Shavuot Pentecost Celebration 2024 • FOUNDED IN TRUTH

Understanding Shavuot: The Festival of Weeks

In a recent service at Founded in Truth Fellowship, Matthew Vander Els led a teaching on the significance of Shavuot, also known as Pentecost, in 2024. This special day is recognized both in the Old Testament as a major biblical feast and in the New Testament as the day the Holy Spirit descended upon the disciples. The speaker emphasized that Shavuot is a pivotal holiday rooted in both agricultural practices and foundational biblical narratives.

Shavuot holds a prominent place within the cycle of biblical feasts given by God to Israel, establishing their religious calendar. These festivals were intrinsically linked to the agricultural seasons of the land. The speaker highlighted that the spring season begins with Passover, a commemoration of Israel’s liberation from slavery in Egypt. Passover and the subsequent week of Unleavened Bread mark the start of this cycle, reminding the people of God’s foundational act of redemption. This event underscores God’s character as one who frees the oppressed and stands against injustice. Following Passover, a few days later, the Festival of First Fruits, Yom HaBikrim, occurs, during which the first of the barley harvest was presented to the Lord as an offering.

Shavuot’s Place in the Pilgrimage Feasts

Fifty days after the Festival of First Fruits, Shavuot takes place. The speaker explained that Shavuot is one of the three major pilgrimage festivals mentioned in Deuteronomy 16:16, alongside the Festival of Unleavened Bread and the Festival of Tabernacles. Deuteronomy 16:16 states, “**Three times a year all of your men must appear before the Lord your God at the place He will choose: at the festival of unleavened bread, the festival of weeks, and the festival of tabernacles.**” These were occasions when all the men of Israel were required to travel to Jerusalem to appear before the Lord, often bringing their families and the first of their harvest as an offering.

During Shavuot, there was a tradition of bringing baskets filled with the harvest to the temple in Jerusalem. People would often put great care into making these baskets, even weaving in ribbons and gold to make them special as an offering to the Lord. The journey to Jerusalem was a significant event, with people traveling from various regions, culminating in an overwhelming moment of presenting their baskets to the priests at the Temple Mount. Upon handing over their offering, the Israelites would recite a declaration found in Deuteronomy 26.

The Declaration of Gratitude (Deuteronomy 26)

The speaker then guided the audience through Deuteronomy 26:1-11, emphasizing the words spoken when presenting the first fruits. This declaration was a recounting of Israel’s history, from their ancestor being a wandering Aramean who went down to Egypt with few people, their enslavement and suffering under the Egyptians, to God hearing their cries and delivering them with a mighty hand and outstretched arm. It culminated in bringing the first fruits of the land that the Lord had given them, a land flowing with milk and honey. The act of placing the basket before the Lord and bowing down was a profound expression of gratitude and remembrance.

The Significance of the Name and Offerings

The name Shavuot itself means “weeks” in Hebrew, highlighting the counting of seven weeks (50 days) from the day of First Fruits, as described in Deuteronomy 16:9. During Shavuot, two special loaves of leavened bread made from finely ground wheat were offered as a wave offering. The speaker pointed out the uniqueness of this offering, as it was intentionally leavened, contrasting with the unleavened bread of Passover. This leavened bread symbolized a new bread for a new people, signifying the blessings received after the Exodus from Egypt. The unleavened bread eaten during the Exodus represented the haste with which they left, not having time for the dough to rise. The removal of “sior,” or starter dough, from their homes before leaving Egypt symbolized a clean break from their past. The new, leavened bread of Shavuot, made with intentional effort, marked a new beginning and the bounty God had provided.

Insights from Tradition: The Mishnah and the Temple

While the Torah specifies the amount of flour for the Shavuot bread offering, it doesn’t detail the exact preparation or appearance. The speaker explained that understanding these aspects comes from the Mishnah, a compilation of oral traditions and records from the descendants of the priestly families who served in the temple before its destruction in 70 AD. The Mishnah provides insights into how temple rituals were performed, including the appearance of the two loaves of bread offered during Shavuot. These loaves were described as having horns on their four corners, a feature also found on the altars in the temple. This detail illustrates how Jewish tradition elaborated on the foundational commandments of the Torah.

Shavuot and the New Covenant: Pentecost in Acts

The teaching then transitioned to the New Testament and the fulfillment of Shavuot in the event of Pentecost recorded in Acts chapter 2. Fifty days after Yeshua’s resurrection, the disciples and other followers, including Mary, were gathered in Jerusalem for the Shavuot celebration. Just as the Old Testament Shavuot marked the giving of the Law and the celebration of the first harvest, the New Testament Pentecost marked the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon believers.

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Application for Everyday Life

• Cultivate Gratitude: Shavuot is a time to reflect on God’s blessings and express gratitude, not just pride in our own accomplishments. Recognize that all good things come from God.
• Remember God’s Redemptive Acts: Just as the Israelites remembered their deliverance from Egypt, we should remember God’s redemption through Yeshua.
• Embrace New Life in the Spirit: The outpouring of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost signifies a new life for believers. Embrace the empowerment and guidance of the Spirit in your daily walk.
• Participate in Community: While we may not have a physical temple, we can participate in the spirit of Shavuot by engaging with our faith communities and supporting their work.
• Focus on the Mission of God: Remember that God’s mission extends to all people. Resist division and embrace love and empathy towards others, even those with differing views.
• Live as Citizens of Heaven: As Philippians teaches, our primary citizenship is in the kingdom of heaven. Let this perspective guide your actions and priorities in the world.

References

Bible Verses

• Exodus 2
• Deuteronomy 16
• Deuteronomy 26
• Acts 2
• Philippians 3

Books and Resources Mentioned

• The Bible by Various Authors
• The Mishnah by Various Authors