SHAVUOT (PENTECOST)

Traditionally we have always looked and understood at the feast of Pentecost as a isolated event biblical – in time it came to be much venerated in Christendom as the giving of the Holy Spirit in the upper room. Lets examine this closely – Pentecost has its origins in the Torah (Lev:23) where HaShem required the Jewish people to bring in their first fruits and as a start of the 50 day period of counting the Omer (grain) to the Barley harvest.

Barley naturally ripens faster and quicker than wheat – so traditionally the bread of the First fruits offering would have probably been Barley Loaves – now note that in all the offerings and agricultural gifts offered BARLEY is rarely and never used – except in 2 occasion

1.       Redemption of Land and property Lev 27:16

2.       Sotah – Unfaithful wife Number 5:15

All other times the scriptures refer to bread or flour which is probably wheat based except for these two appointments.

Pentecost traditionally overshadows our mind of the upper room and the outpouring of the Ruach HaKodesh – but in truth the Holy Spirit has always been here right from the book of Genesis – so what is so special about this Event. Surprisingly, it is our understanding of the Hebrew scriptures that read us into what is actually going on. Now I think Delitsch – who I believe done a fabulous job into translating the New testament into Hebrew – used a very crucial word for Power here in Acts 1:8 is GEVURAH ( which means Might – Bravery – the empowerment to do superhuman deeds and notable deeds) And Gevurah is also a part of the Sefirot of the Kabbalistic understanding of the Kingdom of God.

So effectively what is being said in Acts 1:8 is : You will Receive (Kabalah) Gevurah in the Holy Spirit coming to you and you will be (Edai) witnesses and Testamony of me in Jerusalem, Samaria and whole earth. The ascension happened after 40 days and subsequently the Gevurah would have happened 10 days later on this Particular Feast called SHAVUOT (Pentacost) Greek meaning 50 days. Shavuot in Hebrew means Weeks – so the jewish people had to COUNT 50 DAYS each day during their Ma’Ariv (evening) prayer in anticipation of reaching the 50^th day.

What was the counting about – and what was the anticipation of reaching 50 days  REDEMPTION – this was a preparation for each jewish Soul to achieve the perfect union and Oneness with God Himself what started in Pesach (Passover) and the then the feast of unleavened bread which signifies the state of the Soul of a person ( that is with no Oil – with little mingled oil – or Cake soaked in Oil ) where Oil signifies Anointing of the Holy Spirit thereafter it is a 42 day preparation by counting the Omer to Shavuot and preparing oneself for this Anointing.

Come the 50^th day and each Jewish soul should have been ready and prepared like perfect unleavened bread without Oil dry and fit to receive the Anointing Oil from on high. This was the spiritual level that had to be attained. Our Lord Yeshua not only Kept the Feast – but he made himself the Offering on behalf of all of us – 40^th day after the gruesome death and resurrection was much like a spiritual preparation that he was going through so that he could go back to the Father and then subsequently rain down upon us Gevurah of the Holy Spirit as mentioned Acts 1:8

Mirroring the time frame and the exact replica of the Jewish people leaving Egypt and reaching mount Sinai in the wilderness – On Shavuot that same day HaShem Descended upon Mount Sinai to deliver the Unique speech to 6 million Jewish Men + Women + Children. So effectively Mount Sinai is the KABALAH TORAH – and UPPER room is the KABBALAH GEVURAH of the Ruach HaKodesh – this is easy to follow and easy to understand because the flow is visible in the texts.

But to look at this at another angle – God says in Hosea 2:14-19 – I will Betroth you to me in Righteousness and you will call me my Husband.

Lets take a glimpse into the Sinai Experience – it actually was a Wedding Day special that went awfully wrong for all parties – because they landed up rejecting the voice of God writing the Torah in their hearts so the requested Moses to stand in the gap and give them a written document – God complied

And Secondly that led to the incident of the Egel Zahav – Golden Calf – the infamous incident that completely changed the course of the Jewish Nation and the world too. The crushing of the golden calf into powder and mixing it with water – because Israel turned out be an unfaithful wife – SOTAH

God was not only taking his treasured people to Himself but also through them effecting change in the world by the ingrafting of the Gentiles into the covenant that he made with them

This is why we read the Megillat Ruth during the Time of Shavuot each year – classical reasons – Both got to do with Harvest – in particular Barley grain and secondly it is the passing of King David the Grandson of Ruth on Shavuot – REDEMPTION angle comes through the laws of Yibbum wherein inheritance and tribal ancestry is preserved just as Boaz married Ruth through the laws of Yibbum to Redeem the house of Yehudah which Naomi came from. Mind you all this comes through Kindness and compassion just as Avraham also practised Yibbum by marrying his Niece Sarai in the book of Genesis

But more over it has got to do with the grafting plan of God – just as Ruth signifies grafting in through redemption so does Shavuot – because it is only after the Day of the Outpouring the Gentiles are now being grafted in because of the Gevurah that was given to the disciples

What is barley about – what is so significant about Barley – a grain that is not used at all for the Offerings and the temple sacrifices – except for the 2 occasions as above – well barley was used mainly for animal and cattle feed and it still is even till today. Its signifies the Animal Soul inside of each one of us.

For Shavuot to be celebrated with Barley harvest it significant – because it is the celebration of the Nefesh ( Animal Soul) that is lifted into perfection and glory Like the Gufah Mashiach (Body of Yeshua ) who took and glorified the earthly body and transformed it into glory

Like wise what does Shavuot mean to all of us – really  what is our potential – what is our preparation – are we counting the Omer in anticipation and Soul preparation for receiving the Gevurah and Torah for accomplishing and realizing our potential – so that we can emulate Yeshua and become more and more like him – Shavuot now has a personal an individual angle to each one of us – hope we are challenged to achieve our potential on this day

Chag Shavuot and have a wonderful feast