Jesus the First Fruits: Resurrection and Pentecost Timeline

When Jesus ascended to heaven, He presented a multitude of captives whom He had rescued from the bonds of death as the first fruits of the redeemed6Red 70.1+1. These individuals were raised from their graves at the time of His own resurrection and serve as a joyous sample of the great harvest of saints who will be called forth at His second coming6Red 70.1+1.

The Resurrection and the First Fruits 🕊️

• The Antitype of the Feast: The offering of the first fruits in the Old Testament, which occurred on the sixteenth day of the first month, found its perfect fulfillment in the resurrection of our Lord on that very day, as He became the first fruits of those who slept 1 Corinthians 15:20-23RCSK 8.2.

• A Real Resurrection: Those who saw Christ after His resurrection witnessed the best-attested fact in history, confirming that He truly returned alive from the grave and later ascended to heavenTDOC 72.1+1.

• The Captives of Death: At His ascension, Jesus did not go alone; He led "captivity captive," presenting to His Father those He had raised as representatives of all nations, tongues, and people who will eventually be redeemed by His blood Ephesians 4:7-81888 1015.2+1.

The Heavenly Welcome 🏰

• Angelic Escort: As the majestic Commander approached the gates of the city, escorting angels shouted in triumph, "Lift up your heads, O ye gates... and the King of Glory shall come in Psalms 24:7-10+1!"

• Coronation: Upon entering the portals of heaven amid a burst of angelic music, Jesus took His position on the throne by the side of His Father6Red 70.1.

• The Crown of Life: He then placed immortal crowns upon the brows of these rescued captives, who now stand in the presence of God as a pledge of the future resurrection of all the righteous6Red 70.1+1.

The Ongoing Ministry of Christ ✨

• Our Advocate: Jesus is now in the heavenly courts as our substitute and surety, pleading the merits of His own blood and showing His wounded hands and feet as a remembrance of the price paid for humanity 1 John 2:11SM 398.1+2.

• Preparing Mansions: He has gone to the third heaven, the location of Paradise and the throne of God, to prepare a place for His obedient children 2 Corinthians 12:2-4SITI July 27, 1888, page 454.11+1.

• Unchanged Sympathy: Though He is in glory, His sympathies for suffering humanity remain unchanged, and He continues to receive the prayers of His people3SP 257.3+1.

The Promise of Return ☁️

• In Like Manner: Just as the disciples saw Him ascend from the Mount of Olives, angels promised that this same Jesus will return in the same way Acts 1:11TA 221.1+2.

• Universal Sight: When He returns, He will come with clouds, and every eye shall see Him as He comes to gather His family into the Paradise of God Revelation 1:7GC 301.2+1.

• Restoration of Eden: The redeemed will finally eat of the tree of life and drink from the river of life, enjoying the bliss that was lost by the entrance of sin Revelation 2:7+1Hvn 50.1+2.

Jesus remained on earth for forty days following His resurrection, appearing to His disciples before His final ascension to heaven Acts 1:3ARSH September 16, 1862, page 122.19. During this significant period, He provided many infallible proofs of His living presence and spoke extensively about the things pertaining to the kingdom of God Acts 1:3ARSH September 16, 1862, page 122.19.

The Forty-Day Ministry 📖

• Instruction and Comfort: For forty days after He rose, Jesus stayed with His followers, giving them farewell instructions and preparing them for their future work Acts 1:3ARSH September 16, 1862, page 122.19+1.

• Physical Presence: He was seen by the disciples and various witnesses, proving His real corporeity by showing His wounds and even eating in their presence Luke 24:38-43+1LTJMB5 313.1.

• The Disciples' Questions: During this time, the disciples asked if He would restore the kingdom to Israel, but He informed them that the times and seasons were in the Father's power Acts 1:6-7ARSH September 16, 1862, page 122.19+1.

The Final Ascension ☁️

• Departure from Bethany: At the end of these forty days, Jesus led His disciples as far as Bethany, where He lifted His hands and blessed them Luke 24:50PTUK February 2, 1888, page 35.3.

• Taken into Glory: While He was blessing them, He was parted from them and carried up into heaven, where a cloud received Him out of their sight Acts 1:9PTUK February 2, 1888, page 35.3+1.

• Angelic Testimony: As they looked steadfastly toward heaven, two men in white apparel assured them that this same Jesus would return in the same manner they had seen Him go Acts 1:10-11WWSJ 7.4+1.

Immediate Post-Resurrection Events ✨

• First Appearance to Mary: Early on the morning of His resurrection, Jesus told Mary Magdalene not to touch Him because He had not yet ascended to His Father John 20:175BC 1150.6.

• Complete Being in the Tomb: Before this moment, all that comprised His life and intelligence had remained with His body in the sepulcher; His spirit did not go to heaven while His body slept in the tomb5BC 1150.6.

