Shavuoth
You shall observe the Feasts of the Harvest of first fruits of your labours from what you sow in the fields. You shall bring the choice first fruits of your soil into the House of the Lord your God. Exodus 23: 16-19
This Hebrew festival has a variety names, each having a particular meaning and significance. Shavuot, Feast of Weeks, Feast of Harvest, Day of Fruits and Pentecost. Shavuot is the Hebrew word for “weeks.”
Pentecost literally means fifty days.
In Old Testament times, farmers brought their first fruit offering of barley to the Temple on the Sabbath at Passover. Shavuot celebrates the first fruit of the wheat harvest seven weeks later. Fifty days later after the 7th sabbath two loaves of bread, baked with leaven, as a wave offering, were brought to the Lord.
Another significance is the late spring, God’s gift of the ten commandments was remembered on Mount Sinai. The 50th day after the Israelite’s were led out of captivity in Egypt. Exodus 19. The covenant between God and Israel. The Jewish people call it the giving of the Torah.
God’s Timetable
God’s time table is remarkable, First He established His pattern for redemption in the death of His sacrificial Lamb. As death visited the first born of all the homes in Egypt not covered by the blood, Israel, was set free from bondage.
Passover is memorial to freedom, Many years later, Christ concluded that sacrifice, setting us free from sin and death. Paul identifies Him, in the resurrection as “Christ the first fruits”1 Corinthians 15:23.
For it was on the morning of the offering of the first fruits of the barley harvest that He rose from the dead! The disciples waited 49 days after Jesus’s departure, just as the Jews waited 49 days from Passover to Pentecost.
And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
Acts 2:1-4
Peters Discourse
Peter then addressed his countrymen, witnessing to them in great power urging them to “save themselves,” from this untoward generation, v10. Many received the Word and were baptised, and the same day, 3,000 souls were added to them, Jew and Gentile proselytes, and the Church of Christ was formed.
The meaning of the two wave loaves baked with leaven now brings significance. The Church of Christ (Jew and Gentile) is not without sin. It reminds us to look for perfection, not in the church, but in Jesus, the perfect Son of God, in whom there is no leaven of sin.
These 3,000 believers became the “spiritual first fruits” of the church of Christ, purchased by the blood of the Lamb! It was customary on the eve of Shavuot in the Old Testament to stay up studying and discussing God’s word. They were called the night watches.
It is the same as believers, we are called to be watchmen on the walls, and as we approach Pentecost, many prayer ministries will be fasting and praying at this time, especially in the wake of the current situation we find ourselves in. For God, to pour out His blessings again on a dry and thirsty land.
Let us Pray
Father Your word says that “Godly sorrow brings repentance, that leads to salvation, and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death, 2 Corinthians 7:10.
The world is so far removed from what You created it to be. You are a loving, just God, whose desire is that no one should be lost. As believers we have to take responsibility, and feel the weight of sorrow of living in a fallen world, so that we can enjoy the expression of joy in salvation, when victory comes.
Throughout history, you had a perfect plan for mankind, from Genesis to Revelation.
Forgive us Lord, we repent and renounce our wrong attitudes as a church, for forgetting where our inheritance comes from, the covenant You made with Your chosen people Israel.
We have ignored and neglected the roots of the early church.
“If some of the branches have been broken off, and you being a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in from the olive root, do not boast over the branches. You do not support the root, but the root supports you.” Romans 11: 17-19
Because of this, the church has become weak, and not able to stand in that authority that bestowed upon Peter, and all the believers in the Upper Room at Pentecost.
We have watered down Your Word, and embraced ungodly practices in our land. Have mercy on us Lord, come and heal Your land for Your glory and glory alone.
Thank you for Your promises to all those that demonstrate godly sorrow.
Declaration
Repent and be baptised every one of you in the Name of Jesus Christ, for the forgiveness of sins, And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit … The promise is for you and your children, and for all who are far off, and for all whom the Lord, our God will call. Acts 2: 38
Father, our desire is to be fruits of righteousness for you, Philippians 1:11.
To continually offer to You our sacrifice of praise, the fruit of our lips confessing Your Name, Hebrews 13:15.
Come Holy Spirit, come. Come Holy Spirit, come. Come Holy Spirit, come!
To conclude let us sing or say this wonderful song written by William Booth, founder of the Salvation Army Send the Fire.
Thou Christ of burning, cleansing flame, Send the fire!
Thy blood bought gift today we claim Send the fire!
Look down and see the waiting host, give us the promised Holy Ghost.
We want another Pentecost, Send the fire today!
God of Elijah, hear our prayer, Send the fire!
To make us fit to live and die, Send the fire!
To burn up every trace of sin, To bring the light and glory in,
The revolution now begin Send the fire today!
It is fire we want and fire we plead, Send the fire!
The fire will meet our every need, Send the fire!
For strength to do what is right, for grace to conquer in the fight.
for power to walk the world in white, Send the fire today!
To make our weak hearts strong and brave Send the fire!
To live a dying world to save, Send the fire!
O see us on the altar lay our lives, our all this very day,
To crown the offering, now we pray Send the fire today!
Amen!
Pam Yates