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Then and Now

A short time ago my husband Kym and I viewed the Jesus Revolution movie which led us to a time of reminiscing about how the Lord drew us to Himself in the early seventies.

It was an exciting time as depicted in the movie. It was called the Jesus movement in the United States and here in Australia many came into the family of God, through Yeshua at this time as well. The nearness of the Lord was tangible. Dancing broke out in the churches. Churches grew and expanded. New kinds of Christian music were being released and I in particular but many others as well had such a strong feeling that Jesus was coming back very, very soon. This burned in my heart.

Many of us evangelised on the streets and shared our faith with family and friends.  But then sadly over time, I watched revival change to church growth, systems, and administration. And even though there were some good results, the initial fire that we experienced was no longer burning as brightly.

The Lord has always been faithful to His word, and He has sent seasons of refreshing from His presence as the Scriptures say but not until recently have I again begun to sense His movement among us in such a significant way throughout the earth.

Indeed, this is the moment we have waited for – for decades we waited. We have persevered and endured our own trials and suffering in order to see this day. May I say, the beginning stages of the Day of the Lord. The Day of the Lord in the Bible is a day of His sovereign moving over the nations of the earth until all nations stream to Jerusalem and Jerusalem becomes a praise in all the earth.

“… till He makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth.” (Isa 62:7b NKJV)

Shavuot 2023

“Next, the festival of harvest, the firstfruits of your efforts sowing in the field; and last, the festival of ingathering, at the end of the year, when you gather in from the fields the results of your efforts.” Exodus 23:16 CJB

“‘From the day after the day of rest — that is, from the day you bring the sheaf for waving — you are to count seven full weeks, until the day after the seventh week; you are to count fifty days; and then you are to present a new grain offering to Adonai.” (Lev 23:15–17 CJB)

The clock is ticking and this Shavuot/Pentecost season I believe is the most significant I have seen in my lifetime and possibly in the 2000 years since Yeshua was on earth.

• Shavuot (Feast of Weeks): Hebrew year 5783
  • Hebrew Calendar: Sivan 5 (25–27 May)
• Pentecost Sunday
  • Gregorian Calendar: 28 May

For more information on the background of Shavuot, please refer to my previous articles.

• 2021: “Shavuot (Feast of Weeks) – Shadow of Pentecost”

• 2022: “Festival of Weeks: Shavuot/Pentecost 2022”

 

The feasts are a picture of what is to come.

Shavuot originates from the Lord when He said:

“You shall bring the first of the first fruits of your ground to the house of the LORD your God.” (Exod 34:26 HNV)

Firstfruits is a biblical festival celebrating the first harvest of crops and it is the second of three annual pilgrimage festivals (Moedim).

When Yeshua was raised from the dead by the Holy Spirit, He was the firstfruits of the harvest.

Yeshua gave His life for us as a sinless sacrifice which we remember through the lamb at Passover. The Holy Spirit then raised Christ from the dead.

He was the firstfruits from the dead as described by the apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:20. He was the first one of the new creation who died and came to life again. And we as sinners who were dead to God also come to life again when we are born again by receiving Yeshua’s substitutionary sacrifice for ourselves: “And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die.” (John 11:26 NKJV)

The wave offering of Leviticus 23 and the resurrection of Yeshua are linked together by the Apostle Paul.

“But the fact is that the Messiah has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have died. For since death came through a man, also the resurrection of the dead has come through a man. For just as in connection with Adam all die, so in connection with the Messiah all will be made alive. But each in his own order: the Messiah is the firstfruits; then those who belong to the Messiah, at the time of his coming.” (1 Cor 15:20–23 CJB)

Yeshua is:

• The first-begotten of the Father (Heb 1:5)
• The firstborn over all creation (Col 1:15)
• The first born from the dead (Rev 1:5)
• And is the firstfruits of those who are to be resurrected (1 Cor 15:20–23)

Just as He is our Firstfruits, so:

“He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of first fruits of all he created.” (Jam 1:18)

At Shavuot, the Holy Spirit was poured out:

“The festival of Shavu‘ot arrived, and the believers all gathered together in one place.” (Acts 2:1 CJB)

This was the end of the seven weeks after Passover. (Pentecost is celebrated around that time on a Sunday). Two thousand years ago, thousands of Jewish people in Jerusalem put their faith in God’s Messiah through the preaching of Peter.

I was listening to a teaching by Derek Prince the other day and explained the difference between the Holy Spirit being in us at conversion and on us for the preaching of the gospel.

“But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (Acts 1:8 NKJV)

Please have a look at this document which I have drawn up to explain the different elements.

Many of us are aware of the Isaiah 62: Global Fast called by Mike Bickle.

Currently there are seven million believers who have signed up to fast and pray one hour per day for 21 days from 7–28 May.

When Mike Bickle spoke recently on the Canberra Declaration Zoom meeting, he said that he surprised himself when these words about praying for Israel during the month of May came out of his mouth.

In a vision the Lord showed me black letters on a white sheet of paper – MY FAST.

Even though Mike Bickle was the mouthpiece, the Lord is the initiator of this global event. It is anticipated that 100 million believers around the world will be praying for Israel on the 28 May so that all Israel will be saved.

These figures are unprecedented, truly a once in a lifetime experience for us all.

It is wonderful to be a small part of what the Lord is doing in rallying prayer for His beloved chosen people in this season.

Israel Then and Now

In 1948, 75 years ago there were 23 known messianic believers in Israel. Today the records show that there are 30,000 messianic believers who are registered and possibly another 20,000 who are not registered. There are home groups as well rabbis in Yeshivas who do not wish to declare their faith in Yeshua as they will lose everything. Evangelism on the streets of Israel and other avenues as well is growing in the land, especially since 2012. Back then it was difficult for one to obtain a New Testament but now with the Bible Society in Jaffa Street, Jerusalem, the New Testament, and other materials are available.

Shelanu, the Christian TV station which shares the gospel with Israelis in Hebrew was on their national television but has now found it necessary to go online. But it is still broadcasting the gospel.

The Lord shared with me that Israel is in a time of the lifting of the veil as the gospel is being preached. I am sure that your prayers are with ours so that all Israel will come to know Yeshua, their true Messiah.

Shavuot is celebrated in Israel and Jewish families as a harvest festival, houses decorated with greenery, eating cheesecake and dairy products as well as reading the Book of Ruth. Ruth, a Gentile became an ancestor of Yeshua through her marriage to Boaz and so we have another picture of harvest through her life as well.

Time to Act

There are several ways in which we can connect with what the Lord is doing through this Isaiah 62 fast.

• Mike Bickle’s website has information and free resources.
• Canberra Declaration is praying each night through the month of May – 8pm AEST. Sign up here to receive the Zoom link if you haven’t done so already.

Prayer

God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, Lord of the Harvest, the One who raises from the dead, Abba Father– thank You for giving Yeshua resurrection life. We also thank you for our new lives in Him. May each of us find his place in Your global harvest so that Yeshua shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied. We pray for the full remnant of Father’s Chosen people to come to the Father through Yeshua who is the Way, the Truth and the Life. Amein (not a mistake – related to the Hebrew)

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Photo by CUFI.