Chodesh Tov Sivan Sameach!

Sivan 1, 5776

June 7, 2016

• א׳ בְּסִיוָן תשע״ו

Happy Rosh Chodesh to everyone!  Today is a significant day on the Hebrew calendar, it is the New Moon of third month, the 45th day of the Omer!  In just 5 days we will complete the 50 day count from Passover until the Feast of Shavuot with great rejoicing!

Sivan is the month that Israel received the Torah, thereby making this the month that the nation became the Bride "Kalah" of Adonai.  God thereby becoming our Bridegroom "Chatan".  Not only is it the season of the giving of the Torah, but also the season of the giving of the Ruach Hakodesh (Holy Spirit), for just as 3,000 Jewish souls were lost at the incident of the golden calf; Adonai restored Israel with the adding of 3,000 Jewish souls into the Kingdom of God at the Feast of Shavuot in Acts 2!

For those who are unfamiliar with this season and Feast, I will explain...

Num. 28: 26  “‘On the day of the first fruits, when you bring a new grain offering to ADONAI in your feast of Shavuot, you are to have a holy convocation; do not do any kind of ordinary work.

After the first harvest (Barley), we count 50 days until the second harvest (Wheat) is brought, this is referred to as counting the Omer.  An omer is a measure of the grain that was brought into the Temple as an offering required by the Torah. It is clear that the act of brining these offerings to the L-rd is an act of gratitude for the provision of the harvest from the Land.  But is there more spiritual significance for Israel in the observance of this Feast?

Sefirat HaOmer & Messiah Yeshua

John 12: 23  Yeshua gave them this answer: “The time has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.24  Yes, indeed! I tell you that unless a grain of wheat that falls to the ground dies, it stays just a grain; but if it dies, it produces a big harvest.

The Barley harvest begins right during Pesach, and we know that this is the season in which Messiah Yeshua died and gave His life as atonement for our sin.

Alfred Edersheim comments…

The Sheaf of Firstfruits

A little later on in the evening of that same day, just as it was growing dark, a noisy throng followed delegates from the Sanhedrim outside the city and across the brook Kedron. It was a very different procession, and for a very different purpose, from the small band of mourners which, just about the same time, carried the body of the dead Saviour from the cross to the rock-hewn tomb wherein no man had yet been laid. While the one turned into 'the garden' (John 20:15), perhaps to one side, the other emerged, amidst loud demonstrations, in a field across Kedron, which had been marked out for the purpose. They were to be engaged in a service most important to them. It was probably to this circumstance that Joseph of Arimathea owed their non-interference with his request for the body of Jesus, and Nicodemus and the women, that they could go undisturbed about the last sad offices of loving mourners. The law had it, 'Ye shall bring a sheaf [literally the omer] of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest; and he shall wave the omer before Jehovah, to be accepted for you: on the morrow after the Sabbath the priest shall wave it' (Lev 23:10,11). This Passover-sheaf, or rather omer, was to be accompanied by a burnt-offering of a 'he lamb, without blemish, of the first year,' with its appropriate meat- and drink-offering, and after it had been brought, but not till then, fresh barley might be used and sold in the land. Now, this Passover-sheaf was reaped in public the evening before it was offered, and it was to witness this ceremony that the crowd gathered around 'the elders,' who took care that all was done according to traditionary ordinance.  (Edersheim, 1889 circa)

What we see here is that it was Yeshua himself, his own death that fulfilled the first fruit of the Omer of Barley, right at the exact time. And it was his resurrection that shows the significance of this holiday…

I Corinth. 15: 20 ¶  But the fact is that the Messiah has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have died. 21  For since death came through a man, also the resurrection of the dead has come through a man.

22  For just as in connection with Adam all die, so in connection with the Messiah all will be made alive. 23  But each in his own order: the Messiah is the firstfruits; then those who belong to the Messiah, at the time of his coming; 24  then the culmination, when he hands over the Kingdom to God the Father, after having put an end to every rulership, yes, to every authority and power. 25  For he has to rule until he puts all his enemies under his feet.

Messiah’s death & resurrection was the culmination and the requirement of the Sefirat HaOmer.  Sefirat HaOmer foreshadows for us what was to come in the Messiah.

But I want you to notice that a Bikur is the just the beginning.  While Messiah is the first fruit, there is coming a big Harvest…

Mark 4: 26  And he said, “The Kingdom of God is like a man who scatters seed on the ground. 27  Nights he sleeps, days he’s awake; and meanwhile the seeds sprout and grow!- how, he doesn’t know. 28  By itself the soil produces a crop!- first the stalk, then the head, and finally the full grain in the head. 29  But as soon as the crop is ready, the man comes with his sickle, because it’s harvest-time.”

