The Feast of Firstfruits – Omer
Reisheet
Lev 23:9 And יהוה spoke to Mosheh, saying,
Lev 23:10 “Speak to the children
of Yisra’ěl, and you shall say to them, ‘When you come into the land which I
give you, and shall reap its harvest, then you shall bring a sheaf of the
first-fruits of your harvest to the priest. (barley)
Lev 23:11 ‘And he shall wave the
sheaf before יהוה, for your acceptance. On
the morrow after the Sabbath the priest waves it. (17 Aviv)
Lev 23:12 ‘And on that day when
you wave the sheaf, you shall prepare a male lamb a year old, a perfect one, as
an ascending offering to יהוה,
Lev 23:13 and its grain offering:
two-tenths of an ěphah of fine flour mixed with oil, an offering made by fire
to יהוה, a sweet fragrance, and
its drink offering: one-fourth of a hin of wine.
Lev 23:14 ‘And you do not eat bread or roasted grain or fresh grain until the same day that you have brought an offering to your Elohim – a law forever throughout your generations in all your dwellings.
1Co 15:20 But now Messiah has been raised from the dead, and has become the first-fruit of those having fallen asleep. 1Co 15:21 For since death is through a man, resurrection of the dead is also through a Man. (16 Aviv)
וספרתם לכם –
counting the weeks for yourselves – reflecting on your spiritual journey…
The Feast of Weeks - Shavuot
Lev 23:15 ‘And from the morrow
after the Sabbath, from the day that you brought the sheaf of the wave
offering, you shall count for yourselves:
וספרתם לכם seven completed Sabbaths.
Lev 23:16 ‘Until the morrow after
the seventh Sabbath you count fifty days, then you shall bring a new grain
offering to יהוה. (wheat)
Lev 23:17 ‘Bring from your
dwellings for a wave offering (a take notice offering) two loaves of
bread, (two houses of Israel)of two-tenths of an ěphah of fine flour they are,
baked with leaven, first-fruits to יהוה. (good leaven Mat
13:33)
Lev 23:18 ‘And besides the bread,
you shall bring seven lambs a year old, perfect ones, and one young bull and
two rams. They are an ascending offering to יהוה, with their grain
offering and their drink offerings, an offering made by fire for a sweet
fragrance to יהוה.
Lev 23:19 ‘And you shall offer one
male goat as a sin offering, and two male lambs a year old, as a
slaughter of peace offerings.
Lev 23:20 ‘And the priest shall
wave them, besides the bread of the first-fruits, as a wave offering before יהוה, besides the two lambs. They are set-apart to יהוה for the priest.
Lev 23:21 ‘And on this same day
you shall proclaim a set-apart gathering for yourselves, you do no servile work
on it – a law forever in all your dwellings throughout your generations. (Shavuot)
Lev 23:22 ‘And when you reap the harvest of your land do not completely reap the corners of your field when you reap, and do not gather any gleaning from your harvest. Leave them for the poor and for the stranger. I am יהוה your Elohim.’”
‘’Counting the weeks’’ – וספרתם לכם this is an appointed period of time when YHVH gives special favour to us to reflect on our earthly pilgrimage preparing us for the events of ‘’Yom Teruah’’ – an opportunity we cannot afford to miss – ‘’an open heaven’’ for 50 days.
It is important for us to realize that
our spiritual journey here on earth is not a series of unconnected random
events, but rather a carefully planned and choreographed tapestry of encounters
designed and carefully planned and woven together by our loving Creator. All
Appointments were meant to be opportunities according to Eph 4:23 .. to be renewed in the spirit of your mind, Eph 4:24 and that you put on the renewed man which was created according to Elohim, in righteousness and set-apartness of the truth.
YHVH’s purpose for His called out ones was to conform them into the image of His Son - Rom 8:29 Because those whom He knew beforehand, He also ordained beforehand to be conformed to the likeness of His Son, for Him to be the first-born (first fruits)among many brothers. Rom 8:30 And whom He ordained beforehand, these He also called, and whom He called, these He also declared right. And whom He declared right, these He also esteemed.
The counting of the omer was the counting of the barley harvest, barley was considered to be the food for animals and poor people – see Isa 61:1 The Spirit of the Master יהוה is upon Me, because יהוה has anointed Me to bring good news to the meek. He has sent Me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim release to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound.
The ‘’barley omer’’was wilderness food (manna)- Exo 16:16 “This is the word which יהוה has commanded: ‘Let every man gather it according to each one’s need, an omer (3,6l) for each being, according to the number of beings. Let every man take for those who are in his tent.’ ”
We can
compare the counting of the omer as a counting of the bride of Messiah – these
are the barley people – see Mat 5:3-12
1Co
1:25 For the foolishness of Elohim is wiser than men, and the weakness of
Elohim is stronger than men.
