Compiler: Ina Crowther - Last updated 2011There are three different Hebrew words used in connection with YHVH’s festivals: Moed, Chag, and Miqra. The English translations translated it only as Feast, festival and convocation or meeting.
"MOED", which means appointment or an appointed time, Set (or fixed) time, cycle or year, an assembly.
"CHAG", which means feast, is derived from the Hebrew root word chagag, which means to move in a circle, to march in a set apart procession, dance, celebration , and rejoicing.
"MIQRA", which means “Convocation”, “something called out”, “a meeting” or also a “rehearsal”.
Shavuot/Feast of weeks
It always falls on the 3rdScriptural month (month of Sivan) 50 days after the Shabbat after Pesach – a remembrance of the giving of the Torah (Shemot/Ex 19:20-20:18) and the outpouring of the Set Apart Spirit. (Acts 2:1–13)
Shemot/Exodus 34:22-24, Vayiqra/Leviticus 23:15–21, Bemidbar/Numbers 28:26-31, Debarim/Deutr 14:22–16:,10,17, Debarim/Deutr 16:9-12, Habakkuk 3:1–19.
To be a set apart day – no servile work; making of food is allowed; to have a set-apart meeting; Vayiqra/Lev23:21
To be a joyfull feast ( Debarim/Deutr 16:10-12 “And you shall perform the Festival of Weeks to יהוה your Elohim, according to the voluntary offering from your hand, which you give as יהוה your Elohim blesses you.
“And you shall rejoice before יהוה your Elohim, you and your son and your daughter, and your male
servant and your female servant, and the Lĕwite who is within your gates, and the stranger and the fatherless and the widow who are in your midst, at the place where יהוה your Elohim chooses to make His Name dwell.“And you shall remember that you were a slave in Mitsrayim, and you shall guard and do these laws.)
servant and your female servant, and the Lĕwite who is within your gates, and the stranger and the fatherless and the widow who are in your midst, at the place where יהוה your Elohim chooses to make His Name dwell.“And you shall remember that you were a slave in Mitsrayim, and you shall guard and do these laws.)
Customs through the ages kept by the Yuhadim (Jews)
Tikkun Leil – the custom to stay up all night, learning Torah, watching in prayer and study of the Word. Kabbalists (students of Jewish mystical literature) were the first to introduce this practice. They reasoned that at Har (mount) Sinai, thunder and lightning kept b’nei Yisrael (the children of Israel) awake during the time Moshe was on the mountain awaiting the receiving of the Torah. In adapting this to modern times, the giving of the Torah was, for all intents, the wedding of the redeemed community to their Elohim, and so it is only fitting that we should be engaged in preparing the ornaments of the bride the previous night.
Megillat Rut – On the morning of Shavuot they read the Scriptural Book of Rut whose setting also takes place in spring and at harvest time (spring time as in Israel). One of the central messages of Shavuot is that of voluntarily taking upon oneself the “instructions of Elohim” (Torah) is shared in the story of Rut who expressed her loyalty to the Torah and to the Jewish people by freely embracing both. She was a non –Jewish woman who left her family and her homeland out of her love for Naomi, and for the Torah and devotion to the Elohim of Israel, which led her (Judaism believe) to “convert to Judasim”. (Insert: We know that she became part of them by giving up her paganistic ways and she started following with all her heart the ways and instructions (the Torah) of the Elohim of Israel. By her willingness to follow the Elohim of Yisrael and His torah, she was accepted as a Yisraelite.) She was also the great grandmother of King David who was (according to tradition) born on Shavuot and died on Shavuot (Talmud). (Insert: We as Messianic non Jewish believers know that this is a beautiful picture of a non Yuhadim (Jew), accepting the Elohim of Yisrael through His Son Yahshua Messiah, and turning away from the “Pagan idols” unto Torah obedience. Now in the Renewed Covenant, we can become part of the commonwealth of Israel through Yahshua (Ephes 2, Rom 11). We do not have to “convert” to Judaism.)
Go GREEN – customary to decorate the Shul (Synagogue) with greenery and flowers- symbolise the greenery with which Mount Sinai flourished when The Eternal One gave the Torah from its peaks.
MILK and SWEET eats
Amongst other reasons, dairy and sweet products are eaten traditionally on this Feast in reference to the verse describing Torah in Song of Songs 4:11 “It drips from your lips, like honey and milk from the tongue”.
Different names for Shavuot
Since the earliest times, this Appointed time or Feast is known as Chag Shavuot in Hebrew-(Chag=feast, Shavua = week, Shavuot = weeks) - Shemot/Ex 34:22. Translated into English: "Feast of weeks".
Shavuot is also known as:
Zman Matan Torateinu – “The Time of the Giving our Torah”, as it was on this day that Israel was present at Mount Sinai to receive the Torah directly from the Eternal One.
Chag HaBikkurim – Feast of first fruits (the wheat grain)
Chag Hakazir, or Festival of reaping, as it marks the beginning of the grain harvest (wheat), a time of great joy.
