As the week of Unleavened Bread – Matzah are completed, it is not an end in itself but rather a transition into the next season and within that week, there is a Moed without an official name, though some call it yom haBikuriym, day of the first fruits. Lev. 23:9 -16
At this appointed time the sons of Israel are commanded to bring an omer to the priests. An omer is simply a sheaf of the harvest, specifically a bundle of grain from the beginning of the first crop. The priest is then to wave the omer before the Lord as a wave offering so that the omer and the entire harvest as well will be accepted.
This is also significant of Messiah and His resurrection from the dead, being the first fruit of the harvest of souls that will be gathered in at the final spiritual harvest. He was’ waved’, presented before the Father and His offering of Himself was accepted. The children of Israel were further instructed …
Then from the day of your bringing in the omer of the wave offering count 50 days and you will bring near a new offering to the lord.
Counting from the omer began this year, according to one Hebrew calendar, on 24th of April and will extend to 11th June when Shavuot/Pentecost begins.
There is some dispute concerning which day the counting is to begin, and has been since before Yeshua/Jesus day. This dispute hangs on the interpretation of Lev. 25:15 which says the counting is to begin from the day after THE shabbat.
The time to begin the count could be the day after the first day of the feast of matzah, the 16th day of the first month; which is the day after the 7th day Shabbat week of rest/no work. or the day after the last day of the feast of matzah. The current Jewish calendar fixes the date for the wave offering on the 16th day of the 1st month, the day after the 1st day of the feast of matzah. This is because Judaism considers the 15th day of the first month to be a Shabbat. Hence the day after the Shabbat, according to this interpretation, is the 16th of the month. According to scripture however, neither the first nor the last days of the feast of matzah, are notated within the text as shabbats, they are simply designated as days to do no regular work. Since the days of the month fall on different days of the week every year, the ocurence of the 7th day Shabbat during the feast changes from year to year. The date is always the same but the day varies, which can sometimes be on a weekly Shabbat day; i.e. Friday evening to Saturday evening. Remembering in Hebrew the days are as scripture reads in Genesis – day one through day 7. In Hebrew, day= yom, not as we designate the 7 day week named as Monday through Sunday.
The days are named simply by their numerical order in the week, and a Hebrew week starts with Sunday. “The First Day” Sunday in Hebrew: Sunday in Hebrew is Yom Rishon which literally means “first day”. It is written like this in Hebrew:
יוםראשון
Monday is the second day in the Hebrew week. Thus it is called Yom Sheni which literally means “second day”. Written like this in Hebrew:
יוםשני
Tuesday in Hebrew is Yom Shlishi which means “third day”. Written in Hebrew this way:
יוםשלישי
Wednesday in Hebrew is Yom Rvi-ee meaning “fourth day”. Written like this in Hebrew:
יוםרביעי
Thursday in Hebrew is Yom Chamishi, you guessed it! Yes, it means “fifth day”. This is how it is written in Hebrew:
יוםחמישי
Friday in Hebrew is Yom Shishi, meaning “sixth day” and this is how it is written in Hebrew:
יוםששי
Saturday Shabbat. This is how we write Yom Shabbat or Shabbat in Hebrew:
יום שבת or simply שבת
The modern Hebrew calendar has been designed to ensure that certain holy days and festivals do not fall on certain days of the week. As a result, there are only four possible patterns of days on which festivals can fall. Note that Jewish days start at sunset of the preceding day.
This time of counting is the combined period when Yeshua/Jesus was 40 days on earth after His resurrection and before His ascension; and it included the added 10 days He instructed them to wait in Jerusalem until the promise of the coming of His Holy Spirit. These 7 weeks are an important link between the first 3 feasts and the last of the 4 spring appointed times. They call for introspective thought on our lives and to focus on where we are walking daily.
Are we on that narrow Way?
Are we staying true to our commitment to Him?
In the agricultural sense, this is a season of growth, are we growing and maturing spiritually, ready for the harvest soon to come?
The counting from the Omer is a feature of Israel’s calendar that instructs her regarding the correct time to harvest and make an offering from the mature wheat crops. As we walk through the spring Moedim, we can also see a picture of our own walk with Messiah.
At Pesach/Passover, we are reminded of being set free from sin, then during the Feast of Matzah, we have opportunity to practice walking in our unleavened-ness.
As we count from the Omer, we are like the wheat crops growing toward maturity, ultimately destined to become an abundant harvest for Messiah. During this season of counting we can focus on certain spiritual themes such as: sowing, growing, increase, being fed and nourished by our Heavenly Father and being mindful of how we are growing in obedience toward maturity in Messiah.
One very important area is love, everything we do must be done in the love of the Father; which was very evident in Messiahs life.
This is a key to holiness.
1 Thess. 3:12-13 11 Now may our God and Father Himself, and Jesus our Lord guide our steps to you [by removing the obstacles that stand in our way]. 12 And may the Lord cause you to increase and excel and overflow in love for one another, and for all people, just as we also do for you; 13 so that He may strengthen and establish your hearts without blame in holiness in the sight of our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His [ a]saints (God’s people).
Our Fathers desire for us is that one day, at the coming of the Lord, we will stand blameless in holiness before our God and Heavenly Father. By what means does He expect us to come to this state of perfection/maturity? As we find ourselves right now, how can we hope to achieve such a perfect/mature state?
Our Father must have some miracle plans of intervention in order to make us appear before Him with all His Holy Ones – His Kedoshim.
When we think of holiness, we usually liken it to levels of sinlessness. In other words, we think we are holy when we are able to resist acting on our physical desires and not fall into sin; and we think that to be really holy, we need to achieve some state of being, where we no longer even have any sinful desires. However, Paul shows us that holiness can be much more human than that and he indicates that holiness is present when the Lord causes us to overflow in love toward one another and toward everyone.
Only when we increase and overflow in such love will we receive the strengthening of our hearts to be blameless. When our hearts are weak we are too easily led away into sin. Strengthening in blamelessness comes as we take the focus off ourselves and pour out love toward one another. We are holy, not simply because we keep ourselves from sinning, but because we give away the love in our hearts; we walk the way the Master walks, we lov
1Cor. 13:4 love suffers long and is kind.
e the way the Master loves. Being holy is not just a matter of being on our best behavior, it requires our submission and active surrender to the Holy One. We do not automatically possess the inner strength to be blameless because of anything we do or think, it is the Lord alone who makes holiness grow and increase in our lives. Let’s choose to humbly and willingly submit and walk in God’s ways, and then yield ourselves fully to Him. He is the one who causes us to increase and to overflow in love –
toward the strengthening of our hearts, to be blameless in holiness.
1Cor. 13:4 love suffers long and is kind.
Love is not premeditated, it is spontaneous, that is; it bursts forth in amazing ways. Paul’s description of love doesn’t speak of precise certainty of how it will show itself. We cannot predetermine our thoughts and actions by making statements such as: now I’ll never think any evil thoughts and I’ll believe everything that Jesus/Yeshua would have me to believe.
No the characteristics of love is spontaneity.
We don’t deliberately set the statements of Jesus/Yeshua before us as our standard but when His Spirit is having His way with us we live according to His standard without even realizing it. Then, when we look back, we are amazed at how unconcerned we have been over our emotions; which is the very evidence that real spontaneous love was there.
