And ye shall count unto you from me the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven Sabbaths shall be complete.
God‘s timing is always perfect. It was important for Him to set a specific time as indicated because He is a God of order. Everything runs according to His time and we cannot change it.
It is important to realize that Shavuot and Pentecost proceed right after the seventh Shabbat. The scriptures state that ""we shall count seven Sabbaths after the Sabbath which was the First-fruits.""
V. 16 Even unto the morrow after the seventh Sabbath shall ye number fifty days, and ye shall offer a new meat (grain) offering unto the LORD.
The Holy Spirit could not come upon mankind until Yeshua, Jesus had paid the price for sin and rose from the dead. He is the Lord of the Sabbath - our rest.
In verse 13 we read about a grain offering, which is for the Feast of Firstfruits – symbolizing the resurrection of Jesus. Yet in that very same verse, we also read about a new offering. This ‘‘new offering’’ points to the great harvest caused by the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the day of Shavuot, Pentecost.
In John 14:16 the Word of God says: And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you for ever. Did we receive another God? No! It speaks about the Holy Spirit. V. 17 You shall bring from your dwellings two wave loaves of two-tenths of an ephah. They shall be of fine flour; they shall be baked with leaven. They are the firstfruits to the LORD.
Why bring two wave loaves? Because God foreknew that both Jews and Gentiles will be together. It is important to stress this could not have happened until Yeshua was resurrected, glorified and the Holy Spirit given. That is why in this verse, we see the two wave loaves of bread.
"They shall be of fine flour, yet mixed with leaven."
It is interesting that the Word mentions leaven. Leaven represents sin. Why is sin mentioned here? It is because we come to God with all our shortcomings and He is willing to accept us just the way we are. It is not the sin of Adam. The sin of Adam was dealt with on the cross. It is our character that follows us from the past and it needs to be dealt with.
You see, right after you accepted Yeshua in your life with all your heart, the Lord God forgives your sins and in His eyes, you are forgiven and accepted. Our new life has started yet we all know that a lot of shortcomings follow us. How are these shortcomings dealt with? By the blood of Yeshua and by the Spirit of God.
In 1 Cor. 6:11 we read: And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
As you can see, the Holy Spirit is involved in washing, sanctifying and justifying us. That is why the Holy Spirit, the Ruah ha Kodesh was given.
The next thought of this verse concerns the firstfruit of the Lord. Here is the second time where God mentions the firstfruit. The first time was in verse 10, concerning the feast of Firstfruits (symbolizing the resurrection of Yeshua). He was the first to rise from the dead on our behalf.
Notice that the two wave loaves of bread are the firstfruits for the Feast of Shavuot (Pentecost). Previously, we’’ ve discussed that God has raised us with the Messiah once we are born again. The Feast of Shavuot or Pentecost speaks directly about the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and shows us that only after the Holy Spirit was given to man, did heaven welcome both Jew and Gentile alike into the Kingdom of God.
Now we see the order of the Feasts, beginning with Passover in their fulfillment. All the Feasts, Passover, Unleavened bread, Firstfruits could not and cannot come into effect until the Holy Spirit was or will be given. Why? Because it is the Ruah Ha Kodesh, the Holy Spirit that activates all that Jesus did. Without the Holy Spirit in our life we are not changed, therefore the blood of Jesus has no effect until the Holy Spirit enters in. The Holy Spirit cannot enter in without the blood of Jesus which cleanses man from sin.
The Born Again experience depends on a truthful repentance, invitation of the Lord Jesus into your life for the forgiveness of your sin by His precious blood, proceeded by the resurrection from the old life to the new. The Holy Spirit cannot dwell in a place where sin dominates. He is called Holy, Ha Kodesh, therefore He will dwell in a person cleansed from sin.
What is the importance of this procedure? In the book of John, chapter 14, verse 23 we find the answer: Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man loves Me, he will keep My words; and My Father will love him, and We will come unto him and make Our abode with him.
In the book of Matthew, chapter 25, verses 1-12, Jesus tell a parable about ten virgins that were waiting for the coming of their bridegroom.
1 Then shall the Kingdom of Heaven be likened unto ten virgins, who took their lamps and went forth to meet the bridegroom.
2 And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.
3 They that were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them,
4 but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
5 While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.
6 And at midnight there was a cry made: ‘‘Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet Hm.’’
7 Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps.
8 And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil, for our lamps are gone out.’’
9 But the wise answered, saying, Not so, lest there be not enough for us and you; but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.
10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage, and the door was shut.
11 Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, ‘‘Lord, Lord, open to us!
12 But he answered and said, ‘‘Verily I say unto you, I know you not.
The kingdom of heaven is mentioned at the very beginning of this parable. Thus this parable concerns believers because only to them does the kingdom of heaven belong.
Reading this parable and others about the same subject, I asked myself one question: Why does the Lord answer them by saying, I do not know you? In Matthew 7, Jesus repeats this theme by saying:
21 Not every one that saith unto Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, but he that doeth the will of My Father who is in Heaven.
22 Many will say to Me in that Day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Thy name, and in Thy name have cast out devils, and in Thy name done many wonderful works?
23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from Me, ye that work iniquity.
In chapter 13 there is another example of this truth:
24 Another parable put He forth before them, saying, The Kingdom of Heaven is likened unto a man who sowed good seed in his field;
25 but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.
26 But when the blades had sprung up and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.
27 So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? From whence then hath come the tares?
28 He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then have us go and gather them up?
29 But he said, Nay, lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them.
30 Let both grow together until the harvest, and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, "Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.
All three examples speak of the same thing: the difference between those who are saved and born again and those who are not. The Bible states that both kinds are together in the church, but only the born again believer is part of the Kingdom of Heaven.
According to the Bible, only the Fruit of the Spirit determines the true status of a "Believer". When some one is born again, the Holy Spirit will manifest His fruit in their life.
Dear friend. Have you ever thought that we could get such a revelation by examining the Feasts of the Lord? May the Lord richly bless you as you continue to pursue His will in your life. |