From the Omer Reisheet (the Barley first fruits), YHVH has commanded in the Torah to count off forty nine days and then observe another harvest feast, this feast of First fruits (Bikkurim) called Chag Shavuot or Feast of Weeks on the fiftieth day. The very First Shavuot took place 50 days from after the first day of Unleavened Bread (Chag haMatzot) with the exodus from Mitsrayim/Egypt to Sinai. It is possible to study the text in Shemot/Exodus 19 and see that this event took place on the fifth, sixth or seventh of Sivan, of the year that they left Mitsrayim/Egypt after the very first Pesach. Pesach to Shavuot
There is a link between Pesach and Shavuot – the 7 weeks = 49 days which is 7 complete weeks + 1 day that makes 50. Shavuot is like the crowning of Pesach/Passover, bringing all the spring Feasts to a full end. It is the final Feast connected with Yahshua's first coming, bringing His first coming to a completion, but there is also no Shavuot without Pesach. There is no victory- life without Pesach.
It is a clear reference to the resurrection of the Messiah. "But now Messiah has been raised from the dead. He became the first fruits of those who are asleep… But each in his own order: Messiah the first fruits, then those who are Messiah’s, at his coming." (1 Cor 15:20,23). There is also the First fruit of renewed Yisrael.
Counting of the Omer - Between Pesach and Shavuot are the seven weeks plus one day (49 days (seven weeks) from Omer Reisheet to Shavuot that falls on the Fiftieth day). It is called the counting of the Omer. The “Omer Reisheet” (speaking of the “first” fruit of the Barley harvest that had to be waved before YHVH while the Temple was still standing). This had to be done on the “day after the Shabbat” (Vayqra/Lev 23:11). By the time of the Second Temple period, there were two main interpretations of the “day after the Shabbat”. 1. According to the Pharisaic interpretation this “day after the Shabbat” speaks of the day after the Shabbat of the First day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. 2. According to the Sadducees’ interpretation, this “day after the Shabbat” speaks of the day after the weekly Shabbat during the Pesach week. At this point in time there are different dates for the day of Shavuot in the world-wide Messianic community because of these different interpretations. Unfortunately it is not only about the two different interpretations concerning the “day after the Shabbat”, but also has to do with the fact that some groups are following the fixed Jewish/Rabbinical calendar and some groups are following the ancient way of the “sighting of the new moon”. Each family/group must go according to its convictions. We trust that nearer to the time of Yahshua’s coming, there will come more clarity and unity.
The two wheat loaves that are to be waved:
Vayiqra/Lev 23: 16 says: Until the next day after the last week [1] shall you number fifty days, and you shall offer a new grain offering to YHVH. 17 You shall bring out of your dwellings two wave loaves of two-tenths of an ephah: they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baked with chametz (leaven); they are the bikkurim (first fruits) to YHVH.18 And you shall offer with the lechem (Leavened bread) seven lambs without blemish of the first year, and one young bull, and two rams: they shall be for a burnt offering to YHVH, with their grain offering, and their drink offerings, even an offering made by fire, of sweet fragrance to YHVH. Emphasis added. (Restoration Scriptures – Footnote: [1] see notes on "Omer Reisheet" by Tim Hegg to understand why this translation has “weeks” instead of Sabbaths on these verses- the English translation from the Septuagint has the same as also the JPS (Jewish Publication Society Bible) and the Complete Jewish Bible of Sterns. Other English Versions has “Sabbath”)
So after the seven weeks (49 days), comes the 50th day, the day on which the two leavened loaves were waived by the Priest before YHVH (while the temple was still standing). The two loaves had to be waved (verse 16) and two lambs had to be slaughtered (verse 18). The “new grain” is the first fruits of the wheat harvest. (Omer Reisheet during Pesach-week was the first fruits of the barley harvest). This Appointment is a Torah - commanded Appointment for "all generations" and has a day of rest assigned to it as also a set apart convocation (meeting).
On Shavuot the Torah (on Mount Sinai in the wilderness with the very first Shavuot) and the Set-Apart Spirit/Ruach HaKodesh (on Mount Tzion) were given to Yisrael. The events of Acts chapter 2 (33CE) is symbolically proclaimed annually by the Priest’s waving of two leavened loaves before the Father, as the first fruits of Shavuot symbolizing the restoration and re-gathering of Yisrael’s two houses (the house of Yehudah/Judah (Yehudah, Benyamin and some Levites) and the house of Yisrael (the 10 tribes).
The New covenant (renewed Covenant) was made with the House of Yehuda/Judah and the House of Yisrael/Israel
Yer/Jer 31:31 speaks of the renewed covenant with the house of Yehuda and the House of Yisrael. Under the reign of king David they were one kingdom. Then there came a division and they were divided into two Houses. When Yahshua came the first time and the Set Apart Spirit was poured out - the first “down payment” of the “Torah being written on the hearts of His people” has begun.
Yahshua is coming back a second time to restore the two houses finally as one House again under His rule and reign and to help bring the Called-out-ones to the position where the Torah will finally be written on their hearts in a way where they will KNOW the Elohim of Yisrael (Yir/Jer 31:34) .