The nature of everything involved in the spiritual life of God in us, is only discerned when we have been through it and it is in our past. We all have 20 20 vision in hindsight!
The fountains from which love flows are in our Heavenly Father, not in us. It is careless of us to asume that the love of God is naturally in our hearts as a result of our own nature.
Human love is inherently selfish.
His love is there only because ithas been poured out in our hearts by His Holy Spirit. Romans 5:5
If we try to prove to God how much we love Him, it is a sure sign that we really don’t love Him. The evidence of our love for Him is the absolute spontaneity of our love, which flows naturally from His nature within us, and when we look back we will not be able to figure out why we did certain things, but we can know that we did them according to the spontaneous nature of His love within us.
The life of God exhibits itself in this spontaneous way because the fountains of His love are in the Holy Spirit given to us, Who abides within. As we continue on our way towards Pentecost/Shavuot, let’s prepare our hearts and purge ourselves from any hindrance to receiving a fresh outpouring from those cleansing purifying flames; and be ready to be filled afresh with all the fullness of the One Who can complete the work in us. As we engage in this process and let the overflow of His love pour out to those around us, it will enable us to be all He has called us to be.
Keep counting family!
Shalom aleikhem
chaverim and mishpachah!
Peace to friends and family.
Shavua Tov, Have a blessed week.
Make certain Messiah Jesus/Yeshua is your Redeemer, Savior, Lord and soon returning King and that you have a personal relationship with Him.
It’s all about Life and Relationship, NOT Religion.
You are very precious in His sight.
Not sure ..you can be…
SIMPLY SAY THE FOLLOWING MEANING IT FROM YOUR HEART..don’t delay one more minute,
SAY IT RIGHT NOW…
Heavenly Father I come to you in the Name of Jesus/Yeshua asking for forgiveness of my sins for which I am truly sorry. I repent of them all and turn away from my past.
I believe with my heart and confess with my mouth that Jesus/Yeshua is your Son and that He died on the cross at calvary to pay the price for my sin, so that I might be forgiven and have eternal life in the kingdom of Heaven. Father I believe that Jesus/Yeshua rose from the dead and I ask you to come into my life right now and be my personal Savior and Lord and I will worship you all the days of my life. Because your word is truth I say that I am now forgiven and born again and by faith I am washed clean with the blood of Jesus/Yeshua. Thank you that you have accepted me into your family in Jesus’/Yeshua’s name.
At this point in the calendar, we are just a little over
40 days
since Passover/Pesach.
Luke 24:50 51 tells us
50 When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them. 51 While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven.
Jesus/Yeshua appeared to them on many occasions in
different forms following His resurrection;
Revealing His Deity to them and
testing their faith in Who He was.
After these 40 days He ascended.
13 Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles[a]from Jerusalem. 14 They were talking with each other about everything that had happened.15 As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; 16 but they were kept from recognizing him.
Luke 24:13-16
After that, He appeared in a different form to two of them as they were walking along the way to the country. Mark 16:12 Amp.
After the Transfiguration happened to Yeshua/Jesus, we have no personal life experiences that are equal or similar to the events that Messiah went through from that time forward.
For 30 years He had appeared to be a normal man but He was living a perfect life as a Torah observant Hebrew/Jew/Israelite. The record of His life as written in the four Gospels by Matthew, Mark, Luke and John describes only approximately the last three years of His public ministry apart from His conception, birth, notable events in His early years to age 12.
Luke 2:40 And the Child grew and became strong in spirit, filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him.
We must remember all we read in these 4 accounts, did not occur in just a single 12 month period. Going forward from the time of His transfiguration everything is unfamiliar to us from what we already know of HIs life and ministry.
His transfiguration on the mountain was a marker in time.
Matt. 17:2 Mark 9:2
1Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, led them up on a high mountain by themselves; 2and He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light. 3And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him. 4Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, [a]let us make here three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”
5While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!” 6And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces and were greatly afraid. 7But Jesus came and touched them and said, “Arise, and do not be afraid.” 8When they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only.
9Now as they came down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them, saying, “Tell the vision to no one until the Son of Man is risen from the dead.” Matt 17
Moses and Elijah were seen with Him and the glory He had laid aside was upon Him brighter than Moses whose face had shone with the Shekinah glory centuries before on another mountain.
and it came to pass, when Moses came down from mount Sinai with the two tables of testimony in Moses’ hand, when he came down from the mount, that Moses knew not that the skin of his face shone while he talked with him. Ex 34:29-35
The Voice of the Father spoke again
at the transfiguration
Matt 17:5 While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!” 6And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces and were greatly afraid.
just as He had done at Messiahs immersion;
when His Spirit of Holiness was imparted.
Luke 3:21/22
When all the people were baptized, it came to pass that Jesus also was baptized; and while He prayed, the heaven was opened. And the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon Him, and a voice came from heaven which said, “You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased.”
Moses and Elijah strengthened and encouraged Him prior to His fulfilling all He had come to do according to the Fathers will.
Matt.17:3
And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Jesus.
He was to set His face toward Jerusalem, Gethsemane, the beating and the cross; the cruel stake of crucifixion, physical death, followed by the resurrection… and we have no experience of such an ordeal.
His execution stake/ tree/ cross is the dalet /door by which every person can enter into the life/chaim of God.
John 10:9
By His resurrection He has the right to give eternal life to anyone
By His ascension Messiah entered heaven/shamayim keeping that dalet/ door open for humanity, for whosoever will. Mark 8:34; Matt. 16:25; Matt. 20:27.
The Transfiguration was completed on the
mount of the Ascension
see the map below.
Luke 24:50-53 And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them.
If Messiah had gone directly to heaven from the Mount of Transfiguration, He would have gone alone. He would have been nothing more to us than an unusual historical figure, but He turned His back on the glory once again and came down from the mountain to identify Himself with fallen humanity and become the sin bearer of the world.
Yeshua HaMashiach/Jesus Christ, God’s One and Only Son, laid aside His majesty to serve humanity. His death on the cross is the ultimate expression of servant leadership, when He obediently fulfilled the will of God.
Amplified Bible Phil.2:6-8 Who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but emptied Himself [without renouncing or diminishing His deity, but only temporarily giving up the outward expression of divine equality and His rightful dignity] by assuming the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men [He became completely human but was without sin, being fully God and fully man]. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross.…
His ascension from the Mount of Olives was the complete fulfillment of the Transfiguration.
Messiah returned to His original glory but not simply as the Son of God. He returned to His Father as the Son of Man as well.
John 17:5 Amplified Bible Now, Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory and majesty that I had with You before the world existed.
Now there is freedom of access for anyone, straight to the very throne of God because of the ascension of the Son of Man.
Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:16.
We can come boldly because Messiah’s Blood satisfied the fullness of the Fathers covenant as payment for sin. As the Son of Man, Jesus/Yeshua deliberately limited His omnipotence, omnipresence and omniscience. But now and forevermore they are His in absolute full power and authority. As the Son of Man, Jesus/Yeshua now has all the power at the throne of the Father. From His ascension forward He became and is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
Many will not understand the value of that until they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.
Mark 13:26; Matt. 16:28. assuredly, I say to you, there are some standing here who shall not
taste death
till they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.
Many people fear and seek to avoid death at any cost, yet when we give our lives for the sake of Messiah Jesus, we see it as a sacrifice. This is because we don’t understand the value of death. Death is the doorway to something so much better and far, far greater.
