MESSIAH in the FEAST of WEEKS - Lev 23:15-21
MESSIAH IN THE FEAST OF "WEEKS" - Lev 23:15-21
OUTLINE
I. Under the Law
A. The Texts: Lev 23:15-21; Exo 23:16-17, Exo 34:22-24; Num 28:26-31; Deu 16:9-12
B. The Ordinance Requirements: Lev 23:15-21
C. The Celebration: A time of rejoicing by both Jew & Gentile alike with a free-will offering (Deu 16:9- 12). One of the 3 Pilgrim Feasts: Exo 23:16a, Exo 34:22-24
II. Modern Day Jewish Observance
A. The Name of The Feast: called "Shavuoth" (sevens) for the number of "weeks" (Deu 16:9) & Sabbaths
(Lev 23:15) totaling 7, but its more commonly known by the Gk. word measuring the total number of days being 50 = "Pente-costis" (Lev 23:16). Pentecost's 50 days are the number of days between the Feast of First Fruits (Lev 23:10-14) and this celebration.
B. The Correct Way to Measure the Time for the Celebration = The Correct Counting of the Omer.
In the Babylonian Talmud (Menahoth 65a) it discusses a group called the "Boethusians" believed to be
The Sadducees (footnote #4 in the Soncino ed.); held a position opposite to that of the Pharisees. The Pharisees felt the counting begins on the first day after Passover. The Sadducees felt it should be the day following the first Saturday after Passover. Although popular Jewish opinion to this day went with the Pharisees, I believe that the Sadducees were correct in order to fulfill all the time requirements.
C. The Time Requirements:
From:
- The Morrow after the Sabbath - Lev 23:15a
- The day you bring the sheaf of the Wave Offering - Lev 23:15b
- The day that ye put the sickle to the grain. - Deu 16:9b
Until:
- Seven Sabbaths shall be complete - Lev 23:15c
- Seven Weeks - Deu 16:9a, then after your weeks be out - Num 28:26
- On the morrow after the 7th Sabbath - Lev 23:16a
Thus: Sundays are a must - it can't be a fixed date
- The total number of 50 days (Lev 23:16b) must include 7 Sabbaths and no more (Lev 23:15), total 7 weeks and no more (Deu 16:9); the 50 days must begin on the day after a Sabbath (Lev 23:15) and end on the day after the 7th Sabbath (Lev 23:16).
D. The Celebration:
1- The Traditional Belief is that on Pentecost Moses went up to Mt. Sinai to receive the 2 tablets of the
Law. The days were calculated like this: They came out of Egypt on the 14th day of the Month of
Nisan (Lev 23:5) and they arrived in the wilderness of Sinai on the 1st Day of the third month (Exo 19:1), which would be 47 days later [the 16 days left in Nisan, the first month + the 30 days of the second month + the 1st day of the 3rd month]. God instructed Moses to have the people sanctify themselves 3 days and to be ready on the third day (Exo 19:11), which would be the 50th day out of Egypt. The Talmud explains (Shab. 86b-88a) this to be the reason for God's requirement of 2 Loaves of leavened bread (Lev 23:18) presented on Pentecost.
2- Customarily, the night before "Shavuoth" one might stay up and read the whole law
(Zohar = Emor 98a), Since this feast commemorates its arrival from Mt. Sinai.
3- Flowery Decorations in the synagogue are not uncommon. Sometimes a carpet of grass is
brought into the synagogue. Having people stand upon it in order to recall the time
they stood before God at the foot of Mt. Sinai (O.H. 494:3 - Rama).
4- Since the law is received as something "sweet" from God according to (Song of Songs 4:11),
like "milk and honey for sweetness", cheesecake/cheese blintzes with sour cream are traditionally eaten because it is both of "milk" and sweet. (Kol Bo 58). Another item, a 3-pointed ravioli like
food called "Kreplach" is sometimes also made.
5- Traditional scriptures read in synagogue include the entire book of Ruth.
III. "Weeks" in the New Testament
A. The Texts: Acts 2:1-41, Acts 20:16; 1 Cor 16:8-9.
B. The Messianic Illustration:
On Pentecost as the High Priest was offered thanks for the two loaves of bread made with leaven
from the new grain of the harvest; it represents a finished product of the new grain.
The Symbolism: Two loaves of leavened bread = one offering and on Pentecost the Jew & Gentile are unified into one new man in the Church.
C. The Messianic Significance: Acts 2:1-3: "When the day of Pentecost was FULLY come." The Holy
Spirit came on the morrow after the 7th Sabbath and 50 days after the resurrection of Christ on Pentecost Sunday. The Jew & Gentile = 2 Loaves of leavened bread (sin nature) yet still as "AN"
(singular) offering to the Father by Jesus are called a "Peace Offering". Having abolished the
2 tablets of the law of commandments - The Jew & the Gentile are baked into one peace offering.
Eph 2:15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; (on 2 stone
tablets at Sinai) for to make in himself of two (loaves) one new man, (a new offering) so making peace;
D. The Difference between the Results of the Two Pentecosts: The Law and the Holy Spirit
(1) On the day Moses came down from Sinai the people were found in idolatry symbolically we see the law broken & 3,000 souls were put to death judicially in
Exo 32:28 And the children of Levi did according to the word of Moses: and there fell of the people that day about
three thousand men.
(2) With the Holy Spirit in Acts 2:41 - 3,000 souls got saved.
Acts 2:41 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them
about three thousand souls.
2Cor 3:3Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us written not with ink,
but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.
2Cor 3:6Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the
Spirit: FOR THE LETTER KILLETH; BUT THE SPIRIT GIVETH LIFE.
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