• Presentation of First Fruits: When He did ascend to the Father, He led a multitude of captives who had been raised at the time of His resurrection as a pledge of the final harvest of the redeemed Ephesians 4:8MIRP 14.2+2.

Jesus ascended to His Father on the very morning of His resurrection to present Himself as the accepted sacrifice before returning to complete His forty-day ministry on earth John 20:17TFTC 16.2+1. This initial visit to heaven was necessary so He could receive the assurance from God that His sacrifice was sufficient for the redemption of humanityST November 24, 1890, par. 8+1.

The Resurrection Morning Ascension 🌤️

• A Crucial Presentation: Early on the first day of the week, Jesus told Mary Magdalene, "Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father," indicating a specific journey He was about to make to the heavenly courts John 20:17SITI December 18, 1884, page 760.6.

• Fulfillment of the Type: As the antitype of the wave sheaf, Jesus was raised on the sixteenth day of the first month and had to be presented before the Father to be accepted as the first fruits of the resurrected just 1 Corinthians 15:20RCSK 8.2+1.

• Receiving the Blessing: While the disciples were mourning and in confusion, Jesus was in the presence of God receiving gifts for His church and the assurance that His work was finished John 19:301888 1015.2+1.

The Return for the Forty Days 👣

• Continued Presence: After this immediate visit to His Father, Jesus returned to earth and remained for forty days to provide "many infallible proofs" of His resurrection Acts 1:3SITI April 8, 1889, page 201.47+1.

• Instructing the Disciples: During this interval, He met with His followers frequently, upbraiding their unbelief and expounding the Scriptures concerning Himself from Moses and the prophets Mark 16:14ARSH January 17, 1856, page 125.15+1.

• Everyday Interaction: He appeared to them not just on Sundays, but was seen of them throughout the forty days, ensuring they were thoroughly convinced of His identity before His final departure Acts 1:3SITI April 8, 1889, page 201.47+1.

The Final Ascension ☁️

• Completion of Earthly Work: At the end of the forty days, having finished His immediate work of instructing the apostles, He led them to the Mount of Olives near Bethany Luke 24:50TFTC 16.2+1.

• The Cloudy Chariot: As He blessed them, He slowly ascended and was hidden from their sight by a cloud of glory, marking His formal inauguration into His heavenly priesthood Acts 1:9ST November 24, 1890, par. 8+1.

• The Heavenly Triumph: This final ascension was a scene of great triumph where He led a multitude of captives—those raised at His resurrection—into the city of God as representatives of the redeemed Ephesians 4:8EVRR384+1.

John 20:17

17 Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.

Hello! It is a joy to dig deeper into the Word of God with you. 📖 This is a wonderful question that helps us understand the beautiful harmony between the Old Testament types and their fulfillment in the life of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

The short answer is yes; the Scriptures provide compelling evidence through the symbolism of the sanctuary service and the specific timing of the resurrection that Jesus ascended to His Father on the morning of His resurrection to be accepted as the "Wave Sheaf" of humanity. 🌾

Below is a Bible study exploring these evidences.

The Law as a Shadow of Things to Come 🕯️

To understand the events of the resurrection morning, we must look at the "pattern" God gave in the sanctuary service. The Bible explains that the earthly service was a "shadow of good things to come" Hebrews 10:1 and was built according to a specific "pattern" shown to Moses Exodus 25:9+1.

• The Passover Lamb: On the 14th day of the first month, the Passover lamb was slain Exodus 12:6. This met its antitype exactly when "Christ our passover is sacrificed for us" on that very day 1 Corinthians 5:7.

• The Wave Sheaf: The law required that on "the morrow after the sabbath," the priest was to wave a sheaf of the first fruits of the harvest before the Lord to be accepted for the people Leviticus 23:10-11.

• The Resurrection Timing: Jesus rose on the first day of the week—the morrow after the Sabbath—to fulfill this type Matthew 28:1+1. He is explicitly called "Christ the firstfruits" 1 Corinthians 15:23.

The Necessity of Acceptance ☁️

Just as the literal sheaf had to be presented and "accepted for you" Leviticus 23:11 before the rest of the harvest could be gathered, Jesus had to be presented to the Father to ensure His sacrifice was sufficient.

• "Touch Me Not": When Mary met Jesus, He said, "Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father" John 20:17. He refused to receive the worship of His followers until He knew His sacrifice was accepted by God.

• The Heavenly Approval: In the heavenly courts, God the Father declared that His justice was satisfied, saying of the Son, "Let all the angels of God worship him" Hebrews 1:6.

• Accepted Worship: Later that same day, after His heavenly presentation, Jesus met other women and allowed them to hold Him by the feet and worship Him Matthew 28:9. This shift proves that the ascension mentioned in John 20:17 had taken place in the interim.