Just like Shavuot is directly linked to Pesach/Passover and the Firstfruits (Bikkurim) at the Feast of Weeks, but is a separate Feast, so also the infilling and immersion in the Set apart Spirit is directly linked to our salvation and yet it is a separate experience.
"you will be immersed in the Set apart Spirit not many days from now" adding a few verses later, "When the fiftieth day (Pentecost) came, they were all together in one place." (Acts 2:1) The whole story is built around the counting of the omer.
The modern-Christian’s view of “Pentecost”
“Pentecost” is the English word that was transliterated from the Greek word for “fiftieth” and the word used in Acts with most English Versions of the Scriptures. English Versions like “The Scriptures” translated it like this: Act 2:1 “And when the Day of the Festival of Weeks (the revised version of 2009 says: Shavuot) had come, they were all with one mind in one place”. A literal translation out of the Greek of Acts 2:1 is "When the fiftieth day (Pentecost) came, they were all together in one place." The Greek word “pentecosteés” which means “fiftieth” is, however, usually not translated in most Scripture Versions as “fiftieth”. Most English translators have chosen to just transliterate the Greek word "pentecosteés" to “Pentecost” in order to make it easier to fill this unknown and foreign word for most Christians with a new ecclesiastical meaning. The modern Christians all know the word Pentecost (“Pinkster” in Afrikaans) but not the fact that it is actually the Torah-commanded (Lev 23:15-21) one-day Feast/”Appointed Time” that comes on the fiftieth day of the counting of the Omer. Most Christians also do not know that because of the seven weeks between Pesach and this one-day Appointment (Feast) this Feast-day is known in Hebrew as the Chag of Shavuot (which means “festival of weeks”) – See Shemot/Ex 34:22). The word Shavuot or Feast of Weeks was absolutely known to the early believers but became unknown to later Christians because they came to believe that “Jesus” came to abolish the Torah. So they became separated from the Torah and the Jewish people and their Hebraic roots. “Pentecost” is thus wrongfully regarded as the “birth day of the Church” and the Church believed that this occasion must of course not be associated with anything Jewish, especially the giving of the Law/Torah. BUT this view is wrong: Why? Yahshua never came to establish a new entity called the “Church”, separated from its Hebraic roots. (See Rom 11). The Qahal (קהל - Hebrew) means Called-out ones, assembly, congregation, and began with father Abraham who became the first “ivrim”/Hebrew because he was called out to “cross over” (“avar”) to the Promised Land. Later his descendants, the Yisraelites were "called out" of Mitsrayim/Egypt to become the chosen “Called-out nation/assembly” at Sinai. (Devarim/Deu 4:10 "Specially the day that thou stoodest before YHVH thy ’Elohiym in Horeb, when YHVH said unto me, assemble [qahal] the people together, and I will make them hear my words, that they may learn to fear me all the days that they shall live upon the earth, and that they may teach their children." - the restored Names King James Version.) In the Second Writings (what most still know as NT), the word for Qahal (קהל) was translated into Greek as "Ekklesia"(έκκλησία - to call out). (It is the word that the early translators chose to best represent the Greek equivalent to its original Hebrew beginning. But it only best represents it.) It got translated in most English Versions as "Churh" and not "called out one/assembly or congregation". Brad Scott: "When we read our Scriptures and see the word "church" in the Second Writings (NT) we are reading an English translation of the Greek word ekklesia. When the modern reader opens his Second Writings (New Testament) he sees an abundant mention of this word "church". When he opens up his Tanakh (OT) he sees no mention of the word (the word was rightfully translated as "called out ones", "congregation" or "assembly" and not "church"in the Tenach (OT)), so he concludes, as do many so-called scholars, that there is no "church" in the Tanakh. This is just one of hundreds of silly conclusions that modern Christians have been led to believe." After Yahshua’s death, resurrection and ascension, the called-out assembly became a renewed assembly or called out assembly, but not a seperate people from the "called out ones in the wilderness". Stephen was referring to the "called out ones/the assembly" when he said in Acts 7:37-38 This is that Moses whom said unto the children of Israel, A Prophet shall YHVH your ’Elohiym, raise up unto you of your brethren, like me; him shall ye hear. This is he that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel who spoke to him in Mount Sinai, and with our fathers, who received the living oracles to give unto us; Whom our fathers would not obey, but thrust him from them, and in their hearts turned back again into Egypt ..." This is the restored Names King James Version who wrongfully translated the word with "church". Here is The Scriptures Version of the same verses: "This is the Mosheh who said to the children of Yisra’ĕl, ‘YHVH your Elohim shall raise up for you a Prophet like me from your brothers. Him you shall hear.’ "This is he who was in the assembly in the wilderness with the Messenger who spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and with our fathers, who received the living Words to give to us,"
The very first believers in Yahshua/Yeshua as the Messiah consisted mainly of Jews (see Acts 2) who accepted the good news that Yahshua truly is the promised Messiah; they believed that this Hebrew Torah obeservant Rabbi who was from the Tribe of Yehudah/Judah was truly the promised Hebrew Messiah. He was the Hebrew Yahshua haMashiach (not a Greek non-Torah observant Jesus Christ-Acts 2). We see in the Book of Acts that the Good news was later preached to the Gentiles and more and more Gentiles left their pagan ways to serve the only true Elohim of Yisrael, whose name is YHVH, after they have accepted His Son Yahshua as the Messiah and started to follow Him as their Master. They were added to the believing “Called-out ones/Assembly/congregation” and never replaced Yisrael/Israel. (Romans 11, Ephes 2:11-13). Also Eph 3:6 The gentiles to be co-heirs, united in the same body, and partakers together[1] in the promise in Messiah through the Good News, Footnote: 1Rom. 11:17-24, Isa. 14:1.) They started off by obeying the basic instructions of the Torah and as the Torah was read and taught every Shabbat, they have learnt more and more how to become Torah-observant followers of the Master (Acts 15:20,21).
