1. An Introductory Primer on Shavuot

What is Shavuot?

For the Torah Observant Believer in Yeshua Messiah, Shavuot—The Feast of Weeks—Pentecost is about the giving and receiving of YHVH’s Torah and the establishing of the marriage covenant between YHVH and the Children of Israel. The Feast of Weeks is about the re-establishment of a broken covenant through the grace of YHVH and the outpouring of His Holy Spirit to aid fallen man in their keeping of the Creator’s instructions and their maintaining a faithful and obedient covenant relationship with Him. Pentecost is about life and the establishing of the Body of Messiah through the atoning sacrifice of Yeshua Messiah and the infilling of the Holy Spirit.

Shavuot is one of the seven-annual and the second of the 3-pilgrimage Feasts of YHVH. The instructions related to its keeping is found in the 23rd chapter of Leviticus/Vayiqra. However, the origin of this set-apart day is founded upon the story behind the Creator’s giving of the commandments to the mixed multitude at the base of Mount Sinai as recorded in Exodus/Shemot 19 through 24.

As the story goes, a mixed-multitude of souls, composed of the 12-tribes of Ysra’el and various nationals from other nations, had escaped Egyptian-bondage roughly seven-weeks prior to their settling at the base of Mount Sinai. YHVH, the Creator of the Universe, who bore this mixed multitude (with some estimates as high as 2 to 3-million souls) on eagles’ wings (Exodus 19:4) and brought them unto Himself. It was here and at this time that Father proposed a covenant between He and the Children of Israel that would be the shadow picture of an even greater covenant occurrence in the years to come.

The seven-week trek from Egypt to Sinai foreshadowed the 50-day or 7-Sabbath Count (traditionally referred to as the Counting of the Omer) that begins at Wave Sheaf and culminates at Shavuot, also known as The Feast of Weeks and Pentecost in the Greek.

We find in Exodus 19 that Father proposes the establishment of a Covenant between He and Israel, whereby He would be Israel’s God and Israel would be His special and favored people above all the nation-peoples of the world (i.e., their Elohim) if they would hear His voice and obey His instructions (i.e., His commandments; His Torah; His Covenant). The Children of Israel agreed to the terns of this covenant and on that fateful day, at the foot of Mount Sinai, YHVH, in the midst of fire, lightening, smoke and loud shofar blowing, spoke His commandments directly to the people. Although the people were terrified by this indescribable manifestation, even to the point of demanding that YHVH, from that time onward, speak exclusively through Moshe to them so as to not repeat this terrifying manifestation, the covenant was ratified by the sprinkling of blood upon the written contract and upon the people.

A covenant is an official, established agreement between 2 or more interested parties. A blood covenant, which is what the Sinai Covenant was, required that both parties swear to abide by the terms of the contract. YHVH, because He is Creator and Elohim, certified His agreement to abide by the terms of the covenant (i.e., He would be the nation’s God and the people would reap the benefits of being a special possession of YHVH); and so Yah certified this covenant simply by stating His Name—I am YHVH. Yisrael’s promise (I.e., oath or shava) to abide by the terms of the contract was embodied in the nation’s collective, verbal affirmation that they would obey YHVH’s instructions and not worship or follow any other gods. Thus, the contract—the covenant—was ratified and sealed by the sprinkling of blood upon the written contract and the people.

We will also see a little later that the covenant that Yah established with Yisra’el at Sinai can be viewed as either a marriage proposal—marriage contract—even a wedding. And so, in essence, this very first Shavuot was a marriage of sorts: A marriage between YHVH and the nation of Israel.

Shavuot is known by a number names that include:

1. Feast of Weeks

2. Feast of Oaths

3. Shavuot

4. Pentecost

5. Yom HaBikkurim

6. Feast of Harvest

7. Chag HaShavuot

The Swearing of and Making of Oaths Related to Shavuot

Shavuot means feast of weeks/feast of the 7-days. The root of Shavuot being “shavuah” means week or seven-days.