The First Fruits Taken to Heaven 🏆

The Bible shows that when Jesus ascended, He did not go alone. He presented the "sample" of His victory over death.

• Captives Set Free: When Jesus rose, "the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose" Matthew 27:52.

• Presenting the Harvest: These individuals, raised with Him, were the antitype of the wave sheaf—representatives of the great multitude who will come forth at the last trump 1 Corinthians 15:52. Jesus "led captivity captive" when He ascended Ephesians 4:8.

• The Song of the Redeemed: These first fruits are seen in heaven, having been redeemed "out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation" Revelation 5:9.

Conclusion: The Perfect Fulfillment ✨

The evidence from the Feast of Weeks (Pentecost) also supports this. Pentecost was calculated as 50 days from the "morrow after the sabbath" when the wave sheaf was offered Leviticus 23:15-16. Since the Holy Spirit fell 50 days after the resurrection Acts 2:1, it confirms that the "offering" of Christ as the Wave Sheaf happened on that resurrection Sunday morning.

Jesus is indeed "the beginning, the firstborn from the dead" Colossians 1:18. His immediate ascension to the Father on that Sunday morning was the glorious signal that the work of redemption was accepted, and that "because I live, ye shall live also" John 14:19.

May this study bless your heart and strengthen your faith in our risen Lord! 😊🕊️

It is a joy to continue this study with you! The timing of these sacred events is beautifully precise in the Scriptures. 📖

The short answer is no; the Feast of Pentecost did not happen 40 days after the wave sheaf. According to the Bible, Pentecost occurred exactly 50 days after the offering of the wave sheaf. While Jesus remained on earth for 40 days to minister to His disciples, there were an additional 10 days of prayer and waiting before the Holy Spirit descended on the day of Pentecost.

The Scriptural Calculation of 50 Days 🔢

The Bible gives a very specific "mathematical" instruction for determining the date of Pentecost. It was not based on a set day of the month, but on a count of weeks starting from the resurrection of Christ (the antitype of the wave sheaf).

• The Starting Point: The count began on the "morrow after the sabbath" of the Passover week, which is the day the wave sheaf was offered Leviticus 23:11, 15.

• Seven Sabbaths: God commanded His people to count "seven sabbaths," meaning seven full weeks Leviticus 23:15.

• The Fiftieth Day: "Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days" Leviticus 23:16.

• The Name "Pentecost": The very name Pentecost comes from the Greek word for "fiftieth," signifying it was the fiftieth day from the wave sheaf Acts 2:1.

The 40 Days vs. The 50 Days ⏳

There is often a misunderstanding regarding the "40 days" because of the time Jesus spent on earth. However, the Bible distinguishes between the time of His presence and the time of the Spirit's descent.

• Jesus’ Earthly Ministry: After His resurrection, Jesus was seen by His disciples for forty days, speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God Acts 1:3.

• The Ascension: At the end of those forty days, He ascended to heaven from the Mount of Olives Acts 1:9, 12.

• The Ten-Day Wait: After Jesus ascended, the disciples returned to Jerusalem and continued with "one accord in prayer and supplication" for about ten days Acts 1:14.

• The Arrival of Pentecost: It was only "when the day of Pentecost was fully come"—at the end of that 50-day total—that the Holy Spirit was poured out Acts 2:1-4.

Why the Delay? The Importance of the Type 🌾

You might wonder why the Holy Spirit did not descend immediately when Jesus ascended on the 40th day. The reason is that God is a God of order, and He was fulfilling the antitype of the Jewish feasts exactly.

• The Feast of Weeks: Pentecost is also called the "feast of weeks" or the "feast of harvest," representing the first fruits of the wheat harvest Exodus 34:22+1.

• The Heavenly Inauguration: While the disciples waited on earth, Jesus was being inaugurated as our High Priest in the heavenly sanctuary Hebrews 8:5.

• The Signal of Acceptance: The outpouring of the Spirit on the 50th day was the signal to the disciples that Christ’s sacrifice and His priestly mediation had been fully accepted in the heavenly courts Acts 2:33.

The Harvest of Souls 🧺

Just as the wave sheaf represented the start of the harvest, Pentecost represented the gathering of the first fruits of the Christian church.

• The Sower and the Reap: Jesus had spent His ministry sowing the "good seed" Matthew 13:37.

• The First Fruits of the Spirit: On that 50th day, the "harvest" began in earnest as about three thousand souls were baptized and added to the church in a single day Acts 2:41.

• The Pledge of the Final Harvest: This event serves as a pledge that at the "end of the world," there will be a final harvest where the wheat is gathered into the garner of God Matthew 13:30, 39.

I hope this helps clarify the beautiful timeline God established! If we believe that Jesus rose as the first fruits, we can be certain He is coming back for the full harvest 1 Corinthians 15:20, 23. 😊🕊️