The very first believers in Yahshua/Yeshua as the Messiah consisted mainly of Jews (see Acts 2) who accepted the good news that Yahshua truly is the promised Messiah; they believed that this Hebrew Torah obeservant Rabbi who was from the Tribe of Yehudah/Judah was truly the promised Hebrew Messiah. He was the Hebrew Yahshua haMashiach (not a Greek non-Torah observant Jesus Christ-Acts 2). We see in the Book of Acts that the Good news was later preached to the Gentiles and more and more Gentiles left their pagan ways to serve the only true Elohim of Yisrael, whose name is YHVH, after they have accepted His Son Yahshua as the Messiah and started to follow Him as their Master. They were added to the believing “Called-out ones/Assembly/congregation” and never replaced Yisrael/Israel. (Romans 11, Ephes 2:11-13). Also Eph 3:6 The gentiles to be co-heirs, united in the same body, and partakers together[1] in the promise in Messiah through the Good News, Footnote: 1Rom. 11:17-24, Isa. 14:1.) They started off by obeying the basic instructions of the Torah and as the Torah was read and taught every Shabbat, they have learnt more and more how to become Torah-observant followers of the Master (Acts 15:20,21).
Where does the word “church” originates from
The word “church” originates from paganism and is nowhere to be found in the original meaning. Wikipedia says the following: A church is an association of people who share a particular belief system. The term church originated from the pre-Christian Germanic kirika. The term later began to replace the Greek ekklesia and Basilicae within Christendom, c300 AD.
Other sources: A highly authoritative resource for English etymology is the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), a multi-volume non-sectarian set detailing the linguistic history of English vocabulary. It is available at any university library and nearly any large public or college library. Yet this source is not even referenced or consulted by most who make these types of claims, though it contains over four pages of highly detailed history regarding the word church. In his article "The Translation Conspiracy", David Hargis wrote: The word church is not in the original Bible. The word church comes from the old English and Germanic word kirke, (pronounced "keer - kay"), and which itself came from the Babylonian name for the goddess Circe (pronounced "seer-say"). This is the word from which we get circle, circumference, circumstance, circumvent, etc. The goddess Circe was thought to be connected with the power of the sun, which is round, and thus the connection to Circe, a circle. In anglo-saxon history, the pagans worshipped the sun standing in a kirke, a circle. These pagan worshippers became known as the circle, or the kirke, then ultimately the church. Yes, pagans were called the church before Christians were called the church. Therefore, “church” means, at the least, a pagan circle for worship, and at the worst, the worship of the goddess Circe, or the worship of the sun.
The day of Shavuot in Acts 2
Acts 2:1,2: And when the Day of the Festival of Weeks had come, they were all with one mind in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from the heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
"It is a common misconception from Acts 2 to assume that the location of the event was in the same "upper room" from chapter 1 verse 13. The word "house" is used to describe the place where they were sitting, but the word used in the Greek is not "oikia" meaning house or home, or a place of dwelling, but "oikon," from "oikos" which is predominately used to mean "the Sanctuary or House of G-d", (Matt. 12:4, Matt. 21:13)" (W.E. Vines v. 2 p. 236)
The location was therefore not in the same upper room of Acts 1:13 where no crowd could comfortably gather, let alone 120 Believers, but apparently some place else where they were all gathered in one place. The "some place" is none other than the Har HaBayit (Temple Mount) and specifically in the Temple courtyard.
Now with that in mind, let’s place this event into a pictorial context. The day of Shavuot (Penetcost) arrives, as it had for centuries, since the first Shavuot at Mount Sinai, when Moshe received the Ten Words which represented the rest of the Torah. These men are sitting together, somewhere in the courtyard of the Israelites (“the House where they were sitting”), when this awesome whirring, roar, like the rushing violent wind blasts onto the Temple Mount and into the Temple courtyard of the Israelites, which is filled to capacity with men there for the Temple services of Shavuot.
"And suddenly there came from heaven a noise like a violent, rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.”
In actuality the breath of life is the same force in Beresheet (Genesis,) of the Spirit of YHVH, at creation. It was therefore not something imagined or proclaimed to be happening by someone, but a very powerful event that was completely unmistakable, and witnessed by thousands.