He understood this…
For the joy set before him he endured the cross … fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith … at the right hand of the throne of God. Heb. 12:2.
In the verse above about tasting death…how do we explain what something tastes like to someone who has never tried or eaten it? For example to describe the taste of a pineapple or a jalapeno pepper is almost impossible, a person would actually have to taste it themselves.
He tasted death for all of us so we don’t have to.
But we do see Jesus, who was made lower than the angels for a little while [by taking on the limitations of humanity], crowned with glory and honor because of His suffering of death, so that by the grace of God [extended to sinners] He might experience death for [the sins of] everyone.
Hebrews 2:9. But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone.
There’s no way for us to see the value of death until we actually pass through the death of this physical body into the realm/world beyond time, leaving behind this natural one and see the Son of Man coming in His Kingdom. His Kingdom which is not of this world/realm.
John 18:36. Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here.”
Only then will we have a full understanding and we will no doubt wonder why we feared death at all.
In Matthew 16:28
shall not TASTE death
until they see the son of man coming in his glory.
The word taste in Hebrew/Aramaic is taim – טָעִים
טָעַם verbtaste, perceive –
pronounced: taw-am’
The first century understanding of this word was that it was used: to express the VALUE of what is eaten
and also
perception as the ability to distinguish between thoughts.
Strong’s Definitions. ta`am, taw-am’; a primitive root; to taste; figuratively, to perceive:
Ps.34:8 taste and see that the Lord is good.
Here in this Psalm the word for taste is taamu
also meaning:
to taste, to perceive
encouraging us to:
put the matter to the test of experience ( 1 Peter 2:3).
There is no other way of really knowing how good our Heavenly Father is.
He gives us a little taste here and now, of what lies ahead, what is to come for those who will take up their cross daily and follow Him for the joy that is also, set before us.
The revealing of the 40 days came by way of Messiah who was recorded as appearing 12 times to His disciples in His resurrected body. John 21:14; Mark 16:14; 1Cor 15:7.
It came also by way of the testing of their faith in that, Who He was revealed in all His Glory. A risen, resurrected savior, their Messiah, Lord and King.
In scripture, specifically the Ten Commandments/sayings, there is very clear instruction that no Hebrew/Israelite or child of God is to worship and bow down to any idol, person or thing, other than our Heavenly Father.
Luke 24:52 And they worshiped Him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, Acts 1:9;
Matt. 28:9 and as they went to tell His disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, “Rejoice!” So they came and held Him by the feet and worshiped Him.
And some of them were unsure because of this commandment and so they hesitated..
Matt 28:17 And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted.
And Emmaus Luke 24:52 And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy:
So when the disciples knelt down and said what they did, it was a very serious decision and confession as they were declaring that they believed He was none other than YHVH /Yaweh/ God Almighty. This is a point to remember when thinking of Jewish people who do not accept Jesus/Yeshua as Messiah; they see Christianity and Christians as bowing down and worshipping Jesus as equal to worshipping a forbidden idol putting Him before God and therefore violating the first of the commandments.
Only when the Father opens their eyes, as He did for Saul/Paul, will they see Him whom they pierced. John 19:37
One day our ascension will occur and only the Father knows when that day will be.
Ps 139:16 Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; And in Your book were all written. The days that were appointed for me, When as yet there was not one of them [even taking shape].
Meanwhile we are to work out our salvation soberly and faithfully, looking unto Jesus/Yeshua, the author and finisher of our faith and paying close attention to how we walk for the days are evil. Eph. 5:15 16.
Therefore see that you walk carefully [living life with honor, purpose, and courage; shunning those who tolerate and enable evil], not as the unwise, but as wise [sensible, intelligent, discerning people],
making the very most of your time [on earth, recognizing and taking advantage of each opportunity and using it with wisdom and diligence], because the days are [filled with] evil.
Violence is filling the earth once again, just as it was in Noahs’ day before the flood; and Lots’ day when the cities were destroyed by fire from heaven in the form of sulfurous meteorites.
and God said to Noah, “The end of all flesh has come before Me, for the earth is filled with violence through them; and behold, I will destroy them with the earth. Gen. 6:13
Hebrews 11:7 By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in godly fear built an ark to save his family. By faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.
then the LORD rained brimstone and fire on Sodom and Gomorrah, from the LORD out of the heavens. Gen. 19:24.
We are to walk humbly and circumspectly before the Lord working the works of Him Who called us out of darkness into His wonderful light of (40) revealed knowledge.
He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God?
Micah 6:8 Amplified Bible He has told you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you Except to be just, and to love [and to diligently practice] kindness (compassion), And to walk humbly with your God [setting aside any overblown sense of importance or self-righteousness]
Having remembered His Ascension soon Shavuot/Pentecost will be here. A time to rejoice in the day in which prophecy was fulfilled; and Fathers’ Spirit of Holiness was released into the whole world, enabling Him to never leave nor forsake us and to empower those obedient disciples to fulfill His directive of Mark 16:15-18
And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature
He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.
And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues;
they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” And verse 19. So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God.
There’s just a few days left of counting from the Omer. (Day 44 this shabbat). It is a good time for us to prepare and test our hearts, if we haven’t already, so that we can be effective vessels, ready to serve our King..
now when these things begin to occur, stand tall and lift up your heads [in joy], because [suffering ends as] your redemption is drawing near. Luke 21:28
Later, as they were eating, Jesus appeared to the Eleven and rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen.
Mark 16:15
Keep looking up family, for our redemption draweth nigh!
שָׁלוֹם עֲלֵיכֶם,
Shalom aleikhem
chaverim and mishpachah!
Peace to friends and family.
Shavua Tov, Have a blessed week.
Make certain Messiah Jesus/Yeshua is your Redeemer, Savior, Lord and soon returning King and that you have a personal relationship with Him.
It’s all about Life and Relationship, NOT Religion.
You are very precious in His sight.
Not sure ..you can be…
SIMPLY SAY THE FOLLOWING MEANING IT FROM YOUR HEART..don’t delay one more minute,
SAY IT RIGHT NOW…
Heavenly Father I come to you in the Name of Jesus/Yeshua asking for forgiveness of my sins for which I am truly sorry. I repent of them all and turn away from my past.
I believe with my heart and confess with my mouth that Jesus/Yeshua is your Son and that He died on the cross at calvary to pay the price for my sin, so that I might be forgiven and have eternal life in the kingdom of Heaven. Father I believe that Jesus/Yeshua rose from the dead and I ask you to come into my life right now and be my personal Savior and Lord and I will worship you all the days of my life. Because your word is truth I say that I am now forgiven and born again and by faith I am washed clean with the blood of Jesus/Yeshua. Thank you that you have accepted me into your family in Jesus’/Yeshua’s name.
There are 50 days between the Appointed Times/Feasts, and they are set apart as a time of introspection, repentance and preparation; making ourselves ready for His coming, in the outpouring of His Holy Spirit/Ruach HaKodesh at Shavuot (Hebrew) or Pentecost (Greek meaning 50).
The Cyclical Hebrew Calendar below shows the Hebrew months and the Appointed Times of The Lord.
The infilling of His power for us to become His witnesses. The Appointed Times/Feasts of the Lord, were part of the annual cycle of Adonai’s Plan of redemption and kept by the Israelites as part of their normal lifestyle.
