend more on ourselves than Israel was permitted to do?
May we rather copy those dear Macedonian saints of whom Paul writes in 2 Cor. 8:55And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God. (2 Corinthians 8:5). They presented their "voluntary offering," but says Paul, "not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord." Let us give in the same way.
You will recall that even our very Chinese character of "joy" is an altar, a sacrifice on the altar, and beside it, (indicating of what the sacrifice consists), "one mouth," (myself); and "fields," (all I possess). This tells us that true joy is found as I present my body, a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is my reasonable service. (Rom. 12:11I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. (Romans 12:1)). And with myself give, not one tenth, but all I possess to the LORD. Let us, dear reader, truly do this.
When I survey the wondrous cross
On which the Lord of glory died,
My richest gain I count but loss,
And pour contempt on all my pride.
Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast,
Save in the death of Christ, my God;
All the vain things that charm me most,
I'd sacrifice them to His blood.
There from His head, His hands, His feet,
Sorrow and love flowed mingled down;
Did e'er such love and sorrow meet,
Or thorns compose so rich a crown?
Were the whole realm of nature mine,
That were an offering far too small;
Love that transcends my highest powers,
Demands my soul, my life, my all!