1Co
1:26 For look at your calling, brothers, that there were not many wise
according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble.
1Co
1:27 But Elohim has chosen the foolish matters of the world to put
to shame the wise, and Elohim has chosen the weak of the world to put to shame
the strong.
1Co
1:28 And Elohim has chosen the low-born of the world and the despised,
and the ones that are not, that He might bring to naught the ones that
are,
1Co
1:29 so that no flesh should boast in His presence.
1Co
1:30 And of Him you are in Messiah יהושע, who became for us wisdom from Elohim,
righteousness also, and set-apartness and redemption,
1Co 1:31 that, as it has been written, “He who boasts, let him boast in יהוה.” Jer_9:23-24.
The Feast of Trumpets – Yom Teruah – Day of the great awakening blast -‘’The rapture’’ ( as in the dead who will first be lifted up in the clouds and then will follow those in Messiah - not as in “the rapture” before the Great tribulation but at the end when Yahshua comes back for the Millennium reign.)
1Th
4:16 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. 1Th 4:17 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.
1Th 4:18 So, then, encourage one another with these words.
Some
will be ready some won’t be - The Parable of the Ten Virgins
Mat
25:1 “Then
the reign of the heavens shall be compared to ten maidens who took their lamps
and went out to meet the bridegroom. Mat 25:2 “And five of them were
wise, and five foolish. Mat 25:3 “Those who were foolish, having
taken their lamps, took no oil with them,
Mat
25:4 but the wise took oil in their containers with their lamps. Mat
25:5 “Now while the bridegroom took time, they all slumbered and
slept. Mat 25:6 “And at midnight a cry was heard, ‘See, the
bridegroom is coming, go out to meet him!’ Mat 25:7 “Then all those
maidens rose up and trimmed their lamps. Mat 25:8 “And the foolish
said to the wise, ‘Give us of your oil, because our lamps are going
out.’ Mat 25:9 “But the wise answered, saying, ‘No, indeed, there
would not be enough for us and you. Instead, go to those who sell, and buy for
yourselves.’ Mat 25:10 “And while they went to buy, the bridegroom
came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast, and the
door was shut.
Mat
25:11 “And later the other maidens also came, saying, ‘Master, Master,
open up for us!’
Mat
25:12 “But he answering, said, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know
you.’
Mat 25:13 “Watch therefore, because you do not know the day nor the hour in which the Son of Aḏam is coming,
What kind of price have you been willing to pay on your pilgrim journey?
Lev 23:23 And יהוה spoke to Mosheh, saying,
Lev 23:24 “Speak to the children
of Yisra’ěl, saying, ‘In the seventh new moon, on the first day of the
new moon, you have a rest, a remembrance of Teru‛ah,c a set-apart
gathering. Footnote: cLit. Soundings, by instrument or human voice.
Lev 23:25 ‘You do no servile work, and you shall bring an offering made by fire to יהוה.’ ”
Yahshua is returning for a ‘’meek, poor in
Spirit’’ bride – a ‘’barley bride’’ and transform them into a 1Pe 2:9 people: But you are a chosen
race,b Deu_10:15 a royal priesthood,c Isa_61:6 a set-apart
nation,d Exo_19:6 a people for a possession,e Isa_43:2
that you should proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into
His marvellous light, Footnotes: bAlso see Isa_43:20. cAlso see Isa_66:21.
dAlso see Deu_7:6. eAlso see Exo_19:5, Tit_2:14.
1Pe 2:10 who once were not a people,f but now the people of Elohim;f who had not obtained compassion,f but now obtained compassion.f Hos_1:9-10, Hos_2:23. Footnote: fAlso see Isa_65:1, Hos_1:9, Isa_63:16, Isa_64:8, Rom_9:25-26.
According to ancient rabbinic tradition the period of time between Yom Teruah and Yom ha kippurim are known as the ‘’days of awe’’- yammim noraim- when the ‘’Books’’ are opened and His people are judged – some scholars believe this will be the period of time when the bowls of wrath are poured out upon the earth - Rev 16.
Rom 14:10 But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you despise your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Messiah.
2Co 5:10 For we all have to appear before the judgment seat of Messiah, in order for each one to receive according to what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.[b] Footnote: bSee Mat_16:27, Joh_5:29.
The Day of Atonement – Yom haKippurim - when
Yahshua puts his feet on the mount of Olives.