The Days of Omer
are a time of
reflection and growth
in preparation for
Shavuot.
For those new to
Our Fathers Appointed Times in His Annual Calendar
here is a brief explanation of
what it is
when it is
and
what it is for.
For those more familiar with the Fathers’ seasons, the last part of this post looks at:
Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments, and commanded us concerning the counting of the Omer.
The season of Passover/Pesach
includes the week of Unleavened Bread
and the start of the Counting FROM the Omer
50 days towards Pentecost/Shavuot.
Some scholars say The Omer is counted every evening after nightfall, from the second night of Passover/Pesach, until the night before Shavuot/Pentecost.
There are disputes as to which day is the first day, and this has been going on since before Jesus/Yeshuas’ time; and can be studied further if the reader so desires.
Here is given a basic understanding of
thepattern
a reason to follow the main outlines for personal growth;
and
to remember and realize what Messiah has accomplished for us.
The 2 links given above have more details concerning the Omer.
The Book of Leviticus, ספר ויקרא
Vayik’ra 23:9 – 16
From the day after the Shabbat for 49 days.
In chp. 23 after the 7 day feast of
unleavened bread/Matzah
which western Christianity totally misses…
we come to a moed/appointed time
that does not have a name.
However the scripture says that at this moed or appointed time the children of Israel are commanded, notice it is not a suggestion! They are commanded to bring
an omer to the priests.
An omer is simply a sheaf;
specifically a bundle of grain
from the beginning of the first crop or harvest.
Which was most likely barley see Exodus/sh’mot 9:31…
Shemot, Shemoth, or Shemos
שְׁמוֹת Hebrew for: Names,
Book of Exodus.
…referring to the names of the Israelites who come to Egypt with Jacob.
The priest is then to
wave the omer
before Adonai/Lord God, as a
wave offering,
so that the omer
and the entire harvest will be accepted.
Note on Leviticus 8:27:
He then put all these on the hands of Aaron and on the hands of his sons and presented them as a wave offering before the LORD.
Moses took the sacred portions of the peace offering along with the breads of the grain offering and placed them into the hands of Aaron and his sons. (See previous post for more detail). As they held the sacred elements, Moses presented them as a grain offering, implying that Moses must have joined hands with the priests in holding these elements. Hand in hand with Moses, still clutching the sacred portions of the sacrifices in their hands, the new priests offered the elements before God in a wave offering.
Facing the Sanctuary/Mishkan where the shekinah presence of the Father rested, they lifted the portions before the Almighty.
Then Moses took the elements back from the new priests and offered them up on the altar.
This has a Messianic implication for believers!
People may often feel unworthy to pray/talk with the Father, and sometimes people find it difficult to lift his or her heart to heaven.
We ask ourselves, how can we even dare to approach the Father when we are bowed down with the shame of sin and guilt?
Lets think on this as we approach our Heavenly Father in worship and in prayer, offering before Him the service of our hearts, the scarred hands of our High Priest/Messiah Jesus/Yeshua join with ours to lift the offering/presentation before the Father.
He lifts our hands together with His
in a wave offering
before the Almighty! Wow!
We are to understand the pattern
that our Heavenly Father set in place by WAY
of His Appointed Times/Feasts/Moedim,
which were given to us as
an annual rehearsal
for the future fulfillment by Messiah.
This was what Yeshua/Jesus completed
He was the
first fruit
the omer of the harvest of souls
presented to His Father
so that the entire harvest
all those who in the then future and still continuing today
would be acceptable to the Father. Wow!
Then from the day of your
bringing in the omer of the wave offering
count 50 days
and you will bring near a new offering to Adonai.
Vayikra 23; 15,16
The Book of Leviticus, ספר ויקרא
‘Va•ik•ra,’ means ‘And [the Lord] called,
Hebrew: ויקרא, Wayiqra,
This was the precursor to
Shavuot/Pentecost
and the outpouring of
His Ruach HaKodesh
upon all flesh
fulfilling Joels prophecy of
the last days/end times/ end of the age.
This Shavuot was preceded by
the day of the wave offering and
49 days were to be counted forward to
bringing the new offering from the wheat harvest.
shmot 34:2
and on that day 3000 souls were added…
There is an inference to the time of counting, that the wheat crops are continuing to grow and ripen but will be ready for harvest when the counting is complete!
It also ensures the correct time (agriculturally), for the farmers to harvest the crops.
A further prophetic picture emerges if we recall that Egypt/מצרים (mitsrayim / meets-rah-yeem), is the type of the world system. This was where both the children of Israel/Yisrael, and ourselves have been freed from its’ slavery; and the one who had prepared the way for them to sojourn and be safe during the plagues so long before was Joseph. Joseph, a type of Jesus/Yeshua who had the dream of the 12 sheafs bowing /waving to his sheaf. The 12 tribes did bow down to Joseph, the type of Messiah; and One day every knee shall bow to the One who was the fulfillment of the Omer, the Wave offering before the Lord/Adonai.
Some call this day
Yom haBikurim/bikuriym Day of the First Fruits.
The scripture 23:9 does not mention bikuriym
which is the word often translated as
first fruits
in verse 10 is actually
reshiyt which means beginning
(familiar from bereshiyt/Genesis) .
The day following the first day of
Unleavened Bread
is called
Yom HaBikkurim י ום הביכורים
the Day of Firstfruits,
or
Reshit Ha’Katzir ראשית הקציר
the first of the harvest.
Reishit Qatzir ראשׁית קציר
The spring-time feast of Reishit Qatzir
Beginning of the Harvest
Numbers/B’midbar 28:26 clearly says that
Shavuot/Pentecost the moed/appointed time,
occurring 50 days later
is yom habikuriym ..
Shmot 23:16 and vayikra 23:17
also agree that
bikuriym
in this context is associated with
Shavuot/Pentecost.
Walking through the spring feasts moedim /mo’ediym we see a picture of our own walk with Messiah.
At Pesach/Passover, we are reminded of how we are set free from the bondage of sin;
then during the feast of matzah/unleavened bread, we have the chance to practice walking in our unleavened state/without sin.
As we continue towards Shavuot/Pentecost, we can count from the Omer. We are like the crops of wheat growing towards maturity, ultimately to become an abundant harvest for the Lord/Adonai.
Some important themes or subject matter for this season would be: sowing
growing
increase
being fed and nourished by His word
and
being mindful and focused
of how we are growing towards maturity in Him.
This time is often referred to as:
s’fiyrat haomer – counting the omer;
this is not exactly correct as it is
not the omers being counted but the days, that is:
the days from the day of the first offering of the Omer.
We should therefore say
counting FROM the omer
s’fiyrat meomer /sefirat ha-omer
מרעמ ספירת
The counting is to begin
according to scripture the 16th day of the first month.
Which is the first day after the first day of matzah/unleavened bread.
Yom haBikkurim /Day of the First Fruits
is at the same time.
Counting of the Omer
סְפִירַת הָעוֹמֶר,
Sefirat HaOmer,
sometimes abbreviated as
Sefira or the Omer;
is always on 16th of Nisan /Aviv.
From sunset to sunset and is counted AFTER sunset.
This מִצְוָה – mits-vah – command, decree; derives from the Torah commandment to count forty-nine days beginning from the day on which the עֹמֶר oh-mer – omer is offered.
