Written by: Damien Powell
Chag HaShavout (Feast of Weeks)/Pentecost
Jeremiah 5:24 Given us the Law of Shavout
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 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 meat 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 Shavout (Shav-oo-oat) which means ”weeks” in Hebrew. Pentecost means 50 in Greek and this holy day falls Sunday May 20th of this year.
There are many traditions and celebrations that surround Shavout/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. 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. Shavout/Pentecost is also a NO work day. Leviticus 23:21 says:
“And you shall proclaim on that same day, that it may be an holy convocation unto you: you shall do no servile work therein: it shall be a statue forever in all your dwellings throughout your generations.”
Deuteronomy 16:10-11 says:
“And you shall keep the Feast of Weeks (Shavout/Pentecost) unto YHWH your Elohim with a tribute of a freewill offering of thine hand, which you shall give unto YHWH your Elohim, according as YHWH your Elohim has blessed you: And you shall rejoice before YHWH your Elohim, you, and your son, and your daughter, and your manservant, and your maidservant, 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 chosen to place His name there.”
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.
Deuteronomny 16:12 says:
“And you shall remember that you were a slave in Egypt: and you shall observe and do these statues”
Shavout/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 Shavout 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 advantageous for you that I go away: for if I don’t go away, the Ruach HaKodesh/Holy Spirit (Roo-ach Ha-Ko-daysh) 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:
“Howbeit when He, the Spirit of Truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth: for He shall not speak of Himself; but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak: and He will show you things to come. He shall glorify Me: for He shall receive what is Mine, and shall show 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 Shavout because The Holy Spirit was poured out on His disciples on this very day. Acts 2:1-4 says:
“And when the day of Shavout/Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one purpose 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 they were all filled with the Ruach HaKodesh/Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.”
Although scripture doesn’t tell us exactly how to celebrate Shavout 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 Shavout. 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 (Shavout).”
Another interesting connection with the Book of Ruth and Shavout 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.
Shavout 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.