The Symbolic Meaning of the Two Loaves

Scripture Reading: Acts 2:1-5

 The festival of Shavu‘ot (Pentecost) arrived, and the believers all gathered together in one place. ² Suddenly there came a sound from the sky like the roar of a violent wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. ³ Then they saw what looked like tongues of fire, which separated and came to rest on each one of them. ⁴ They were all filled with the Ruach HaKodesh (Holy  Spirit) and began to talk in different languages, as the Spirit enabled them to speak.

⁵ Now there were staying in Yerushalayim (Jerusalem)  religious Jews from every nation under heaven.                                                 From the Complete Jewish Bible (CJB)

Key Verse: ... and when the day of Pentecost came...   (Acts 2:1)

Meditation. On the final day of the Feast of Pentecost the priest took two loaves made of the newly harvested grain and presented them to God. Why just two and not some other number? Biblical scholars have concluded the two loaves symbolized the Jewish and Gentile peoples. God did not desire bread but people. This can be found in Leviticus 23:15-18

God’s concern for people has been evident since His covenant with Abraham, but not just for Jewish people ." all peoples on earth will be blessed through you".(Genesis 22:18)  The actualization of that promised to Abraham would wait 2,000+ years yet God’s intention for the world was expressed from the beginning. God used the scattered Jewish people to convert many Gentiles from paganism. Exiled Jewish Christians evangelized the Ethiopian eunuch.  He studied the scriptures and was ready to receive the gospel. One of the most outstanding convents recorded in the book of Acts, his subsequent  zeal to evangelized his own people is a part of the reason for the history of Christianity in his country today. This can be found in Acts 8: 26-40.

The Old Testament Feast of Pentecost (Harvest) was strategically fulfilled in Acts 2 when people gathered from all over the then known world.  Peter presented not two loaves to the Lord, but 3,000 converts who were asking for baptism. These 3,000 became the firstfruit of the larger World harvest that was yet to come.

Thought for the Day: God orchestrated the timing of the Day Pentecost for the purpose of world evangelism.


There are two parts two this holy day of Pentecost or Shavout.
One part is a celebration of the first fruits of the harvest.
And the second part is a celebration of the receiving of the Law or the 10 commandments.  The 10 commandments were received by Moses on the behalf of the Israeli nation.  The Israeli people had gathered to celebrate this season of happiness. It was no accident that the two holidays were to happen at the same time, just as the death of Jesus was no accident to have happen at the time of Passover another time of Israeli joy. 

When Moses was invited by God to join him on the top of Mt. Sinai he received the first tablet upon which were the 10 commandments. But Moses did not immediately return to the Isreali campsite. He staied up on the mountain for the next 40 days.  During this time the people decided to make themselves their own god- a golden calf. This story occurs in Exodus 19,20 and 32. When Moses saw the behaviors of the Israeli people he not only broke the original tablet but 3,000 Isrealis were killed on that day.
 
" For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin." (Romans 3:20) Knowledge is therefore part (A). Part (B) is the offerings and the sacrifices found in Leviticus and Deuteronomy that  would be offered to cover our sins and to show God our good intentions. But the yearly sacrifices were not good enough.  Then there would be daily sacrifices as well.  But these did not prevent people from disobeying the law.
 
 But on the day of Pentecost- fifty days after the resurrection of Jesus, something far more wonderful happened.  - "this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he(Jesus) is so also are we in this world". -1 John 4:17 This love came inside of the disciples.  Because of this act of Christ we are all able to enter into the Holy of Holies daily and talk with the Great I am. We are able to do what ever Jesus did in scripture. We can do nothing for our own salvation.

This Holy Spirit is still around today. I repeat those words from 1 John 4:17 constantly under my breath. I have started to meditate on these words. My life has started to reflect more of Him and His plan for me.

We can do all things in Christ. It is these words that keep me acting and thinking holy thoughts. Check it out for yourself and see what happens.