The Feast of Shavu’ot / Pentecost

Shavu’ot, the Feast of First Fruits (also known as Pentecost) is a holy convocation commanded by the Lord (see Leviticus 23). It is one of the three Pilgrimage Feasts (Pesach/Passover, Shavu’ot/Pentecost and Sukkot/Tabernacles) when leaders from the families of the earth were to meet in Jerusalem and represent their families in prayer and sacrifice to YHVH, our Eternal God.   

Shavu’ot has three significant meanings:

1. This is the day YHVH chose for His people to remember and commemorate the giving of Torah, God’s Life Instructions, to Israel at the base of Mt. Sinai.
2. This is the day YHVH chose for His people to remember and commemorate the empowering the Apostles of Adonai Yeshua to share the Gospel of Good News with the more than 5,000 men and women standing outside the portico of the Temple.  Acts 2 and 3 tell us that 3,000 of them were saved that day. 
3. This is the day to celebrate the wheat harvest in Israel, with the waving of the sheaves on the 50^th day following Pesach. As followers of Jesus, we see that the waving of two loaves of leavened, braided bread acknowledges the joining of Jews and Gentiles into one Body, each praising God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

For a full 49 days from the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread (the second day of Passover) to the day before Shavu’ot, each day is an opportunity for us to engage in a learning experience. For our fellowship in Quebec, the learning focus has been transformation. Each day we consider a short teaching on how we might focus on transforming our hearts, our attitudes and our relationships, both with God and with each other.

This year, Shavu’ot begins on the evening of May 19.  When you meet this weekend to celebrate Shavu’ot/Pentecost, take time to commemorate also the eternality of God’s Word as His Truth resonates through the ages.

B’rakhot b’shem Adonai Yeshua, Mashichainu.  
Blessings in the name of our Messiah Adonai Yeshua.