The Giving of the Torah "Count fifty days to the day after the seventh Sabbath; then you shall offer a new grain offering to the L-rd. You shall bring from your dwellings two wave loaves....of fine flour....baked with leaven. They are the firstfruits to the L-rd.And you shall pro-claim on the same day that it is a holy convocation to you...It shall be a statute forever in all your dwellings throughout your generations." (Leviticus 23:16, 17, 21)
Shavuot is called Hag Matan Torah, Festival of Giving the Torah. It is taught that on this day, G-d met with the Israelites at Mt. Sinai and gave them His Law, the Torah. G-d commanded the Israelites to celebrate this festival forever because it foreshadowed the day that G-d wrote His Law on their hearts when He sent the firstfruits of the Holy Spirit to indwell His people in Jerusalem in the upper room. And, spiritually, Shavuot points to a future time when G-d will pour out His Spirit on all flesh as prophesied by the prophet Joel (Joel 2:28). It is then that the ONE NEW MAN (Ephesians 2:14-22) will be fully realizedwhen both believing Jew and Gentile will be in one accord, being identical like twins. They will be greatly empowered to bring in the final harvest of souls before the L-rd's return. Another name for Shavuot is Hag Ha-Bikurim translated: Festival of the Firstfruits to the L-rd when baskets of firstfruits from the grain harvest were brought to the Temple baked with leaven.
The number three is significant in the traditions of this Festival:
Dairy foods are eaten because the Torah is likened to milk
(Songs 4:11). Milk, being a complete food, is the only thing a
baby needs to grow up healthy. They were also about to enter the
Promised Land "flowing with milk and honey" (Psalm 119:103).
Shavuot is often called the Festival of Roses. The home
and synagogue are decorated with greenery, flowers (especially
roses), spices, and myrtle to simulate the greenery of Mt. Sinai.
Incense is also burned to create a beautiful fragrance. The aromatic
flowers and the burning of incense are a reminder that the Torah
creates a beautiful fragrance in one's life. Each commandment
from G-d filled the world with a pleasant aroma.
All of the commands and traditions of Shavuot point to the many biblical prophecies of the L-rd's first appearance and His return. The following traditions are significant:
1. It Is The Early Harvest Festival
2. It Is The Day Of Giving The Torah
3. The Israelites Experienced The Manifestation Of G-d In Visible Form
4. The Trumpet Call Of G-d Was Heard
5. Tikkun Leil Shavuot Is Observed
6. It Is the Wedding of G-d to Israel.
7. It Is The Day Of The Judgment Of The Fruit Trees
Central to the theme of Shavuot, the Book of Ruth is read in the synagogue. The story takes place at the beginning of harvest-time. Jews see Ruth, a Gentile, as having embraced the heart of Judaism which is hesed (loving-kindness, khesed). Hesed is the core of Biblical faith. Ruth was brought from famine (a Gentile without the Torah) to feast (Boaz-a type of G-d Himself) by her mother-in-law Naomi (a type of the nation of Israel). Ruth is known as a woman of valor for her voluntary acceptance of Judaism. All three major characters of the book are distinguished by their acts of hesed which went beyond what is demanded. The rabbis remind us that the Law is never enough. We must go beyond the Law to hesed.
Once Ruth decided to convert to Judaism, the scriptures ranked her equally with Naomi. Boaz, in recognizing his responsibility as kinsman-redeemer to Ruth, not only helped Ruth, but Naomi as well (i.e. both Jew and Gentile). Just as the Israelites at Mt. Sinai said, "Whatever HaShem speaks, we will do", Ruth told Boaz, "All that you say to me I will do." She left everything to G-d's beneficence. The story of Ruth can be seen as an allegory, Ruth being the Church and Naomi being Israel.
Ruth represents the Gentiles who will identify closely with the Jewish people. They will actually be part of those who are redeemed from among men and "offered as Firstfruits to G-d and the Lamb." (Rev. 14:4).
At the end of G-d's instructions to the Israelites concerning Shavuot, it is peculiar that He inserted a particular rule about gleanings. This rule is very significant since it pointed to the story of Ruth and spiritually to a future Shavuot.
"When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Leave them for the poor and the alien." (Lev. 23:22)
In the story of Ruth, Boaz allows Ruth to glean from his field as a poor alien.
Symbolically, Ruth (and those Gentiles that she typifies) represents the gleanings of the harvest--those remaining after the "harvest" is gathered (the harvest being symbolic of the rapture) to help "the poor and the alien" (those who are unsaved).
Naomi's family name, thus Ruth's as well, was tied to land and property rights. When Boaz redeemed Ruth's husband's property (in Israel), she shared in all the rights that went with it.
The symbolic "Ruths" will later enjoy G-d's provision along with the Jews in the Land of Israel, and will rule and reign with Him during the Millennial Kingdom.