Parallels between the First Shavuot on mount Sinai and the Shavuot in Acts 2 on Mount Tzion.
Colossians 2:16-17 tells us that the Feasts are a shadow of coming things. By studying and rehearsing the Feasts we can get a better understanding of what was fulfilled through the Messiah and is still going to be fulfilled. By reading the text in Shemot/Exodus 19 carefully, we first of all see that the Torah was given on Mount Sinai fifty days after the deliverance from Mitsrayim/Egypt. The story in Shemot/Exodus 19-34 and Acts 1-2 gives us several parallels between what happened on Mt Sinai at the first Shavuot and the fulfilment on Mt Tzion.
It was on the first Shavuot that the Law, the Torah was given on Mt Sinai and on the Shavuot after Yahshua’s death, resurrection and ascension that the Spirit, the Ruach HaKodesh fell on Mt Tzion as the disciples commemorated this event. The two go together! The Spirit and the Word (the TORAH), never disagree, they always agree.
On Mt Sinai the Torah was written on tablets of stone. On Mt Tzion it was written on hearts of flesh (this process has begun since that time). It was the same Spirit and the same Torah. In Romans 7:14 Shaul/Paul wrote that the Torah is spiritual, which means that it is eternal. YHVH's righteous requirements have never changed and will never change. Now we have the Spirit to help us "in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit." (Rom 8:4) Ezekiel 36:27, " and put My Spirit within you[1]. And I shall cause you to walk in My laws and guard My right-rulings and shall do them. Footnote: 1See 11:19-20, 37:6-14, 39:29.
In the same way the Torah was written by the finger of Elohim on tablets of stone on Mount Sinai, it was written on hearts of flesh. (The ”finger of Elohim” is an expression for the Spirit of YHVH our Elohim).
"And there appeared to them tongues as of fire distributing themselves, and they rested on each one of them." (Acts 2:3)
The term "tongues as of fire" is very similar to the "torches" that the people saw at Har Sinai (Mt Sinai). What does this show us? Well, for one thing, it shows us the marvellous way in which Elohim repeated the phenomena of Har Sinai in such a way that the people who looked upon it, would immediately make a connection to their past and to all that their ancestors saw (voices and torches) when the Torah was given, even as we were commanded and accustomed to personalizing the story of our redemption. "On that day tell your son, `I do this because of what YHVH did for me when I came out of Mitsrayim.' (Shemot/Ex 8:13).
Thus the events in Acts were not just some un-associated miracles without rhyme or reason. When you put all of this together, you come to a very exciting conclusion, and it’s the very same conclusion that Peter arrived at when they heard the people speak in other languages and people could hear the good news in their own languages. "These men are not drunk, as you suppose.... No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Yo'el”.
We can list a few of the parallels between Sinai and Tzion:
1. Unity
At Sinai:
"When they had departed from Rephidim, and had come to the wilderness of Sinai, they encamped in the wilderness; and there Israel encamped [spoken of as one nation for the first time] before the mountain." (Shemot/Ex 19:2)
On Tzion:
"Now when the day of Shavuot had come, they were all with one accord in one place." (Acts 2:1)
2. A sound from heaven
At Sinai:
"…there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud on the mountain, and the sound of an exceedingly loud shofar." (Shemot/Ex 19:16)
On Tzion:
"Suddenly there came from the sky a sound like the rushing of a mighty wind… When this sound was heard, the multitude came together." (Acts 2:2,6)
3. Fire
At Sinai:
“And the appearance of the esteem of יהוה was like a consuming fire on the top of the mountain, before the eyes of the children of Yisra’ĕl.” (Shemot/Exo 24:17)
On Tzion:
"Tongues like fire appeared and were distributed to them, and one sat on each of them." (Acts 2:3)
4. The Torah was given
At Sinai:
"He gave to Moshe (Moses), when he finished speaking with him on Mount Sinai, the two tablets of the testimony, stone tablets, written with Elohim’s finger." (Shemot/Ex 31:18)
On Tzion:
“Because this is the covenant that I shall make with the house of Yisra’ĕl after those days, says יהוה, giving My laws in their mind, and I shall write them on their hearts, and I shall be their Elohim, and they shall be My people.” (" Heb 8:10 )
5. Three thousand
At Sinai:
"Thus says YHVH, the Elohim of Israel, 'Every man put his sword on his thigh, and go back and forth from gate to gate throughout the camp, and every man kill his brother, and every man his companion, and every man his neighbor.' The sons of Levi did according to the word of Moshe (Moses): and there fell of the people that day about three thousand men" (Shemot/Ex 32:27-28) (slain because of the golden calf).