Lev 23:26 And יהוה spoke to Mosheh, saying,
Lev 23:27 “On the tenth day of
this seventh new moon is Yom haKippurim.[d] It shall be a set-apart
gathering for you. And you shall afflict your beings and shall bring an
offering made by fire to יהוה. Foonote: dDay of Atonement or Day of the Coverings.
Lev 23:28 “And you do no work on
that same day, for it is Yom Kippurim, to make atonement for you before יהוה your Elohim. (atonement and removing the sin of His Bride)
Lev 23:29 “For any being who is
not afflicted on that same day, he shall be cut off from his people.
Lev 23:30 “And any being who does
any work on that same day, that being I shall destroy from the midst of his
people.
Lev 23:31 “You do no work – a law
forever throughout your generations in all your dwellings.
Lev 23:32 ‘It is a Sabbath of rest to you, and you shall afflict your beings. On the ninth day of the new moon at evening, from evening to evening, you observe your Sabbath.”
This is considered to be the most set apart appointment of the ‘’moedim’’ (Appointed times) and can be compared to a betrothed couple entering into the ‘’marriage chamber’’ for the first time to consummate their marriage – the ‘’yachud’’ comes from the Hebrew word ‘’yachad’’ which means together.
Why would you ‘’afflict’’ your being on that day? You really want to make sure that there is nothing in your life that could disqualify you from ‘’consummating’’ your life with the life of Messiah.
The Feast of Booths – Sukkot- the marriage supper of the Lamb – Rev 19
Lev 23:33 And יהוה spoke to Mosheh, saying,
Lev 23:34 “Speak to the children
of Yisra’ěl, saying, ‘On the fifteenth day of this seventh new moon is
the Festival of Sukkote for seven days to יהוה. Footnote: eBooths.
Lev 23:35 ‘On the first day is a
set-apart gathering, you do no servile work.
Lev 23:36 ‘For seven days you
bring an offering made by fire to יהוה. On the eighth day
(shemeni azareth) there shall be a set-apart gathering for you, and you shall
bring an offering made by fire to יהוה. It is a closing (restricted
assembly עצרת) festival, you do no servile work.
Lev 23:37 ‘These are the appointed
times of יהוה which you proclaim as set-apart gatherings, to bring an
offering made by fire to יהוה, an ascending offering and a grain offering, a slaughtering and
drink offerings, as commanded for every day –
Lev 23:38 besides the Sabbaths of יהוה, and besides your gifts, and besides all your vows, and besides
all your voluntary offerings which you give to יהוה.
Lev 23:39 ‘On the fifteenth day of
the seventh new moon, when you gather in the fruit of the land,
celebrate the festival of יהוה for seven days. On the first day is a rest, and on the eighth
day a rest. (this eighth day is possibly also the time of the great white
throne of judgment- Rev 20:11-15)
Lev 23:40 ‘And you shall take for
yourselves on the first day the fruit of good trees, branches of palm trees,
twigs of leafy trees, and willows of the stream, and shall rejoice before יהוה your Elohim for seven days. (the seventh day is ‘’hoshianna
rabbah’’- the great ‘’please save us’’)
Lev 23:41 ‘And you shall celebrate
it as a festival to יהוה for seven days in the year – a law forever in your generations.
Celebrate it in the seventh new moon.
Lev 23:42 ‘Dwell in booths for
seven days; all who are native born in Yisra’ěl dwell in booths,
Lev 23:43 so that your generations
know that I made the children of Yisra’ěl dwell in booths when I brought them
out of the land of Mitsrayim. I am יהוה your Elohim.’ ”
Lev 23:44 Thus did Mosheh speak of
the appointed times of יהוה to the children of Yisra’ěl.
‘’Shoel’’ Midrash-
A pagan philosophy of the afterlife was
introduced into the world by Plato and Socrates – This influence led to Christianity
adopting the view that there are only two afterlife choices available to
mankind – heaven or hell. This philosophy has ‘’captured’’ most Christians in
their understanding of this matter. (it has also captured Judaism and Islam)
The scriptures make several references to a place called ‘’sheol’’ a Hebrew word meaning (Strongs 7585) ‘’the grave or the underworld - the ‘OT’ designation for the abode of the dead’’
What does the Bible say about Sheol?
‘’In Ezekiel
32:21-23 Sheol is represented as a great underground mausoleum, or as a
mighty pit with graves all round its sides. Always Sheol was regarded as the
appointed place for all persons, the great rendezvous of the dead. Here
the dead are gathered to their tribes and families’’ - Eze 32:21 “The mightiest
among the mighty speak to him out of the midst of She’ol with those who help
him, ‘They have gone down, they lie with the uncircumcised, slain by the
sword.’
Psa 139:7 Where would I go from
Your Spirit? Or where would I flee from Your face?
