There is a Jewish custom of counting the days between Passover (Pesach) and Pentecost (Shavuot). It is derived from the text of Leviticus 23:15-16 and is called the counting of the omer. We are in that period now. Lag B’Omer, that we discussed last week, is day 33 of the 49 days counted in anticipation of the next holiday.
Why are these holidays connected in such a way? One assertion is that on Passover they were set free physically from bondage in Egypt and on Shavuot they were set free spiritually by receiving God’s Word, Torah. But it is also argued that Shavuot, or Pentecost, is the ultimate point of Passover. That the people had to be delivered from Egypt in order to receive the Torah and become God’s chosen people.
As a Christian, we can also make the connection. Yeshua, Jesus, who is our Passover lamb, had to die before our deliverance. Then we would receive and the Holy Spirit and become God's bride. We can look to these days of counting as a reminder of the period of waiting on the Spirit. Those early disciples didn’t understand fully what they were awaiting – but they obeyed their Rabbi and waited nonetheless. And on Shavuot, Pentecost, the Holy Spirit was poured out.
I like this reminder of waiting. Much of life seems to be spent in waiting for something or another. We stay active in that which we know to do, and wait and trust in God for that only He can do. During this time, we can rest and reflect on God’s faithfulness in releasing us from bondage, so that we can look with trusting anticipation as He prepares us for His work and glory to come.