We can also derive the Hebrew term “shavah” from Shavuot. Shavah means oath/to swear. And so, it stands to reason that Shavuot may be linked to the giving of an oath or the swearing of an oath. Some Jewish thinkers have suggested that Shavuot represents an annual renewal of the Sinaitic Covenant between Yah and His people. And in establishing any and all covenants (including all the Tanach/Old Testament covenants) between two Hebrews or between Yah and Yisra’el, well each party to the covenant or agreement must (in writing and verbally) swear or promise to uphold their end of that agreement. And part of verbally promising or swearing to uphold their end of the covenant agreement requires each party to swear to that end in the Name of Yehovah (Deuteronomy/Devarim 6:13; 10:20).

Combine this concept of making oaths or swearing to uphold our end of the covenant agreement-or ketubah in the Name of Yehovah, with the concept of “shabuah”, we arrive at a common ancient Hebrew practice that is to “seven-oneself”: To make seven-declarations when one makes an oath to show one’s deepest sincerity and intent to abide by the terms of an agreement. In a sense, to repeat that oath seven-times.

So, at any length, there appears to be a link between the establishing of oaths to abide by the terms of the covenant between Yisra’el and Yah, and the Feast of Weeks. Covenant and swearing. Thus, it could be understood that the sincere Netzari keeps the Feast of Weeks—Shavuot—each year from the perspective of a renewal of the covenant—even the covenant relationship between he/she and Yah—and declaring an oath and swearing to stay true to his/her end of the covenant agreement.

2. The Commandment Given to Keep Shavuot Through the Original Covenant—A Look at Leviticus/Vayiqra

We find in Leviticus/Vayiqra 23:15-22 our marching orders as it relates to our keeping of Shavuot:

15 “‘You must count for yourselves seven weeks from the day after the Sabbath, from the day you bring the wave offering sheaf; they must be complete weeks.
16 You must count fifty days– until the day after the seventh Sabbath– and then you must present a new grain offering to the LORD.
17 From the places where you live you must bring two loaves of bread for a wave offering; they must be made from two tenths of an ephah of fine wheat flour, baked with yeast, as first fruits to the LORD.
18 Along with the loaves of bread, you must also present seven flawless yearling lambs, one young bull, and two rams. They are to be a burnt offering to the LORD along with their grain offering and drink offerings, a gift of a soothing aroma to the LORD.
19 You must also offer one male goat for a sin offering and two yearling lambs for a peace offering sacrifice,
20 and the priest is to wave them– the two lambs– along with the bread of the first fruits, as a wave offering before the LORD; they will be holy to the LORD for the priest.
21 “‘On this very day you must proclaim an assembly; it is to be a holy assembly for you. You must not do any regular work. This is a perpetual statute in all the places where you live throughout your generations.
22 When you gather in the harvest of your land, you must not completely harvest the corner of your field, and you must not gather up the gleanings of your harvest. You must leave them for the poor and the foreigner. I am the LORD your God.'” (Lev 23:15-22 NET)

Wave offerings were generally food offerings that were literally waved back and forth by the Levitical Priests in front of the Tabernacle/Temple. One resource I consulted described the wave offerings as a motion emblematic of the priests presenting or giving it to Yah and then receiving it back from Him as a gift to them. And of course, such offerings would afterward be available for the priests to consume.

The other aspect of food and drink offerings (minchah) that should be kept in mind is that these represented the fruits of one’s harvest. These were products of one’s labor that was offered to Yah. Therefore, the food and drink products that were offered here would not be considered as “natural products”. Consequently, a portion of these offerings would be burnt on the brazen altar while the remaining portion was to be consumed by the Cohanim.

The spiritual context and application here was that the Levitical Priests would be subject sacrifice on behalf of the people of the nation. But the offerings served as a substitute for them. This hearkens back to Romans 12:1: “you are living and holy sacrifices” unto Yah.

Burnt offerings (”olah”) were sacrifices that were completely consumed by fire on the brazen altar in the outer court. No part of this sacrifice/offering is eaten. It is meant for complete submission to Yah’s will. Thus the entire offering belongs to Yah. It is meant to atone for sins as the offerer seeks to commune with Yah. So, there must be an expiation of sins in order for the offerer to truly commune with Yah.

