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As we prepare to celebrate Pentecost, let us cast our minds back to the original Jewish harvest festival which marks this holy day. Rabbinical tradition is that Shavuot commemorates the giving of the Ten Commandments as the Israelites prepared to enter the Promised Land.

Welcome to Shavuot/Pentecost 2022 (Festival of Weeks)!

Again, in this season, after Pesach/Passover/Easter where the dates coincided, we approach Shavuot/Pentecost, which is fifty days later.

• Shavuot שָׁבוּעוֹת 2022 / 5782 (Hebrew year)
• Hebrew Calendar — Sivan 6-7/ June, evening 4th — nightfall 6th
• Gregorian Calendar — Pentecost Sunday — 5th June

Shavuot is Chag HaShavuot (Festival of Weeks)

Divine Law

Scriptures say it was a harvest festival. However, after the destruction of the Temple, when the agricultural festival was no longer relevant in the Middle Ages, the rabbis calculated dates and worked backwards to Sinai, calling it the time of the Giving of the Law. There are several theories around this — however, even the scholars cannot come to an agreement on the specifics.

In Exodus 34:22; Deuteronomy 16:9-10, and 16; and Leviticus 23:15-16, the Bible tells the Israelites to count seven full weeks after the Sabbath and states that the fiftieth day is Shavuot, when a prescribed sacrifice was to be brought.

The Jewish customs revolve around decorating synagogues and homes with flowers and boughs. Festive foods are enjoyed; in particular, dairy and sweet foods are eaten. Cheesecake and sweet foods indicate a land flowing with milk and honey. The celebrations are not just about the external displays, but include prayer and refraining from work.

Some communities read the Book of Ruth because it is linked to the harvest season.

You may wish to read more about what I wrote regarding Shavuot in my previous article.

This celebration of Shavuot/Pentecost is a time to be filled with the Holy Spirit and thank the Lord for kingdom fruit as we, His sons, serve Him and continue to be clothed with power from on high.

Let us go a bit deeper and see what we can glean.

New Beginning

The deliverance of the Israelites from Egypt happened at the time of Pesach/Passover, but this initial deliverance was only the beginning of a journey of the people of God with their Maker. The Father’s plan was to bring them out so that He could bring them in — bring them into His heart.

In the New Testament, Yeshua is the firstfruits and we are part of His harvest.

But the fact is that the Messiah has been raised from the dead,
the firstfruits of those who have died.
~ 1 Corinthians 15:20 CJB

The word firstfruits suggests an initial harvest that will be followed by another harvest.

Jesus was the first sheaf, the first one raised from the dead. Each one of us is also brought out of death into life when we trust in Him. As we go out and plant the seeds of His love, we are to bring the sheaves of souls who turn to Yeshua with us. In this is the Father glorified.

He who continually goes forth weeping,
Bearing seed for sowing,
Shall doubtless come again with rejoicing,
Bringing his sheaves with him.
~ Psalm 126:5 (NKJV)

At Shavuot, there was a special offering/korban that involved the waving of two loaves of bread.  This was the only time leavened bread was used and it is believed to represent the One New Man of Jew and Gentile together.

For He is [Himself] our peace (our bond of unity and harmony).
He has made us both [Jew and Gentile] one [body],
and has broken down (destroyed, abolished) the hostile dividing wall between us.
~ Ephesians 2:14 (AMPC)

This is the Father’s greater plan.

Once sin had been dealt with through Yeshua, we are then prepared for the coming of the Holy Spirit upon our lives in power. (Acts 1:8)

In Judaism, they count the Omer and part of this is a time of repentance to be prepared for what is coming at Shavuot. Each day is counted, a blessing is said and so they move through the seven weeks from Passover to Shavuot.

It is interesting to note that it was during the 40 days of the counting of the Omer that Yeshua made His resurrected appearances to the disciples before His ascension.

Likewise, Yeshua asked the disciples to wait in the Upper Room in preparation for the promise of the Father. The disciples were not released into their mission until they had received “power from on high.”

I am aware of believers many of whom, in this season between Passover/Easter and Shavuot/Pentecost (counting of the Omer time), are seeking the Lord, repenting, and even having encounters with the Risen Lord.

Shavuot/Pentecost is the fulfilment of the promise of the Father (Acts 1:4) and Yeshua went on to say that —

in a few days, you will be immersed in the Ruach HaKodesh! (Acts 1:5b CJB)

This gift is for all those who trust in Him. We believers, the called-out ones, are called to be His Bride.  It is the promise of the Father that we are to be clothed with the Ruach HaKodesh (the Holy Spirit) in an encounter with the resurrected Lord of Glory.

The Day of Pentecost

Many look upon this Day of Pentecost as a Christian tradition.  However, may I encourage each one of us to look unto Yeshua and partake of His heavenly realities through Ruach HaKodesh to continue His good work in each one of us so that we may be complete and want for nothing.

Act 2:1 ~ Now when the day of Shavu`ot had come, they were all with one accord in one place.

Suddenly there came from the sky a sound like the rushing of a mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.

Tongues like fire appeared and were distributed to them, and one sat on each of them.

They were all filled with the Ruach HaKodesh, and began to speak with other languages, as the Spirit gave them the ability to speak.

On this day of Pentecost, the heavenly realm broke into where the disciples were waiting on the Lord in the Upper Room.

Peter went on to preach about Yeshua and His resurrection from the dead; thousands came to faith in the Messiah and so the Bride of Yeshua emerged as a wider expression of Father’s heart to the world.

“Men of Yisra’el, hear these words! Yeshua of Natzeret, a man approved by God to you by mighty works and wonders and signs which God did by him in the midst of you, even as you yourselves know, him, being delivered up by the determined counsel and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by the hand of lawless men, crucified and killed; whom God raised up, having freed him from the agony of death, because it was not possible that he should be held by it.”
~ Acts 2:22-24 (HNV)

Shavuot, as we saw in preceding scriptures, was a harvest festival. However, in rabbinical tradition, it is also the giving of the law at Mt Sinai, which some liken to a marriage covenant between the Lord and His people.  He brought His people out of Egyptian slavery so that He could bring them into covenantal love and relationship.  In this revealing of the Bride of Christ, we see more of the fulfilment of the Father’s plan.

Ingathering

As I was preparing to write this article, the Lord highlighted to me the word “ingathering”.

During the month of May, the Canberra Declaration is working together with the GO Movement.

The GO Movement is suggesting that each believer on the planet shares the love of God with five individuals and in that way, one billion people will be reached with the love of God.

You can read more statistics here about unreached people groups:

Each one of us has his own way of sharing the love of God, a gift, a prayer, a visit — it is possible.

Because I realise that we live now in a society here in Australia and the West where the name of God is not mentioned much, I have begun to say to individuals who are serving me in shops and restaurants, “God bless you”, and many receive this blessing.

Also, the Lord highlights individuals to me when I am out and about, and I introduce myself and ask if they would accept a prayer; many also agree to receive a prayer.

These are simple everyday tools that I use to share His love with individuals for whom Yeshua died.

Prayer:

Father God, thank You for Yeshua’s sacrifice which brings each one of us to Father’s heart to enjoy the richness of belonging to His family and true life which will never end. Thank You for Ruach HaKodesh, the promise of the Father, and for the beauty of Your Bride. May each one of us be without spot and wrinkle, and prepared for the day of Your appearing.

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Photo by solod_sha.