Ruth willingly initiated the marriage proposal to Boaz at the urging of her mother-in-law, Naomi.
This typifies the Gentiles coming to the knowledge of G-d through the Jewish apostles of Israel.
Boaz at first offered kindness by allowing Ruth to glean in his field (i.e. evangelize the world: Mark 16:15). His act of redemption of Ruth's dead husband's property (the Land of Israel) and of Ruth herself (salvation), leads to the birth of the child Obed.
The name Obed is from the Hebrew root meaning 'bond service', symbolizing THE ONE NEW MAN (Ephesians 2:14-15). Obed the grandfather of David personifies the Gospel, fathered by the Jew, Boaz/Yeshua, and borne by the Gentiles (Ruth 4:15). When Naomi (Israel) embraces the baby Obed (the Gospel) in her old age, then she will nurture it (Ruth 4:16).
In Jewish tradition, David, whose seed will redeem Israel and whose seed will reign in the Messianic age, died on Shavuot. And, it is believed that his seed, the Messiah, will be born on that day (typifying the time that He will be 'born' in the hearts of Jews). The full redemption of Israel (the descendants and land promised to Abraham by covenant) is expected to usher in an era of goodwill among all peoples living on earth, the Eternal Sabbath Rest.
Symbolically, the first Shavuot celebrated the first harvest of souls that were reconciled to G-d [i.e. the Israelites]reconciled through the Old Covenant Law [laws written on tablets of stone]. It pointed to a greater harvest [Acts 1:1-4 and 41-43] of souls that were reconciled to G-d through the New Covenant of the Holy Spirit , [the 'law' written on the hearts of men2 Cor. 3:3]. Moreover, Shavuot points to a future time when G-d will pour out His Spirit on all flesh for the greatest harvest that mankind has ever experienced just before the return of the L-rd:
"O children of Zion, be glad, rejoice in the L-rd your G-d. For He has given you the early rain in kindness [righteousness], now He makes the rain fall as formerlythe early rain and the late. And threshing floors shall be piled with grain, and vats shall overflow with new wine and oil" (Joel 2:23, 24 - the Tanakh)
On Shavuot the nation of Israel entered into a Covenant with the Almightythe Covenant of the Law. Through the commandments, statutes, decrees, and ordinances of the Torah, G-d empowered man to achieve harmony and unity with each other and with G-d. The commandments governed their personal lives, the statutes their religious rituals, and the ordinances governed their relationships with their neighbors. Decrees were commands that did not seem to have an explanation, but were obeyed anyway.
The Torah was given on Shavuot in the month of Sivan under the first 'human' celestial sign, Gemini (Teumim) the twins. It is believed that Gemini is a symbol of oneness, of different people joined in spiritual kinship, to the point that they resemble each other, like twins.
This is not to be confused with astrology which is an abomination to G-d. Psalm 19 states that the heavens declare the Glory of G-d. Others have written about the story of redemption that is written in the stars through the signs of the Zodiac.
The leavened loaves offered up to G-d represent all mankind (both Jew & Gentile), leavened because leaven is symbolic of sin. But, through perfect obedience to the Torah, man would be empowered to live in the midst of a sinful world and not be tainted by it.
This too, pointed to a New Covenant fulfillment:
Jesus, the living Torah, sent the Holy Spirit (the spiritual 'law') to empower His people on the very same day that the law was given to the Israelites at Sinai. Through obedience to the Holy Spirit, man was enabled to live in the midst of a sinful world and not be affected by it.
Rabbi Michael Strassfeld in his book The Jewish Holidays, describes the revelation of G-d at Sinai:
"The revelation at Sinai can be viewed as an experience so cosmic and mysterious that no ritual could encompass it."
On the first Shavuot, G-d said to Moses:
"Lo, I come unto thee in a thick cloud, that the People may hear when I speak with thee, and believe thee forever...And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount; and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the People that was in the camp trembled....and mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the L-rd descended upon it in fire..." (Ex. 19:9, 11, 16, 18)
The translation in the Interlinear Bible clearly describes the extraordinary scene that confronted the Israelites at Mt. Sinai that day:
"...all the people saw the sounds and the flames and the sound of the ram's horn and the mountain smoking...."
The rabbis explain that the voice of G-d 'appeared' as 'tongues of fire' and that every fiery word was divided into seventy languages! The 'table of nations' (Gen. 10) lists seventy nations in the world. Therefore, G-d spoke His law in every language giving the entire world the opportunity to accept G-d's divine instruction.
The apostle Luke, in the book of Acts, describes the scene in the Upper Room on Shavuot as the 120 disciples waited on the L-rd.