Peace offerings (”Zevach Sh’lamim”) were offering that expressed gratitude to Yah for His mercies and blessings. Note the Hebrew term “sh’lamim” is related to its sister Hebrew term “shalom” which means “peace” and to be “whole”. Generally, these offerings consisted of three portions: (1) the Burnt portion; (2) the portion given to the kohanim; and (3) the portion that is consumed by the offerer and his family. Other specific offerings that are intricately linked to thanksgiving offerings (”todah”), free-will offerings; and offerings made at the fulfillment of a vow.

Shavuot (aka the Feast of Weeks) Emblematic of a Wedding Proposal

Now, we mentioned just a short while ago that Shavuot can be seen as being emblematic of the Ancient Hebrew Wedding Ceremony through which we learn that Father Yah is seeking the perfect bride for His beloved Son (cf. Proverbs 31:10-11).

One way of looking at the Feasts of Yah is from the perspective of these appointed times being prophetically emblematic of the Ancient Hebrew Wedding process. And Shavuot represents one of the elements or aspects of this wedding process.

Norman Willis of Nazarene Israel states that there are three phases of the Ancient Hebrew Wedding. Phase one is referred to as “shiddukhin”. Shiddukhin is simply the “match-making” phase of the overall wedding process. And this phase is best illustrated in the story of Yitschaq (aka Isaac) and Rivka (aka Rebecca) whereby Avraham sends forth his trusted servant Eliezer to go to his former kinsmen and find Yitschaq his son a wife. Eliezer does this very thing. He selects Rivka for Yitschaq. And so, Eliezer enters into negotiations with Laban, Rivka’s father, to send Rivka home to Canaan with Eliezer to marry Avraham’s son, Yitschaq. And Laban and Rivka agree to the proposal.

This is laid out for us in Beresheit/Genesis 24.

Fast forward a few hundred years, we come to the example of enslaved Yisra’el. Father Yah, remaining true to the covenant promises He established with the patriarchs, called Yisrael out of Egypt (Egypt of course being emblematic of the world at large)—and thus, Yah calls Yisra’el unto Himself to become a bride for His Son Yahoshua Messiah forever. And thus, in that emblematic sense, Yisra’el would be taken under Yah’s care and receive all the covenant blessing promises that would abundantly fulfill all her needs and more. And the only thing Yisra’el, the bride, would be required to do is submit to Yah’s sovereignty over her life through a steadfast faith in Him and obedience to His house rules.

The Hebrew model of marriage consists of the bride coming from under her father’s household covering or headship, to under the household covering or headship of her new husband.

The wonderful earth-shattering news about this Yisra’el-Bride of Mashiyach model, especially as it relates to the Renewed Covenant, is that any man, woman, or child may join themselves to the commonwealth that is true Yisra’el, and enjoy all of the benefits associated with being the bride of Yahoshua. Like with Yisra’el proper, any who would be engrafted to the commonwealth of Yisra’el would simply enter into a covenant relationship with Father Yah through trusting-faith in the Person and Ministry of the Bridegroom, Yahoshua HaMashiyach. Such a covenant relationship requires the called out one to come from under their previous father’s headship or household (I.e., the world—the gods of this world) and come completely under the Headship and covering of our Master Yahoshua Messiah. There must be no compromise in terms of adhering to that change of headship and sovereignty. Shaul wrote to the Roman Messianic Assembly he oversaw:

“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of Elohim” (12:2).

Yahoshua Himself said:

“If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love (reminiscent of a bride abiding under the household and love of her husband), just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love” (John/Yochanan 15:9-10).

Interestingly, the Bridegroom Yahoshua, has gone back to His Father’s house to prepare a place for His Bridegroom: Us!

And how about this:

“In My Father’s house are many mansion (dwelling places; also suggestive of rooms or compartments in the Temple): If it were not so, I would have told you” (John/Yochanan 14:2).

Beloved, this is right in line with the paradigm of a wedding and marriage. The Bridegroom goes to prepare a home for His beloved Bride. It’s as it should be. And within Yah’s household there is a way of life that is upheld by His righteous house rules. Yahoshua followed those very house rules. He conformed to His Father’s Way of Life. And thus, we as His Bride, must too conform to the Yah-family house rules, which is Torah-based.