On Tzion:
And having heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said to Kĕpha and the rest of the emissaries, “Men, brothers, what shall we do?” And Kĕpha said to them, “Repent, and let each one of you be immersed in the Name of יהושע Messiah for the forgiveness of sins.1 And you shall receive the gift of the Set-apart Spirit. Footnote: 1See 2:40, 3:19, 3:26. “For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are far off, as many as יהוה our Elohim shall call.” And with many other words he earnestly witnessed and urged them, saying, “Be saved from this crooked generation.”1 Footnote: 1Jer. 51:6, Phil. 2:15, Rev. 18:4. Then those, indeed, who gladly received his word, were immersed. And on that day about three thousand beings were added to them. (Acts 2:37-41).
The Torah, the Law with its teaching and instructions about the Feasts has been given to help us establish sound doctrine. 2Ti 3:16 All Scripture is breathed by Elohim and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for setting straight, for instruction in righteousness, 2Ti 3:17 that the man of Elohim might be fitted, equipped for every good work. "
The purpose for the giving of the Torah was to make Yisrael a nation of priests for YHVH. They were to be his witnesses in the earth.
"Behold, I have taught you statutes and ordinances, even as YHVH my Elohim commanded me, that you should do so in the midst of the land where you go in to possess it. Keep therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples, who shall hear all these statutes, and say, 'Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.'" (Debarim/Deut 4:5-6)
‘and you shall be to Me a reign of priests and a set-apart nation.’ Those are the words which you are to speak to the children of Yisra’ĕl.” Shemot/Exo 19:6 See also IPet 2:9,Rev 5:9,10.
Gentiles included?
Isa 56:1-8 “Thus said יהוה, “Guard right-ruling, and do righteousness, for near is My deliverance to come, and My righteousness to be revealed. “Blessed is the man who does this, and the son of man who lays hold on it, guarding the Sabbath lest he profane it, and guarding his hand from doing any evil.“And let not the son of the foreigner who has joined himself to יהוה speak, saying, ‘יהוה has certainly separated me from His people,’ nor let the eunuch say, ‘Look I am a dry tree.’ ” For thus said יהוה, “To the eunuchs who guard My Sabbaths, and have chosen what pleases Me, and hold fast to My covenant: to them I shall give in My house and within My walls a place and a name better than that of sons and daughters – I give them an everlasting name that is not cut off. “Also the sons of the foreigner who join themselves to יהוה, to serve Him, and to love the Name of יהוה, to be His servants, all who guard the Sabbath, and not profane it, and hold fast to My covenant – them I shall bring to My set-apart mountain, and let them rejoice in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and their slaughterings are accepted on My altar, for My house is called a house of prayer for all the peoples.” The Master יהוה, who gathers the outcasts of Yisra’ĕl, declares, “I gather still others to him besides those who are gathered to him.” (Emphasis added)
“Yeshayahu/Isaiah prophesies about the generations to come. He looks beyond his present situation and says, “The Master יהוה, who gathers the outcasts of Yisra’ĕl, declares, “I gather still others to him besides those who are gathered to him.”
A Torah teacher describes it well: YHVH is here promising that many from among the nations would believe in Him, thereby becoming a part of "them" - Israel - all of which would be living by the Torah! When would this happen? Although most of the people who were gathered at the Temple on Shavuot were Yuhadim/Jews who accepted the Good News (acts 2), we see further on in the Book of Acts how the Gentiles were gathered in.
The Called-out ones firmly planted in Hebraic soil, would find their true identity in connection with Israel and with the covenants entrusted to Israel. The Called-out assembly, Shaul/Paul taught, is fed, sustained and supported by that relationship, and the Torah is very much a part of it. (See Rom 11)
Also: Eph 2:11 Therefore remember that you, once gentiles[1 ]in the flesh, who are called ‘the uncircumcision’ by what is called ‘the circumcision’ made in the flesh by hands, Footnote: 11 Cor. 12:2.
Eph 2:12 that at that time you were without Messiah, excluded from the citizenship of Yisra’ĕl and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no expectation and without Elohim in the world.
Eph 2:13 But now in Messiah יהושע you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of the Messiah.
Eph 3:6 The gentiles to be co-heirs, united in the same body, and partakers together[1] in the promise in Messiah through the Good News, Footnote: 1Rom. 11:17-24, Isa. 14:1.
But lest there be any doubt about the new relationship between X-Gentile believers and the Torah of Israel, the prophet Yehezke'el (Ezekiel) in chapter 47 looks far ahead of his own time, and prophesies concerning the coming Messianic Age, when Yeshua/Yahshua will be seated on the throne of David in Yerushalayim.
In verses 21-23, depicted are those desiring to live among the people of Israel. These are X-Gentile believers. They are instructed regarding the distribution of the inheritance "for the aliens who have settled among you and who have children. You are to consider them as native-born Israelites."
What YHVH is teaching here is that these Gentiles are so grafted (through Yahshua the Messiah) in that they are to be considered native-born Israelites, with full rights of inheritance. Now, how did they get that way? They got that way because they embraced the same Torah as their Jewish counterparts did, which guided them to the same yeshuah (salvation) in the Messiah Yahshua.
And so we see in this broad overview, that non-Jewish members of Elohim’s family were never meant to be left out of the framework of freedom which the Torah provides. They too can celebrate YHVH’s redemptive work and worship YHVH (through Yahshua the Messiah) as the Redeemer in their lives.
