Pentecost and Symbolism (Part Two)

 Pentecost and Symbolism (Part Two) PartOne introduced my confusion over the grain ancient Israel used in making the two wave loaves offered on Pentecost. The church has long known that the wavesheaf, offered within the Feast of Unleavened Bread or immediately thereafter, was cut from just-ripening barley stalks. Since those spring holy days are so early in the growing season, barley was the only grain ripe enough to offer. Some, like me, have assumed the Israelites made the Pentecost wave loaves of the same grain since Leviticus 23:15-21 does not specify a different one. However, we learn that, by the time Pentecost arrives, the "new grain" (see Leviticus 23:16) is wheat, not barley. The barley harvest ends sometime before Pentecost, and the wheat harvest begins on its heels. What do we do with this information? How does this fact affect how we understand these grains' symbolism? I had to ask myself some questions. The Bible is clear that the wavesheaf and wave loaves offerings are connected—both represent "firstfruits." So, if the barley wavesheaf represents God's acceptance of Jesus Christ as the firstfruits (see I Corinthians 15:20-23), I reasoned, should not barley also represent the elect, the firstfruits of humanity, who strive to be like Him in all things? If the wave loaves were made of wheat, it creates a disconnect—atleast it did in my mind. Another connection is that wave offerings begin and end the count to Pentecost. Because of this, I inferred—wrongly—that the Pentecost offering finishes the spring barley harvest. If one considers a harvest to be a type of a resurrection, then it is not difficult to conclude that Pentecost typifies the end of a harvest (of all the firstfruits). Should not the unity of this early harvest of firstfruits be shownin a singular grain used in these offerings? But God's revelation in Scripture was telling me such was not the case. Delving more deeply into symbolism, I found that barley can represent God's deliverance or providence. In Judges 7:13-15, God gives a man in the Midianite camp a dream that a barley loaf rolls into the camp and flattens the Midianite's tent. This imagery inspired Gideon, who told his fellow Israelites, "Arise, for the LORDhas delivered the camp of Midian into your hand." Also, in II Kings 4:42-44, Elisha fed a hundred men with just twenty loaves of barley and had some left over. In a similar but far greater miracle, Jesus fed 5,000 people with five barley loaves (see Matthew 14:13-21; Mark 6:32-44; Luke 9:10-17; John 6:1-2). Because of how much Christ does for us and works in us through His Spirit to bring us to salvation, these examples appear to add some weight to the idea that barley is a good symbol of His firstfruits. This symbolism seems convincing. Jesus Christ and the members of His church are one Body. Symbolically, if barley represents Jesus, it stands to reason that it also represents those who are part of His Body. It appears sensible to believe that when our salvation is complete (represented by the end of the spring barley harvest), we can begin working on bringing the rest of humanity to salvation (symbolized by the later harvests, beginning with the wheat harvest). But then we have the fact that the Jews in the Temple period made the Pentecost wave loaves from newly harvested wheat. Why did they do so? Because the Old Testament told them to—just not in Leviticus 23! Note the instruction in Exodus 34:22: "And you shall observe the Feast of Weeks, of the firstfruits of wheat harvest, and the Feast of Ingathering at year's end" (emphasis ours throughout). This verse, tucked in a summary of God's appointed times, says in no uncertainterms that the Pentecost offering should be made from the firstfruits of the wheat harvest. It is easy to overlook this short phrase—a lesson that God supplies His revelation of the truth "here a little, there a little" (see the principle in Isaiah 28:10, 13). This information demanded that I reconsider my interpretation and examine wheat as a symbol. Speaking of death and resurrection in John 12:24, Jesus says, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone: but if it dies, it produces much grain." Jesus, who is undoubtedly the antitype of the wavesheaf offering of barley, refers to a seed of wheat "dying" when planted (buried) in the ground yet producing "much grain" once enlivened by water and light (resurrected). Many claim He is speaking of His own death and resurrection in this verse, butHis words may be more general, teaching how others—like the Greeks who had come to see Him—can follow Him into God's Kingdom. If this is the case, He is indicating that the elect—those called and converted in this age—are symbolized by wheat. In Matthew 13, in Jesus' Parable of the Wheat and the Tares, He refers directly to Christians as wheat: The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed ["the sons of the kingdom," verse 38] in his field; but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way. . . . "First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn." (Matthew 13: 25, 30) Jesus Christ is unique. As the only begotten Son of the Father, He is like no one else. It makes sense for the wavesheaf offering to be unique, too, made of barley. The wave loaves, made of a different type of grain, wheat, represent anothertype of firstfruit: once-sinful humans whose character Christ transforms by His Spirit through a thorough transformation process. Wheat is called the staff of life, full of vitamins and minerals and a plethora of health benefits. Most consider it a superior grain to barley; thus, the Bible uses it as a symbol of prosperity. Notice Deuteronomy 32:13-14: "[The LORD] made [Jacob] ride in the heights of the earth, that he might eat the produce of the fields; . . . with the choicest wheat . . ." (see also Deuteronomy 8:7-8; Psalm 147:14). The symbol represents the elect in their finished state, not how they started. When God's chosen people are changed in the resurrection and the Millennium begins, Christ's firstfruits will assist Him in bringing not only the gospel to the survivors of the Day of the Lord but also the good things in life like prosperity and health. In the end, symbolism can be a great teaching tool and contribute to our understanding, but it is not the reality, despite sometimes seeming very convincing. Symbolism relies on human reason and interpretation—always a risky proposition—notdivine revelation. The inspired truth, God's Word, is reality, and we must ground our complete understanding on it (see Matthew 7:24-27). This study was a lesson for me, one who does not change easily. I tried to be open-minded as it ran its course, but one thing became clear: If our understanding of symbolism contrasts with what the Scriptures say, we should question our reasoningand seek to align ourselves with God's revelation. If we do, God will surely bless our efforts in seeking the truth. - John Reiss