This of course is a point of contention that exists between us who are Torah-honoring and observant and our wayward cousins in Denominationalism. Our cousins erroneously believe that Jesus’ grace (because Jesus and God the Father are one and the same Persons) covers not only a multitude of sins, but also any requirement or need to keep Yah’s Torah-instructions. And this is essentially so because of misinterpretations and manipulations of scriptural passages that have led millions to believe that Yah’s instructions in righteousness were nailed to the cross along with Yahoshua (Colossians 2:14). But this belief could not be further from the truth. Shimon Kefa (aka the apostle Peter) brought this issue up in his general epistle when he astutely wrote that:

“…They (that is, those who do not possess a trusting-obedient covenant relationship with the Creator of the Universe) stumble, being disobedient to Yah’s Torah, to which they were also chosen to keep” (1 Peter/Kefa 2:8; modified).

So, in a sense, Pesach/Passover and Unleavened Bread represent the “shiddukhin” phase of the ancient Hebrew/Netzari wedding/marriage, for it was during this phase that Yisra’el, the bride to be, was selected by the Bridegroom.

The next phase in the marriage/wedding process is the wedding/marriage proposal, which in essence is emblematic of Shavuot. The proposal phase of a Netzari/Hebrew wedding/marriage is called the “erusin.” During the “erusin” phase of the wedding process, the terms of the marriage contract are announced and the proposal is put forth to the bride to accept. Once the bride accepts the marriage proposal, the “erusin” or the “marriage proposal” then becomes legally binding. It’s almost as if the couple were fully married. The difference is that the couple does not consummate the marriage nor do they live together until after the wedding ceremony.

And so it was, at the foot of Mount Sinai, that the terms of the marriage agreement was read to our ancient cousins. And our ancient cousins accepted the marriage proposal:

Moses came and told the people all Yah’s words and all the decisions. All the people answered together, “We are willing to do all the words that Yah has said,” (Exo 24:3 NET)

It is strongly believed by many within our Faith community and among our Jewish cousins, with me included, that the giving of the marriage proposal or Torah was done roughly seven-weeks after Yisra’el had departed and exited Egypt. We know that Yisra’el exited Gershom of Egypt on the first-day of Unleavened Bread. This being the case, the giving of Torah and the marriage proposal would have occurred on Shavuout.

The Torah that was given to our ancient cousins at the foot of Mount Sinai on that first Shavuot is emblematic of a “ketubah.” A “ketubah” is a written Hebrew marriage contract. It contains the rights and responsibilities of the groom and his bride. Furthermore, the ketubah delineates any associated penalties for breaking or violating elements of the marriage contract. And this is essentially what Torah is. For as it was for ancient Yisra’el, it too serves as our marriage contract to our husband to be Yahoshua. And when Yisra’el worshiped the “golden calf” some days after she received Torah, she violated and broke the “ketubah.”

Not only is Shavuot the set-apart day of Yah’s Biblical Calendar Year where His people received the “ketubah” or “Torah,” but some 1,500-years later in Yerushalayim, on Shavuot, 50-days after our Master’s crucifixion, Yahoshua’s disciples would receive the promised “comforter” or the Ruach HaKodesh.

Some have taken the giving of Yah’s Holy Spirit to His chosen ones as being emblematic of, still using the Hebrew Marriage/Wedding paradigm, the time between the marriage proposal and the wedding, the couple is not allowed to interact with one another. Any communication between the Bridegroom and His “bride to be” would be carried out by an friend of the Bridegroom. This is in essence a shadow picture of we as the bride communicating with our Bridegroom through the intermediary of the Ruach HaKodesh (aka the Holy Spirit). As Yahoshua tarries in his preparation for his bride (John/Yochanan 14:2), He employs or sends Yah’s precious Holy Spirit to intercede on our behalf till He returns for us at the Wedding Super of the Lamb (John/Yochanan 14:15-16).

Thus, the Ruach is an essential intercessor during our time of waiting for the return of our Bridegroom. For without the Ruach operating in our lives, we will not know how we should function; how we should carry on; and such (Acts 1:8). And so it was that the Ruach HaKodesh was gifted to the Body of Mashiyach on that Great Day of Shavuot in Yerushalayim (Acts 2).

