The Day of Pentecost will be here soon! I know, I know, I should have posted this sooner, but there’s still plenty of time to have some fun counting down the days to Pentecost. New to the annual Holy Days? Find an overview here.
How To Count Pentecost
Pentecost means fiftieth day in the Greek and is the third annual Holy Day listed in Leviticus 23. It is also called the Feast of Weeks and the Feast of Firstfruits. Unlike the other 6 annual Holy Days, Pentecost does not have a fixed calendar date. Rather, God tells us to calculate that date every year. Once you know the rules, even a child can figure it out! Here are some basic rules outlining how to count Pentecost that I learned from one of my Foundation Institute classes:
- The Wave Sheaf is to be offered on the day after the Sabbath (Leviticus 23:11). That Sabbath is the weekly Sabbath inside the Days of Unleavened Bread (verses 4-8), not an annual Sabbath.
- That makes the day after the weekly Sabbath a Sunday. This Sunday must be during the Days of Unleavened Bread.
- The Wave Sheaf had to be offered before anything of the harvest could be eaten (verse 14).
- Begin counting on the day of the Wave Sheaf Offering (verse 15). That Sunday is day 1. Go forward another 49 days, or 7 weeks, and you will come to the 50th day, the Day of Pentecost.
For those years where the First Day of Unleavened Bread falls on a Sunday, we use the example in Joshua 5. Verse 10 states the children of Israel “kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the month at twilight.” And then in verse 11, the day after the Passover, they ate “unleavened bread and parched grain.” That means the Passover was on the Sabbath because next day was the Wave Sheaf Offering which is always on Sunday. Since they ate the produce, they must have performed the Offering on that very day, the First Day of Unleavened Bread.
Okay, now that we know how to count, let do it! This year has the same timing as in Joshua 5 – the Passover was on the Sabbath, beginning at twilight on March 26. We observed the First Day of Unleavened Bread on Sunday, March 28. Since the we start counting on the Sunday during the Days of Unleavened Bread, Day 1 = March 28. Day 2 = March 29, and so forth, making Day 50 = Sunday, May 16.
Pentecost Chain
Making Feast chains ranks as one of our kids’ favorites when they were growing up, and I still make them just for the fun and excitement of seeing the days approaching! A friend came up with an excellent project for counting the days to Pentecost. Instead of counting down, she counts up to the Day of Pentecost. She starts with one loop beginning on the Sunday during Unleavened Bread, also known as the Wave Sheaf Offering day, then adds a link each day. To make it even more meaningful, she writes a scripture on each link before she attaches it. See this helpful list of scriptures she used one year. Another friend picked themes for the 7 weeks. So many options to choose from! I like to use colorful paper for the links. One year I even made a template and printed out the scriptures on each link. I would love to share that template if only I could find it. Sorry!
Pentecost Calendar
Make your own calendar for the months that are included in the 50 days or use a calendar you already have. This year you need March, April, and May. Then write in the important days of Passover, First Day of Unleavened Bread, Wave Sheaf Offering, Last Day of Unleavened Bread, and finally, Pentecost. Now be creative in how you count down, or up, to Pentecost – mark off each day as it comes; put special stickers on each day; color code the days; number the days with colored markers and fancy numbers; just use your imagination and make it fun.
Fruit of the Spirit Magnets
I know, old-school and kinda lame, but this was my only claim to fame when it comes to Pentecost arts and crafts for my kids. They loved it and many of those refrigerator magnets lasted for years! You too can make cute refrigerator magnets based on the fruit of the spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). Cut out various types of fruit using colorful paper. Make it as realistic as you want with pens and markers. Write an attribute of the spirit on each piece of fruit. Glue the fruit onto posterboard or cardboard that is cut to the same shape. Attach a magnet to each piece and arrange your spiritual fruit on your refrigerator. Every time you are hungry, you’ll be reminded of God’s infinite love and the beautiful fruit it produces.
Firstfruits in Nature
So many ideas can spring from the concept of firstfruits. If you garden, involve your children in the miracle of seedlings. Watch your seeds sprout, grow, bloom, and eventually bear fruit. Likewise, as God’s firstfruits, we are called, become baptized, and mature as Christians. God expects us to bear fruit through His Holy Spirit – spiritual fruits such as love, joy, peace, etc. You might explain how God provided for the Levites who didn’t have their own gardens and lived off the firstfruits and tithes of the other 11 tribes.
If you don’t garden, take a walk in the woods, and notice the little plants that shoot up in the Spring. And then look up at the tower of tall trees that all started out as teeny tiny seeds. Help your children see and feel the awesome wonder and greatness of God.
Spiritual Reminders
In my opinion, the coming of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost may be one of the most exciting stories in the Bible. It describes the dramatic and undeniable launching of the Church of God, the very Church we strive to emulate today. Be sure to rehearse as many fine details as possible with your kids as you go through the countdown to Pentecost and work on your fun projects. You’ll find excellent lessons about obedience, patience, faith, miracles, and unity, just to name a few. Children love a great story and enjoy expressing their own insights as they begin to understand God’s truths. You can almost see the little light bulbs going off in their minds as their eyes light up! Treasure these precious moments and keep them in your heart – the clock is ticking and they grow up way too fast!
More Resources to Explore
EEI Calendar for Pentecost 2021
LHT Article explaining the Day of Pentecost, for older children/adults; several other related articles follow
Little Bible Tunes features videos, puzzles, and games for Pentecost