X-Gentiles have a meaningful and significant relationship to the Torah of Moshe. Through this relationship, Elohim Himself instructs His children to embrace the full revelation of His Favour (grace) in their lives. That full revelation consists of the whole of Scripture, including the Torah.
In this way, many Gentiles who come to faith and are "grafted in" to the redeemed community can present a light to the nations in our generation, and even provoke the Jewish people at the same time, to jealousy that they might return to the Elohim of their fathers in repentance. The Torah has not died. It is still very much alive for all of us. The Torah is FOR the redeemed community!” End quote.
The Great Commission requires a truly “set apart People”
Shavuot is all about YHVH writing his Torah with all the laws, statutes and ordinances on our hearts by his Spirit in order to be his witnesses. This process of “Torah written on our hearts" has begun on that Shavuot when the Spirit of YHVH was first poured out as a first down payment.
Yahshua said,
"Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law (Torah) or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them (to make them fuller/ Hebrew idiom for making the right applications). I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter (yot), not the least stroke of a pen (tittle), will by any means disappear from the Law (Torah) until everything is accomplished. Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven." (Mt 5:17-19) Emphasis added.
Yahshua clearly tells us here that practicing and teaching others the commandments (the Torah with all the laws, statutes and ordinances contained in it) of YHVH, even down to the smallest one, will make us great in his kingdom. The final words that He told his disciples were, "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, …teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." (Mt 28:19-20)
If we are to fulfil the Great Commission and reap the final harvest, it is mandatory that we begin to take YHVH's commandments seriously. Since the object of the Great Commission is to teach all nations to obey everything that Yahshua commanded (He taught the commandments/instructions/Torah of his Father), it is of course necessary to “hear” (shema) them ourselves and then to guard (Shamar) do (asah)/obey them ourselves or we will just be the greatest of hypocrites.
Shaul/Paul understood the Great Commission in the same way. He wrote about the goal of his ministry in Romans 1:5, " Through whom we have received favour and office of the emissary for belief-obedience among all the nations on behalf of His Name”. Notice that the goal of Shaul’s/Paul's ministry was to make people obedient. Obedience presupposes commandments to be obeyed. At the end of Romans he added,
“And to Him who is able to establish you according to my Good News and the preaching of יהושע Messiah, according to the revelation of the secret which was kept silent since times of old, but now has been made manifest, and by the prophetic Scriptures has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the everlasting Elohim, for belief-obedience. To Elohim, wise alone, be the esteem, through יהושע Messiah forever. Amĕn.” (Rom 16:25-27)
And in Second Corinthians he wrote, “For the weapons we fight with are not fleshly but mighty in Elohim for overthrowing strongholds, overthrowing reasonings and every high matter that exalts itself against the knowledge of Elohim, taking captive every thought to make it obedient to the Messiah, and being ready to punish all disobedience, when your obedience is complete.1 Footnote: 1John 3:36.
YHVH’s righteous requirements (His Torah) have never changed and will never change
Many teach that the Law (Torah) and the Spirit are opposite. Acts 21:20 proves that this is a false teaching. It says about the first believers in Yerushalayim, “You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews have believed, and all of them are zealous for the law.” The first believers (who at that time were mainly Jews) that were filled with the Set Apart Spirit on the Day of Shavuot (Pentecost) were all zealous for the Torah. The heart and essence of the new covenant (renewed covenant) is not to do away with Elohim's Torah/commandments, but to receive the power through the Spirit of YHVH to obey them! Changed hearts leading to eager obedience to the Father's Word and his commandments is the essence of living lives that are pleasing to our Father.
Many believers today want the power of the Spirit of YHVH for their own pleasure and gain, but they have no desire to change their ways and obey YHVH's Word and his laws which are contained in His Torah. In fact they still believe (like most of us did) that with the death and resurrection of Yahshua, the Torah was abolished. There is a great deal of emphasis on casting out demons and doing miracles without obedience to the Torah of YHVH. Yahshua’s warning was clear: Mat 7:21-23 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Master, Master,’ shall enter into the reign of the heavens, but he who is doing the desire of My Father in the heavens.“Many shall say to Me in that day, ‘Master, Master, have we not prophesied in Your Name, and cast out demons in Your Name, and done many mighty works in Your Name?’“And then I shall declare to them, ‘I never knew you, depart from Me, you who work lawlessness!’[1] Footnote: 1 See v. 15.
The real fire of Shavuot will inscribe YHVH’s Set-apart laws (His Torah) and ways on our hearts so that we can be empowered and encouraged to walk in righteousness. Remember that the Word (the TORAH –Mt Sinai) and the Ruach haKodesh/the Set Apart Spirit, (Tzion) never disagree, they always agree.
Yahshua said to his disciples: Act 1:8 “But you shall receive power when the Set-apart Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be My witnesses in Yerushalayim, and in all Yehudah and Shomeron, and to the end of the earth.”