The second harvest is the harvest of Wheat.

Edersheim says,

Pentecost

The 'Feast of Unleavened Bread' may be said not to have quite passed till fifty-days after its commencement, when it merged in that of Pentecost, or 'of Weeks.' According to unanimous Jewish tradition, which was universally received at the time of Christ, the day of Pentecost was the anniversary of the giving of the Law on Mount Sinai, which the Feast of Weeks was intended to commemorate. Thus, as the dedication of the harvest, commencing with the presentation of the first omer on the Passover, was completed in the thank-offering of the two wave-loaves at Pentecost, so the memorial of Israel's deliverance appropriately terminated in that of the giving of the Law— as, making the highest application of it, the Passover sacrifice of the Lord Jesus may be said to have been completed in the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2). Jewish tradition has it, that on the 2nd of the third month, or Sivan, Moses had ascended the Mount (Exo 19:1-3), that he communicated with the people on the 3rd (Exo 19:7), reascended the Mount on the 4th (Exo 19:8), and that then the people sanctified themselves on the 4th, 5th, and 6th of Sivan, on which latter day the ten commandments were actually given them (Exo 19:10-16). *  (Edersheim, 1889 circa)

The Wave-loaves Were Leavened

Contrary to the common rule of the Sanctuary, these loaves were leavened, which, as the Mishnah, informs us (Men. v. 1), was the case in all thank-offerings. The common explanation— the wave-loaves were leavened because they represented the ordinary food of the people— partially accounts for this. No doubt these wave-loaves expressed the Old Testament acknowledgment of the truth which our Lord embodied in the prayer, 'Give us this day our daily bread.' But this is not all. Let it be remembered that these two loaves, with the two lambs that formed part of the same wave-offering, were the only public peace- and thank-offerings of Israel; that they were accompanied by burnt- and sin-offerings; and that, unlike ordinary peace-offerings, they were considered as 'most holy.' Hence they were leavened, because Israel's public thank-offerings, even the most holy, are leavened by imperfectness and sin, and they need a sin-offering. This idea of a public thank-offering was further borne out by all the services of the day. First, the two lambs were 'waved' while yet alive; that is, before being made ready for use. Then, after their sacrifice, the breast and shoulder, or principal parts of each, were laid beside the two loaves, and 'waved' (generally towards the east) forwards and back wards, and up and down. *  (Edersheim, 1889 circa)

Keep this idea of waiving the offerings while alive in your mind for a moment….

The point I am trying to make here is that Shavuot speaks of a “Harvest” that is to come.  

We are that Harvest.  It is a revival of G-d’s Jewish people coming to Him in repentance and faith in the Messiah. Is it any wonder then why so many came to Messiah on Shavuot when the Spirit of G-d was poured out in ACTS 2?

Ephesians 1:14

That [Spirit] is the guarantee of our inheritance [the firstfruits, the pledge and foretaste, the down payment on our heritage], in anticipation of its full redemption and our acquiring [complete] possession of it--to the praise of His glory.

What Rabbi Shaul is saying here is that the Ruach is the first fruits of our salvation and guarantee, a deposit of our inheritance of eternal life and atonement for our sins.  

Just as during the wheat harvest a sin offering was given with the omer of wheat, so too during this season was the Ruach given along with the atonement in Messiah Yeshua for the forgiveness of our sin.

This was the only time leavened grain was offered in the Temple… The point is that we are that leavening, we represent sin, but the sin offering that accompanied the wheat is the Messiah. We are the Harvest and we too are first fruits…

James 1:18

And it was of His own [free] will that He gave us birth [as sons] by [His] Word of Truth, so that we should be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures [a sample of what He created to be consecrated to Himself].

The Messianic Jewish movement today is the continuation of this Harvest.  Messiah is gathering his people, Israel, and those from among the nations who will join His People to be an offering of first fruits unto the L-rd. That is what this season represents, let us remember today the offering that was made on our behalf and give thanks to Hashem for Messiah Yeshua!

May you be blessed spiritually, physically, emotionally and financially, during this season of Harvest and Restoration.  May the Ruach Adonai be planted in your hearts and may you all walk with Messiah Yeshua and grow richly in Him daily!

Amen, ken y'hi ratzon,

R' Eric D. Lakatos

Bibliography

Edersheim, A. (1889 circa). The Temple. Eerdmans Pub Co.

© Tikvat Yisrael Messianic Synagogue, 2016 All Rights Reserved.