It is finished. The last has been counted. Whether you count by stones, magnets, olive pits or wheat – there is no more to count, the jar has been “fully filled”. In accounting terms, we might say that the ledger is complete, the accounts have been settled.
Rom. 11:25 For I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you may not be conceited: A partial hardening has happened to Israel until the full number [πληρωμα] of the Gentiles has come in.
The greek word pleroma [πληρωμα] translated here as full number has the connotation that something has been filled. In other words, a the number of Gentiles who will be grafted into Israel is predetermined; when that number is reached all Israel will be saved (verse 26). The Gospel of Matthew relates the gathering of the people of Hashem to a harvest (Matt. 13 and 21).
For 49 days, during the barely harvest in Eretz Y’srael, we’ve faithfully counted the Omer each night from the “morrow after the sabbath” of Pesach. My family counted by putting a barley stalk in a vase for each day of the omer. The vase sits in the middle of our main room. (Not one guest has asked why we are storing barley in our kitchen – hopefully you have been challenged more.) Why do we count up? It would seem more logical to count down to Shavuot – “how many days left of the omer?” seems more natural. But no, we counted “Today is BLANK days of the omer” – as if we are tallying the days. And why do we count at all, after all we know when Shavuot will fall – the 6th of Sivan. Could it relate to the gathering of G-d’s people prophesied in the scriptures? G-d has already determined who shall be saved (Rom 8:29), but it does not diminish the fact that we must be gathered to Him. So we count the number of days of the Omer, just has the Holy One of Israel is numbering those who have drawn close to Him – gathered, harvested if you will.
The date or occurrence of Shavuot is tied to the day of first fruits which happens during the week if unleavened bread through the feast of first fruits. First fruits is connected by the Sabbath to Pesach. So, Pesach leads to Shavuot. Pesach represents our redemption form “slavery to sin” (Egypt) and Shavuot is when we receive Hashem’s ketubah – marriage covenant (the Torah). It would have been enough if Hashem had just saved us, but we are incredibly blessed that he wishes to count us as brothers of Messiah (Gal 4) and not without hope, but rather a inheritance.
Messiah was hung on a cross, died, and rose on the third day he appeared to a good number of people. On the 40th day of the omer, our master ascended into heaven. It is interesting to note where the disciples go following the ascension. Where would you go? Would you be at the mall? Or maybe you would be trying out for AAA hockey…maybe at work? Home sleeping? Or would you be where the disciples of our master made a point of being? They were exactly where the Leviticus 23 and Deut 14 say you should be 50 days after the first fruits of unleavened bread. They were at the temple worshiping G-d through prayer, just as He had instructed them to.
Just as their Messiah had done.
Just as Israel was doing.
Why would we be anywhere else? Right, I know, there is no temple today etc. etc. – but should we not still be found among Israel (Rom 11, Isa 56)? Sadly, we too often see the events of Acts 2 being twisted as something demonstrating the obsolescent nature of Hashem’s Law. Instead we should be understanding it as a wonderful fulfillment of His word, emphasizing the fact these instructions are still good for our instruction.
2Tim 3:16 Every scripture is inspired by God and useful for teaching, for reproof,for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the person dedicated to God may be capable and equipped for every good work.
It is my hope that you have a wonderful Shavuot, may you be counted among Israel as was Ruth the Moabitess.
Ruth 1:16… wherever you go, I will go. Wherever you live, I will live. Your people will become my people, and your God will become my God.
John 4:22 You people worship what you do not know. We worship what we know, because salvation is from the Jews.
Chag Shavu’ot Sameach!!
דָּוִד
TorahNorth 