Psa 139:8 If I go up into the
heavens, You are there; If I make my bed in She’ol, see, You are there.
1Pe 4:6 For this reason the Good News was also brought to those who are dead, so that, whereas they are judged according to men in the flesh, they might live according to Elohim in the spirit.
Act
2:26 ‘For this reason my heart rejoiced, and my tongue was glad, and
now my flesh shall also rest in expectation, Act 2:27 because
You shall not leave my being in She’ol, nor shall You give Your
Lovingly-committed One to see corruption. Act 2:28 ‘You have
made known to me the ways of life, You shall fill me with joy in Your
presence.’ Psa_16:8-11..... Psa 16:10 For You do not
leave my being in She’ol, Neither let Your Lovingly-committed One see
corruption. Psa 16:11 You show me the path of life; In Your presence
is joy to satisfaction; At Your right hand are pleasures forever.
Seeing what was to come, he spoke of the
resurrection of the Messiah, that he was not abandoned to the realm of the
dead, nor did his body see decay. Ephesians 4:8-10 Therefore it is said, “When
he ascended on high he led a host of captives, (Gk – he captures captivity) and
he gave gifts to men.” (In saying, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that he
had also descended into the lower parts of the earth? He who descended is he
who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.)
‘’We see this kind of compartmentalization
most clearly in Scripture in Jesus’s parable of the rich man and Lazarus (Luke
16:19–31), in which Lazarus the beggar dies and rests in Abraham’s bosom,
while the rich man is consigned to Hades. They can still communicate, but they
are separated by a great chasm and cannot reverse their fate. But the contours
of the story reflect common Jewish beliefs about the afterlife during the
Second Temple period.’’
https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/what-is-sheol
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6YP9addx94M - different compartments of Sheol.
Perhaps the Christian position on this matter was influenced by ‘’replacement’’ theology – ‘’Christians were no longer subject to Old Testament ideas and values’’ and that the 1000 year millennial reign of Messiah was meant for the Jews and ‘’backslidden Christians’’ during this period it is commonly believed that the true Christians will be in heaven with God.’’
What if this position is wrong? What about the consequences? You decide.
My own conclusion is that the ‘’moedim’’
or “appointments of YHVH” are the ‘’forever laws’’ for all His people that will
one day allow Yahshua to usher obedient believers into the presence of YHVH at a
future appointed time of ‘’shemeni atzareth’’ -Sheol is the place for the
‘’disobedient’’ as well as the ‘’obedient’’ -for some the waiting will be
pleasant for others not so pleasant. Those deemed worthy will meet Yahshua in
the air at an appointed Yom Teruah (trumpets) and those who have not been found
worthy will have to wait for the second resurrection and the great white throne
of judgment.
This transitionary period should not be
confused with the Catholic doctrine of ‘’purgatory’’
Heb
9:27 “And
as it awaits men to die once, and after this the judgment, Heb 9:28
so also the Messiah, having been offered once to bear the sins of
many, Isa_53:12 shall appear a second time, apart from sin, to those
waiting for Him, unto deliverance.”
In Sheol it is too late for repentance – however I believe YHVH will still show mercy to many at the great white throne of judgement after the Hoshianna Rabba (seventh day of Sukkot wgich speaks of the great salvation)– Joh 3:36 “He who believes in the Son possesses everlasting life, but he who does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of Elohim remains on him.”
2Co 5:11 Knowing, therefore, the fear of יהוה, we persuade men…
1Jn 3:3 And everyone having this expectation in Him cleanses himself, as He is clean.
1Pe 1:22 Now that you have cleansed your lives in obeying the truth through the Spirit to unfeigned brotherly love, love one another fervently with a clean heart,
Isa
26:19 Let Your dead live, together with my dead body, let them
arise. Awake and sing, you who dwell in dust; for Your dew is a dew of light,
and let the earth give birth to the departed spirits.a Footnote: aDeparted
spirits - the Repha’im.
Isa
26:20 Go, my people, enter your rooms, and shut your doors behind you;
hide yourself, as it were, for a little while, until the displeasure is
past.
Isa 26:21 For look, יהוה is coming out of His place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their crookedness. And the earth shall disclose her blood, and no longer cover her killed ones.
Zec
9:11 “Also you, because of the blood of your covenant, I shall send your
prisoners out of the pit.
Zec
9:12 “Return to the stronghold, you prisoners of the expectation. Even
today I declare that I return double to you.
Blessed are you YHVH,
our Elohim, King of the Universe, you have given us your Torah of truth, and
have planted everlasting life within our midst. Blessed are you, YHVH giver of
the Torah – Amein.