In Leviticus 23, the Israelites were commanded to start counting up to 49 days after Passover; that would be seven weeks. This is called “Counting the Omer,” for they had to bring an omer (a small measurement) of barley to the Temple every day in faith of a greater harvest. The bringing of the barley was called “First Fruits.” (By the way, “First Fruits” was the day that Yeshua was resurrected!) As they counted the days, it would lead them to day fifty (50). Day 50 is called Pentecost in English, Shavuot in Hebrew.
Historically, three days prior to the 50th day, the Israelites arrived at Mt. Sinai after leaving Egypt. On the 50th day, Adonai gave them the Torah. By “counting the omer” yearly, they would always be reminded, not only that they were given the Torah, but also they would know the exact day on which He gave it.
Fast forward some 1500 years during Yeshua’s day–the people were still “counting the omer,” and they would have begun after Yeshua’s crucifixion. Luke 1:3 says, “After his suffering, he presented himself to them [His disciples] and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God.”
During the 40 days of counting, Yeshua does the following:
- He sleeps in the grave.
- He rises from the grave.
- He appears to Mary.
- He walks with two disciples on the Road to Emmaus.
- He appears to Peter and to His disciples.
- He eats with Peter at the Sea of Galilee.
- He gives His disciples the Great Commission.
- He meets them on the Mount of Olives.
- On day 40, He ascends into the heavens.
Let’s not forget what Luke said: He “gave many convincing proofs that he was alive,” which means He did so much more in those 40 days than I listed above.
But what about the 10 remaining days?
For the next ten days the disciples wait in Jerusalem as Yeshua tells them to. I believe they wait as they “count the omer.” As they are counting, the Holy Spirit is poured out upon them in the Upper Room, and they are filled with the Power and Presence of God on day 50! Pentecost! (Shavuot)!
As we “count the omer” this year, let us be reminded that God still desires to pour Himself out upon us — in us — as He did with His Torah and His Spirit! He still desires to bring forth a great harvest and to use us to reap it. This year, as we count, let us say . . . “More, Lord!!”
My Israel tour group entered the grounds of what was once the town of Chorazin — scattered stones around the ruins of a synagogue. That’s all that was left. That “Woe” that Yeshua pronounced upon the city is still in effect. No longer a living city, it is now a national park.
“No turning back!” Thank You, Yeshua, for walking that road.
We rode through the tribal land of Judah, which encompasses the southern part of Israel. What beautiful mountains and desert! I envisioned Abraham walking that land en route to Egypt … and Moses fleeing there when he ran from Pharoah and made a temporary home in the land of Midian. It was in that area where we saw the very isolated community of the Druze, descendants of Moses’ father-in-law Jethro. The tour guide told us that they guard the secrets of their religion, only divulging them among the ancients.What was so amazing is that even though the land looked barren and uninhabitable, the Israelis have learned to make the desert blossom according to the prophecy of Isaiah. Rows of date palms snap to military formation in the desert heat (bottom). Fields of corn abound under white plastic canopies which protect the plants from UV Rays, allowing them to grow faster and yield a greater harvest (bottom). God has blessed this land so that the Israelis are able to cultivate where nothing has ever grown, and to plant corn, tomatoes and cucumbers even in the winter.As He has brought His people back into the land, so has He made the desert come back to life. Along the Dead Sea, fresh water pools are popping up, reminding us that in the Garden of Eden, water would come up from the ground to water its fauna and foliage. Here, one is not gripped by the impossibility of such an event! These pools prove that such irrigation could have easily occurred!
We were in Jericho proper, a Palestinian controlled territory. I would get to teach from a balcony overlooking the oldest city in the world. Limestone houses dotted the panoramic view! To the right a tel, a mountain of dirt, held the secret remains of a city destroyed by the strategy of an army empowered by the God of the universe!