LIGHT OF MENORAH

Shavuot (Pentecost) 4 - Archaeology 3 - One Flock & One Shepherd

SHAVUOT - EPISODE 4

Adonai is connecting Passover to First Fruits (Bikkureem) and First Fruits to Shavuot or Pentecost.  It is so clear.  When we put these events into their historical context of 1446 B.C. or the time of the first Passover, and in 30 A.D., the probable time of Jesus' death an resurrection, ascension, and the feast of Pentecost in Acts 2, we see how the missing pieces of Pentecost are filled in.  Our understanding is again enriched and enhanced and we ask ourselves, how did we miss so much?  Why isn't Pentecost Sunday a big deal in my church? 

In this lesson I hope you will become as passionate as I in terms of the fact we in the "church" need to bring back Pentecost Sunday and make it a big deal again.  It is more, much more, than what some say is the "birthday of the church."  Shavuot, its Hebrew name, is integrated into the special season, the season of God's ways of deliverance, salvation, redemption, and renewal. 

Hear the words of Jesus, the Good Shepherd, 

"I am the good shepherd, and I know My own and My own know Me, even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. I have other sheep (us Gentiles), which are not of this fold (Israel); I must bring them also, and they will hear My voice; and they (Jew and Gentile) will become one flock with one shepherd." (Joh 10:14-16)

This is the gathering in of His believers as one flock, one people, or one assembly - in Greek ECCLESIA which is translated as CHURCH.  The gathering of His assembly seems to begin in John 1 when two followed Jesus.  One was Andrew, Peter's brother.  More were added as Jesus came to them and said, "Come. Yes, come.  Follow me."  Shavuot is when the Lord poured out upon us POWER to be His witnesses to GO and make disciples and take God's Salvation (Yeshua - Jesus' name in Hebrew - means salvation!) and take God's Yeshua to the ends of the earth.  Our POWER day is PENTECOST.  

Here are the links referenced in this lesson.

Ray Vander Laan's audio lesson on Shavuot - https://www.thattheworldmayknow.com/shavuot

Tutorial of the feast of Shavuot presented by the Temple Institute in Jerusalem - http://templeinstitute.org/shavuot/

Rev. Ferret's lesson from his book entitled, "The Spring Feasts: the Shadows of the Messiah" - https://www.dropbox.com/s/2rs9dwl481eb9s1/Chapter%204%20-%20The%20Spring%20Feasts%20-%20the%20End%20of%20the%20Beginning.pdf?dl=0

Here's the link to the awesome commentary on Psalm 67 - a Psalm with 49 Hebrew words that many religious Jewish people recite each day of the count of the omer.  But, it is an awesome psalm that is so related to Jesus, His resurrection, ascension, and Shavuot.  Christians should be saying this everyday from the day of resurrection to Pentecost Sunday.  Check this out - https://www.dropbox.com/s/5sigdosytw78ejs/psalm67%20and%20omer%20and%20jesus.jpg?dl=0

Rev. Ferret - who is this guy?  What's his background?  Why should I listen to him?  Check his background at this link - https://www.dropbox.com/s/ortnret3oxcicu4/BackgrndTeacher%20mar%2025%202020.pdf?dl=0

 

 

Shavuot (Pentecost) 3 - Archaeology 2 - In the House

SHAVUOT - EPISODE 3

Where did the the events of Acts 2 happen?  In the upper room?  Some say it had to be since the disciples were all frightened to be jailed and persecuted like Jesus.  But, were they frightened by the time Shavuot comes around?  Remember, Jesus rises from the dead in the 1st day of the Omer (listen to lesson 1) - He rises from the dead on the feast of First Fruits, Bikkureem.  Forty days pass - over 5 weeks - and Jesus ascends to the Father.  Were those disciples cowering in the upper room for 40 days and 40 nights?  Absolutely not.  The Bible is clear and precise on this.  Moreover, on Shavuot where would be the only place to find a  large crowd of religious Jews?  Where is the ONLY place you'd find a large crowd of 3000 who wanted to be baptized after they heard Peter's sermon?  Where?  

The important point of all this is just as God chose the 40th day for His Son to return (the Ascension) God also picked a precise location for the coming of the Holy Spirit ( רוח הקודש Ruach HaKodesh) upon the 120 disciples.  The 40th day was full of meaning if you were a Jew in 30 A.D. a disciple of Jesus witnessing the ascension.  Likewise, the location of the events in Acts 2 is chosen by God since it makes the connection of Passover to Pentecost.  

Here are the links I mentioned in this podcast.

Link to Rev. Ferret's article on Bikureem and First Fruits and the count of the Omer - https://www.dropbox.com/s/vca81ywpv8nu900/Article%20from%20book%20BIKKUREEM%20final.pdf?dl=0

Link to the Shavuot tutorial at the website for The Temple Institute - https://templeinstitute.org/shavuot/

Link for an article on where is Mt. Zion - https://www.seetheholyland.net/mount-zion/

Rev. Ferret - who is this guy?  What's his background?  Why should I listen to him?  Check his background at this link - https://www.dropbox.com/s/ortnret3oxcicu4/BackgrndTeacher%20mar%2025%202020.pdf?dl=0

Shavuot (Pentecost) 2 - Archaeology 1 - Day 40 of the Omer

SHAVUOT - EPISODE 2

The feast of Pentecost is a day many Christians say is the "birthday" of the church.  That's right!  It is also the time God sends His Holy Spirit upon us.  That's right!  But there is so much more.

