The Countdown to Shavuot
Published By: Maxine Carhill, ICEJ Autsralia
Shavuot is the second of the three major festivals known as the Pilgrim Festivals. Of the seven appointed feasts of the LORD, three were decreed by the LORD as “Solemn Feasts” to which all Israelite men were expected to celebrate in Jerusalem (make pilgrimage).
Deuteronomy 16:16. These appointed feasts which the LORD calls “My feasts”, together form God’s prophetic calendar outlining the work of Jesus the Messiah.
Christians can benefit enormously by understanding the rich meaning of Shavuot. The day of Shavuot, (in Greek, Pentecost) marks the giving of God’s word at Mount Sinai, some consider it as the day Judaism was born. But it was also the day in Jerusalem when the church was born, the day the Holy Spirit was poured out marking the beginning of the anticipated new covenant.
Some of the significance of Shavuot is its divine connection to the appointed Feasts that surround it.
The word ‘shavuot’ is Hebrew for ‘weeks’ as it comes after a countdown of 7 weeks – 49 days – from Passover. Barley was the first grain to ripen in the agriculture year. On the second day of Passover, a sheaf of barley was brought into the temple and after preparation was waved before the LORD as a First Fruits offering of the harvest to come. Then the countdown began. Leviticus 23:15 “From the day after the Sabbath, the day you brought the sheaf of the wave offering, count off seven full weeks.”
On the 50th day, it was Shavuot. Numbers 28:26, “On the day of first fruits, you are to hold a sacred assembly when you present an offering of new grain to the LORD at your Festival of Weeks; you are not to do any daily work.”
The fifty days between the second day of Passover and Shavuot are days of preparation and expectations. This seven-week period is known in Judaism as the Counting of the Omer (an omer being a biblical measure of grain).
Counting Down To What?
Countdown to an encounter: Shavuot is also called ‘Hag Matan Torahteinu’, ‘the Giving of our Torah’.
A Look at the links : The links between Passover (or Pesach) to Shavuot is very significant. As we look back to the first Passover, the exodus from Egypt, from slavery, it was fifty days later the Jewish commentators say, that the bunch of freed slaves stood at Mt Sinai expecting an encounter with the God of their fathers.
Redemption’s beginning: Passover was the beginning of their redemption. It was freedom from bondage, from serving the wrong master. It is both a picture and the pattern of our release from sin’s hold, the beginning of our redemptive journey.
Passover meant freedom, but freedom without responsibility is not true freedom. The ex-slaves had freedom but had no boundaries or guidelines to take them on their journey towards the promises of God.
Shavuot Brought Them Responsibility
Before that anxious night of waiting with the blood of the lamb on their doorposts, God had given them four promises. They would one day incorporate those promises in the traditional ritual still used today to commemorate that night. The four cups of wine now drunk at each Passover Seder represent these promises.
Exodus 6:6 “I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. I will save you from their bondage, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm.”
These promises were fulfilled that dramatic night when God alone rescued His people with mighty acts of power as described in Exodus 12:29-41.
But Exodus 6:7 continues – “I will take you as My people (or nation) and I will be your God.” This was to happen later. Fifty days later, when an amazing event took place. At Mount Sinai the people stood trembling at the awesome display of God’s power on the mountain and accepted the covenant that God offered – to be His chosen people, His special treasure, Exodus 19:5. Reaffirmed in Deuteronomy 7:6 and elsewhere.
- They were brought out from bondage and brought into a heritage.
- Called out of an idolatrous nation and called to be a holy nation.
That encounter with a Holy God included being given a set of Divine instructions. The Torah, which although usually translated in English as Law, is a word that has the connotation of ‘aiming for the mark’. If they were to be the chosen people of God and represent Him to a fallen world, they needed to reflect His holiness. Leviticus 20:26 “You shall be holy to me; for I the LORD am holy, and have separated you from the peoples, that you should be mine.”
- Passover is the beginning of a journey.
- Shavuot is a milestone along the way
During the Counting of the Omer Jesus made several appearances following his resurrection and told his disciples to wait, they too would have an encounter with God. And on the day of Shavuot (Pentecost means 50, the 50th day), they indeed had an amazing encounter when God poured out His Spirit with similarities to the day that the Torah was given. The Holy Spirit empowered the new Believers in Yeshua to walk as a holy people of God.
Just as the Israelites were affirmed as God’s chosen people on Shavuot with the giving of the Torah, so the early church was affirmed as God’s people at Shavuot after Jesus’ ascension into heaven as a mediator of a better covenant Hebrews 8:6. The 3000 that believed were added that day were the first fruits of the redeemed people of God.
Countdown To Proving The Promises
Shavuot is also called:
Hag HaKatzir – Feast of Harvest
HaBikurim – The Feast of First fruits
At Shavuot the next grain crop, wheat, was ready to be harvested as well as other species. Here is the other link between Passover and Shavuot. When they received the instructions about bringing their offerings of produce they were still in the wilderness and it would only be in the Promised Land that could they offer to God the fruits of His blessings.
“And I will bring you into the land which I swore to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; and I will give it to you as a heritage: I am the LORD.” Exodus 6:8.
Once they reached the Promised Land and trusted in God’s promises of provision, could they produce a harvest and have something to bring to God. For close to 40 years in the wilderness, food was miraculously provided in the form of a daily quota of manna which Jewish commentary teaches was the amount of one Omer measure per head. Now, the nation is to bring something back to God. A reminder that whether He miraculously provides or gives the means for the farmer to grow the produce, we are dependent on His mercy.
James drew on this agricultural picture to exhort patient perseverance in 5:7-8, “Therefore be patient brethren until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits patiently for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain. You also be patient…” Like the Israelites who needed to enter the Land God had promised, walk in the way He had instructed them, and trust in His provision in order to produce a harvest, it is the same for us. We need to trust in His Word and live according to His standards so we can produce fruit. Galation5:22.
- Passover was the beginning of redemption
- Shavuot was the walking in redemption
There Is More To Come
It is worth noting the third Pilgrim Festival:
Succot – Redemption fulfilled.
The Festival of Tabernacles or Sukkot (meaning ‘booths or shelters’) remembers the wilderness journey and God’s care. Leviticus 23:42-43 instructs the people to live in temporary shelters for 7 days “so your descendants will know that I had the Israelites live in temporary shelters when I brought them out of Egypt.”
Sukkot is the final ingathering of the harvest so is also known as Hag HaAsif, or ‘Festival of the Ingathering’.
Succot pointed to a time when God would again ‘tabernacle’ with his people in the future. John 1:14, “The Word [Jesus] became flesh and tabernacled among us”. There is an even greater fulfilment to come. Revelation 21:3 says, “And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God.” An amazing future to which we look forward.
The Journey of Redemption
In the verse below we see the progression in our redemption as pictured in the milestone dates in God’s Biblical calendar.
Romans 6:22: “…having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, (Passover) you have your fruit to holiness, (Shavuot)
and the end, everlasting life.” (Succot)
And in Ephesians 1:13: “And you (gentiles) also were included in Messiah when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. (Passover) Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, … a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance (Shavuot) until the redemption of those who are God’s possession.” (Succot)
The festivals of the LORD are not only historical remembrances but spiritual realities and God’s prophetic calendar. From Egypt to Sinai to Israel, from bondage to covenant to fulfillment, God invites us to walk with Him. Passover reminds us we are redeemed; Shavuot, that we are empowered to bring Him fruit; and Succot, that we will one day dwell forever in His presence. May we walk in the fullness of His promises.
“Teach us to count our days that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” Psalm 90:12