"And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven...[who] were confounded because every man heard them speak in his own language." (Acts 2:2-5, 6b)
The external fire that wrote G-d's instructions on tablets of stone (Deut. 33:2) became an internal fire that instructed and guided them from within.
"But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel;...I will put My law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts...." (Jeremiah 31:33)
The L-rd told the Israelites that on the third day the L-rd would come down in the sight of all the People. Twice, G-d said, "a thousand years...is like a day that has just gone by" (Psalm 90:4, 2 Peter 3:8). Accordingly, the 'third day' from Jesus' first appearance would begin at the year 2000.
Prophetically, Shavuot points to a future manifestation of G-d in visible form that will frighten many people just as it did at Mt. Sinai:
"...when the L-rd Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not G-d and that obey not the gospel of our L-rd Jesus Christ..." (2 Thess.1:7, 8)
In speaking of the L-rd's return, Paul said:
"Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is." (1 Cor. 3:13)
"And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; and Moses brought for the People out of the camp to meet with G-d...And when the voice of the trumpet sounded long, and waxed louder and louder, Moses spake, and G-d answered him by a voice." (Ex. 19:16-17, 19)
At Mount Sinai on Shavuot is the only time that the Bible recalls that the trumpet of G-d was heard. The rabbis say that the trumpet of G-d was heard worldwide:
"All you people of the world, you who live on the earth, when a banner is raised on the mountains, you will see it, and when a trumpet sounds, you will hear it. (Isaiah 18:3)
The scriptures record a future day when the trumpet of G-d will be heard:
"Then the L-rd will appear over them; His arrow will flash like lightning. The Sovereign L-rd will sound the trumpet." (Zechariah 9:14)
"And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven:...all the tribes of the earth [shall] mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven....And He shall send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together His elect...." (Matt. 24:30,31)
"For the L-rd Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of G-d: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive, and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the L-rd in the air: and so shall we ever be with the L-rd." (1 Thes. 4:16-17)
These scriptures connect the blowing of the shofar from heaven with several prophetic events (l) The L-rd will appear (2) Israel will mourn, (3) the elect shall be gathered, (4) the dead in Christ shall rise, (5) believers shall be caught up to be with the L-rd in the air.
These New Testament scriptures concerning the trump of G-d shed light on the next interesting tradition connected with ShavuotTikkun Leil Shavuot, the "restoration during the evening of Shavuot."
Tikkun Leil Shavuot or literally, Restoration during the evening of Shavuot is commemorated widely by observant Jews. They have a tradition that says the Israelites overslept on the morning of Shavuot at Sinai. Therefore, the custom to stay awake all night developed to prepare for the momentous revelation of G-d that could take place. They rise before midnight for all-night prayers and study of the Tanakh (the Bible).
Shavuot is seen as the time of redemptionthe time of the great ingathering of the Jews from all the nations where G-d scattered them.
"And when you and your children return to the L-rd your G-d and obey Him with all your heart and with all your soul according to everything I command you today, then the L-rd your G-d will restore your fortunes and have compassion on you and gather you again from all the nations where He scattered you." (Deuteronomy 30:3)
There are many biblical promises for the restoration of the Jewish people such as the following passage from Ezekiel:
"I will put My Spirit in you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land." (Ezekiel 37:14)
G-d told the Israelites that if they rebelled against Him, He would scatter them among the nations leaving the land of Israel desolate (Leviticus 26:33 & Deuteronomy 28:64). To be in G-d's favor is to be living in the Land. To be in His disfavor is to be living in the Diaspora (any country other than Israel). Thus, the spiritual restoration of the Jewish people is very closely tied to their physical return to Israel. Ezekiel records that G-d will return them to Israel (Ezekiel 37:12) and then put His Spirit in them. In other words, many will return to Israel in unbelief where G-d will restore them spiritually to Himself.
Yeshua spoke several parables addressing the tradition to stay awake. For instance:
"Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back - whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn. If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping, What I say to you, I say to everyone: 'Watch!"'(Mark 13:35-37)
"Behold, I come like a thief! Blessed is he who stays awake and keeps his clothes with him, so that he may not go naked and be shamefully exposed." (Revelation 16:15)
Traditionally, it is believed that during the night of Tikkun Leil Shavuot, the skies open for just a moment. In that moment, G-d favorably answers any prayer. This tradition hints at the 'catching up' of those whom the L-rd will meet in the air:
"For the L-rd Himself will come down from heaven with the trumpet call of G-d, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up with them in the clouds to meet the L-rd in the air...." (1 Thes 4:16-17)
Staying up all night is also, in mystical thought, to 'decorate the bride'. Mt. Sinai represents the 'wedding khuppah' and Israel is the bride. Since Shavuot is viewed as the wedding of G-d to Israel, Jesus may have had this in mind when He told the parable of the ten virgins illustrating a future day:
"At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep. At midnight the cry rang out: 'Here's the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!'. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet and the door was shut. Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour." (Matthew 25:1, 5, 6, 10, 13)
This parable describes the five wise virgins as those who are ready and prepared at the time the call comes to meet the bridegroom. It is both astonishing and tragic that only half the L-rd's people will be prepared and ready for His coming!