Today, as with our ancient cousins attending that Shavuot in Yerushalayim in Acts 2, we are under a renewal of the original “ketubah” or covenant (Jeremiah/Yermeyahu 31:31). It’s the same “ketubah” or covenant, but now on steroids, whereby the tenets of that energized agreement are manifested in Spirit and in Truth (John 4:23-24).

It could be viewed as well that the Ruach HaKodesh is another form of the Ketbuah: The marriage agreement or contract between we, Yah’s beloved and chosen, and Yahoshua, our Bridegroom. For it attests to our covenant relationship with our Heavenly Father as well as He, during the justification process (emblematic of Chag HaMatzot/Feast of Unleavened Bread) inscribes Yah’s written Torah onto the fleshly tablets or tables of our hearts and minds.

 

3. The Timing of Shavuot—Calendrical Concerns and Issues Yet Again

Timing of Shavuot

Shavuot is the only feast or set-apart day that is not given a hard calendrical date by Yah. But rather, Yah requires us to count weeks, commencing with the waving of the firstfruits barley sheaves presented to the Levitical Cohanim during the Feast of Unleavened Bread pilgrimage festival (Leviticus/Vayikra 23:15).

The Jewish/Rabbinic Reckoning of Time for Shavuot

According to the Jewish reckoning of time, Shavuot occurs seven-weeks after Pesach, specifically 50-days after the so-called first seder. In other words, the counting of the days and weeks leading up to Shavuot begins on the second evening of Pesach (Aviv 15).

Judaism concedes some connection of Shavuot to an ancient grain harvest festival that took place annually in early summer. However, the rabbis place greater meaning to the day on the giving of Torah at Mount Sinai, which they contend occurred seven-weeks after Yisra’el’s exodus from Egypt. It is here that Yisra’el enters into a covenant with Yehovah.

Modern Jews traditionally favor dairy products on Shavuot. From a religious, community standpoint, the day centers around synagogal worship. Medieval poems are recited and the Book of Ruth is read. Why the Book of Ruth. Well, the rabbis contend that Ruth’s conversion to the Hebrew Faith mirrors Yisra’el’s acceptance of Torah at Sinai.

It should be mentioned, if one were to consult the Jewish Calendar (one is published on Chabad.org), they would notice that Shavuot occurs on two consecutive days. The first Shavuot occurs on S-nday, 6/5/2022 and the second on M-nday, 6/6/2022. (Consequently, Observationalists will observe the day on S-nday, 6/12/2022.)

It is believed by the rabbis that the first Shavuot to be observed each year represents the date that Torah was given to the nation in 1313 BCE (or 2448 FC), seven-weeks after the mixed multitude departed Egypt. The nation (600,000 heads of households and their families) came to Mount Sinai and it is here that the people experienced Yehovah: visually and audibly. And Yah spoke His commandments to the people.

As an aside, the rabbis also contend that King David died on Shavuot in the year 837 BCE at the age of 70.

As it relates to the second Shavuot on the rabbinic calendar, turns out that there are sects of Judaism outside Yisra’el that observe Shavuot for a 2nd day. The reason given for some sects to observe Shavuot a second day has to do with yet another calendar-related issue: Some sects begin the counting of the omer on “the evening following the first day of Pesach,” (I.e., the 14th of Aviv/Nisan) while other sects begin their count at sundown on the morning of 15th day of Aviv/Nisan.

Sectarian Confusion Surrounding the Timing of Shavuot

As it related to the timing for Shavuot on the biblical calendar, there were essentially three-competing sects in first-century Judea that we should endeavor to be knowledgeable of. Each sect had their own interpretation of Leviticus/Vayikra 23:15, which profoundly affected when they believed Shavuot should be kept.

