“You shall also count for yourselves from the day after the Sabbath, from the day when you brought in the sheaf of the wave offering; there shall be seven complete Sabbaths. You shall count fifty days to the day after the seventh Sabbath; then you shall present a new grain offering to the LORD. You shall  bring in from your dwelling places two loaves of bread for a wave offering, made of two-tenths of an ephah; they shall be of a fine flour, baked with leaven as first fruits to the LORD. Along with the bread, you shall present seven one year old male lambs without defect, and a bull of the herd, and two rams; they are to be a burnt offering to the LORD, with their grain offering and their libations, an offering by fire of a soothing aroma to the LORD. You shall also offer one male goat for a sin offering and two male lambs one year old for a sacrifice of peace offerings. The priest shall then wave them with the bread of the first fruits for a wave offering with two lambs before the LORD; they are to be holy to the LORD for the priest. On this same day you shall make a proclamation as well; you are to have a holy convocation. You shall do no laborious work. It is to be a perpetual statute in all your dwelling places throughout your generations.”  Lev 23:15-21

Pentecost is also called the Feast of Weeks and in Hebrew Shavuot. It was one of the three feasts that all male Israelites were required to observe in Jerusalem. When Jerusalem was destroyed in 70AD and the Jews scattered, the feast became more of a celebration of the giving of the Law on Mt. Sinai. The Rabbis, having deduced that Moses came down from Sinai on Pentecost, changed the festival somewhat to emphasize this event. However, during New Testament times, this was not the emphasis. It was the feast of the Latter First Fruits of the wheat harvest. And, just like all the other feasts, was rich in symbolism regarding the work of God in redemption and The Day of the Lord. Until the destruction of the Temple, the feast was celebrated according to Lev 23. It was a first fruits celebration similar to that of Sfirat Haomer, except that this time, the first fruits were baked into two loaves which were to be waved before the Lord by the priest. And in an amazing contrast to Unleavened Bread, the loaves were to be leavened. The theme of the Latter First Fruits was similar to Sfirat Haomer. It was a time of thanksgiving for an early harvest and increased hopefulness of an abundant fall harvest.  

 In the book of Acts, we read the account of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the church on Pentecost (Shavuot). Many have referred to this as the birth of the church. But it may be more accurately referred to as the conception of the church or the Bride of Christ. Because of this fulfillment of Pentecost, the feast seems to have a unique connection to the Bride of Messiah. She is a “first fruit company” made up of two loaves, Jew and Gentile that have been made into one. The leaven that is used in the loaves may be symbolic of the inclusion of the Gentiles into this “first fruit company.” It may also represent the infilling of the Holy Spirit since, although leaven is usually a reference to sin, Jesus did use it in a positive context in reference to the Kingdom (Mt 13:33).  

It seems apparent that the New Testament writers understood the connection of First Fruits with the Bride of Messiah. Consider the following verses:

“And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body.” Romans 8:23

“In the exercise of His will He brought us forth by the word of truth, so that we might be, as it were, the first fruits among His creatures.” James 1:18

At Pentecost, the first fruits represented by the two loaves, were waved before the Lord with great enthusiasm just as in Sfirat Haomer. We have already discussed the fulfillment of Sfirat Haomer in that Messiah and the saints of old were taken into heaven and waved, so to speak, before the Father. Yet, where was this aspect of Shavuot fulfilled? We know that the outpouring of the Spirit upon Jew and Gentile (a first fruit company from mankind), which may be symbolized by the leavening of the loaves, took place on Pentecost. But since then the process has continued with the Holy Spirit continually poured out on this “first fruit company.” Therefore, it would seem, that Pentecost, the middle feast, is only partially fulfilled. Could it be that its final fulfillment will come with the waving of this “first fruit company” before the Throne at the rapture? Could it be that the rapture takes place on Pentecost? Considering the fact that every significant event in the ministry of Messiah has taken place on one of the Seven Great Rehearsals, then why would an event as significant as the rapture be the exception?  

As already pointed out, the focus of Shavuot today is more related to the giving of the Law on Sinai.  There are two interesting facts about Sinai that correspond to Jesus and His Bridal covenant. 

  • The giving of the Law of God to His Bride Israel is repeated in the new Bridal covenant between Christ and His Bride that was made on Pentecost. It was then that He gave the Holy Spirit as a pledge or an engagement ring. Consequently we who have received the Spirit are betrothed to Christ.
  • The covenant of Sinai was a marriage covenant. It was the first shophar, and it was a Bridal Shophar. The second or last shophar is also a Bridal Shophar announcing the marriage of the Bridegroom, Jesus. It is quite probable then that this wedding also takes place on Pentecost.

“This is the covenant that I will make with them. After those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws upon their heart, and upon their mind I will write them….” Heb 10:16

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