Understanding Shavu’oth: The Appointed Time to Meet Yahuah

Shavu’oth, commonly known as Pentecost to Christians, is a very significant appointed time in the Scriptures. It is one of the three pilgrimages men were commanded to make during the year to Jerusalem when the Temple was standing. Shavu’oth is to be observed on the fiftieth day after Bikkurim (First Fruits) to celebrate the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai and the outpouring of the Ruach Ha’Qodesh (Set-Apart Spirit) after the ascension of Yahusha Ha’Mashiach.

The Origins of Shavu’oth

The institution of Shavu’oth is first recorded in Shemoth (Exodus) 19, when Yahuah commands Mosheh to sanctify the children of Yashar’el for two days and to be ready against the third day and He will come down and speak with them to establish the terms of the eternal covenant He is going to make with them and their seed forever.

Shemoth 19:10-11 – ” And the Yahuah said unto Mosheh, Go unto the people, and sanctify them to day and to morrow, and let them wash their clothes, and be ready against the third day: for the third day the Yahuah will come down in the sight of all the people upon Mount Sinai. “
Ma’asiym (Acts) 1:5 & 8 – ” For Yochanon truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Ruach Ha’qodesh not many days hence…But ye shall receive power, after that the Ruach’ Ha’qodesh come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto Me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth”

Yahuah and Yahusha both prepared the people to receive the Ruach Ha’Qodesh, Yahuah’s Set-Apart Spirit. The first mention of Shavu’oth in the Torah is when Yahuah gave His commandments of the covenant to Mosheh and the first mention of it in the Brit Ha’Dasha is the outpouring of the Ruach Ha’Qodesh.

Vayiqra (Leviticus) 23:15-16 – “And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the Shabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven Shabbaths shall be complete: Even unto the morrow after the seventh Shabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a renewed oblation unto the Yahuah.”

This Feast is not only a set apart time for us to celebrate the giving of the commandments and the outpouring of the Ruach Ha’qodesh, but it is a time for practicing when we will have the Torah of Yahuah written upon the tables of our hearts.

The Connection Between Shavu’oth, Yahusha Ha’Mashiach and the Ruach Ha’qodesh

Shavu’oth finds its ultimate fulfillment in Yahusha Ha’Mashiach, who is the living Word of Elohiym. He walked in covenant with Yahuah perfectly at all times. Yahuah’s Word is written on Yahusha’s heart and He walked and lived it with every breath He took.

Devariym (Deuteronomy) 6:6 – “And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart”

Yahusha came to do the will of His Father Yahuah and He walked His Torah perfectly.

Yirmeyahu (Jeremiah) 31:33 – ” But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Yashar’el; After those days, saith Yahuah, I will put my Torah in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their Elohiym, and they shall be My people.”

Yahusha’s life death and resurrection provided the avenue for the Ruach Ha’Qodesh to write Yahuah’s Torah on the believer’s heart.

Yochanon (Johm) 14:26 – ” But the Comforter, which is the Ruach Ha”Qodesh, whom the Father will send in My name, He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.”

Guarding Shavu’oth

1. Mosheh prepares the People for Yahuah to Meet with Them

Yahuah gives Mosheh specific instructions for the preparation of the people to meet Him.

• Shemoth (Exodus) 19:10-15 – “And the Yahuah said unto Mosheh, Go unto the people, and sanctify them to day and to morrow, and let them wash their clothes, and be ready against the third day: for the third day the Yahuah will come down in the sight of all the people upon Mount Sinai.…And he said unto the people, Be ready against the third day: come not at your wives.”
  • Mosheh ensures the people are ready to meet Yahuah according to the commands he has been given.

2. Yahusha Prepares the Disciples for the Ruach Ha’Qodesh

Yahusha prepares the disciples before He is crucified and before He ascends.

• Yochanon (Johm) 14:26 – ” But the Comforter, which is the Ruach Ha”Qodesh, whom the Father will send in My name, He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.”
  • Yahusha tells the disciples of how the Ruach Ha’Qodesh will teach them and bring all things to their remembrance.
• Ma’asiym (Acts) 1:4-5 – “And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith He, ye have heard of Me. For Yochanon truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Ruach Ha’Qodesh not many days hence. ”
  • Yahusha gives them instructions on what to do while waiting for the Ruach Ha’Qodesh.

3. Observance of Shavu’oth for Today’s Believer

We cannot go to the Temple in Jerusalem to celebrate Shavu’oth today but we can meet Yahuah in our tabernacle, our own tent of meeting that He has given us, and celebrate His Feast of Shavu’oth. Yahuah wants us to obey His commandments and guard them in our daily walk and to keep them in our hearts and we are to reflect upon this on this Feast Day of Shavu’oth

• Devariym (Deuteronlmy) 6:5-7 – “And thou shalt love Yahuah Elohayka with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.”
  • We are called to love Yahuah every day with all of our heart, soul and might and to teach His commandments. This is the best way to observe the Feast of Shavu’oth is to Guard Yahuah’s Commandments in Our Hearts.

Conclusion

Shvu’oth is a day to commune with Yahuah and Yahusha through their blessed Ruach Ha’Qodesh and to reflect on His commandments and the covenant you have chosen to enter into with Yahuah. Prepare yourself against the day when you will have to meet Father Yahuah face to face.

May we continually seek the Truth of Yahuah’s Torah, keeping it in our hearts and walking in it through the help of His Ruach Ha’Qodesh.