1. Boethusians: These were an off-shoot of the Sadducees. The sect was originally founded and headed by Simeon b. Boethus who had been appointed high priest [of the Sanhedrin] by Herod the Great in 24 BCE (reference Josephus, Antiquity of the Jews: 15:320). Unfortunately, the Boethusians did not have a good reputation among the Pharisee sect for a number of reasons, the most glaring reason having to do with their reckoning of time for the Feasts. And this is relevant because the Pharisees held majority rule in the Sanhedrin (reference: b.Pesachim 57a; t.Menachot 13:21). And because the Pharisees held majority rule in the Sanhedrin, their reckoning of time as it related to all calendar concerns, including the reckoning of time for the feasts, tended to be what all practicing Jews throughout the Roman Empire adhered to.

Recall Leviticus/Vayiqra 23:15 which reads:

“And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the Shabbat, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering [that which was offered during the eight-day celebration of Chag HaMatzot/Unleavened Bread]…” (Cepher).

Now, the Boethusians interpreted the phrase the “morrow after the Shabbat” as being the first-day of the week since their understanding of Shabbat in this verse was the “weekly Sabbath that fell within the week of Chag HaMatzot/Unleavened Bread”. Thus, under Boethusian reckoning of time, Shavuot would always fall out on a “first day of the week” (aka S-nday).

That being said, I should add that I subscribe to the Boethusian reckoning and understanding of Leviticus/Vayiqra 23:15.

This understanding of Leviticus/Vayiqra 23:15 proved historically and halachicly critical since it ran contrary to the Phraisaic and Essennic reckoning of time for the Wavesheaf Offering (which directly affected the timing for the pilgrimage festival of Shavuot) and other calendar considerations.

2. Pharisees: The most influential of the Jewish sects in first-century Judea, believed the Sabbath referred to in Leviticus/Vayiqra 23:15 was the first-day of Chag HaMatzot or Unleavened Bread (I.e., the 15th day of the first month), which meant that the Wavesheaf Offering would take place on the 16th day of the first month. Thus, the 7-week count was that of 7-weeks from the first-day of Unleavened Bread. So, Shavuot could fall out on any day of the week, with the exception of a weekly Sabbath.

3. Essenes: This sect is believed by many to be those folks who lived and worship in Qumran of the Dead Sea Scrolls fame, although we know from the writings of Jewish historian Josephus that many Essenes also resided throughout the whole of Judea.

But in terms of the “sabbath” mentioned in Leviticus/Vayiqra 23:15, the Qumran sect understood it to mean the weekly Sabbath that occurs after the last day of Chag HaMatzot/Unleavened Bread. And so, as with the Boethusians’ understanding of the “morrow after the Sabbath,” Chag HaShavuot itself would always occur on a first day of the week (aka S-nday).

Most Messianics adhere to either the Boethusian or Qumran/Essennic reckoning and understanding of the term “sabbath” in Leviticus/Vayiqra 23:15: That of the “morrow after the Shabbat” being a first-day of the week or a S-nday.

Although the Pharisee sect had the majority rule of the Sanhedrin in first-century C.E. Yerushalayim, and thus, it would seem that Pharisaic rule would be the law of the Jewish religious and political landscape in Judea and throughout the Roman Empire, we have no written proof as to which reckoning for Wavesheaf and Shavuot was actually adhered to. Mishnaic passages such as m. Menachot 10:3 strongly suggests that the Pharisaic reckoning was followed. That being the case, Yahoshua and His disciples would have likely followed suit and kept the feast along with every other first-century orthodox Jewish Judean. Some have suggested, however, that the apostle John’s (aka Yochanan’s) account of Yahoshua and His disciples’ keeping the Feasts may not have been consistent with how Yahoshua reckoned the timing of certain feasts, but instead, deferred at the time to the Pharisaic reckoning:

After this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. (Joh 5:1 KJV)

And the passover, a feast of the Jews, was nigh. (Joh 6:4 KJV)

Other similar passages include John 2:13 and 11:55.

In these cited passages, the focus is on the phrase “a feast of the Jews,” which more times than not in the Brit HaDashah is a direct reference to the rabbinic (Pharisaic) Jewish sect and its religious leaders.

For the longest time, I used to dance around these passages and attribute them to intentional scribal errors thinking it entirely uncharacteristic of someone like the apostle to refer to the feasts as “a feast of the Jews”. But given what we know regarding the likely meaning of the phrase “feast of the Jews,” one has to factor in the possibility that Yochanan meant what he wrote: the referenced feast was of rabbinic reckoning and not of Yah’s and Yahoshua’s reckoning.