The week of matzah unleavened bread
together with the
counting from the omer
is part of the
spiritual preparation
prior to the outpouring of His Spirit of Holiness 50 days after His Resurrection at Pentecost/Shavuot.
They had to wait in Jerusalem/Yerushalayim which would have been very dangerous for the Talmidim/Disciples of Messiah. However they were obedient and received the fullness of His Spirit/Ruach, to empower them to go out into all the world with the good news and make disciples/talmidim of all nations…….
Each year this is a great opportunity for every believer who wants to walk as His disciple/talmid
to do a spiritual check up.
We willingly get physical/medical check ups and its often required by employers/insurers. We get our vehicles/cars/transport checked regularly change the oil and tires yet we often neglect the most important area of our life and that is where we are spiritually.
This is an important if not a critical point of assessment and we tend to keep going along, without checking ourselves to see if we are still in the right condition to continue the journey as well as the right direction. We could even check our own oil level and pressure! For a car it’s important that the oil lubricates the engine parts, stopping friction from overheating and blowing up; and that there is the right amount so the engine does not dry out and seize up. So an annual spiritual checkup is just as critical for us and we should not leave it just for one time a year; however, this is a good time to do a personal one. Spiritual maintenance helps to prevent burnout when we will become unable to function effectively in our own lives and of little to no use in aiding and serving others.
In our personal assessment of our spiritual condition, we are reminded that it is the very first question our Heavenly Father asked Adam all the way back in Genesis/B’resheet:
Where are you?
Genesis 3:9
It was not that He didn’t know where Adam was physically because Our Heavenly Father knows and sees everything and nothing takes Him unawares.
Adams new spiritual condition was not a surprise to the Father but He wanted Adam to own up as to what had happened to him spiritually after he was disobedient and fell in sin.
We could and should put our own name in that very searching question….
Where are we?
Right now today ….where are we?
Our Heavenly Father is asking us
about our spiritual condition
and
about our position in covenant relationship with Him.
Where are we spiritually?
Are we still on the narrow Way?
We may be doing great in the natural sense, everything may be going along fine. Or we may be filled with our own ways, our own goals and dreams; and not pressing in to the things of Jesus the Messiah/Yeshua, as we know to do if we are to call ourselves His talmidim/disciple.
So there is somewhat of a connection with Adam and Omer in that, Adam needed to check his spiritual condition and do what he was required to do on his part to fix that broken fellowship caused by his sin.
In the same way we are to take the time to assess our spiritual position before the Father and refresh our relationship in covenant with Him by the power of His Ruach haKodesh/Spirit of Holiness. This is a time of turning towards the Father, a time of introspective teshuvah /repentance.
As we count from the Omer it’s a time of
reflection and growth
in preparation for
Shavuot/Pentecost/Feast of Weeks.
When we also remember Moses/the Giving of Torah and the celebration of covenant/marriage with the children of Israel who had just come out of bondage and needed guidelines for life/chaim.
According to the Torah (first 5 books of the old covenant), it took seven weeks for the Israelites to travel from Egypt to Mount Sinai.
The name Shavuot/Pentecost, meaning “weeks,”
refers to this seven-week period.
Each day is counted, which is known as the Counting of the Omer, or Sefirat HaOmer.
In the days of the Temple, the counting marked the seven weeks from the wheat harvest on the spring festival of Passover, to the harvesting of barley on Shavuot.
Festival of Reaping – חגהקציר (Exodus 23:16)
The Three Pilgrimage Festivals,
in Hebrew Shalosh Regalim (שלוש רגלים),
are three major festivals in Judaism
Pesach (Passover),
Shavuot (Weeks or Pentecost),
and Sukkot (Tabernacles, Tents or Booths)
when all ancient Israelites who were able would make a pilgrimage to the Temple in Jerusalem, as commanded by the Torah.
Each of the three pilgrimage festivals marks a new period in the agricultural season:
Passover is also known as Chag ha-Aviv, the Spring Festival, which marks the beginning of the new planting season. The basic meaning of the word aviv, is the stage of growth in grain when the seeds have reached full size but have not yet dried.
Chag ha-Katzir, or the Jewish Harvest Festival of Reaping, is when the first crop of the season is ready. This happens at the time of Shavuot.
The next agricultural step is for all of the crops to be gathered. This happens with the third pilgrimage festival, Sukkot, which is also referred to as the Festival of Gathering, Chag Ha-Asif.
Day of the First Fruits – יוםהבכורים (Numbers 28:26)
Yom Habikurim (Day of the First Fruits) comes from ancient times, when people would bring Bikkurim, their first and best fruits, as an offering to the Holy Temple. Bikkurim were brought from the Seven Species for which the land of Israel is praised: wheat, barley, grapes, figs, pomegranates, olives, and dates (Deuteronomy 8:8).
Shavuot and Pentecost
The Greek name for the Shavuot holiday, Pentecost, means “Fiftieth day.” This name refers to the fifty days between Passover and Shavuot.
See other posts for more detail.
The scripture
teach us to number our days
takes on a new meaning in light of
counting from the omer.
Counting 49 or 7 weeks 7×7 is like counting a complete cycle counting 7x shabbats/Sabbaths. Weekly Shabbat is a cycle straight from Genesis and 7×7 is also like a cycle. The Moedim/Appointed Times of The Lord, and His set apart people, is an annual cycle following a planned specific pattern repeated, so we will remember His instructions,His Patterns that we are to follow –
fulfilled in Jesus/Messiah
that we may continue to remember and
follow the pattern, the WAY. Come Follow Me!
One final thought is that it was during these days of
counting from the omer
that the risen/resurrected Messiah Yeshua
was seen by His talmidim /disciples. John 20:19-25.
It is recorded that Messiah stayed forty days after His resurrection on this earth. He met with His talmidim/disciples again on the mount of Olives and ordered them to wait until they received His Ruach haKodesh/Holy Spirit.
This has to be significant because nothing is happenstance with our Heavenly Father. There indeed is something about this period of time between His Resurrection and the giving/outpouring of His Spirit that is so prophetic and powerfilled that it should give us great pause for thought!
He also appeared to so many other people.
Mary of Magdala Mark 16:9
Joanna Mary mother of James Matthew 28:9
the 2 on the road to Emmaus. Luke 24:13-32
References include: the gospels. Matt 28:8-10. Mark
Peter had also met the risen Christ. Luke 24:34.
Eight days later again Messiah manifested Himself before His disciples/talmidim, and this time Thomas was there and he touched Yeshua/Jesus and believed Him from that moment. John 20:26-31
The third time Messiah came to meet His talmidim/disciples where they were on the seashore and He had breakfast with them.
He also showed another miracle by telling them to cast the net and the net was full of around 153 fish. John 21
There are references both in John and in Acts.
Jesus/Yeshua ascended to heaven after this meeting with His disciples. Acts 1:3-12.
Messiah appeared five times on the first day of the week. He continued to meet His disciples and teach them during the forty days between Passover/Pesach and His Ascension.
Saint Augustine in his book
De Consensu Evangelistarum
(Harmony of the Gospels from about AD 400)
catalogues ten appearances of Christ.
