|
SHAVUOT (PENTECOST): FEAST OF FIRSTFRUITS (A.K.A. FEAST OF WEEKS)
Sivan 10, 5772 | June 12, 2011
Leviticus 23:15-21; Deuteronomy 16:16-17; Acts 2
"And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the Sabbath, . . . seven Sabbaths shall be complete: Even unto the morrow after the seventh Sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the Lord. Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals: . . .they are the firstfruits unto the Lord. . . And ye shall proclaim on the selfsame day, that it may be an Holy Convocation unto you: ye shall do no servile work therein: it shall be a statute for ever in all your dwellings throughout your generations." Leviticus 23:15-21
Pentecost/Shavuot, quite possibly the same day as the giving of the Ten Commandments
(Words of the Covenant), and the true birthday of the Messiah Yeshua (the Word made flesh!), is the celebration of thanksgiving unto the Lord for the firstfruits of our increase and for the gift of the Holy Ghost:
"And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord 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 cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And thy were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance." Acts 2:1-4
It appears that there has been some confusion as to whether the fifty days/seven Sabbaths (Leviticus 23:15) are counted from the first Sabbath of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, or whether the seven Sabbaths are counted from the regular weekly Sabbath which occurs during the seven-day Feast. However, from the very next verse (Leviticus 23:16), it is apparent that the seven weeks are to be counted from the regular weekly Sabbath in the middle of the Feast. Thus: "The morrow after the seventh Sabbath . . ." indicates that Shavuot is always on the day after the weekly Shabbat, on the Roman "Sunday," or first day of the week (Yom Rishon). This explains why in
Acts 2, there was a huge gathering in Jerusalem on the first day of the week, not as a replacement for the seventh-day Sabbath, but in celebration of Shavuot . . . and what an exciting day this is.
|
© 2008 A.M.E.N. All rights reserved. Website design by