We are called to be a set apart people that are his witnesses in the earth by the power of the Spirit. Thousands of Messianic believers all over the world believe that we are now living in a time where the “restoration of all things”, has begun. Acts 3:20 and 21:…“and that He sends יהושע Messiah, pre-appointed for you, whom heaven needs to receive until the times of restoration of all matters, of which Elohim spoke through the mouth of all His set-apart prophets since of old.” We believe that this awakening to understanding the importance of the foundation of the Torah and to live Torah-obedient lives is part of the “restoration of all things” in the lives of the people of Elohim all over the world. (For years and years we believed that the Torah was abolished when Yahshua came to die on the stake). YHVH must first have a people walking in obedience to His Torah (His commands) in order to prepare them for the end time harvest. We must become disciples and be set apart first, before we can become apostles and "sent ones." The Father does not need many, but He can never compromise on obedience!
The Spirit will write the Law, the Torah on our hearts and we will become living epistles read by all men. "you are a letter of Messiah, served by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living Elohim; not in tablets of stone, but in tablets that are hearts of flesh." (2 Co 3:3). Shavuot is a harvest Feast. Obedience to the Father's commandments and reaping the end time harvest go together.
During the time that leads up to Shavuot (the seven weeks of the counting of the Omer) we are encouraged to trust the Father to show us through His Spirit what needs to change in our lives in order for it to be pleasing unto Him and to be worthy witnesses. We need to believe that our Father through His Spirit that was poured out and through His Son Yahshua haMashiach, wants to do a work in our lives “so that the righteousness of the Torah should be completed in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit." (Rom 8:4)
The first Shofar or Trumpet and the last Shofar or Trumpet
The rabbis call the shofar that is blown on Shavuot the "first shofar."
The "last shofar" is blown on Yom Teruah (“The Feast of the great awakening blast” also called “the Feast of Trumpets”). Yom Teruah is the Feast that signifies Yahshua the Messiah’s return.
I Cor 15:51-52) “See, I speak a secret to you: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.”
Shavuot and the first shofar - on Mount Sinai – “…and the sound of an exceedingly loud shofar." (Shemot/Ex 19:16b) are connected with the marriage union between YHWH and His people. Since ancient times the Jewish marriage is performed in two stages as we can see in for instance Debarim/Deuteronomy 20:7, "Has anyone become pledged to a woman and not married her? Let him go home, or he may die in battle and someone else marry her." The pledging part, called the "kiddushin" (where she sets herself apart for her husband) is when the Bride says "Yes" to the marriage contract "the ketuva", and binds herself to her husband. He paid a bride-price and she is now not at all available to be pursued by any other man anymore. At this stage they would be called husband and wife, and their union could only be dissolved by a divorce. However, their status was that of betrothed, rather than that of fully married from the time that the young woman was “kiddushin” - set apart to her husband. She has been bought with a price. It is announced with a shofar. This is where the “Bride of Messiah” is today: the contract has been signed; the price has been paid in full. She is betrothed to her Bridegroom.
Yom Teruah and the last shofar- 1Co 15:52 “In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed”.
Yom Teruah is the “Appointed Time”/Feast connected to the “coming back of the Messiah, the Bridegroom”. Judaism also refers to it as "Wedding of the Messiah." This is when the marriage is consummated. In ancient times there could be up to 12 months between the pledging ceremony (betrothal) called “kiddushin” and the marriage consummation. When the bridegroom's father decides that the time has come he gives, with a shofar blast, his son the permission to go and fetch his bride.
We are now living in the season between the first shofar (Shavuot) and the last shofar (Yom Teruah). We have been pledged to one husband, waiting for His return from the Father's House in heaven. When the Father sees that the Bride is ready and the time has come, He will send His Son to lift up His bride. 1Th 4:16-17 “Because the Master Himself shall come down from heaven with a shout, with the voice of a chief messenger, and with the trumpet of Elohim, and the dead in Messiah shall rise first. Then we, the living who are left over, shall be caught away together with them in the clouds to meet the Master in the air – and so we shall always be with the Master.
Mt 24:36 "No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father."
People look at us and think that we have become legalistic but actually we are more than ever before aware of the fact that Yahshua has made it possible for us to become part of the family of YHVH. Through the Ruach HaKodesh (Set apart Spirit), His yoke is now easy and what the other people call Legalism, our Abba El, the Elohim of Yisrael, calls obedience. Legalism is a heart attitude.
Shavuot teaches us that our walk with YHVH is not complete after we have accepted Yahshua as the offered Lamb of Elohim (the Mediator between men and Elohim) unless we also are filled with His Ruach Ha Kodesh, the Set Apart Spirit. It is His Ruach who enables us to have Torah written on our hearts and to become people who desire to be obedient out of our love for Him as we walk towards the final fulfilment of this redemption where the leaven will be taken out of our lives completely.
Let us pray for the hearts and ears of believers in Yahshua to open so that they may take part in this end time restoration of all things. To not believe anymore that the Torah of Mosheh has been done away with when the Messiah was executed on a stake is part of this end time restoration. May we hear, guard and obey. May we know and understand the real meaning of Shavuot.
The Spirit and the Torah belong together.