1st to the women at the sepulchre;
2nd to the same on the way from the sepulchre;
3rd to Peter;
4th to the two disciples going to the town of Emmaus
5th to several of them in Jerusalem when Thomas was not present
He came again a 6th time when Thomas saw Him
7th time was by the sea of Tiberias at the capture of the fishes;
the 8th was on the mountain of Galilee, according to Matthew;
the 9th occasion is expressed by Mark, ‘at length when they were at table,’ because no more were they going to eat with Him upon earth;
the 10th was on the very day, when no longer upon the earth, but uplifted into the cloud, He was ascending into heaven.
However, Saint Thomas Aquinas notes, “But, as John admits, not all things were written down. And He visited them frequently before He went up to heaven,” in order to comfort them. Hence it is written (1 Corinthians 15:6-7) that “He was seen by more than five hundred brethren at once . . . after that He was seen by James”; of which apparitions no mention is made in the Gospels.
1 Corinthians 15:1-11, it is recorded that Messiah was seen by over 500 people at one time after His resurrection. Over a period of 40 days up to the day Yeshua/Jesus went back Home He was seen by, and talked to a number of individuals. He said He would come back the same way He went to Heaven.
From the very B’resheet/Genesis – beginning we were created to walk before the Father in obedience to His statutes, ordinances and ways.
The first Adam failed – the last Adam succeeded
and showed us the WAY back to the Father, the truth/emet of our condition and the life/chaim that we can live and have because of His sacrifice.
He was also
The Unleavened Bread from heaven
The Omer that was waved and
The Firstfruits from the dead.
And furthermore counting from the
Omer to Shavuot
He is the outpouring ON the harvest
through His Spirit of Holiness/Ruach HaKodesh.
This was so He could be with us always even to the end of the age; empowering all believers who unlike the first Adam, will choose to be obedient and follow Him.
50 days for us to reflect and repent and be ready for the outpouring that we will remember at Pentecost/Shavuot; refreshing and reviving us again to be witnesses to Him as He has commanded us.
Time to consider our ways
and choose life.
The question that Adam and Eve were asked still applies, because the very same question that He asked mankind in the Beginning, (B’reshyt/Genesis), is the same question He is asking mankind today!
Where are you?
So it would seem there is a connection between
Adam and Omer…
Let us allow the re-newed spirit imparted to us by the last Adam direct our steps these next days as we count them from Omer; not as a religious observance, but as one
desiring the fullness
of all Messiah won for us at Calvary
so we can be effective and bring glory
to the Name above every name.
Father teach us to count our days!
and let’s…
Make each and every day count!
שָׁלוֹם עֲלֵיכֶם,
Shalom aleikhem
chaverim/friends and mishpachah/family!
Shavua Tov, Have a blessed week,
you are greatly loved and prayed for daily.
Please don’t leave here without assurance of your salvation.
Let the deep inner knowing that you are sealed to the day of redemption by the Blood of Messiah Jesus/Yeshua bring you His shalom right now!
Not sure ..you can be…
Make certain Messiah Jesus/Yeshua is your Redeemer, Savior, Lord, and soon returning King
and that you have a personal relationship with Him.
It’s all about Life and Relationship, NOT Religion.
You are very precious in His sight.
SIMPLY SAY THE FOLLOWING MEANING IT FROM YOUR HEART..don’t delay one more minute, SAY IT RIGHT NOW…
Heavenly Father I come to you in the Name of Jesus/Yeshua asking for forgiveness of my sins for which I am truly sorry. I repent of them all and turn away from my past.
I believe with my heart and confess with my mouth that Jesus/Yeshua is your Son and that He died on the cross at calvary to pay the price for my sin, so that I might be forgiven and have eternal life in the kingdom of Heaven. Father I believe that Jesus/Yeshua rose from the dead and I ask you to come into my life right now and be my personal Savior and Lord and I will worship you all the days of my life. Because your word is truth I say that I am now forgiven and born again and by faith I am washed clean with the blood of Jesus/Yeshua. Thank you that you have accepted me into your family in Jesus’/Yeshua’s name.
Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments, and commanded us concerning the counting of the Omer.
The season of Passover/Pesach
includes the week of Unleavened Bread
and the start of the Counting FROM the Omer
50 days towards Pentecost/Shavuot.
Some scholars say The Omer is counted every evening after nightfall, from the second night of Passover/Pesach, until the night before Shavuot/Pentecost.
There are disputes as to which day is the first day, and this has been going on since before Jesus/Yeshuas’ time; and can be studied further if the reader so desires.
Here is given a basic understanding of
thepattern
a reason to follow the main outlines for personal growth;
and
to remember and realize what Messiah has accomplished for us.
The 2 links given above have more details concerning the Omer.
The Book of Leviticus, ספר ויקרא
Vayik’ra 23:9 – 16
From the day after the Shabbat for 49 days.
In chp. 23 after the 7 day feast of
unleavened bread/Matzah
which western Christianity totally misses…
we come to a moed/appointed time
that does not have a name.
However the scripture says that at this moed or appointed time the children of Israel are commanded, notice it is not a suggestion! They are commanded to bring
an omer to the priests.
An omer is simply a sheaf;
specifically a bundle of grain
from the beginning of the first crop or harvest.
Which was most likely barley see Exodus/sh’mot 9:31…
Shemot, Shemoth, or Shemos
שְׁמוֹת Hebrew for: Names,
Book of Exodus.
…referring to the names of the Israelites who come to Egypt with Jacob.
The priest is then to
wave the omer
before Adonai/Lord God, as a
wave offering,
so that the omer
and the entire harvest will be accepted.
Note on Leviticus 8:27:
He then put all these on the hands of Aaron and on the hands of his sons and presented them as a wave offering before the LORD.
Moses took the sacred portions of the peace offering along with the breads of the grain offering and placed them into the hands of Aaron and his sons. (See previous post for more detail). As they held the sacred elements, Moses presented them as a grain offering, implying that Moses must have joined hands with the priests in holding these elements. Hand in hand with Moses, still clutching the sacred portions of the sacrifices in their hands, the new priests offered the elements before God in a wave offering.
Facing the Sanctuary/Mishkan where the shekinah presence of the Father rested, they lifted the portions before the Almighty.
Then Moses took the elements back from the new priests and offered them up on the altar.
This has a Messianic implication for believers!
People may often feel unworthy to pray/talk with the Father, and sometimes people find it difficult to lift his or her heart to heaven.
We ask ourselves, how can we even dare to approach the Father when we are bowed down with the shame of sin and guilt?
Lets think on this as we approach our Heavenly Father in worship and in prayer, offering before Him the service of our hearts, the scarred hands of our High Priest/Messiah Jesus/Yeshua join with ours to lift the offering/presentation before the Father.
He lifts our hands together with His
in a wave offering
before the Almighty! Wow!
We are to understand the pattern
that our Heavenly Father set in place by WAY
of His Appointed Times/Feasts/Moedim,
which were given to us as
an annual rehearsal
for the future fulfillment by Messiah.
This was what Yeshua/Jesus completed
He was the
first fruit
the omer of the harvest of souls
presented to His Father
so that the entire harvest
all those who in the then future and still continuing today
would be acceptable to the Father. Wow!
Then from the day of your
bringing in the omer of the wave offering
count 50 days
and you will bring near a new offering to Adonai.
Vayikra 23; 15,16
The Book of Leviticus, ספר ויקרא
‘Va•ik•ra,’ means ‘And [the Lord] called,
Hebrew: ויקרא, Wayiqra,
This was the precursor to
Shavuot/Pentecost
and the outpouring of
His Ruach HaKodesh
upon all flesh
fulfilling Joels prophecy of
the last days/end times/ end of the age.
