"Then He came to Bethsaida; and they brought a blind man to [Yah'shua/Jesus], and begged Him to touch him. So He took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the town. And when He had spit on his eyes and put His hands on him, He asked him if he saw anything. And he looked up and said, 'I see men like trees, walking.' Then He put His hands on his eyes again and made him look up. And he was restored and saw everyone clearly" (Mark 8:22-25, NKJV).

It's clear reading the Gospel accounts that though the talmidim (disciples) knew and walked with Yah'shua (Jesus) while He was on the earth, they were not actually fully converted until the Ruach haQodesh (Holy Spirit) tell on them on the firsty day of Shavu'ot or Pentecost after His resurrection (Mt.18:3; Ac.3:19).

When we first commit ourselves to Yah'shua (Jesus) through the ordinance of water baptism it is because our eyes have been open to the wonder of His emet (truth), reality and ahavah (love). Being born again, respresented by Yom haBikkurim or the Day of Firstfruits is a bit like being suddenly thrust into a bright light having been in darkness all one's life. That's what it was like for the blind man in this story. But though he was born again into the luscious world of Divine Light the men around him still appeared like "trees, walking" to him. To make sense of this new reality required a second touch or anointing as is represented by Shavu'ot or Pentecost. The first touch is redeeming but the second is revealing.

What kind of revelation is Pentecost? It is the writing of the Torah on the lev (heart) of the one born again into the light. Torah - both the written Torah (Law) and the living Torah (Messiah) - bring clarity, focus and structure to the original revelation of the Messiahship of Yah'shua (Jesus). Shavu'ot (Pentecost) was the day Israel received the Torah and the day the first Messianic Israelites reveived the Gift of the Ruach haQodesh (Holy Spirit). The first brought sight and the second, focus and empowerment.

Though we see many things as believers our eyes yet remain closed to others. We are in constant need of 'complimentary touches':

"I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the qodeshim (saints, set-apart ones)" (Eph.1:18, NIV).