And so it stands, at least for me, that this disconnect that existed between the various first-century Jewish sects in terms of their respective reckoning of the timing for the feasts, could be the very answer to my questions regarding the wording of these four-mysterious verses in Yochanan’s Gospel account.

Consequently, we find that even today, the vast majority of Jews in the world still adhere to the Rabbinic (aka Pharisaic) reckoning of time for the feasts, although many Messianics—both Observationalist and Rabbinic Calendar fans alike—seem to adhere to the Boethusian reckoning of time for Wavesheaf and Shavuot.

It would seem intuitive that the three-opposing Jewish sects might keep Wavesheaf and Shavuot according to their respective reckonings, although that might have led to some push-back from the ruling Sanhedrin. For with separate observance time-frames for each of the three-sects, there’d have to be separate ceremonies and sacrifices that would have to be conducted on those competing days as well. Nevertheless, and strangely enough, neither of the historical writers such as Josephus nor Philo seem to have mentioned such conflicting observances taking place during that time and in that region.

I should also add that the conventional wisdom of first-century Judaism in terms of determining the start of a new biblical calendar year and the start of each calendar month seems to have consisted of a combination of both the observational and calculated as suggested by 1 Samuel 20:18:

“Then Yahunathan (aka Jonathan) said to David, ‘tomorrow is the New Moon (chodesh) and you shall be missed, because your seat will be empty” (Cepher).

So, it would seem by this historical example that even in King David’s day, the Hebrews reckoned time on their calendar through the sighting of the renewed moon each month in combination with calculations as to when the lunar conjunctions would occur. In other words, how did Jonathan confidently know that the new moon would occur the following day unless he possessed knowledge of when the renewed moon would occur before hand.

Now, despite this combination of the observational and the calculated, the observational always took center stage for reckoning the key dates of the biblical calendar year with the Sanhedrin employing anywhere between three to seven councilmen to make their final ruling on when each year and month began (reference the Tosefta—t.Sanhedrin 2.1; 2.6; 2.12; m.Rosh HaShannah 1:1).

So, communicating the start of each calendar year and month after confirmation of the sighting of the renewed moon (it is believed that the Cohenim would confirm the renewed moon sightings with their lunar conjunction calculations)—they’d communicate their ruling to the scattered people of the land originally by way of hilltop fires. But after confusion erupted between Jewish authorities and Samaritans over the meaning of these hilltop fires, communication was accomplished by way of messengers (ref.m.Rosh HaShannah 2:3).

4. The Commandment Given to Keep Shavuot Through the Renewed Covenant—A Look at Shavuot Through the Lens of the Acts 2 Pentecost Event

Down Payment on the Renewed Covenant

Although the New (or Renewed) Covenant has not been fully enacted, we saw the down-payment of it played out on the Temple Mount on Shavuot, just 10-days after Yahoshua commissioned His disciples on the Mount of Olives and then ascended up on high to be with His Father and to serve in the Heavenly Mishkan. On that fateful day, Pentecost 28 C.E., the Holy Spirit (i.e., the Ruach HaKodesh) was poured out upon the disciples of Yahoshua who were attending Shavuot, gathered on the Temple Mount (Acts 2). This was the fulfillment of the “shadow picture” of the very first Shavuot at Mount Sinai. At the first Shavuot, YHVH gave the Children of Yisrael His Torah—His instructions in righteousness—His commandments. On the Day of Pentecost in 28 C.E., YHVH gave the redeemed and faithful Children of Yisrael (i.e., starting off with the disciples of Yahoshua Messiah) His Holy Spirit (His Ruach HaKodesh). Thus, we see how Torah became fully manifested and made to dwell within the people of YHVH. At the time of the first Shavuot, 3,000 souls perished because Yisrael chose to break the covenant. At the time of Shavuot on the Temple Mount as recorded in Acts 2, 3,000-souls entered the Body of Messiah and into life eternal.

