Shavuot & Betrothal!

In my last post I talked about the counting of the Omer being a time of anticipation and looking toward Shavuot(Pentecost). What are we looking forward to? What is so special about Shavuot? How does Psalm 119 fit into the Omer and Shavuot?    I’m glad you asked. I’ll do my best to explain what I know and give you some links to learn further.

First of all, let’s talk about the giving of the Torah at Mt. Sinai. Bear with me and you will see the relevance. It is at this time, Exodus 19 to 20, that the betrothal takes place. Betrothal is similar to our understanding of engagement, but it is so much more. There is a contract, the ketubah, that is drawn up for both parties. This drash/devotional link will give a wonderful introduction to this concept and how Moshe plays a key role in the betrothal. John the Baptist makes reference to himself fulfilling the same role in John 3:27-30. At any rate, the betrothal takes place when G*d gives His commands from Mt. Sinai and the people respond in agreement, that they would keep His mitzvot.

So, we have a betrothed couple – G*d and Israel. Does that sound like Messiah and the church? It should! The giving of the Torah is significant. The Torah is the very Word of G*D (btw – Who is the Word made flesh, also known as the Torah made flesh?). The Torah contains the outline for how His people are to live, how they are to be a separate people, being holy because He is holy. It is significant indeed. The Torah not only gives these outlines but it reveals His heart so His bride can know Him. The Torah is the ketubah, or contract, that binds G*d to His people and His people to Him. He asks Israel to enter into a relationship with Him, it is as if He is on bended knee asking for her hand in marriage. She agrees to be His special and intimate people. It really is a beautiful thing. It is a thing to celebrate.

It is suspected that it was at Shavuot that this took place. Scripture says “In the third month” and that seems odd to us, after all it is the end of April now and Shavuot isn’t until June. But this is the first month of the Biblical calendar, Passover is on the 14th day of the first month. The day Israel left Egypt was Passover. So if we count 7 weeks and a few days from that time we come to the third month, and in the first few days of the third month is Shavuot. Shavuot Basics is a nice article that gives the general basics of the holiday. If Shavuot is not the exact day that the Torah was given and the ketubah was agreed to, it certainly is in that time frame.

Understanding the history of Shavuot is thrilling. But there’s more. Understand that the book of Ezekiel is read in the synagogue at Shavuot and that in Acts 2 the men in Jerusalem for the festival would have just heard Ezekiel read and would be meditating on it when the Spirit was given to the believers and Kefa (Peter) preached to them. Not only did the men coming from the Temple and synagogues have the Ezekiel passages in mind but so did the believers in the upper room with Kefa. When the rushing wind and the tongues of fire fell, they understood something new.

It was not some vague day that the Spirit was sent. It was ordained over a thousand years before. Before Yeshua ascended to heaven He instructed the believers to stay in Jerusalem and wait for the Comforter. They were to wait with great anticipation, and I believe they did. Not only had they spent the past 40 days with the Master being taught and having their minds and hearts opened to the Scriptures, but He had something more to give them. Exciting anticipation indeed!

On that Shavuot with Kefa, there are great similarities to another Shavuot with Moshe. The commandments were given to Israel and the Spirit was given to the believers. It was 50 days after crossing the Sea of Suf (Red Sea) and it was 50 days after the resurrection of the Messiah. The law was written on stone and then it was written on our hearts (which has not yet been fully fulfilled, we are living in the midst of that time). Three thousand were slain (golden calf, another topic for another day) and three thousand received salvation.

So what do we anticipate today? First of all, we remember. Remembering is what all the festivals are about. These are object lessons, teaching unit studies set aside by G*d Himself in Scripture, and He instructs us to teach them diligently to our children. But what do we look forward to, what do we anticipate? Colossians tells us that the appointed times, the Biblical festivals, are a shadow of things to come. Remember who is telling us this. Rabbi Shaul (Paul, which is his Gentile name, not a new name) is telling us this. He tells us a lot in those few verses but we’ll only discuss the holidays right now. And the writer of Hebrews states that the law is a shadow of good things to come as well. If Shavuot has been fulfilled as we understand it to be both at Mt. Sinai and in Jerusalem, what more could be in store? *gasp* Can you imagine?!?!

So as you learn about counting the Omer, today is day 7, and you consider reading Psalm 119 and Psalm 67 daily to meditate on and reflect on, remember and anticipate. Remember what He has done at both the first Shavuot and at the Shavuot just after His ascention. Anticipate what more there could be to this special day and this special season that joyfully celebrates the resurrection of our Master, Yeshua the Messiah! I promise you that He will do something special for you in this time, He is faithful. This has been my experience every year.

*** edited to add:  There are many other traditions for the Counting of the Omer.  One is to read through the few chapters of the Pirkei Avot (The Sayings of the Fathers).  I have really enjoyed pondering the wisdom of the sages.