This Shavuot was preceded by
the day of the wave offering and
49 days were to be counted forward to
bringing the new offering from the wheat harvest.
shmot 34:2
and on that day 3000 souls were added…
There is an inference to the time of counting, that the wheat crops are continuing to grow and ripen but will be ready for harvest when the counting is complete!
It also ensures the correct time (agriculturally), for the farmers to harvest the crops.
A further prophetic picture emerges if we recall that Egypt/מצרים (mitsrayim / meets-rah-yeem), is the type of the world system. This was where both the children of Israel/Yisrael, and ourselves have been freed from its’ slavery; and the one who had prepared the way for them to sojourn and be safe during the plagues so long before was Joseph. Joseph, a type of Jesus/Yeshua who had the dream of the 12 sheafs bowing /waving to his sheaf. The 12 tribes did bow down to Joseph, the type of Messiah; and One day every knee shall bow to the One who was the fulfillment of the Omer, the Wave offering before the Lord/Adonai.
Some call this day
Yom haBikurim/bikuriym Day of the First Fruits.
The scripture 23:9 does not mention bikuriym
which is the word often translated as
first fruits
in verse 10 is actually
reshiyt which means beginning
(familiar from bereshiyt/Genesis) .
The day following the first day of
Unleavened Bread
is called
Yom HaBikkurim י ום הביכורים
the Day of Firstfruits,
or
Reshit Ha’Katzir ראשית הקציר
the first of the harvest.
Reishit Qatzir ראשׁית קציר
The spring-time feast of Reishit Qatzir
Beginning of the Harvest
Numbers/B’midbar 28:26 clearly says that
Shavuot/Pentecost the moed/appointed time,
occurring 50 days later
is yom habikuriym ..
Shmot 23:16 and vayikra 23:17
also agree that
bikuriym
in this context is associated with
Shavuot/Pentecost.
Walking through the spring feasts moedim /mo’ediym we see a picture of our own walk with Messiah.
At Pesach/Passover, we are reminded of how we are set free from the bondage of sin;
then during the feast of matzah/unleavened bread, we have the chance to practice walking in our unleavened state/without sin.
As we continue towards Shavuot/Pentecost, we can count from the Omer. We are like the crops of wheat growing towards maturity, ultimately to become an abundant harvest for the Lord/Adonai.
Some important themes or subject matter for this season would be: sowing
growing
increase
being fed and nourished by His word
and
being mindful and focused
of how we are growing towards maturity in Him.
This time is often referred to as:
s’fiyrat haomer – counting the omer;
this is not exactly correct as it is
not the omers being counted but the days, that is:
the days from the day of the first offering of the Omer.
We should therefore say
counting FROM the omer
s’fiyrat meomer /sefirat ha-omer
מרעמ ספירת
The counting is to begin
according to scripture the 16th day of the first month.
Which is the first day after the first day of matzah/unleavened bread.
Yom haBikkurim /Day of the First Fruits
is at the same time.
Counting of the Omer
סְפִירַת הָעוֹמֶר,
Sefirat HaOmer,
sometimes abbreviated as
Sefira or the Omer;
is always on 16th of Nisan /Aviv.
From sunset to sunset and is counted AFTER sunset.
This מִצְוָה – mits-vah – command, decree; derives from the Torah commandment to count forty-nine days beginning from the day on which the עֹמֶר oh-mer – omer is offered.
The week of matzah unleavened bread
together with the
counting from the omer
is part of the
spiritual preparation
prior to the outpouring of His Spirit of Holiness 50 days after His Resurrection at Pentecost/Shavuot.
They had to wait in Jerusalem/Yerushalayim which would have been very dangerous for the Talmidim/Disciples of Messiah. However they were obedient and received the fullness of His Spirit/Ruach, to empower them to go out into all the world with the good news and make disciples/talmidim of all nations…….
Each year this is a great opportunity for every believer who wants to walk as His disciple/talmid
to do a spiritual check up.
We willingly get physical/medical check ups and its often required by employers/insurers. We get our vehicles/cars/transport checked regularly change the oil and tires yet we often neglect the most important area of our life and that is where we are spiritually.
This is an important if not a critical point of assessment and we tend to keep going along, without checking ourselves to see if we are still in the right condition to continue the journey as well as the right direction. We could even check our own oil level and pressure! For a car it’s important that the oil lubricates the engine parts, stopping friction from overheating and blowing up; and that there is the right amount so the engine does not dry out and seize up. So an annual spiritual checkup is just as critical for us and we should not leave it just for one time a year; however, this is a good time to do a personal one. Spiritual maintenance helps to prevent burnout when we will become unable to function effectively in our own lives and of little to no use in aiding and serving others.
How does Adam figure in this?
Take a trip all the way back in Genesis/B’resheet to the time when our Heavenly Father called to Adam in the garden, asking:
Where are you?
Genesis 3:9
It was not that He didn’t know where Adam was physically because Our Heavenly Father knows and sees everything and nothing takes Him unawares.
Adams new spiritual condition was not a surprise to the Father but He wanted Adam to own up as to what had happened to him spiritually after he was disobedient and fell in sin.
We could and should put our own name in that very searching question….
Where are we?
Right now today ….where are we?
Our Heavenly Father is asking us
about our spiritual condition
and
about our position in covenant relationship with Him.
Where are we spiritually?
Are we still on the narrow Way?
We may be doing great in the natural sense, everything may be going along fine. Or we may be filled with our own ways, our own goals and dreams; and not pressing in to the things of Jesus the Messiah/Yeshua, as we know to do if we are to call ourselves His talmidim/disciple.
So there is somewhat of a connection with Adam and Omer in that, Adam needed to check his spiritual condition and do what he was required to do on his part to fix that broken fellowship caused by his sin.
In the same way we are to take the time to assess our spiritual position before the Father and refresh our relationship in covenant with Him by the power of His Ruach haKodesh/Spirit of Holiness. This is a time of turning towards the Father, a time of introspective teshuvah /repentance.
As we count from the omer it’s a time of
reflection and growth
in preparation for
Shavuot/Pentecost/Feast of Weeks.
When we also remember Moses/the Giving of Torah and the celebration of covenant/marriage with the children of Israel who had just come out of bondage and needed guidelines for life/chaim.
According to the Torah (first 5 books of the old covenant), it took seven weeks for the Israelites to travel from Egypt to Mount Sinai.
The name Shavuot/Pentecost, meaning “weeks,”
refers to this seven-week period.
Each day is counted, which is known as the Counting of the Omer, or Sefirat HaOmer.
In the days of the Temple, the counting marked the seven weeks from the wheat harvest on the spring festival of Passover, to the harvesting of barley on Shavuot.
Festival of Reaping – חגהקציר (Exodus 23:16)
The Three Pilgrimage Festivals,
in Hebrew Shalosh Regalim (שלוש רגלים),
are three major festivals in Judaism
Pesach (Passover),
Shavuot (Weeks or Pentecost),
and Sukkot (Tabernacles, Tents or Booths)
when all ancient Israelites who were able would make a pilgrimage to the Temple in Jerusalem, as commanded by the Torah.