5. The Why and How of Shavuot for the 2022 Netzari—Spiritual and Practical Halachah

The Importance of Shavuot For Messianic Believers Today

Shavuot remains relevant to every Torah Observant Believer in Messiah today. Beyond the fact that we are commanded by YHVH to keep Shavuot (Leviticus/Vayiqra 23:21, 22), we gain invaluable and crucial understanding of the New (Renewed) Covenant that Messianics are now privileged to be under. Shavuot is important in reminding the Netzari of the importance of keeping Torah and being in a right-relationship with the Creator of the Universe. Shavuot also serves as a prompt for every Torah Observant Believer to seek the leading and guidance of the Holy Spirit in their lives such that they live lives of their chosen status as Kings and Priests of YHVH Elohim. And Shavuot teaches the Netzari that just mechanically keeping Torah does not secure their place in the Kingdom of YHVH. Torah is Father’s house-rules that help us maintain a substantive relationship with Him. Admission into the Kingdom of YHVH is gained through faith in the shed blood of Yahoshua, for salvation is a gift from Yah. YHVH’s gifted Holy Spirit (I.e., Ruach HaKodesh) then aids the Netzari in his/her keeping of the Creator’s house-rules—rightly walking out Yah’s Torah while remaining in a covenant relationship with Yah—even in the midst of his/her living in this corrupt and dying world.

Shavuot then is about living the life that the Creator of the Universe always had in mind for His chosen people. Shavuot is living life in the Spirit.

Keeping Shavuot in 2022

The keeping of Shavuot by today’s Torah Observant Believer in Yahoshua Messiah is pretty simple. We find in Leviticus 23: 21 that Messianics are to:

• Make a proclamation on Shavuot; such that believers are to extol the glories of the Creator and speak to others of YHVH’s Word.
• Participate in a holy convocation; such that Netzarim come together (e.g., in fellowships and congregations and assemblies) for the reading of Scripture and the breaking of bread.
• Perform or conduct no servile or laborious work.
• Worship Yah in Spirit and in Truth.

With the Temple in Jerusalem no longer in existence, Messianics can not truly keep Shavuot as one of the 3-pilgrimage Feasts of YHVH and as instructed in Torah (Exodus/Shemot 23:14-17; Deuteronomy/Devarim 16:16). However, under the auspices of the renewed covenant, the well intentioned Netzarim’s bodies have replaced the Temple proper as the dwelling place of YHVH (1 Corinthians 3:16; 6:19). Thus, wherever two or more Netzarim have gathered together in their Master’s Name, there Yah will be in their midst (Matthew 18:20). Our implements or elements of worship, which back in the day were sacrifices and offerings, are today the giving of our bodies unto Yah as living sacrifices that are holy and acceptable unto Him (Romans 12:1); and sacrifices of praise to Yah which is the “fruit of our lips” giving thanks to His Name (Hebrews 13:15); and exhorting one another (Hebrews 10:25).

How this all actually looks for a Netzari living in 2022 depends wholly upon where Yah has placed them at the time of any of the mandated feasts of Yah, not just Shavuot. As ideal as it is to participate in a live, physical convocation or fellowship on the day of Shavuot, it just may not be possible from some of us do. So, it falls to the diligent Netzari to search out opportunities to fulfill the mandate of convocating on these set-apart days such as Shavuot, which means well in advance of the day, searching out local fellowships and assemblies if they exist; pulling up live gatherings on-line; or convocating with willing, like-minded family members on the day. We are thus called to study to show ourselves approved a Yah, workmen that need not be ashamed (2 Timothy 2:15). In other words, we are called to do our best to fulfill the tenets of Yah’s Feasts in Spirit and in Truth, allowing Yah’s Ruach HaKodesh to lead and guide our keeping of the day.

I have another teaching on Shavuot that I posted back in 2018 that is near and dear to me that I would absolutely love to share with you. I thought about incorporating it into this discussion, but found that it would be prohibitively too long. But if you are interested in going deeper into the spiritual implications and applications of Shavuot, I would humbly encourage you to listen to or read our post entitled: The Shavuot-Pentecost Connection. I promise you, it will cause you to think and see Shavuot a little differently than you may otherwise have done.