On Shavuot, in the synagogue, the Ark is opened and a Ketubah (Marriage Contract) is read which contains all the legal information showing Israel as the bride and G-d as the bridegroom. The bride's dowry is "an understanding heart, ears that hearken, and eyes that see", "one who will revere G-d and observe His commandments". Heaven and earth are invoked as reliable witnesses. The bride is described as "beautiful as the moon and radiant as the sun". G-d invites the bride to His palace and promises to bind Himself to her forever. The Bride (Israel) says, "We will do and we will listen". The Groom (G-d) gives His gift - the Torah. At the wedding, all is forgiven and they begin marriage in a state of purity.
Observant Jews teach that because of Israel's unfaithfulness, Shavuot became their betrothal instead of their wedding. But, G-d will take back His unfaithful wife in the last days:
"The L-rd will call you back as if you were a wife deserted and distressed in spirita wife who married young, only to be rejected...." (Isaiah 54:6)
"'In that day', declares the L-rd, 'you will call me "my husband", you will no longer call me "my master"....I will betroth you to me forever.... and you will acknowledge the L-rd."' (Hosea 2:16, 19-20)
An interesting ritual is observed in Israel, that demonstrates the wedding theme of Shavuot: A procession of people coming to Jerusalem to celebrate the Feast are led by an ox whose horns have been painted gold and decorated with olive branches. Musicians follow the ox, leading the people in praises to G-d. They, in turn, are followed by children wearing white gowns and flower headbands.
In the absence of the Temple, the ox represents the sin offering of the Feast. Its horns represent its strength, and gold expresses its divine nature. The olive tree is the symbol of Israel's religious privileges, and the sign of having peace with G-d. The children in white gowns represent purity, forgiven Israel, purified as a virgin bride ready for her wedding.
In Jewish tradition, it is said that Moses (a type of the nation of Israel) was found in a basket and was rescued from the waters of the Nile River on Shavuot , In the scriptures, water or the sea is often used as a metaphor for the world as is the nation of Egypt. This tradition foreshadows Israel's rescue by G-d (Yeshua) from the world when they gather against her in the last days.
"And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people; all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it.....And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem." (Zechariah 12:3, 9)
In Jewish teaching, there are four judgments: the Judgment of the Grain at Passover, the Judgment of the Fruit Trees at Shavuot, the Judgment of The People at Rosh HaShanah, and the Judgment of the Waters (the world) at Sukkot. The selection process for those who will be "caught up to be with the L-rd" (the bride of Christ) is the Judgment of the Fruit Trees.
"Likewise every good tree bears good fruit....Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. ....Many will say to Me on that day, 'L-rd, L-rd, did we not prophecy in Your name, and in Your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from Me, you evildoers!"' (Excerpt from Matt. 7:17-23)
This scripture is a companion scripture to the judgment parable of the Ten Virgins. In that parable (Matthew 25:1-12), the virgins were judged by their readiness for the coming of the Bridegroom. The rabbis describe marriage as the entrance to paradise. Only five five virgins were received into the wedding banquet, and five were turned away with the same words, 'I never knew you'.
In addition to the seven major traditions of the Festival of Shavuot, some other significant customs that pertain to the coming of the L-rd could be noted:
In the synagogue, for instance, the rabbis recount the story of saints in heaven watching the spectacle of the final battle: the destruction of Leviathan, Behemoth, and Rahab the Sea Monster (the unholy trinity). To a reader of the New Testament, this should call to mind the saints described in Revelation 7:9-17.
And finally, in the synagogue, as if to place a lasting emphasis on G-d's redemption, a medieval Aramaic poem is recited. 'Akdamut', as it is called, is said to lead the reader through the great heights and depths of mystical understandingfrom a description of G-d's creation of the world to a close look at the splendors of the World to Come. It memorializes G-d's greatness and Jewish faith and obedience to the Torah despite much oppression and ridicule.
Each phase of the redemption of mankind brought great persecution on the people of G-d, both to Israel and later to the Church. G-d is calling out a people today who will serve Him with the same uncompromising fervor and obedience as the early Jews and first century church martyrs. They will have a greater anointing to do the greater works that Jesus proclaimed would be done (John 14:12). This greater anointing will come with a greater price and a greater reward (Hebrews 11:35). It will result in the final restoration of mankind to G-d, ushering in the Messiah's reign. The redemption began with oppression and martyrdom and will end with it as well. Jesus asks: