A Deeper Dive Into the Book of Revelation - Part 35
The Feast of Pentecost speaks to us of bridal preparation. Pentecost is an experience of cleansing and anointing. The experience of Pentecost takes the believer from the Outer Court into the Holy Place. In order to enter the Holy Place of the Tabernacle, a priest had to wash himself, put on special garments, and be anointed with oil. This is exactly what Naomi told Ruth to do to prepare herself to be presented to her bridegroom.
“Then you shall bring Aaron and his sons to the doorway of the Tent of Meeting and wash them with water. You shall put the holy garments on Aaron and anoint him and consecrate him, that he may serve as a priest to Me. You shall bring his sons and put tunics on them; you shall anoint them just as you anointed their father, so that they may serve as priests to Me; and their anointing shall qualify them for an everlasting priesthood throughout their generations.”—Exodus 40:12-15 (AMP)
Ruth Experiences Pentecost
Symbolically, Ruth experiences all three of the major feasts of the Lord. Her Pentecostal experience is pictured in Ruth 3:3:
“So wash and anoint yourself [with olive oil], then put on your [best] clothes, and go down to the threshing floor” (AMP)
This is a picture of the sanctifying and anointing experience of the Feast of Pentecost.
Pentecost was also called the Feast of Harvest and the Feast of First Fruits. It was celebrated with the first fruits of the harvest being taken to the house of the Lord and presented to the Redeemer.
“Also [you shall observe] the Feast of Harvest (Weeks, Pentecost, or First Fruits), acknowledging the first fruits of your labor, of what you sow in the field.”—Exodus 23:16 (AMP)
The physical acts involved in observing the Feast of Pentecost represent a much greater and higher spiritual Truth. In bringing the first fruits of the physical harvest to the house of the Lord and presenting them to our Heavenly Redeemer, this symbolizes those Overcomers within the Church who come to maturity first being presented to the Great Sower, the Lord Jesus Christ, as the living First Fruits of His labors that He described for us in the parable of the Sower.
This was partially fulfilled in Acts chapter 2. There, the “first fruits” of the church were baptized in the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost. Along with this experience of anointing, tongues of fire appeared upon each person, indicating a thorough purifying and sanctification.
The ultimate fulfillment of this Feast of First Fruits will take place just before the Great Tribulation when the living First Fruits—the Overcomers within the Church—(those who have come to maturity first), will be caught up to be presented to the Great Sower, the Lord Jesus Christ, as we see in Revelation 14:1-5:
“These have been redeemed from mankind as** firstfruits for God and the Lamb”** (ESV)
This is pictured for us again in Revelation 12 when the man child (the First Fruits Overcomers) is birthed by the sun-clothed woman (the Church) and caught up to the throne of God:
“She gave birth to a son, a male child, who will rule all the nations with an iron scepter.’ And her child was snatched up to God and to his throne.”—Revelation 12:5 (NIV)
Ruth, who represents these Overcomers, symbolically experiences this as she presents herself to her Redeemer as He finishes winnowing barley at his threshing floor.
The Three Harvests
The people of God experienced three main harvests of crops in Israel every year. These three harvests correspond to the three harvests that we see in Revelation chapter 14. The first was the barley harvest, representing the first fruits harvest of Overcomers that we see *before *the Great Tribulation in Revelation 14:1-5:
“These have been redeemed from mankind as** firstfruits for God and the Lamb”** (ESV)
The second harvest was the main harvest of wheat that we read about in the parable of the wheat and the tares, and that we see fulfilled in the main harvest of the Church *after *the Great Tribulation in Revelation 14:14-16. Jesus Himself described this second harvest in Matthew 24:
“Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and **they will gather his elect **from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.”—Matthew 24:29-31 (ESV)
The third harvest was the harvest of grapes and olives, representing the wrath of God that we see fulfilled in Revelation 14:17-20 *after *the main harvest of the Church has been caught up to meet the Lord:
“Then another angel came out of the temple [sanctuary] in heaven, and he also carried a sharp scythe (sickle).
“And another angel came forth from the altar, [the angel] who has authority and power over fire, and he called with a loud cry to him who had the sharp scythe (sickle), Put forth your scythe and reap the fruitage of the vine of the earth, for its grapes are entirely ripe.
“So the angel swung his scythe on the earth and stripped the grapes and gathered the vintage from the vines of the earth and cast it into the huge winepress of God’s indignation and wrath.
“And [the grapes in] the winepress were trodden outside the city, and blood poured from the winepress, [reaching] as high as horses’ bridles, for a distance of 1,600 stadia (about 200 miles).” (AMPC)
Ruth was involved in the barley harvest. She is always associated with the barley harvest. This is another indication that Ruth represents the First Fruits—the Overcomers—of the Lord’s end-time harvest. In fact, barley is mentioned more times in the book of Ruth than in any other book of the Bible.
**References: **
Baker, L. L. (2022, February 28). What is the Feast of Pentecost in the Bible?. Bible Study Tools. https://www.biblestudytools.com/bible-study/topical-studies/what-feast-of-pentecost-bible.html
Cummins, D. (2021). I Am Ruth Thy Handmaid. Capitol Worship.