Each of the three pilgrimage festivals marks a new period in the agricultural season:
Passover is also known as Chag ha-Aviv, the Spring Festival, which marks the beginning of the new planting season. The basic meaning of the word aviv, is the stage of growth in grain when the seeds have reached full size but have not yet dried.
Chag ha-Katzir, or the Jewish Harvest Festival of Reaping, is when the first crop of the season is ready. This happens at the time of Shavuot.
The next agricultural step is for all of the crops to be gathered. This happens with the third pilgrimage festival, Sukkot, which is also referred to as the Festival of Gathering, Chag Ha-Asif.
Day of the First Fruits – יוםהבכורים (Numbers 28:26)
Yom Habikurim (Day of the First Fruits) comes from ancient times, when people would bring Bikkurim, their first and best fruits, as an offering to the Holy Temple. Bikkurim were brought from the Seven Species for which the land of Israel is praised: wheat, barley, grapes, figs, pomegranates, olives, and dates (Deuteronomy 8:8).
Shavuot and Pentecost
The Greek name for the Shavuot holiday, Pentecost, means “Fiftieth day.” This name refers to the fifty days between Passover and Shavuot.
See other posts for more detail.
The scripture
teach us to number our days
takes on a new meaning in light of
counting from the omer.
Counting 49 or 7 weeks 7×7 is like counting a complete cycle counting 7x shabbats/Sabbaths. Weekly Shabbat is a cycle straight from Genesis and 7×7 is also like a cycle. The Moedim/Appointed Times of The Lord, and His set apart people, is an annual cycle following a planned specific pattern repeated, so we will remember His instructions,His Patterns that we are to follow –
fulfilled in Jesus/Messiah
that we may continue to remember and
follow the pattern, the WAY. Come Follow Me!
One final thought is that it was during these days of
counting from the omer
that the risen/resurrected Messiah Yeshua
was seen by His talmidim /disciples. John 20:19-25.
It is recorded that Messiah stayed forty days after His resurrection on this earth. He met with His talmidim/disciples again on the mount of Olives and ordered them to wait until they received His Ruach haKodesh/Holy Spirit.
This has to be significant because nothing is happenstance with our Heavenly Father. There indeed is something about this period of time between His Resurrection and the giving/outpouring of His Spirit that is so prophetic and powerfilled that it should give us great pause for thought!
He also appeared to so many other people.
Mary of Magdala Mark 16:9
Joanna Mary mother of James Matthew 28:9
the 2 on the road to Emmaus. Luke 24:13-32
References include: the gospels. Matt 28:8-10. Mark
Peter had also met the risen Christ. Luke 24:34.
Eight days later again Messiah manifested Himself before His disciples/talmidim, and this time Thomas was there and he touched Yeshua/Jesus and believed Him from that moment. John 20:26-31
The third time Messiah came to meet His talmidim/disciples where they were on the seashore and He had breakfast with them.
He also showed another miracle by telling them to cast the net and the net was full of around 153 fish. John 21
There are references both in John and in Acts.
Jesus/Yeshua ascended to heaven after this meeting with His disciples. Acts 1:3-12.
Messiah appeared five times on the first day of the week. He continued to meet His disciples and teach them during the forty days between Passover/Pesach and His Ascension.
Saint Augustine in his book
De Consensu Evangelistarum
(Harmony of the Gospels from about AD 400)
catalogues ten appearances of Christ.
1st to the women at the sepulchre;
2nd to the same on the way from the sepulchre;
3rd to Peter;
4th to the two disciples going to the town of Emmaus
5th to several of them in Jerusalem when Thomas was not present
He came again a 6th time when Thomas saw Him
7th time was by the sea of Tiberias at the capture of the fishes;
the 8th was on the mountain of Galilee, according to Matthew;
the 9th occasion is expressed by Mark, ‘at length when they were at table,’ because no more were they going to eat with Him upon earth;
the 10th was on the very day, when no longer upon the earth, but uplifted into the cloud, He was ascending into heaven.
However, Saint Thomas Aquinas notes, “But, as John admits, not all things were written down. And He visited them frequently before He went up to heaven,” in order to comfort them. Hence it is written (1 Corinthians 15:6-7) that “He was seen by more than five hundred brethren at once . . . after that He was seen by James”; of which apparitions no mention is made in the Gospels.
1 Corinthians 15:1-11, it is recorded that Messiah was seen by over 500 people at one time after His resurrection. Over a period of 40 days up to the day Yeshua/Jesus went back Home He was seen by, and talked to a number of individuals. He said He would come back the same way He went to Heaven.
From the very B’resheet/Genesis – beginning we were created to walk before the Father in obedience to His statutes, ordinances and ways.
The first Adam failed – the last Adam succeeded
and showed us the WAY back to the Father, the truth/emet of our condition and the life/chaim that we can live and have because of His sacrifice.
He was also
The Unleavened Bread from heaven
The Omer that was waved and
The Firstfruits from the dead.
And furthermore counting from the
Omer to Shavuot
He is the outpouring ON the harvest
through His Spirit of Holiness/Ruach HaKodesh.
This was so He could be with us always even to the end of the age; empowering all believers who unlike the first Adam, will choose to be obedient and follow Him.
50 days for us to reflect and repent and be ready for the outpouring that we will remember at Pentecost/Shavuot; refreshing and reviving us again to be witnesses to Him as He has commanded us.
Time to consider our ways
and choose life.
The question that Adam and Eve were asked still applies, because the very same question that He asked mankind in the Beginning, (B’reshyt/Genesis), is the same question He is asking mankind today!
Where are you?
So it would seem there is a connection between
Adam and Omer…
Let us allow the re-newed spirit imparted to us by the last Adam direct our steps these next days as we count them from Omer; not as a religious observance, but as one
desiring the fullness
of all Messiah won for us at Calvary
so we can be effective and bring glory
to the Name above every name.
Father teach us to count our days!
and let’s…
Make each and every day count!
שָׁלוֹם עֲלֵיכֶם,
Shalom aleikhem
chaverim/friends and mishpachah/family!
Shavua Tov, Have a blessed week,
you are greatly loved and prayed for daily.
Please don’t leave here without assurance of your salvation.
Let the deep inner knowing that you are sealed to the day of redemption by the Blood of Messiah Jesus/Yeshua bring you His shalom right now!
Not sure ..you can be…
Make certain Messiah Jesus/Yeshua is your Redeemer, Savior, Lord, and soon returning King
and that you have a personal relationship with Him.
It’s all about Life and Relationship, NOT Religion.
You are very precious in His sight.
SIMPLY SAY THE FOLLOWING MEANING IT FROM YOUR HEART..don’t delay one more minute, SAY IT RIGHT NOW…
Heavenly Father I come to you in the Name of Jesus/Yeshua asking for forgiveness of my sins for which I am truly sorry. I repent of them all and turn away from my past.
I believe with my heart and confess with my mouth that Jesus/Yeshua is your Son and that He died on the cross at calvary to pay the price for my sin, so that I might be forgiven and have eternal life in the kingdom of Heaven. Father I believe that Jesus/Yeshua rose from the dead and I ask you to come into my life right now and be my personal Savior and Lord and I will worship you all the days of my life. Because your word is truth I say that I am now forgiven and born again and by faith I am washed clean with the blood of Jesus/Yeshua. Thank you that you have accepted me into your family in Jesus’/Yeshua’s name.
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