Written by: Damien Powell
Chag HaShavout (Feast of Weeks)/Pentecost
Jeremiah 5:24 says
“And they do not say in their heart, “Let us now revere YHWH our Elohim, who gives rain, both the former and the latter, in its season. He guards for us the Law: The Shavuot of harvest.”
The Feast of Unleavened Bread is the last holy day celebrated as we were commanded not to eat anything with leaven in it for seven days to commemorate our Exodus out of Egypt and how YHWH brought our divisions out of Egypt with a mighty hand. Scripture tells us that the Sunday (First Fruits) during the Feast of Unleavened Bread (Chag HaMatzoat) is when we start the counting of the omer (sheaf).
Leviticus 23:15-16 says:
“And you shall count unto you from the morrow after the Sabbath, from the day that you brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven Sabbaths shall be complete: Even unto the morrow after the seventh Sabbath shall you number fifty days; and you shall offer a new grain offering unto YHWH.”
The counting of the omer in Christianity is commonly known as resurrection Sunday; however it is when the priest would wave a barley sheaf before YHWH for the blessing of the future crops for the year and also the start of counting 50 days to Shavuot (Shav-oo-oat) which means ”weeks” in Hebrew. Pentecost means 50 in Greek and this holy day falls Sunday June 9th 2019 of this year.
There are many traditions and celebrations that surround Shavuot/Pentecost in modern day Judaism and Christianity, such as the giving of the Torah to Moses, reading the 10 commandments, and the eating of dairy products. What does scripture tell us about how we are to celebrate this day as followers of our Master Yeshua? And what is the importance of this day?
The importance of this day can be explained like this. Elohim was telling Moses “I am taking My people of Israel to a fertile land that I have given them and I would like them to acknowledge this gift. “Each spring, when the harvest of the year is available the people should bring their initial crops of the temple so the high priest can acknowledge them before Me.”
YHWH wants us to acknowledge that He has provided for us by bringing our best offering to Him. Similar to how Abel brought his best offering instead of an inferior one as Cain did. It also shows our trust in Him by offering our best and that He will continue to provide even more and continue to bless us. Shavuot/Pentecost is also a NO work day. Leviticus 23:21 says:
“And you shall proclaim on that same day, that it may be a holy convocation unto you: you shall do no servile work therein: it is a Law forever in all your dwellings throughout your generations.”
Deuteronomy 16:10-11 says:
“And you shall keep the Feast of Weeks (Shavuot/Pentecost) unto YHWH your Elohim according to the voluntary offering from your hand, which you give as YHWH your Elohim has blessed you. And you shall rejoice before YHWH your Elohim, you, and your son, and your daughter, and your male servant, and your female servant, and the Levite that is within your gates, and the stranger; and the fatherless, and the widow, that are among you, in the place which YHWH your Elohim has chooses to make His Name dwell.”
Elohim tells us to bring a free will offering according to the blessing He has given us as a way to say thank you and He also commands EVERYONE to rejoice before Him on this day. We are not to be sorrowful or in a bad mood because YHWH clearly commands us to be joyous on this day.
Deuteronomy 16:12 says:
“And you shall remember that you were a slave in Egypt: and you shall guard and do these Laws.”
Shavuot/Pentecost is the last Moedim/appointed time of the spring and as you can see it ties in with Passover because He brought us up out of Egypt because were slaves and on Shavuot we are to remember that we were slaves in Egypt. He wants us to remember this fact so that we do not backslide and forget His blessings. By having us remember that we were slaves keeps our focus on Him and His commandments so we do not become disobedient.
Another important fact for this day is the promise that Yeshua gave us before He ascended into heaven. Yeshua tells us in John 16:7
“Nevertheless I tell you the truth; it is better for you that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper (which is the Ruach HaKodesh/Holy Spirit pronounced Roo-ach Ha-Ko-desh) will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send Him unto you.”
It was important for Yeshua to ascend into heaven because He sent the Ruach HaKodesh to dwell within us and verse 13 He tells us what the Holy Spirit will do:
“But when He comes, the Ruach of the Truth, He shall guide you into all truth. For He shall not speak of Himself, but whatever He hears He shall speak, and He will show you things to come. He shall esteem Me, for He shall take of what is Mine and announce it to you.”
The Ruach HaKodesh will guide us and show us truth and lead us to righteousness and how to obey the commandments. It is important to mention Yeshua’s promise of the Holy Spirit during Shavuot because The Holy Spirit was poured out on His disciples on this very day. Acts 2:1-4 says:
“And when the day of Shavuot/Pentecost had come, they were all with one mind in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them divided tongues like as of fire, and settled upon each one of them. And they were all filled with the Ruach HaKodesh/Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave them to speak.”
Although scripture doesn’t tell us exactly how to celebrate Shavuot we can explore ideas of growing and maturing, so we can reap a harvest in our walk with Yeshua, we can also reap a harvest of souls by proclaiming Yeshua to the world.
Acts 2:38-41 is a great example as it reads:
“Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be immersed (baptized) every one of you in the name of Yeshua HaMashiach (Ha-ma-she-ach) for the forgiveness of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Ruach HaKodesh. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are far off, even as many as YHWH our Elohim shall call. And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying “Save yourselves from this crooked generation. Then they that gladly received his word were immersed: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.”
The Book of Ruth is worth reading because it ties into Shavuot. Ruth 1:22 says:
“So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter in law, with her, which returned out of the country, of Moab: and they came to Bethlehem in the beginning of the barley harvest (Shavuot).”
Another interesting connection with the Book of Ruth and Shavuot is the command that YHWH gave concerning the land, He says in Leviticus 23:22
“And when you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not make clean riddance of the corners of your field when you reap, neither shall you gather any gleaning of the harvest: you shall leave them for the poor, and to the stranger: I am YHWH your Elohim.”
YHWH made a specific command to not be greedy and clean the fields out when you reap the harvest because you are supposed to leave what is left for the poor. The connection was made in Ruth because Boaz did exactly as He commanded. Ruth 2:2-3 says:
“And Ruth the Moabitess said unto Naomi, Let me now go to the field, and glean ears of corn AFTER him in whose sight I shall find grace. And she said unto her; Go, my daughter. And she went, and came, and gleaned in the field AFTER the reapers; and her hap was to light on a part of the field belonging unto Boaz, who was of the Kindred of Elimelech.”
As you can see Boaz was obedient to YHWH’s command from Leviticus and Ruth benefited by being able to glean over his fields and also find favor in the sight of Boaz. And a side note is that Boaz and Ruth were blessed to be in the lineage of Yeshua.
All of YHWH’s laws and commandments apply to the Native born and the foreigner grafted into Israel as Isaiah 56:6-7 says
“Also the sons of the foreigner (non-native born grafted in) who join themselves to YHWH, to serve Him, and to love the Name of YHWH, to be His servants, all who guard the Sabbath, and not profane it, and hold fast to My Covenant-them I shall bring to My holy mountain, and let them rejoice in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and their slaughtering’s are accepted on My altar, for My house is called a house of prayer for all the peoples.”
Shavuot is about giving thanks for the blessing of YHWH, the pouring out of the Ruach HaKodesh, repentance, renewal, restoration, salvation, boldly proclaiming the good news of Yeshua and rejoicing in the harvest literally and spiritually. Let us stand up and fight for The Elohim of Israel and be obedient to His commands.