Pentecost, Shavuot, Feast of Weeks: Counting of the Omer

Leviticus 23:15-16 ‘You shall also count for yourselves from the day after the Sabbath, from the day when you brought in the sheaf of the wave offering; there shall be seven complete Sabbaths. You shall count fifty days to the day after the seventh Sabbath; then you shall present a new grain offering to the Lord.

With the Mosaic Law, this 50 day period of time is known as the “counting of the omer”. So what is an “omer”? The Hebrew word for “sheaf” is omer. Per Strong’s Concordance, an omer is a sheaf or bundle of grain; or a dry measure. Exodus 16:36 (An omer is the tenth part of an ephah.) In a western culture, an omer is approximately 2.3 quarts (http://biblehub.com/weights-and-measures/).

During Temple worship, an omer of barley was brought to the Temple on the second day of Passover. This was a grain offering. This marked the first day of the count.

In Jewish culture, the counting of the omer (50 days) connects the Passover and Shavuot. The Passover is celebrated to remind the nation Israel of the Exodus out of Egypt. Shavuot or the Feast of Weeks is a memorial of God giving Moses and Israel the Torah. Hebraic belief is redemption from Egyptian slavery was not complete until they received the instruction or teaching.

http://www.jewfaq.org/holidayb.htm

The Law was given on Mount Sinai roughly 1,500 years before Christ. Nation Israel honored Shavuot, the Feast of Weeks, every year. Fast forward to 33 AD. Nation Israel has been celebrating and living God’s Appointed Spring holidays.

Jesus Christ, the Passover Lamb, had been sacrificed. He was the buried Unleavened Bread. Christ is the First Fruits.

Acts 2:4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance. It is seven weeks after the death of the sacrificial lamb, Jesus. Shavuot or Pentecost is also the day God the Father gave the Holy Spirit. Because of this, Pentecost is considered the beginning or the birth of the church (believers in Jesus Christ).

Believers in Christ are cleansed of sin by the innocent blood of the Lamb. When that decision is made, we are sealed with the Holy Spirit. We are redeemed children of God, free of the bondage of sin.

Ephesians 1:13-14 In Him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in Him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory.

Shavuot, Feast of Weeks, and Pentecost are synonymous. Shavuot is often associated with God giving the Torah, the birth of Judaism. Pentecost is often associated with God giving the Holy Spirit, the birth of the church. God chose His appointed holiday to reveal aspects of who He is.

https://paulthepoke.com/2015/05/17/shavuotpentecost-part-1/

https://paulthepoke.com/2015/05/22/shavuotpentecost-part-2/

 

 

2 Responses to “Pentecost, Shavuot, Feast of Weeks: Counting of the Omer”

  1. Michael Richard King Says:

    June 8-9 2019

    Shavuot completed

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