Moses and Joshua: Two (2) Pivotal Texts Proving Pentecost on Sivan 6

UNDERSTANDING the correct timing of the Feast of Pentecost is essential for doctrinal integrity in the Churches of God. Though often debated, there is strong biblical and scholarly support that Pentecost was originally given on Sivan 6 and should be observed on that date today.

This article explores two pivotal texts—Exodus 19 and Joshua 5—that, when harmonized, provide clear proof for this conclusion.

Moses at the Foot of Mt Sinai and the Arrival of the Third Month 'Sivan'

Exodus 19:1–2 states: "In the third month, when the children of Israel were gone forth out of the land of Egypt, the same day came they into the wilderness of Sinai."

Many read this as the first day of the third month—Sivan 1. This interpretation fits chronologically: from Nisan 15 (the day after Passover) to Sivan 1 is exactly 46 days. On Sivan 2, Moses ascended the mountain (Exodus 19:3). God told him to sanctify the people for two days and be ready on the third day (Exodus 19:10–11). Thus, the giving of the law occurred on the 49th day from the Exodus, with Pentecost falling on the 50th—Sivan 6.

Again, the chronology can be understood as follows:

Verse 1 is typically understood to refer to Sivan 1, the first day of the third month.

By counting from Nisan 15 (the day after the Exodus), Israel would have arrived at Mount Sinai exactly 46 days later. The sequence continues:

🗓Sivan 2: Moses ascends the mountain (Ex. 19:3).

🗓Sivan 3: God instructs him to sanctify the people two days, "for on the 3rd day He will appear" (Exo. 19:10-11)

🗓Sivan 4-5: Moses went down from the mountain, and the people "washed" and made themselves ready (Exo. 19:14).

🗓Sivan 6: God descends, gives the law on—Pentecost, "with thunderings and lightnings... and the sound of the trumpet" (Exo.19:16).

This gives us a precise 50-day count from the Exodus to the giving of the law.

This timeline, corroborated by Jewish tradition and early Christian writings, presents a precise scriptural scaffold for counting toward Pentecost. As biblical scholar Umberto Cassuto writes:

“The chronological framework from the Exodus to Sinai supports the longstanding view that the law was given on the 50th day, aligning with what would later be observed as Pentecost.”

(A Commentary on the Book of Exodus, 1967)

Joshua's Entry into the Promised Land

Joshua 5, states: "Now the children of Israel camped in Gilgal, and kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the month at twilight on the plains of Jericho. And they ate of the produce of the land on the day after the Passover, unleavened bread and parched grain, on the very same day." (Joshua 5:10-11)

Joshua 5 records Israel keeping Passover in the land of Canaan on the 14th of Nisan (verse 10). The next day, they ate unleavened produce of the land, and on the following day, the manna ceased (verses 11–12). This sequencing matches the timing of the Wave Sheaf offering (Leviticus 23:10–11), which is offered the day after the High Sabbath following Passover. The next day, they ate the produce of the land; the manna ceased the following day. Counting 50 days from this date also brings us to Sivan 6. Joshua 5:10–12 chronologically proves the following :

🗓Nisan 14: Passover Sacrifice

🗓Nisan 15: First Day of Unleavened Bread (High-Sabbath)

🗓Nisan 16: Wave Sheaf Day; Produce eaten🌾

🗓Nisan 17: Weekly Sabbath

🗓Nisan 18: March to Jericho

Counting 50 days from Nisan 16 brings us once again to Sivan 6. This pattern confirms the same Pentecost timing as seen in Exodus 19.

More importantly, this harmony between Exodus and Joshua reveals a consistent approach to Pentecost timing, whether during the Exodus from Egypt or the conquest of Canaan.

Scriptural and Scholarly Unity for Sivan 6

The rabbinical tradition date Pentecost on Sivan 6 based on the interpretation of Exodus 19, and this was not a later innovation. The Dead Sea Scrolls and writings of Philo of Alexandria both reflect the belief that Pentecost occurred on the 50th day after the Exodus, which they calculated to fall on Sivan 6.

Early Church historians, including Eusebius, also acknowledged that Jewish Christians initially maintained alignment with the Jewish calendar and thus observed Pentecost on Sivan 6. Even contemporary scholars such as Jacob Milgrom (in Leviticus: A Continental Commentary) affirm that “The festival of Weeks, or Pentecost, as celebrated in temple times, was universally understood to be fixed on the sixth of Sivan.”

Why This Matters

The convergence of Exodus 19 and Joshua 5, supported by historical sources and respected biblical scholars, provides a compelling case for recognizing Pentecost on Sivan 6. It is not merely a matter of calendar preference; it is a matter of faithfully aligning with the biblical record.

For the Churches of God, committed to restoring original Christian practice, recognizing Sivan 6 as Pentecost affirms our dedication to scriptural truth. It aligns us with the pattern established at Sinai and the consistency shown in the conquest under Joshua.

So let us stand firmly on solid ground, not wavering with the "Sunday- Pentecost" reinterpretation promoted by Latin Church "Fathers" who wanted to distance themselves from everything "Jewish". But let us be grounded in our Heavenly Father's word passed down to us from His loyal servants--Moses and Joshua!