In this first lesson we will put this feast back into its historical and cultural context of the 1st century in Israel.  We will again ask how Jesus' 120 disciples, who saw Him ascend on day 40 after His resurrection, understood this time and these events.  For them, Jesus ascending on day 40 had a meaning we don't get since we are not Jewish followers of Jesus back then.  That Jesus rose on day 40 is explosive to those 1st believers and it will be to us as well.  God chose this day on purpose.  Forty has major significance to those Jewish disciples of Jesus then. 

In this lesson we will clearly establish the connection between all these feasts - Passover to First Fruits to Shavuot or Pentecost.  Jesus' ascension is intimately connected to Passover and Pentecost.  When we "walk" those paths and streets like the 120 disciples by our study in this class, may we obtain a deeper and more enriching understanding of the feast of Shavuot.  Perhaps it will inspire many in the church to return the services on Pentecost Sunday into the joyous and powerful time of remembrance it was intended to be by the Lord but has  been mostly neglected by the church.

Here are the five links I mentioned in this lesson.  This will add to your study.

1) My article on the Feast of First Fruits, the Omer Count, and Shavuot - https://www.dropbox.com/s/dv38j7tx1qos4ue/d%20Lesson4..COUNTING%20THE%20DAYS...2019..107..136.pdf?dl=0

2) Link to the Light of Menorah podcasts, "Archaeology of Passover" - https://lightofmenorah.podbean.com/?s=archaeology

3) Link to pictures of the Chapel of the Ascension - https://www.biblewalks.com/AscensionChurch

4) Link to pictures of the Russian Church of the Ascension on the Mt. of Olives - https://www.biblewalks.com/russianascensionchurch

5) Link to pictures of Augusta Victoria and the German Lutheran Church of the Ascension - https://www.biblewalks.com/augustavictoria

Rev. Ferret - who is this guy?  What's his background?  Why should I listen to him?  Check his background at this link - https://www.dropbox.com/s/ortnret3oxcicu4/BackgrndTeacher%20mar%2025%202020.pdf?dl=0

 

 

 

Shavuot (Pentecost) 1 - Psalm 67 and the Countdown

SHAVUOT - EPISODE 1

So few Christians really understand that there is a God ordained connection between Passover and Pentecost, between פֶּסַח Paysak and שָׁבוּעוֹת Shavuot.  So few churches today even celebrate Pentecost.  We have lost so much, we have become so disconnected from our roots, שׁוֹרָשִׁים SHORASHEEM. 

One connection between Passover and Pentecost is "geographical."  Passover is the time of the barley harvest.  Pentecost is the time of the wheat harvest.  Two harvests and both times the Torah calls them times of the First Fruits. Interesting.  Paul calls Jesus the FIRST FRUITS.  Is there something Paul understands that we don't.  You bet. And there is so much more.  

God commands a COUNTDOWN starting, in Jesus' day, on the Sunday after Passover (Resurrection Sunday!).  That was day 1 and the count is to continue for 7 Sabbath weeks - 49 days.  The 50th day God commands in His Torah is the feast of Pentecost (which means 50) or שָׁבוּעוֹת Shavuot meaning weeks.  God is telling us there is some awesome connection between Passover and Pentecost so much so that we are to count each day till Pentecost.  

In the past religious Jews started using Psalm 67 as they did the countdown.  Many still do it today.  Why?  In Hebrew Psalm 67 has 49 words.  ON top of that Psalm 67 has only 7 verses like the 7 weeks between the start of the Omer count and Pentecost or Shavuot. You can see this in the picture below.  (Note - you'll see perhaps a hyphen used in the text.  That does not mean one word but actually two in the original Hebrew which never used hyphens).  So each day the Jewish people say a blessing to the Lord, state what day of the count it is, and recite out loud Psalm 67.  

In this lesson I make the case that this is something we Christians should be doing.  Why?  Wait till you hear the lesson.  Psalm 67 seems to have been inspired by the Lord to His ELECT, Israel, and now to us.  The psalm used between Passover and Pentecost is connected to Jesus in amazing and surprising ways.  It's all about Jesus and it always has been. We should do the countdown and look to the awesome feast of Pentecost.  All churches should now, during the countdown, teach about Pentecost and Passover, the 1st harvest and the 2nd harvest, the 1st blessing and the 2nd blessing, the giving of the Laws of the Lord and the giving of that which completes the Law, and the coming of the Teaching of the Lord (Torah) and the coming of the Teacher, רוח הקודש, RUACH HAKODESH, the Holy Spirit.  For more on all this check out these links that can be found after the picture of Psalm 67 below.

My article on the Feast of First Fruits, the Omer Count, and Shavuot - https://www.dropbox.com/s/dv38j7tx1qos4ue/d%20Lesson4..COUNTING%20THE%20DAYS...2019..107..136.pdf?dl=0

Link to the Light of Menorah podcasts, "Archaeology of Passover" - https://lightofmenorah.podbean.com/?s=archaeology

Link to pictures of the Chapel of the Ascension - https://www.biblewalks.com/AscensionChurch

Link to pictures of the Russian Church of the Ascension on the Mt. of Olives - https://www.biblewalks.com/russianascensionchurch

Link to pictures of Augusta Victoria and the German Lutheran Church of the Ascension - https://www.biblewalks.com/augustavictoria

Rev. Ferret - who is this guy?  What's his background?  Why should I listen to him?  Check his background at this link - https://www.dropbox.com/s/ortnret3oxcicu4/BackgrndTeacher%20mar%2025%202020.pdf?dl=0